The Nordstrom Semi-Annual sale just happened and so did a $3000 dent in my credit card. Ouch! Yes, I bought about $3K worth of new clothes which is insane for me, but about 60% of that purchase has already been returned and about $800 of that initial sum was new threads for my husband. I’m…
I really admire entrepreneurs and folks who opted to save like crazy to gain financial independence and early retirement in their 30’s and 40’s. These are typically smart, go-getter types who are the least likely to play the victim or complain about their realities. These are the folks that know what they want and go…
I’m not an interior design expert, but I’ve noticed minimalism has a serious branding problem when it comes to interior design. When I’m on Pinterest and I’m searching for minimalist spaces, I tend to find a bunch of stark rooms with barely any sense of personal space. The design is bare and cold. While I…
There’s a tendency to believe that minimalist exists on the bare minimum, where needs are met, but wants are discouraged. Perhaps this is what minimalism is to some, but certainly not to me. For me, it’s much deeper than that. It doesn’t matter how many items I own, it matters that they serve a purpose….
Value-based spending is exactly what it implies. It’s focused spending on the things, services or experiences that add the most value to our lives. That’s something very different for everyone, but the point is the same – optimize your spending on the places that mean the most to you. For me, this includes important things like…
Our culture sees quitting as such a negative. To quit is to fail. To persevere against all odds makes you a hero. I disagree. In fact, quitting might be just what you need to do in order to move on to bigger, better things. The when and how of quitting: [bctt tweet=”Consider quitting anything that’s…
There’s a woman I follow on social media. She’s beautiful, very fit and perfect in that Pinterest kind of way. She has an idyllic life. Gorgeous husband, cute kid, big house, a couple of dogs, great friends… all the things we crave. But that’s her social media self. Theoretically, I know she still wakes up…
Minimalism has been on my mind for some time now, but only recently have I taken any action to get there. Unlike some that come into this practice full-throttle, I’ve done it by dipping one toe at a time. Packing up all my belongings and sending them off to Goodwill seems too jarring to me,…
This is a personal post about something I’m struggling with now. I’m sharing it because I bet I’m not the only who might need the wake-up call, and the action steps to solve it. Over the past several months I’ve been working to become more minimalist and intentional in my personal world with a hope…
I’m not sure the first time I heard that expression, but I know where it led me. I was in Rishikesh, India, sitting on the floor of the ashram I was studying at listening to the American yoga instructor, (a recovering drug addict) talk about her experience of going from homeless to globe-trotting entrepreneur. After…
Recently my husband and I went on an all-inclusive trip to Cabo, Mexico. We do this at least once a year because Cabo is a short flight away and we really like the sunshine and the beach. It was an investment to be sure, but one we thought was worth it (well, until we made…
When was the last time you let something go? Think about it, you accumulate new experiences, habits, responsibilities, relationships and beliefs every day of your life, but do you ever take time curate what you already have? This has been on my mind since reading the book Essentialism by Greg McKewon, a must read for…
As far as I know, my boss isn’t chomping at the bit to give me a 10K raise or more work from home (WFH) days, but given the option I’d say no to the cash and yes to the WFH time. Here’s why: A little search of Mr. Google revealed this dismal little factoid. Given that…
This is not my first minimalist rodeo. I went on a “stuff binge” after Marie Kondoizing my house last year. Actually, it was a pretty lame attempt as you’ll never catch me folding my t-shirts and standing them on end. It’s just not my jam. But I DID take that opportunity to get rid of…
Lately I’ve been trying to unload “stuff” I don’t use. Most of it has gone to Goodwill, but there are other things that I find too valuable to donate yet selling them is harder than I expected. I have an apple watch that my husband bought me for Christmas a few years back. I have…
In my quest for seeking out money mentors, I naturally checked out Dave because so many people swear by him, but man, I just can’t. I bet some of you LOVE this guy and you’re going to send me ranty emails about being ungrateful or unGodful or whatever, but hear me out. Religion and Money…
I read this on a Mr Money Mustache post and I thought it was so clever: think of your dollars as little employees that work for you. Now, with that in mind, you can send your employees to a highly-civilized investment project where they will grow and develop while helping the world do great things. Alternatively,…
