Hey guys!

Long time!

So I accidentally started a new side project while awaiting my *real* project to start, lol… (the “curation” one w/ Motley Fool still in the works…)

It’s called PF Swagger and it showcases all the hottest apparel in our personal finance space :)

I started coming across a TON of great merch as I got back into curating again (been loving it, btw! So many fun NEW bloggers out there!!) and as part of my “support everyone more” goal I started buying t-shirts left and right and wanted a fun way to get them out in front of more people…

So PF Swagger was born, and hopefully you’ll help me spread the love and support them as well! All while LOOKING GOOD doing it!! ;)

👉👉 http://pfswagger.com/

In other news…

We’re all still hunkered down, but healthy! Don’t go out much but have managed to keep our sanity by playing a lot in our yard and going on 80 walks a day… I’ve also found a great way to release stress while making the kids happy at the same time – whipping out the hose and spraying them down with water! Haha… So cathartic, and they’re none the wiser for it ;)

Also – no regrets still on selling Budgets and moving on to other interesting (and apparently now, random) things! Particularly with how the year’s gone down and all the upheaval everywhere, ugh… It’s allowed me to do some pretty serious self-reflecting lately, and any time I need a break from it all I just head to Twitter and hang out with everyone :) Come say hi if we’re not connected there yet! (@BudgetsAreSexy <— might need to change that at some point, lol…)

As I mentioned the new curation site with Motley Fool still isn’t out yet, but the latest part I’m helping them with is creating *original videos* which I’m both scripting and staring in myself (eek!). And boy how different it is compared to writing blog posts! Y’all vloggers get a new found respect from me! Took me a few videos to get over my Imposter Syndrome and self-consciousness, but we’re rolling now and just need the site to go live so I CAN FINALLY SHARE THEM WITH YOU!! I cannot wait!

And that’s all the news in my world for now! How the hell have YOU been??

Sorry for being m.i.a. for awhile… Turns out after 12 years of writing almost every single day my brain just needed a break :) But sat down this morning SUPER excited to pick up the pen (keyboard?) and connect with everyone, so please do fill me in with what you’ve been up to! I hope you’re safe and healthy, above all!

Will write again soon,

PS: Some good reads I’ve come across lately for anyone missing our weekly roundups:

• Window-Swap.com – Look outside other peoples’ windows around the world!
• How Giving Up TV For A Month Changed My Brain And My Life – “Never watch more television than the amount of time you exercise”
• The Principle of Charity: Assume the Best Interpretation of People’s Arguments – “When interpreting someone’s statement, you should assume that the best possible interpretation of that statement is the one that the speaker meant to convey.”
• How to balance minimalism and a love affair with books – Only keep the 4 Rs (Reread, Recommend, Reference, Rare)
• The Best Career Advice I’ve Ever Gotten – “Imagine if for every person you met you thought of some way to help them, something you could do for them, and you looked at it in a way that entirely benefited them and not you.”
• J. Money Sells His Blog But Not His Soul [Podcast] – “Miranda Marquit speaks with J. Money about selling his blog and the challenges in letting go and moving on. J. also shares about different projects he walked away from and his resolve to frame the life he wants.”

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Morning!

Hope you guys are well and safe and HEALTHY!!

For those who missed it, I turned in my “1 month notice” of blogging last week, and in a short couple of weeks from today I will be officially retiring from the blog after 12 straight years – Eeek!

Super excited and nervous at the same time, but it finally feels “right” and I’m ready to now redirect all that energy into another $$$-related venture :) More on that as soon as it’s live (est. launch date, July 1st), but if you’re interested in seeing who I hand-picked to carry the torch over at Budgets Are Sexy, head on over to this post here: Who the heck is 5am Joel?

This newsletter here will continue going on as it always has, so anytime you ever want to reach out just hit “reply” and I will be here! Or hit me on Twitter where I hang out throughout much the day: @BudgetsAreSexy

Much love,

******

Articles I enjoyed writing recently:

“Finding Money” — An illustrated story by my 7 y/o 😂

Things I learned this week… — There’s a subreddit for “The Financially Challenged”,  you can buy a lot of random things from Japanese vending machines, haha…, theories on why people throw shoes up on telephone wires, what the Michelin Man’s real name is, and more…

Community Fund Update 💙 Batch One of Giving! — We raised a total of $665 and helped 7 different families across the country + Guatemala! Way to go, guys!

The Best Stapler For Coin Collecting — Featured on my newly revived coin blog, CoinThrill.com! The answer to this question, btw, is the Max Flat-Clinch Stapler (Full Size) 👍

Could you sell your house and all your possessions like Elon Musk? — Musk recently declared, “I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.” followed by, “Don’t need the cash. Devoting myself to Mars and Earth. Possessions just weigh you down.” Do you agree??

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Articles I enjoyed from around the web:

Strive To Wake Up And Do Nothing via Retire Before Dad — “You may not be a manager at your job, but you are the CEO of your household and your finances. So how can you take this management philosophy and apply it to your life?”

Choose Yourself (TEDx Talk) by James Altucher — “If you don’t make the choices in your own life, then someone else is going to end up making them for you, and it won’t be good.”

The Netherlands Pays People To Bike To Work via Huff Post — “Where just 1 percent of all journeys by U.S. residents are made by bicycle, Dutch residents make more than 25 percent of trips by bike – a higher proportion than any other country. Yet the government thinks too few citizens are cycling to work…”

And then lastly, a ditty I caught from @APurpleLifeBlog ;)

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Pic up top of the Tesla Roadster orbiting Earth via Wikimedia Commons

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Morning, guys!

So a BIG announcement coming Monday on the blog, but wanted to give you all the heads up here first for being one of my closest online friends :)

And that’s that I’ll be starting to transition away from Budgets Are Sexy come next week, with an official “retirement” date of June 1st as I move to a new project.

More info and details to come on Monday, but just wanted to make sure you read it here first, and to also let you know that I’ll still be around the community and having fun with ya’ll, it’ll just be at different online homes, as well as keeping this newsletter going here too…

One of the scariest things I’ll ever do as I’ve been blogging there for over *a fourth* of my life!!!, but as novelist Paulo Coelho once said, “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. It’s lethal!” And I think it’s finally time for me to move onto that next phase :)

Mad mad love to all y’all, and in the meantime here are the recent popular articles from the blog lately, as well as other fun gems I found around the web.

Talk to you soon!

******

Popular articles on the blog recently:

We finally did our Wills and Trust!! — Took us 10 years to complete, but at least now I can die in peace and not feel too bad about it!

A *FREE* Legacy Binder on the scene — Not the fanciest for prettiest, but it gets the job done AND is free! And unlike others out there, it’s fully customizable as it’s literally a Google Doc :)

Walden – The Video Game — Henry David Thoreau didn’t see this one coming, haha… But if you’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to live like him, now’s your chance.

Side Hustle #80: Pet Waste Removal (aka Pooper Scooper!) — A lucrative side hustle that is apparently “a thing!” Phil who runs CleanYards.co says you can make $60-$80/hr depending on how much you hustle…

An update on Iqbal – Remember our old friend who was suffering tremendously as a gay Muslim trying to navigate his life and finances?! Well three years later I’m proud to report he’s much happier and financially stable now!! Way to go, man!

“Friends Who Talk About Money” – A paid opportunity for an upcoming Podcast! — For those of you who’d actually like to GET PAID to talk about money all the time ;) And it’s #Quarantined approved too, as you can do it right from the comforts of your own home.

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Favorite finds from around the web!

Choose Your Financial Vice via Mixed Up Money — “You need to give yourself the freedom to choose which parts of your variable expenses are most important to you… Financial vices are only vices if you don’t prepare for them.”

Rich People Doing Chores For First Time via NY Post — “I didn’t even know where to put the trash. Usually the garbage is collected by my staff and they put it somewhere.”

7 Valuable Pennies Worth up to $200,000 Might be in Your Pocket via CNBC —  “Most pennies are worth 1 cent, but to coin collectors, some are worth more than their weight in gold. Earlier this year, an ordinary looking penny made headlines when it was found among the possessions of a man named Don Lutes. The 1943 bronze Lincoln cent attracted nearly 30 bids and sold for $204,000…”

The Greatest Rulers in History Were Frugal via We Want Guac — “Lincoln entered the White House with an estate of $15,000 (which is roughly $460k in today’s dollars) and passed away with an estate worth $90,000 (which today would be $2.7 million). That means he saved $75,000 in his four years as President on a $25,000 salary. Which is a 75% savings rate. Which includes sending his kid to college and law school.”

Can’t Be No Sucka Wit Ya Money 💰 💯 via Twitter —  @Kyng_Kyren quizzes his 8 y/o son on all things finance and entrepreneurship – which he nails! (Thx for passing this over, Susan G.!)

Need to escape? These islands cost less than many L.A. homes via L.A. Times — “If you’re feeling cooped up during coronavirus restrictions, these private islands around the globe cost about the same, if not less, than a hefty number of Los Angeles homes. Don’t worry, they all come with houses.”

You can play Oregon Trail in your web browser now! via Internet Archive — Thanks for finding and sharing this, @mymoneyblog! The memories!!

******

Watch out for that dysentery ;)

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Morning!

Happy whatever day it is today! ;)

I know it’s wild out there, but I hope you’re still doing your best to stay sane and healthy! We’ve done exactly 1 hour of school work this week and our walls are completely covered in marker, so it’s safe to say we won’t be getting any Parent of The Year awards any time soon, haha…

But we are still safe and healthy and all bunkered down together, and I hope more than anything that you guys are just as safe as well!

As always, if you ever need someone to talk to I’m only an email away, and in the meantime here are a bunch of stuff you might find helpful/entertaining to help you pass the time in a fun and productive way…

Keep hanging in there! We’re in this together!

******

Popular articles on the blog recently:

5 things I learned today… — Sponsored by: THE QUARANTINE. “When you’re stuck inside every day, you happen to learn things!” ;)

Fascinating jobs + salaries across the country! — Some of the more neater jobs from Parade’s annual “What People Earn” report. Most specifically – the vending machine hustler!

7 ways to (financially) feng shui your house — If you ever wanted to talk about toilets on this blog, today’s your day!

Direct Primary Care (DPC) – A health insurance option worth looking into? — An idea to consider if you’re frustrated with all the health insurance options out there!

How I got scammed by p2b fraudsters – and how we’re fighting back — A warning about international peer to business lending platforms, specifically Kuetzal, Envestio, and more recently Monethera and Grupeer.

New book + giveaway: “The Money Tree” by Chris Guillebeau — “A compelling story with captivating characters to share its core insight: if you’re struggling with debt, there’s a way out—without giving up your lattes…”

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Favorite finds from around the web!

FireDating.me — “The first and only dating website for FIRE people.” Haha… And with over 500 users so far it seems to be doing well! ;) Sign up for it so I can live vicariously through you, please!! ;) (It’s FREE!)

Reddit.com/r/povertyfinance – “Financial advice, frugality tips, stories, opportunities, and general guidance for people who are struggling financially. No Judgement, just advice!”

It’s Okay To Laugh via Accidental FIRE — “I’ve been blogging for about 2.5 years but have never had anything truly go viral, until now. My infographic post from April 3rd, titled “Relative Importance in 2020, So Far”, has made it’s way around the world in ways I could never have imagined.”

Welcome to Your Retirement Test Drive via Retire by 40 — “I got bad news. Social distancing is your retirement test drive. This is life in retirement, on hard mode*. If you can’t deal with this, you are not ready for retirement. They aren’t exactly the same, but there are many similarities. Let’s go through some of them.”

Man cheers up his neighbors during lockdown by putting cringey dad joke placards in his front garden via Daily Mail — “The anonymous neighbor, who lives in LA, shares daily quarantine jokes to lift the spirits in his local area.”

5 Months To Retirement: Yes I’m Still Quitting In September via A Purple Life — “As I’ve said before, I’m not afraid to be a ‘failed’ retiree. Even with all the planning in the world, any retirement can fail given the right mix of circumstances… But I am afraid to let my life or the lives of my loved ones pass me by while I sit chained to a desk.”

And then lastly, this great idea from Fritz Gilbert on coming up with enough *fun* things to do when you do finally pull the retirement chord – or even anytime, really!

“My wife came up with an innovative idea, and we’re implementing it in this final year of my working career. Every week, each of us put a note (or two) in a jar we keep for the purpose. On the note is an activity that we’d like to do. It’s typically a low-cost idea, and it can be close to home. For example, she may put in “Kayak down the Toccoa River“, and I may put in “Hike on the Appalachian trail“. Neither of us knows what the other is putting in. After we retire, we’ll pull one note per week from the jar, and do that activity in the next 7 days. This will give us 2+ years of weekly activities, with an even mix of things “He Wants” and “She Wants” to do.”

******

Hope you get into something fun this weekend :)

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Morning, guys!

I hope you guys are staying SANE and SAFE out there wherever you are in the world!! I know it’s crazy right now, but all things eventually pass! They always do!

In the meantime, here are some articles we posted up on the blog in recent weeks, as well as some of my favorite things I found across the web… I hope they help in some fashion!

And I’m always here if you ever need someone to talk to. Just hit “reply” and I’m all ears…

XOXO

******

Popular on the blog:

#Overheard at The Coffee Shops… — A trip down memory lane, now being 3 weeks from my last visit! Not many financial gossips in this batch, but I sure am saving more now not being able to go to them every day! So that’s worth something, right?! RIGHT???!

A Christian’s Perspective on Debt-Free Living — A reader drops by the site to share his journey recovering from debt and what Dave Ramsey’s baby steps has meant for him and his wife.

Quarantine Check-in and Savings— A quick update on how the Money household is going through these quarantine times… (hint: there are doodles all over our walls)

Budgets are Sexy? — 5 AM Joel shares his thoughts on budgeting during these trying times, and admits he hasn’t been doing that great of a job with it lately! Maybe it’s time for you to reconnect with your long lost one too! :)

New Book + Giveaway: “Keys to a Successful Retirement” – Fritz’s new book comes out! If you’re a fan of The Retirement Manifesto blog you’ll be a fan of this book! And we scored 3 copies to give away before it even hits shelves! (May 5th)

Do You Feel More Prepared Having Lived Through 2008? — Caught a quote a few months ago that said over half of all millennials feel “more prepared” for the next recession having lived through 2008, and now curious if that still holds true?!

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Favorite finds from around the web:

Kiddle.co — A safe visual search engine for kids!

PennyPortrait.com — Create a portrait of Abe Lincoln out of pennies!

Guided Meditation Video With Leon via YouTube (NSFW) — Journey into serenity with Curb Your Enthusiasm’s notoriously zen Leon, J. B. Smoove ;)

How The Rich Are Running From Coronavirus via LA Times — “Encased in steel, the bunkers come with a variety of add-ons such as escape tunnels, hidden doors, bullet-proof glass and pepper spray portals. For those with a bit more coin, Lynch and his team will make the bunker feel like a home. “Movie theaters are common,” he said. “We built one in California that has a shooting range, swimming pool and bowling alley.””

Great Love & Great Suffering by Josh Radnor — “There’s something so moving about the millions of people taking the quarantine seriously because it signals a deep belief in community and a respect for the most vulnerable among us. I look at staying in as a civic responsibility, a powerful statement that I am a member of a community, a resident of a state, and a citizen of a country. My life is not for me and me alone.”

Parents Turn Kid’s Drawing on Wall into Framed Work of Art via My Modern Met — “After coming home to find their 6-year-old son had used a green marker to draw a little house on one of their walls, instead of bestowing punishment, they decided to frame it—just like a masterpiece in a gallery.”

And lastly, a fun poem by children’s author Amy Ludwig Vanderwater:

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May all those dollars return back to you as well!

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