Morning, beautifuls!

A fresh new month with fresh new goals to hit! Anyone beat me to it this morning and already update their ol’ net worth?? ;)

If so, enter e-high five here.

For everyone else, let’s move, baby! Tracking it is one of the best things you can do for your money, besides earn it! And I’ll be reporting back on my own come Monday, which will make the 133rd month in a row and quite literally 28% of my life, haha… Guess there could be worse habits to have though?

My favorite reads from the week, as well as everything I wrote on BudgetsAreSexy, are below… There were some zingers this week!

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Articles I wrote:

MONDAY: The average 401(k) balance by age — Which almost broke my site this week! Apparently it got featured on Chrome’s “recommended articles” list and gave me the highest day of page views since the site’s creation (40,000). It was a good post, but not sure it was that good!

TUESDAY: A Saver Checklist + Tips! — The perfect way to celebrate “America Saves Week!” See how many things you can cross off this checklist (I hit 12 of 15), and then scroll to the end to learn about a $750 giveaway going on for anyone who pledges to save throughout the year.

WEDNESDAY: Would you give up sex for a year in exchange for a free year of college tuition? — What about if it’s for your kids?? What about if it erased a year’s worth of *student loan DEBT?* :) We do an unofficial poll on the site, and then test our fortitude whether or not we could actually pull it off, haha…

THURSDAY: Obscure financial holidays to mark on your calendar :) — A bunch of great – unknown – holidays that are actually GOOD for your budget!! Like “Library lovers Day” (2/14) and “National Thrift Shop Day!” (8/17)

FRIDAY: Favorite articles from around the web this month ✨ — Basically a roundup exactly like this newsletter here, only the best from the *month* of which you’ve already mostly seen ;)

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Things I enjoyed from around the web:

This nerdy FIRE calculator –> Will My Money Survive Early Retirement? // “It helps to answer the question: If I start out with $X dollars at the beginning of my retirement, will I run out of money before I die?”

This idea for all website owners –> How to Make Your Website Carbon Neutral (BTW, it’s Really Easy) // “Every time someone visits your website a server somewhere needs power. More often than not that power comes from a “dirty” electricity source. Websites now produce a huge chunk of global greenhouse gasses.”

This research on happiness –> Happiness research shows the biggest obstacle to creativity is being too busy // “Simply put, creativity happens when your mind is unfocused, daydreaming or idle. (This is why we have so many “aha” moments in the shower.)”

This brilliant investor you’ve never heard of before –> An Optometrist Who Beat The Odds To Become A Billionaire

This fundraising idea –> Church Raises $100K Through Month-Long Fast So They Can Pay Off Student Debt for 34 Grads

This thief who gives all coin collectors nightmares! ;) –> Man Stole $33,000 of Rare Coins And Cashed Them In At Coin Star For $29.30

This perspective on social media by a photographer –> Why I Deleted All of My Social Media and 60,000 Followers

And this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson –> “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”

Happy stretching,

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Morning!

Did you see that the Mint has partnered with Oreos to create the new Double-Stuf Quarters? Yum yum! Haha… And in other fiscally fun news, The Tooth Fairy is now giving kids an average of $3.70 a tooth, even though that tooth didn’t do a thing to earn it! ;)

More on The TF, and other interesting stufs around the web, below…

Happy Friday!

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Articles I wrote this week:

MONDAY: Stats That Would Make Our Founding Fathers Cringe — Includes such gems like, “Two-thirds of pet parents would buy a portrait, blanket or article of clothing with their dogs face on it” and “Nearly 1 in 3 Americans think “Bigfoot” being real is more likely than retiring comfortably.”

TUESDAY: 17 Hacks to Reach FIRE Faster — Includes a number of clever ideas like the “uniform” hack, the “punishment” hack, the “free yoga” hack, and the ever popular “why I can’t go out to lunch with you” hack!

WEDNESDAY: Some good resources on the blog to bookmark ⭐ — Reminders of all the awesome stuff on my blog since no one looks at menus or sidebars anymore :)

THURSDAY: When was the last time you really treated yourself? — My take on an article about a CEO who grants 10 of his employees’ wishes each year instead of year-end bonuses. (Spoiler alert: you can be your own CEO Fairy!!)

FRIDAY: Tooth Fairy payouts plunges for a 2nd consecutive year 🧚‍♀️ — According to the Original Tooth Fairy Poll® by Delta Dental, average monetary payouts are down $0.43 from last year, bringing the current rate to $3.70 per lost tooth. And even more interesting than that, the stats have been mirroring the movement of Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500) for 14 of the past 17 years!

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Other things I enjoyed around the web:

This 46 page (free) e-book by David Cain –> On Becoming an Individual (or HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD) // A great, quick, read with a cup of coffee or tea in hand… Touches on three main areas: why people live up to only a fraction of their capabilities, why people usually end up serving the desires of other more focused people, and how to plan an exceptional life that defies what’s “normal.”

This 1 min video on how Shaq chooses partnerships –> Why Shaq Turned Down Wheaties (I do the same thing with all my projects!)

This problem to solve before you die ;) –> The Weird Rise of Cyber Funerals // “When more and more of our lives are lived online – from tweets to dating profile and even medical information – how we dispose of that personal data matters, arguably more than what happens to our physical body. That corpse will decompose over time… but our digital legacies could last forever.”

This advice by Austin Kleon –> Love What You Do in Front of The Kids in Your Life // “You can’t tell kids anything. Kids want to be like adults. They want to do what the adults are doing. You have to let them see adults behaving like the whole, human beings you’d like them to be.”

This take on budgeting –> Welcome To The Wish Farm! // “After budgeting for obligations and fully considering and saving for True Expenses, it’s all about the Wish List. Budgeting becomes a wish farm and the harvest is rich!”

This idea about sleep –> “Legend says that when you can’t sleep, it’s because you’re awake in someone’s dream.”

And these thoughts by Derek Halpern –> “I’ve come to realize that nobody ever remembers what you say on social media… They remember how you make them feel. And if you make them feel great, under a unified theme, they’ll remember the theme.”

Happy themed weekend :)

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Morning, y’all!

My wife stumbled across a bunch of old emails I sent her a decade ago, and apparently my strategy of woo’ing her was slipping in jokes ;)

It worked! So I thought I’d re-share some of them here in case they turn your heart on too…

XOXO

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Four fonts walk into a bar…
The bartender says “Get out! We don’t want your type in here”.

A guy went to a psychiatrist. “Doc,” he said, “I keep having these alternating recurring dreams. First I’m a teepee, then I’m a wigwam, then I’m a teepee, and then I’m a wigwam. It’s driving me crazy. What’s wrong with me?” The doctor replied, “It’s very simple. You’re two tents.”

A duck walks into a bar and asks, “Got any grapes?” The bartender, confused, tells the duck no. The duck thanks him and leaves. The next day, the duck returns and asks, “Got any grapes?” Again, the bartender tells him, “No — the bar does not serve grapes, has never served grapes and, furthermore, will never serve grapes.” The duck thanks him and leaves. The next day, the duck returns, but before he can say anything, the bartender yells, “Listen, duck! This is a bar! We do not serve grapes! If you ask for grapes again, I will nail your stupid duck beak to the bar!” The duck is silent for a moment, and then asks, “Got any nails?” Confused, the bartender says no. “Good!” says the duck. “Got any grapes?”

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Articles I wrote this week:

MONDAY: Hack #1308: Put yourself in situations where you can’t even spend if you wanted to! — Here are 8 ways to hide money from yourself if your spending has gotten out of control!

TUESDAY: New Book (and Giveaway): “Work Optional” by Tanja Hester of OurNextLife.com — Another book by a blogger got released this week! Be sure to stop by and congratulate Tanja if you know her, or answer the question at the end of the post for a chance to win one of TWO FREE COPIES we’re giving away.

WEDNESDAY: Model Ts and Immoral Debts — Where I learned Henry Ford was massively against personal debt! And that you can still buy (working) Model Ts!

THURSDAY: You’re Hot, But Your Finances Are Not! — A Valentine’s reminder of how important it is to stay away from STDs… Sexually Transmitted Debt ® ;) (Yes, that’s actually trademarked! By a friend in our community even! –> Valerie Rind)

FRIDAY: How to Get Health, Wealth and Comfort… in 1890 — Some fun passages from a 100 year old pamphlet I stumbled across recently…. (and why you should never live in the city unless you want your kids to have “thin hair, saucer-like eyes, sunken cheeks, and emaciated arms and legs” – hah!)

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Things I enjoyed from around the web:

This short (economic) story by Collaborative Fund –> “If you fell asleep in 1945 and woke up in 2018 you would not recognize the world around you.”

This experiment by David Perell –> “For days or weeks at a time, I will escape the present moment and only consume content published in a different decade. For example, if I want to learn about the 1970s, all my media consumption will consist of books, videos, and interviews published in the 1970s. By doing so, I’ll embody the mindset of people in a bygone era and gain new perspectives on the here and now.”

This idea of writing letters to CEOs –> “I realized something scary a couple of years ago: There is no way I could ever act on all the ideas I’ve scribbled in notebooks, even if I live to be 100. That’s why I decided to freely give away ideas for new products, marketing strategies and businesses.”

This mixed media and street artist –> Amberella

This coin collector… who’s blind! –> BlindCoinCollector.com

What happens when you mistype gmail .com –> https://gail.com/

This reminder by Uncle Buffett –> “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.”

And this definition of “The True Gentlemen” by John Walter Wayland, circa 1899 –> “The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.”

Virtuous weekend, everyone.

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Morning, friends!

Hope that $$$/family/career is going well for you over there! Spent some extra time with the wee one this week [look how happy he is!] and always reminds me of how precious life is… As well as how *little* we actually need to be happy :)

Of course, that didn’t stop me from buying a few extra “wants” for myself this week, haha, but that’s only because I made a small windfall when I randomly sold a domain I’ve been sitting on for years [CreditCardWars.com].  I was pretty proud of myself for negotiating a $1,000+ deal up from $100, but then again maybe he got the best of me when it turns into a multi-million dollar enterprise! Haha…

Time will tell, but in the meantime – check out some of these articles from around the web this week, as well as those I’ve spent over 20 hours on myself :) 100% free knowledge with just a click of a mouse!

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Articles I wrote this week on:

MONDAY: Net Worth Update: $848,665.47 [Surprise Increase of $57,000?!] — Our 132nd monthly net worth report! And apparently the best January for the markets in 30 years too?!

TUESDAY: New Book Out (and Giveaway): “Financial Freedom” by Grant Sabatier of MillennialMoney.com — Answer the question at the end for a chance to win a *free* copy of Grant’s new book that just hit the shelves!

WEDNESDAY: Which “tendency” are you? — Take the quiz and see if you’re an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel in life. You might be surprised! :)

THURSDAY: My new favorite charity right now –> Breadcoin — Had to re-share this again because I’m just so OBSESSED with them! Love the idea of handing out tokens instead of cash!

FRIDAY: How I Stopped Sabotaging My Own Financial Independence — A guest post from ThePieceofThePie.com who stops by to share her financial journey over the past 10 years 💪💪

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An interview I did:

GreenbacksMagnet.com: A Look Behind the Man and the Mohawk: An Interview with Budgets are Sexy [no longer live]— Where I answer questions like “what’s one thing people may not know about me,” “What great piece of art, song, film, book, etc would I steal credit for if I could,” “What my autobiography would be called”, and my personal favorite – “Which animal would make the best type of president if the animal kingdom ever rises up and takes over” haha…

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Other gems I enjoyed this week:

This Museum of American Finance! –> “The nation’s only independent museum dedicated to preserving, exhibiting and teaching about American finance and financial history.” – moaf.org

This musician who hid a secret song in her videos –> Dodie Clark [youtube]

This 2 min. video by Bill Gates –> “There are few things I love talking about more than toilets.”

And this quote by American novelist, Anne Lamott –> “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

Happy unplugging,

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Morning, friends!

Nothing too juicy to report this week, but I have been having fun asking a lot of random questions on Twitter and seeing peoples’ responses ;)

If you’ve ever wondered how many times someone has moved in recent years, or what tips they have for getting vasectomies, click here and here, haha… I also particularly liked seeing how many domain names people own in our space as many of us love to blow money on them!

Happy February! Fresh month to attack those goals (and debts)!!

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Articles I wrote this week on:

MONDAY: Did you know there was a Personal Financial Satisfaction Index (PFSi)? — It’s true! And you can even take the assessment yourself, if you’re feeling brave ;)

TUESDAY: Financial Confessional: “I Day Trade Penny Stocks” — Our confessionals are back!! And we start off with a juicy one that many of us like to avoid! Haha… If you have anything you’d like to get off of your chest, just pass me a note and we’ll feature you (anonymously) on it as well ;)

WEDNESDAY: 4 Ways to File Your Taxes for Free — Some excellent resources for those who make under $66k/year or are in the military or just have super simple situations (W2s, rent, etc).

THURSDAY: “What are your thoughts on taking a pay cut to land a more dependable job?” — A reader’s request for help! Shoot her all the advice and happy thoughts you can muster up!

FRIDAY: My Favorite Finds This Month 💎💎💎 – Similar to today’s newsletter, this one features a handful of articles I enjoyed from around the web the past month. Many of which you’ll recognize as I pass them over to you first ;)

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Other gems I enjoyed this week:

This reminder from Derek Sivers –> “Life can be improved by adding, or by subtracting. The world pushes us to add, because that benefits them. But the secret is to focus on subtracting.”

This essay contest! –> You could win a $1.7 million mansion by writing a standout letter

This tiny space living –>Want To Check Out My Caboose? (Miss Mazuma bought a freakin’ TRAIN to live in!! For $36,000!!!)

This (free) tool for cropping and re-sizing animated gifs –> EZgif.com (Had no idea how easy it was until I took 5 seconds to research it, haha…)

This hilarious 6 min stand up bit –> Gary recounts the thrilling tale of how postal code abbreviations came to be [youtube]

This frugal way to entertain yourself ;) –> Cat Food Bowling

And these thoughts by Four Pillar Freedom –> Not Wanting Something Is As Good As Having It — “What we’re all after isn’t stuff, it’s the feeling that we think that stuff will give us: contentment, satisfaction, and tranquility. We all just want to feel at peace. And the less stuff we need to own to feel at peace, the less time we have to spend in a cubicle doing work we find pointless.”

Happy stuff-free weekend,

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