Living Cheap
How to Handle Living on Another Planet Than Everyone Else
On the outside, I look like a normal twenty something. I live in a run of the mill, one bedroom apartment in a boring commercial neighborhood. I dress pretty normal and sport a nice buzz cut hair style. I drive a car that blends right in with my peers. I even travel here and there [...]
When It Matters, You’ll Make Cuts
A less expensive lifestyle didn’t come natural to me. My natural state required all the good stuff money can buy. For almost every product or service, there is a price and quality spectrum. Many people, myself in my earlier years included, simply require the best (or think they do). They can find an unlimited number [...]
How to Live Below Your Means. It’s Simple.
I’ve managed to learn a thing or two about what it takes to win financially over the past few years and I’m still learning. It’s hard for me not to roll my eyes when I hear financial advisors going on and on about the details, as if personal finance is complicated. I’m sorry all, but [...]
Case Study: Young Cheap Dating
The following is a guest post by my girlfriend, Katie. It seems that I’ve inspired her over the past year or so to think differently about all this personal finance stuff. Thankfully, she is even okay with my over-the-top saving priority, which means less money spent on her/us. So here she is on the stage, [...]
Lessons from Living in the DC Metro Area on $24,000 per Year
The following is a guest post from Emily at Evolving Personal Finance. After her comment on my 10 Tips for Living on Less Than $25,000 per Year post last November, I asked her if she would be willing to share her story here about living in an expensive metro area as a recent college grad [...]
How Can You Take Vacations While Saving for Financial Independence?
I arrived back in the arctic Minnesota tundra last night from a 7 day vacation out west. What a beautiful and relaxing time it was. It was just my girlfriend and me that made the trip. Everything worked out perfectly with the exception of my camera breaking and a few clouds on the last day. [...]
Living on Less for a Better 2013 and Beyond
And another year is coming to a close. Aw…. I had some pretty crazy ups and downs this year as you may have also. It’s been a difficult year for me personally and professionally as well as a successful year personally and professionally. In terms of personal finance, it was another stellar year. I saved [...]
10 Tips for Living on Less Than $25,000 per Year
It’s not easy to do. But then again, it’s not terribly difficult either. Living on $25,000 or less as a single person is possible, even in a large metro area, even when living on your own without roommates. I’ve done it for two years now. Last year, in 2011, I lived off of around $22,000 [...]
10 Reasons to Stay Home on Black Friday
Welcome to the busy season for retailers! Aw… I can smell brand new junk everywhere! At work, I talk with retailers daily and boy are they ramping up for one of their busiest and most profitable days/weeks of the year. How exciting! You may even be tempted to get excited about the deals. And that’s [...]
Is Saving Money Worth It?
Is saving money worth it? I think this is the million dollar question. Saving money takes sacrifice. It takes a delay of pleasure. It takes persistence. It hurts a little along the entire way. Is it going to pay off. That’s the big question. I’ve been saving money like mad for, gosh, over 4 years. [...]
