You don’t have to do what our modern culture tells you to do. You really don’t. You don’t have to keep up with The Joneses. You don’t need to buy things you don’t need, with money you don’t have. You don’t need to always be chasing more. The next big thing. You don’t need to […]
Frugal vs Cheap
There seems to be a lot of confusion around what it means to be frugal versus what it means to be cheap. People often will mislabel themselves or others. Somebody who is trying to manage their money well, and avoid costly purchases, might be called cheap by their friends and family. And vice-versa, people who […]
How Many Subscriptions Do You Have?
When it first started, being a “cord cutter” was a rare thing. You were out of place in our culture for not having a cable or satellite tv subscription. Or for the extreme cord cutters, you may have even canceled your landline telephone service. But as the rise of digital services like Netflix took off, […]
Will Buying This Make Me Happier?
No, probably not. What is “this” you ask? It can be anything. A car, house, iPhone, a piece of clothing, furniture, random Instagram influencer endorsed product… you name it! Generally speaking, there are very few things in life that we can buy that make us happier. This concept, called Hedonic Adaptation, is incredibly well studied. […]
5 Tips For Dealing With Assholes
Let’s face it, we all have some assholes in our lives. And I’m not just talking about our anatomy. I’m talking about people who are jerks. People that on a regular basis cause us to become frustrated by what they say or do. And while a majority of the people we share this planet with […]
How To Want Less Stuff
Do you want to know the secret to wanting less stuff? It’s not to stay out of the store. It’s not avoiding all consumer marketing. It’s not even ending your relationship with The Joneses. Ready? The key to wanting less stuff is to own less stuff. Stuff Begets Stuff I’ve written before about feedback loops, which […]
19 Simple Ways To Be Happier
Become More Mindful – Developing a more mindful approach will allow you to better recognize your thoughts and feelings. Having the ability to recognize emotions will make it easier to distance yourself from negative thoughts. Make Plans – You ever notice how happy you are looking forward to a concert or a weekend trip with […]
Compound Effort: A Simple Way To Make Big Changes
It is often quoted that Albert Einstein once said, “the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.” And while you may be a little skeptical that the father of modern physics really thinks that compound interest is the most powerful force (keep in mind his findings lead to the invention of the atomic bomb), […]
9 Tips For Sticking To A Budget
If you have trouble sticking to a monthly budget, you are not alone. Many people find that it’s difficult to start and then keep going with a monthly cash budget. But the benefits of doing a budget are huge. It is the best thing you can do to improve your finances, as well as reduce your […]
How Simple Living Improves Relationships
I’m definitely a people person. The relationships I have with friends, family, co-workers, clients, etc., are all important to me. And while I value the relationships I have, I also have to ensure that I’m not allowing other people to affect my ability to also live a simple life. In good relationships, the people around […]