Last week on the blog, I wrote about our COVID wedding(s), and how spending on our values saved us from busting our budget. Writing that post made me realize that I haven’t actually shared with my readers how Mr. Dink and I manage our money as a couple! How could I have let such an obvious and crucial post of a personal finance blog slip through the cracks? Well, rest assured folks. The wait is over.
Continue reading “How We Manage Our Money As A DINK Household”Category: Financial Journey
Slow FI And The Evolution of Friendships
Lately, with summer having been in full swing and COVID-19 restrictions becoming more and more lax, I have been spending a lot of time with friends. Not surprisingly, I have also been spending more money when it comes to friends. But spending money with friends has been easy because of the joy it brings. Rather than worrying about spending, I’ve found myself reflecting on how far my relationships with my friends have come since I’ve started taking a slow path to financial independence (FI). I’ve noticed how my friendships have changed and evolved. Some friendships have ended, and that has been hard, but for the most part, my friendships have changed for the better since slowing down my journey to FI.
Continue reading “Slow FI And The Evolution of Friendships”The First Time I Chose Me
Do you remember the first time you went against what society, your friends, your family thought you should do or were telling you to do? Do you remember the first time you chose to do something that you wanted to do, even if it made you feel really uncomfortable? Did it make you feel just a little bit freer?
Continue reading “The First Time I Chose Me”How Slow FI Helps Get Me Through Tough Times
I don’t know about you, but I find the news especially hard to take these days. I have pretty good boundaries when it comes to my intake of news, but regardless, things have felt really rough lately. Upon reflection, I think that the principles of Slow FI and my journey to financial independence are the main factors getting me through.
Continue reading “How Slow FI Helps Get Me Through Tough Times”Spending On Bucket List Items
Large purchases have always been tough for me, especially on things I want but don’t really need. I have made leaps and bounds when it comes to spending in all different categories, but I’m here today to tackle the topic of spending on bucket list items.
Continue reading “Spending On Bucket List Items”What Sparks You In Work And Life?
The 4th of July weekend is about to be upon us, and so what better topic for the blog today then to discuss what sparks you in work and in life!
If you’ve read my story, you know that not so long ago, I was on the hamster wheel of work and life, with no clear way off but also no real intention of getting off the wheel. Then, a lot of things collided for me all at once. I took a pay cut for a job that ended up providing me with more time outside of work than I’d ever had in my life, I discovered Slow financial independence (FI), and I discovered my Sparketype, to name a few.
What is a Sparketype, you might be asking? Well, I’m here today to tell you all about it!
Continue reading “What Sparks You In Work And Life?”How I Set My Goals
It’s June! Things are getting warmer and greener here in Vermont. In addition to a changing season, it’s also about the time I like to do my mid-year goal review with myself. Because I’m doing my own goal check-in, I thought what better time than now to share with my readers how I actually set my yearly goals?
Continue reading “How I Set My Goals”My First Money Memory
It seems that any personal finance blog these days isn’t complete without the telling of the first money memory. Well, I’m here today to tell you mine!
There’s a widely held belief that your first and earliest money memories tell you a lot about how you are with money now. I listened to a podcast recently that talked about how freeing it can be to reflect on your first money memory.
If you Google first money memory, you may come across dramatic headlines like “Your First Money Memories May Dictate Your Entire Financial Future” or “How Your Childhood Money Memories Could Be Helping – Or Hurting”. While I don’t think it needs to be that dramatic, I am a big proponent of curiosity and awareness when it comes to your own personal (or financial, professional, etc.) life. Have you ever taken the time to think about your relationship with money from a young age, and how that may have affected how you view and feel about money now? You may be surprised by what you discover!
Continue reading “My First Money Memory”Intentional Spending – What It Means To Me
I read a great post recently on intentional spending on The Fioneers blog (if you haven’t already, check them out, they are fabulous). In the post, Jess described intentional spending as making intentional decisions to spend money on things they value. In 2021, they spent more than double what they spent in 2020, and they were 100% happy about it because it was 100% intentional.
I think what I love most about intentional spending is that, by nature, it is a very personal thing. Intentional spending is tied directly to a person’s or a family’s values, and values are inherently personal.
Continue reading “Intentional Spending – What It Means To Me”What I Would Do If I Wasn’t Working Full Time
“But, what in the world would you do if you didn’t work?!”
If you’re on a journey to financial independence, and plan to retire earlier than the traditional 60-65 work-til-you-drop age range, do you ever hear this response when you share your plans with others?