Following My Heart Instead of the Money

One of the greatest gifts of financial independence is the gift of choice. It provides the opportunity to follow your heart instead of the money.  I can decide where to go and what to do. After working twelve years as a software engineer and spend...

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I Sold 100 Etsy Printables in Two Weeks

In late January, I opened an Etsy store. Two weeks later, I sold over one hundred Etsy printables. Does that seem impossible or unbelievable? Before I opened my store, I would’ve thought so too.  Is it a fluke? Maybe. Lucky timing? Probably....

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The Grass is Greener Where You Water It

Have you ever heard the phrase the grass is greener on the other side? Is it really greener elsewhere, or could it be greener where you water it? My dad always considered himself lucky, and he kept an upbeat attitude even after he was diagnos...

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Notes to Myself

Every day I jot down random notes. Today, for no particular reason, I decided to publish the list. So here it goes. 1. New Blog I’ve been cheating on this blog. After a decade and a half of writing about personal finance, I got the itch to write ...

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How Do I Find a Job After Being a Stay-at-Home Mom?

Are you a stay-at-home mom who wants or needs to return to work? I am too! After a decade of being home with my kids, I’m excited to explore the next chapter of my life. Ten years ago, I left my high-paying career to become a stay-at-home mom.&#1...

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HSA versus PPO: Feeling Guilty About Doctor Visits

For about eight years, my husband and I subscribed to a high-deductible health plan. Every year I renewed our insurance and hoped we would stay healthy. In the best-case scenario, we would pay lower premiums, sock money away in our HSA, and never visit...

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Predicting the Future: Are You Ready for What Comes Next?

I’ve always had a strange fascination with the future. As a kid, I was mesmerized by the notion of fortune tellers and palm readers. I wanted to see my future laid out before me like a map indicating where I would travel and where I would land. B...

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Blogging Recap 2022

The year is coming to a close, which means it’s time for my annual blogging recap! I started summarizing my blog content in 2019 after Angela, Revanche, and FinCon 2019 rebooted my excitement for writing. In 202...

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How Many Gifts Should a Child Get for Christmas?

How many gifts should you give your kids for Christmas? Is there a magic number of presents? The perfect amount that makes kids feel happy, satisfied, and grateful? In most instances, I think four is enough. After choosing something they want, somethin...

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Buying Christmas Gifts for Myself

This December, I did something I haven’t done in a very long time. I bought Christmas gifts for myself! Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I devoted time to creating a wish list, but I jotted down some ideas and began the search for h...

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Family Road Trip With Kids: Tips & Hacks For Your Adventure

When my husband and I were young, road trips consisted of nothing other than a starting point and a destination. We’d grab a few drinks, throw a change of clothes in the back seat, and hit the open road. A road trip with kids requires more work t...

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Want, Need, Wear, Read: The 4 Rule Gift Giving Tradition

Have you heard of the Want, Need, Wear, Read Christmas gift-giving strategy? It’s an approach to Christmas that helps us appreciate holiday traditions while minimizing the cost and complexity of the holidays. Do you want to simplify Chr...

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$40 Cash Back Bonus When You Shop Online

This may be the shortest post I’ve written in a decade! I just bought my kids a one year membership to the Maryland Science Center through Groupon. Memberships were on sale for 50% off, plus I earned 12% back by shopping through Rakuten. I haven&...

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Simple Pleasures: Finding Joy in the Ordinary

We often picture expensive outings and special occasions when we think about happiness. We imagine traveling to exotic locations or spending money on extravagant meals, but the greatest gifts in life don’t need to come from pricey excursions. Sim...

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Find Joy in the Journey

Do you find joy in the journey, or are you constantly delaying happiness? Maybe you’ve thought, I’ll be happier when I get my next promotion, or elated when I get that next big raise. Perhaps you’ll be happier when your bank balance r...

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Minimize Your Life to Maximize Your Enjoyment

In my younger years, I believed more stuff would make me happy—more events, activities, clothing, friends, and, of course, more money. But as time passes, I recognize that minimizing my life leads to more enjoyment.  The law of addition by su...

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Why Do I Want to Get Rid of Everything?

There have been times when I wanted to get rid of everything, when I thought of grabbing a set of garbage bags, throwing everything I owned into the car, and driving it far from home. Some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or gambling, but when I’m ...

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Clutter Free Gifts for Parents and Grandparents

Do you associate holidays and birthdays with piles of brightly wrapped gifts? Many of us do. But this year, I’m taking a different approach to gift-giving. After helping my parents downsize their possessions, I don’t want to add another unn...

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