Making purposeful purchases and avoiding impulse buys are important components of budgeting and attaining financial independence. No matter how hard my wife and I try to avoid purchasing unnecessary items, over time, these things accumulate, and we have to reevaluate what we own. Thankfully, the frequency of these cleanouts has continually decreased the more we […]
efficiency
Monkeys can teach us the dangers of social media comparisons
More depressed after looking at Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Feel like everyone else is winning out there? You are not alone. I cut the Facebook cord a few years ago and never looked back. We cut cable in the house last Fall and immediately felt happier without watching the news. I didn’t realize that this […]
Building Sturdy Garage Shelves for Under $100
Our house has this awkward space at the far end of the garage. It is two feet deep by about eight feet wide, a weird slanted step at the end, and a concrete base. The area is a prime storage space, but past attempts to utilize this space have been abysmal. Here is a picture […]
Laundry Room Revamp
Our laundry room needed an upgrade. There was no character, and it had storage limited to a hard to access wire shelf. This is the finished product. Some wall paneling to make the room a little more interesting than the plain wall that once served as the focal point of the laundry room. Here is that […]
Why I’m Hooked on Audiobooks – and You Should Be, Too
I listened to my first audiobook last year. I didn’t know how I would feel about not turning the pages myself or having someone read to me. This isn’t elementary school. I thought I’d start with an easier “read,” something more enjoyable and less technical. The risk of falling asleep was already high, I didn’t […]
Hiking is a Great Hobby for the Financially Independent
The loosely defined term of “hobby” ranges from activities both expensive and inexpensive, time consuming and not, and homebound or travel-based. The great thing is there is no right answer, not even a good definition of what makes a good hobby. At the end of the day, it’s what you enjoy spending your time on. […]