Personal Finance is Personal

As you all have noticed, I took a long break from the blog. I wasn't sure if I was going to continue writing it. Honestly I'm still not sure. My mindset about how I manage my money has been changing over the past year. Paying off debt is no longer my primary focus which you…

A Decade In Review

It’s the end of a decade so it feels like a good time to reflect. Ten years ago I was a senior in high school. A lot of things have happened since then. Some things have changed but some things are still the same. It’s almost the ten year anniversary of my house burning down. …

Small Financial Goals

I talk a lot about my big financial goals like paying off the house and retiring early but I don't talk as much about my small financial goals. Or really, I should say just goal, because it's really only one goal. Every year I try to make my financial position better than it was the…

June in Review

June ended up being a crazy but good month. This month I got my first paycheck with my raise. I took a motorcycle safety course, got my license, and bought a bike. I bought a helmet and gloves for the bike. And we had an unbudgeted trip to the vet for the good dog. My…

Why I bought a bike (and not a lexus)

Those of you have been reading the blog the past 10 months know that I REALLY want a Lexus. It's my dream car. So how did I end up with a motorcycle instead? First you need a little history. When I was really young, my dad had a motorcycle that he would take me for…

Final Arizona Trip Cost

First trip of 2019 is in the bag! We went to Arizona this past week on vacation to see my friend's wedding. She looked beautiful and we had a good time. As it would turn out, A's family doesn't live in surprise at all. They live in Scottsdale. So we ended up visiting Scottsdale, Gilbert,…

A Series of Events

Picture from imdb.com, I do not own any creative rights.  It’s only April and 2019 has already been an interesting year. We started out the year with our oven acting suspiciously like it wanted to explode. I was panicked at first. One, because exploding is a real possibility since it is a gas oven. Two,…

Shopping and the Debt Free Journey

I haven’t given up a lot on my debt free journey. I don’t drink coffee daily. I don’t get my nails done. I haven’t had my hair colored in two years. The only things that changed is how often we eat out and how often I shop. Eating out hasn’t been a huge deal. Honestly,…

Work Life

In order to get my next promotion at work, I have to pass a series of four tests.  The first one is relatively easy. The second test is what holds everyone up.  The second test only has a 60% pass rate. It’s a “big deal” because if you fail the test twice, you get let…

Being a Home Owner, Pt 2

I have now been a home owner for just over three years. So I want to share some of the things I have learned. If you buy an older house, your home will be in a constant state of disrepair. Our house has built in 1963. It has clearly had some renovations, but they have definitely…