Is a Costco Membership Worth It?

I love Costco.  I loved it when I was living with roommates, living alone, and with a partner.  Costco is an amazing place full of quality items with decent prices. They have gas stations, car washes, seasonal gear, rotisserie chicken, their famous $1.50 hot dog and drink combo, alcohol, wine, and more.  I get tremendous … Read more

How I Changed My Spending After Quitting My Job

It’s strange going from earning more money than I thought I would ever make to not only not earning an income, but paying for the privilege to work.  I quit my job a little more than six months ago and started my own company. I’ve been fascinated by how my spending has shifted, but more … Read more

Should I Buy or Lease a Car?

Lease or buy?  It’s a common question. Many people understand buying a car.  You negotiate the sale price, pay cash or finance the car, and you are on your way. At the end of the financing, you own the car.  Fewer people understand leasing a car.  You get more jargon and ways to hide the … Read more

Should I Pay Cash for a Car?

Should I Pay Cash for a Car? It’s a classic question – “Should I pay cash for a car?”  For those with the resources, the appeal of owning a car outright is strong. No car payment. You get the title. No annoying bank to deal with now or in the future.  However, for some people, … Read more

Should I Buy A New Or Used Car?

I love the question of “should I buy a new or used car?” because it’s such a controversial question in the personal finance space.  People swear by only buying used cars. Others swear by buying new cars.  Like most personal finance decisions, the answer is not cut and dry.  Some people may be better off … Read more

Reflections of Self-Employment in the First Six Months

In the personal finance space, it feels like quitting your job is a glorious endeavor. People sell courses and products to help you quit your 9 to 5 (by the way, who works a 9 to 5 nowadays?) and have the freedom of creating your own schedule. As someone who quit their job last year … Read more

How Much Does a 26 Day Road Trip Cost?

Have you ever wondered what it would cost to take a month off of work and see part of the United States?  I recently took a 26-day road trip across 14 states, though I really only explored about 8 of them. The rest were states I drove through on my way to the others.  Before … Read more

When Should You Hire an Expert? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself.

When should you hire an expert? I think I about this question often. We outsource many things in our life – cooking, cleaning, home repairs, car repairs, grocery shopping, yard maintenance, driving, and more. There are great benefits to outsourcing. Every time I face a home repair, I think, “I should learn how to do this. … Read more

How Much To Spend on a Wedding?

Weddings. Could I pick a more controversial financial topic? I’ve always been flabbergasted by the price of weddings. With the average wedding cost around $30,000, it’s hard not to be. I know that figure is inflated by some people who spend over $100,000 on a wedding and brought down by others who spend $1,000. Either … Read more