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Recently, I hit a major milestone in my journey to overcome what I like to call “frugality disease.” I spent $160 for an hour of private lessons for my two kids. In the past, I would’ve never paid such an amount. I’ve always been the type to teach them things myself, like swimming and bicycling. […]
The Curious Inability To Spend Money On Yourself Read More »
Have you ever feared running out of money? I have. This fear is why there’s a phenomenon called the “one more year syndrome,” where workers keep working to save more, even though they’ve run the numbers and know they have more than enough to live comfortably in retirement. Yet, 10 years later, they are still
You Will Never Run Out Of Money Because You’re Rational Read More »
Since middle school, I’ve embraced frugality, largely influenced by my parents’ thrifty habits. They drove aging cars, donned the same clothes for decades, and preferred water at restaurants. Today, I drive a nine-year-old car, opt to repair rather than replace my belongings, and typically stick to water with a lemon slice when dining out. It’s
Giving A Gift Card Is The Best Way To Help Frugal People Spend Read More »
In 2007, I had a dream of taking my future family on a ski vacation. I was an avid snowboarder and my wife enjoyed the tranquility of Lake Tahoe. After receiving a good bonus, I bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo at Everline Resort in Palisades. Our son came ten years later, but we didn’t go
Family Ski Vacations: The Cost Could Break The Bank! Read More »
Tipping has become increasingly pervasive, leaving many wondering how much to tip without feeling like a miser. To alleviate this dilemma, I’ve crafted a tipping guide to help you navigate gratuities with confidence. This guide not only suggests appropriate tip amounts but also explains the rationale behind them. In the past, tipping was a discretionary
A Tipping Guide To Counteract Tipflation And Feel Great Again Read More »
Now that I’m on a quest to save money and improve my cash flow, I’ve stumbled upon some new ways to save that I hadn’t really considered before. Let me share with you my latest realization about how good relationships can help you save money. One of my expenses is a $180/month private sports club
How Good Relationships Can Save You Lots Of Money Read More »
With negative cash flow, I’ve embarked on a mission to trim unnecessary expenses from my budget. In times of surplus cash before my home purchase, I hadn’t scrutinized my expenses for years. It’s not that I was lazy about budgeting; instead, I’ve always embraced the “pay myself first and spend the rest” strategy. Each month,
Three Sneaky Expenses That Are Ruining Your Budget Read More »
Now that cash flow is tight, I’ve reviewed all the expenses where I could potentially cut. One such expense is a private sports club membership. I joined the club in February 2023 when it was raining nonstop for three months. I was getting cabin fever so I decided to pay $180 a month for access
A Private Sports Club Membership Is Well Worth The Cost Read More »
Living paycheck-to-paycheck is an unpleasant financial experience. Not only does it mean needing to spend everything you have to make ends meet, it may also create an ongoing feeling of despair. You might even have to get into debt to pay your bills. And if you aren’t careful with debt usage, it may become a
Embrace Living Paycheck-To-Paycheck To One Day Be Free Read More »
While I consider myself frugal, there are instances where saving money isn’t worth the additional time investment. Let me share a story illustrating how excessive frugality cost me my health, productivity, and happiness. Recently, we decided to attend Monster Jam for the first time, an event featuring monster trucks racing and performing stunts. Getting there
Being Overly Frugal Can Be Terrible For Your Health And Happiness Read More »
In 2024, I am transitioning from a spender to a saver mindset. I am returning to frugal habits reminiscent of my lifestyle in the first thirteen years after college. This change is prompted by the need to rebuild liquidity. One area I’m targeting to cut expenses is food. After a three-month experiment involving increased spending
How Couples Can Adopt The Same Financial Goals And Win Read More »
The end of the year is always the best time to reflect and plan. I’d like to share several financial moves you should make before the new year in order to protect your wealth and hopefully grow your wealth in a risk-adjusted manner next year. Those of us who invested in stocks, real estate, and many
10 Helpful Financial Moves To Make Every Year Read More »
Once I hit 45 in mid-2022, I decided to enter a decumulation phase. Instead of continuing to save and invest aggressively, I decided to spend more aggressively. One way to decumulate is to spend more money on food. Dying with an excess of money is suboptimal. If we do, it will have meant that we
Spending More Money On Food: An Experiment In Decumulation Read More »
Just like job loyalty, bank loyalty often doesn’t pay. I made the mistake of being a loyal employee for eleven years at my previous firm. If I had job-hopped, I probably could have made $1 million more in my career. During my capital raising process to buy a home with all cash, I’ve had to
Bank Loyalty Has Long-Term Benefits But Short-Term Costs Read More »
After the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I decided to review our existing banking relationships and see if we are well positioned to weather another potential bank run. I also wanted to share with you the ideal number of banking relationships to have to feel safe and sound. When I first started Financial Samurai
The Ideal Number Of Banking Relationships To Feel Safe And Secure Read More »
Sadly, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB, $SIVB), the 16th largest bank in America at the end of 2022, experienced a bank run. Now the contagion has spread to other regional banks such as First Republic Bank, Signature Bank, Zions Bancorp, and Charles Schwab. Even the largest banks were getting hit as well. Ultimately, The Federal Deposit
How To Prepare For Another Bank Run As The Contagion Spreads Read More »
During the pandemic, we learned that Americans can save a lot more money if we want to. Take a look at the historical American personal saving rate chart according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the St. Louis Fed. After lockdowns began on March 18, 2020, the U.S. personal saving rate skyrocketed from
Americans Can Save A Lot Of Money If We Want To, Don’t Worry! Read More »
Recently, I was told by a producer of a certain podcast that I was being overly frugal. This comment came after an interview covering my upcoming book, Buy This, Not That was done. I had thanked her over e-mail and also asked her to tell the host I had finally gotten a headset for potential
Being Called Overly Frugal Or Cheap Means You’re On The Right Track Read More »
