Saving money can feel hard when you look at a big number, but when you break it down into small steps every two weeks, it can start to feel much easier and more manageable in your daily life. A biweekly savings plan can help you stay on track without feeling overwhelmed, because you can focus […]

DW was chatting about the possible SpaceX IPO, having just seen a youTube video about it. I commented that IPOs are generally overpriced and have often not a great investment historically, but that although SpaceX isn’t yet listed, you can get some exposure via some listed investment companies that gained exposure to the private SpaceX shares issued during various rounds of capital raising, and

I think budgeting kinda has a reputation problem. Like if you mention the word “budget” to most people and you get a look like you just suggested they give up coffee, cancel their streaming services, and move into a van. It totally sounds like restriction. Like punishment. Like the financial version of eating those styrofoam plain rice cakes while staring at a wall. But it really doesn’t have to be. Budgeting doesn’t have to be […]

Don’t forget to make sure your budget is ready when the calendar changes to April! Here are some potential expenses you may need to include in your April budget. The post TIME TO GET YOUR APRIL BUDGET READY! appeared first on a life on a dime.

Stir crazy, yes. Emotionally drained, yes. Itching for something unknown, yes. And missing my kids, yes. Needing a break from the pressure, yes. All those and more are the reasons for this road trip. The Weekend with Princess Princess and I will be meeting up to attend a weekend Christian women’s conference. We planned this last fall. I was going to go whether she went or not. The cost was just over $500 for the conference and hotel for two of us. This has already been paid ($300 was covered by my Christmas/birthday money.) Princess paid for her own flight to and from. And I’m driving up. It’s a 10 hour drive for me, and I anticipate that will end up costing right at $70 in gas. I am going to take 3 days to drive up exploring some parks and trails along the way. Our breakfasts are included with our hotel, and I imagine we will eat out at some point both Friday and Saturday. Budgeted Money for the Weekend: $140 One more thing I forgot, Addie (my dog) is joining me on this trip. She will be boarded while we are at this conference. I used Rover ( Vegas. Time = 1 week   The post Texas to Missouri to Vegas – The Plan appeared

For those of us who travel infrequently, taking a flight can be a budget minefield. It’s not just the constantly rising price of airline tickets, either. If you don’t plan ahead the next time you fly to Aunt Sylvia’s for the holidays, you may find that the associated costs of flying — from checked luggage to parking to food — may just put a big hole in your travel budget. Here are the ways frequent […]

Planning for healthcare in retirement is difficult because there is no clear answer. You are preparing for something that may never happen, could last a short time, or could become a significant expense later in life. That uncertainty is what makes long-term care difficult to plan for. It is not just about cost, but also timing, duration, and how those expenses interact with the rest of your retirement plan.  What Long-Term Care Insurance is Trying to Solve  Long-term […]

For years, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has been framed around one big, seductive idea: escaping the daily grind. “Retire from the 9-to-5.” “Retire from the soul-crushing meetings.” “Retire from the boss who doesn’t get it.” It’s easy to see why this “retire from” mindset catches fire. Work can feel exhausting, repetitive, or misaligned with our deeper values. Saving aggressively and investing wisely becomes a heroic battle against the clock—an escape plan from […]