simple living

Financial independence is a term typically used to describe a state where you have sufficient assets to live a certain lifestyle indefinitely without having to work or be employed.  Whether your income is derived from interest on savings, investment income, real estate income or something else, it really doesn’t matter.  The key is that you’re [...]

Ohana, multi-family living, “boomerang children”. No matter what you call it, extended families living under one roof or on one property can be a cultural norm or a way to cope with the financial difficulties that many are facing. Many say it’s “Easier said than done.” They are correct. There are many issues to work [...]

During college, I stayed close to campus every summer in order to work. Plus, I liked living on my own. The second summer I stayed, I got a job as a waitress and rented a room in a house to get me by until the new school year, when I would have a free room [...]

As we approach the holidays and end of the year, many people are finding their wallets just a little thinner than normal. If you’re trying hard to stay within your December budget, consider some of these winter activities to save money this holiday season. Who said frugal activities cannot be fun and enjoyable?

Enjoy movies or [...]

We are inevitably going to be divided into two groups — the people who can’t live without their gadgets, and those who believe that the saturation of gadgets in our everyday lives has simply made things more complicated. However, we can all agree that there is a place in our lives for the gadgets which [...]

It’s easy to be down in the dumps these days. The economy is bad, and may or may not be improving. Unemployment remains high, savings account interest rates low, and the stock market shaky. It’s getting colder outside, which some people (ok, me!) may hate. And yet, there is much to be thankful for. If [...]

One of the debates that goes on in the personal finance world revolves around the concept of whether or not some debt can be good. It is true that some debt (like a home mortgage) is viewed more favorably on your credit report than other debt (like a car loan). But, in practice, you are [...]

Since most colleges don’t have classes on budgeting and basic money management it’s up to students to educate themselves. This collection of 33 free student budget calculators, spreadsheets and worksheets will help students of all ages create a workable budget — plus learn some basic budgeting skills along the way!
Here’s what you’ll find:

9 Web-Based Budget [...]

There are a lot of different ways to save money… and because of the current state of our economy now-a-days we are hearing more and more money saving tips on main stream media. The tips commonly addressed by the media are solid, but today I would like to challenge you to take your frugal living [...]

The global economy runs on a binge and purge cycle, which makes it especially difficult to stay steady and mindful on a personal level. It can be hard to resist living beyond your means during boom times, and even harder to keep your head up during the busts. But no matter how stormy it gets [...]