Mom & CPA -sharing my life as a working mom with a focus in personal finance and intentional living. Follow my journey to freedom without sacrificing lifestyle.
Anyone interested in doing a no-buy challenge with me for the month of October?
Rule: Buying "needs" are totally ok (e.g. food, transportation...etc) but wants are what we want to avoid purchasing (e.g. toys, heels...etc).
We will check back in a month and see how we did?
My teenage son doesn't want a p/t job. I believe getting a job is part of adulting so he can understand responsibilities & finances. How do you empower your kids to get a job? My son would rather sit at home play video games for free than go out. Is this Gen Z issue or just him?
@rohit_thinks
I am not sure crypto is the main culprit but our society doesn’t value hard work like it used to. We are always about the smart way out by looking for short cuts whether it’s a viral video or cryptocurrency. Everyone wants to be the someone that didn’t do anything and wins big
I have a friend who has a nice house, nice cars, and many designer items. She goes on vacations 3-4 times a yr. I just realized through retirement discussions that she does not have any savings. How should I gently break it to her that she should start without sounding offensive?
My husband is normally a very frugal person but he came to the realization that he has likely passed the midpoint of his life and is now counting down rather than counting up.
We decided to splurge on memorable life experiences rather than just focus on saving money (e.g our
I don't want to be retirement-rich and current-poor. Saving for retirement is wonderful, but what happens between now and then? So many people don't think about that time.
Is it just me or do the younger generation lacks resilience and grit? My teenagers don't want to try anything that is too difficult or takes too long. Do you think screen time is to blame? The instant gratification from video game cannot be replicated in real life situations.
I’m an introvert and I dislike big parties and large group gatherings because we usually just talk about superficial things. I don’t dislike human connections but I prefer spending my time on deeply connecting with a few important people who feel the same way. Is that weird?
@dieworkwear
You can talk about whatever you want Derek! Just because you are an expert in something doesn’t mean you are only limited to discussing that topic. Life would get pretty boring, wouldn’t it?
@MPelletierCIO
Trudeau is trying to get votes from people who think this is just a tax issue for the richest. However, they might not understand the broader picture that these rich folks are often the people creating jobs, investing in businesses, spending $ that helps our economy grow.
@dieworkwear
I am always prepared to have my shoes off when i go to someone's house (i.e. I don't wear socks with holes or anything socially unacceptable / embarrassing).
My husband and I go on dates. We often schedule time off on a weekday so all the kids are at school/daycare and we will go for a nice lunch, long walk, spa, movie...etc. Schedule your date like you would any other important appointments. You are each other's priority!
What are your thoughts on staging your place before selling? The cost is $3k-$4k. Do you think this money can be recovered? Is it a good investment in the hopes of a higher selling price?
My daughter (13 yo) asked my friend about her salary during dinner. I felt embarrassed and told my daughter that she shouldn't ask that. After dinner, I realized I am perpetuating the money taboo. Have you encounter similar situations? How did you deal with that?
My son complained that the Kirkland toilet paper is not as soft as the Charmin's. Seriously? Kirkland was on sale!
Are you choosy in your toilet paper brands?
I was reading this library book to my 4 year old that I’d thought I’d share:
“The world needs your voice. Go ahead… it doesn’t need to be perfect as long as it’s from your heart.”
Seems like great advice for X. Share your thoughts from your heart and get your voices heard.
@SchrodingrsBrat
I’m guessing you just got a huge dose of someone’s private life even though you don’t know that person overly well?
You sometimes need to throw yourself out there, take a risk and see what sticks. If both sides are overly cautious then the conversation stays at the superficial
Have you tried converting the prices as hours of work?
If your hourly rate is $40 and you pay 25% tax, you actually earn $30 after tax per hour.
Instead of saying the shoes cost $120, think whether they are worth 4 hours of your work.
@unusual_whales
It’s really having two different economies at the same time. One for the rich and another for the poor. Some are struggling to put on the tables while the stock markets are hitting all time highs.
@txsalth2o
As parent, I don’t want to throw parties either because of the social pressure. You want your child to have a good time and not be looked down upon because their parties are too boring or the goodie bags are too small. We have to keep up with the joneses even with kids birthday
An entrepreneur once told me if you want committed, hard-working employees, you should encourage that person to start a family and buy a house. Do you agree with his statement?
One good outcome of the US presidential election debate last night is that I've now generated enough impressions to meet the monetization requirement for X. Thanks Biden and Trump!
30% of retired Americans are going to un-retire because the cost of living in the past 3 years has increased significantly. Can you imagine un-retiring when you are 75?
@WvSmith
Is that what people do when the kids are still in highschool though? I thought that’s what happen when they go to college which I think we will do.
As promised, here's an update of my X premium. It has been exactly 8 weeks since I paid for my premium. I now have over 1k followers (thanks everyone for following me!) so I gained approximately 100 followers per week.
I just hit my 5M impressions and am finally eligible for
Ok - I have just paid for premium. I have 215 followers currently. I will report back in a few months to see if anything changes (e.g reach, engagement, followers… etc) so others can make an informed decision.
Happy Friday everyone! Today is pay day for me, and 20% of my after tax income is automatically transferred into a savings or an investment account. I don't see the money so I won't be tempted to spend it. It's simple but it works!
My sister and I jointly purchased our first property in our 20's. While some may argue that we could have done better in the stock market, I disagree. The mortgage was our forced savings. We could have easily spent the money on lifestyle purchases instead of investing the $.
When you are at a social gathering and meeting some strangers, what do you typically talk about? Many people ask me what I do for a living. Is our career that important in defining who we are?
Don't change a good thing - if your car, purse, tools, jeans...etc. are working out just fine then you don't need to shop for a replacement. Enjoy your material possessions rather than constantly looking for bigger, better, faster alternatives that require you to spend more.
Do you know that American convenience stores traditionally relied on two revenue streams - gas and tobacco? What do you think will happen to these convenience stores as our buying habits change (e.g. more EVs and more vaping)? American 7-11 wants to be like their Japanese stores
I attended my company's conference 8 yrs ago and the theme was "What are you waiting for?". One director felt extremely empowered after the conference and emailed the CEO telling him that she quit. Be careful what you wish for. The corporate 9-5 may not motivate your employees.
If children aren't allowed to experience the mild sting of failure in the protected world of childhood, how will they react in the so-called real world of life?
I don't buy the cheapest product available. I buy the best value. Instead of buying a pair of non-precious metal earrings that tarnish or rust, I bought a pair of gold studs that I have worn for the past 10 yrs. They weren't the cheapest but I still enjoy them very much.
We have a girls night out planned on the weekend but my friend just asked if her bf can join us too. Would you let the bf join? He is a nice guy but obviously having him means our topics will adjust accordingly. If you were the bf, would you even want to join a group of girls for
You guys are amazing! I have crossed the 1,000 mark for followers / bots! Thank you so much for supporting me and my unfiltered stream of consciousness.
My teenaged kids still do not know I have an X account. I was a little embarrassed to tell them especially when I had 30
I don't know about you but I hate doing public speaking. The quote that seems to calm me down is this:
"There are only two types of speakers in the world. The nervous ones and the liars." - Mark Twain
Hope this quote helps you too!
Do not associate changing direction with failure. If you don't reach your exact goal but you end up somewhere else, that's still worthwhile and valuable.
A friend went to Turkey for hair transplants recently because it was much cheaper than doing it locally. My husband is now thinking about it. Anyone with experience doing this? Should I encourage my husband to do it even though I don't actually care if he is bald or not?
You don't get an investment advisor for above avg market return cuz they won't outperform the market consistently. But, you may want one if you need help with estate, tax planning, or if you absolutely hate dealing with $ like you would hire a gardener if you hate yard work.
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. Here're some food $ saving tips:
- Eat breakfast at home
- Bring your lunch
- Cook one big dish on weekends and freeze
- Shop in bulk at discount supermarkets
- Set a budget and stick to it
"Extended adolescence" is the term for never able to gain financial independence from your parents. Did you get any financial help from your parents or grandparents?
Diderot effect is a phenomenon that occurs when acquiring a new possession leads to a spiral of consumption that results in the acquisition of even more possessions. If you bought a new jacket, you think you need new shoes and jeans that go with the new look. $$$
How do your spouses / partners feel about you using X?
My husband noticed a sharp increase in my screen time usage. I think I need to manage my time a little bit better. This is everything against living intentionally if I let social media consume me.
How many hours do you
I'm taking summer vacation with my family and won't be on X all that much (trying to do a technology detox at the same time).
Hope you are enjoying your summer as well!
Some friends came over for dinner with their puppy last week. My 4 year old asked them why they only have a puppy and no kids. I was mortified! How would you handle the situation so that it is less awkward?
Ok - I have just paid for premium. I have 215 followers currently. I will report back in a few months to see if anything changes (e.g reach, engagement, followers… etc) so others can make an informed decision.
Are you going out for some shopping this weekend? When you see the sign that says "30% off" or "50% off", just remember you can save 100% if you don't make the purchase.
Have you ever taken on a job because of prestige? It was either a giant tech company, a fancy job title, or a corner office overlooking the water even though you know deep inside the job isn't for you? I have done that when I was younger and I am so over it now.
Interest rate is high so the cost of capital is expensive. Companies are less willing to take a leap of faith in hiring people without demonstrated skills and experiences.
Remember to continue to invest and develop yourself so you are prepared in any market conditions.
I subscribed to X Premium exactly 28 days ago and some have asked for an update of the experience.
Overall, the reach has increased significantly and I have gained around 400 followers in the last 4 weeks. It isn’t considered great for most of you but I only had 200 followers
I'm reading a book called "How Big Things Get Done". It turns out that "think slow, act fast" might be the secret here. Have you read this book before?
@ramit
People probably don’t feel rich when they live in a high cost of living city - Santa Clara, San Francisco, NYC, LA… etc. $400k is probably quite average for families in those area. Tampa is not a HCOL city so you are probably right that he just doesn’t want to pay more taxes
Pro tip for visiting the St. Peter’s Basilica - go two hours before closing. There were no lines as the cruise ship passengers have already headed back to their ports. It’s also much cooler, relatively speaking.
While on vacation, I was counting the number of countries I’ve been to:
1. USA 🇺🇸
2. Mexico 🇲🇽
3. Canada 🇨🇦
4. Italy 🇮🇹
5. Germany 🇩🇪
6. Spain 🇪🇸
7. Greece 🇬🇷
8. Japan 🇯🇵
9. South Korea 🇰🇷
10. Singapore 🇸🇬
11. Hong Kong 🇭🇰
12. China 🇨🇳
13. Philippines 🇵🇭
14. France
I was asked whether I wanted to climb the corporate ladder. That was my aspiration when I was younger. The title, money, prestige but not anymore. The trade-off's required are no longer worth it after I realize I'm not going after what I want but what others think I should want.
I make coffee at home now. We don't go to Starbucks often cuz it's mass market offering so it doesn't feel like a unique/ special experience when you visit. I rather get a coffee at a local cafe if I'm paying that kind of $ anyway and have a more personalized experience.
I love sharing money tips so we can all build wealth and improve our living conditions, particularly in times of affordability issues. However, please know that money doesn't define a person. You aren't a better or worse person because you have money or vice versa.
Eating at home can save a lot of money so we don’t typically eat out but I have to be completely honest that we spent 600 Euros for a meal in Paris while we were on vacation last month.
It was romantic 7 course dinner with wine pairings with my hubby. It wasn’t about the food
@OutdoorFinance
For us, the property taxes are for the services you enjoy near your property (e.g. schools, parks, community centers, swimming pools, library… etc). In order for these services to be run, they have annual operating costs. Could the city run more with less? Absolutely! Could they