When I made my first student loan payment, one of the first questions I had was, "How am I supposed to balance saving with paying off debt?" I was 22 years old, ready to start my first newspaper job. I also owed $24,000 and had almost no savings. I had moved 11 hours from home for a new job, and my parents graciously footed the bill for the moving truck, packing supplies and hotel stay. When I arrived at my new apartment, I realized I ... Read more...
The Centennial Millennial: Retirement Planning for a Long Life
This post was originally seen on Forbes.com. Centenarians, or people living to be at least 100, have always been a rare breed. Think about it – how many people do you know who’ve lived for over a century? But that could be changing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people living to be over 100 is growing fast. While that seems like good news on the surface, it brings up an interesting dilemma: ... Read more...
Early Retirement for Millennials: Is it Possible?
This post was originally seen on Forbes.com. While older generations tend to think of millennials as lazy and entitled, many have made it an active goal to work hard and retire early. Whether that’s been inspired by seeing their families struggle with retirement or hating the idea of coming into an office for the next 40 years, they’re determined to retire while they’re young enough to enjoy life, travel and spend time with their ... Read more...
How to Find a Cheap Cell Phone Plan
This post was written by my husband Sam, who generously tested the Moto X from Republic Wireless. It’s happened more times than I can count. I’m sitting in the car, or standing in line at the store, or walking my dog around the neighborhood. My phone is out, and I’m about to make a crucial decision. Should I go over my data limit to watch this video of a dog and cheetah being friends? That may sound like a first world problem, and it is. ... Read more...
If You Aren’t Saving in Your 20s, You’re Doing It Wrong
About a week ago a friend alerted me to a blog post from Elite Daily that had made its way around Twitter. It was called, "If You Have Savings in Your 20s, You're Doing It Wrong." At first, I thought it was an article from "The Onion." The article makes the claim that if you spend your 20s saving, then you're not living your life. Instead of putting money aside for retirement or putting down your loans, you should live like you're still in ... Read more...
How to Budget for a Move
Today I put down the most expensive charge on my credit card. I finally booked our rental truck for our upcoming move to Denver. Ever since my husband and I announced our plans, people have asked me how we're doing it. I'm a pretty cautious and timid person at times. When my husband first brought up the idea of moving somewhere, I hesitated. I let my fear control me. But now, I'm counting down the days. The reason I'm no longer scared? ... Read more...