Shortly after getting hooked on the idea of financial independence and retiring early, I set my own goal, to reach FI in 10 years, with a fund of $700K. That was a year ago, meaning my deadline is now just 9 years away. In Mint, I even set up a goal, which visually reminds me every time I log in …
Practical gifts for your significant other
A couple months ago, I put together my first gift guide, low budget gift ideas for a variety of individuals. One thing I noticed after publishing was that there wasn’t enough of a focus for one of the most important people in your life. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are some ideas on how to impress your loved …
Financial Privilege: I have it
It’s 8 AM on Friday, January 12th, and I’m logging into Mint to check out my paycheck. Cha-ching! The first paycheck of 2018, and it’s a big one. I said to myself, “Wow, I can’t believe I’m so lucky.” Then it hit me. Over the past two years, I’ve remarked numerous times to others how lucky I am. But that’s …
My First ‘Real’ Promotion; I Feel Like A Million Bucks!
As careers go, I’ve started mine out on a very traditional route: entry-level analyst at a mid-sized company, moving up a clearly defined hierarchical ladder, promotion by promotion. I’ve always been someone who works extremely well inside the box. If anything, this blog is the first time I’ve ever creatively dipped my toe outside what I thought to be “normal …
Starting off right: Here are the things you need to know if you’re new to managing finances
When is the best time to take control of your finances? Obviously, now. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what stage of life you’re in; make sure you know where you stand, and start changing things today. Even if you’ve got things figured out, there are always adjustments to be made. Automate your savings. Increase your 401(k) contributions …
A Q4’17 Saving Update – How did I do in 2017?
I can’t believe the year is over! It’s flown by; I don’t know if that’s a result of getting older, or because it’s just been a crazy year. A year ago, if you had told me that I would be closing in on a six-figure net worth, growing my income by 20%, and generally crushing my financial goals, I would’ve …
A Cash Fasting Retrospective: How is this blog doing?
I started this blog over Labor Day Weekend in 2016. At the time, all I had was a passion for personal finance and no outlet. Thus, Cash Fasting was born. As some of you may know, I do numbers in my day job (for a large media company). Seems blogging-relevant, right? Well, sort of. The more I learn in my …
A 2017 Book Review: 12 new books in 12 months
12 months, 12 new books. One of my favorite 2017 resolutions was to read more, and this challenge made that successful!