Folks weigh in on some of the most inexpensive hacks they use to feel like they’re living a life of luxury. Spend your next $20 in the right place to maximize the cushiness of your lifestyle. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that $20 or $50 spent on one item can bring...
9 Lifestyle Hacks to Feel Like You’re Living In Luxury
Secret Price History Data: A Tool For Making Holiday and Big Ticket Purchases
I talk about one of my favorite free tools to optimize the holiday and big ticket shopping experience. How to find price history for an item to determine whether you’re actually getting a good deal. Data that will help you determine when the best time to buy is, plus price tracking features to alert...
One Chart: How the 1% Actually Earn Their Money
This one chart illustrates how the 1% actually earn their money, and what you should employ to do the same. The nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center did some research on where income comes from for the 1% vs the entire population. Their definition of “expanded cash income” included things like health care benefits,...
Where To Put Your Next $100K: Investing In Today’s Environment
Some thoughts on where to put your money in today’s environment. Focused on traditional investments (alternative investments featured in weeks to come). I received an interesting question from a reader this week, one which I think is on many minds. Here it is, abbreviated for clarity: Hi JP, I was hoping to...
The Rule of 72: Doubling Your Money, And Investments To Accelerate Your Timeline
A quick way to estimate how long it will take to double your money. Use this to determine what target return you need to achieve to meet your timeline. Plus, options for finding higher returns. One of the biggest factors in determining when you achieve financial independence is the performance of your nest...
35% of US Workers Freelance: What They Make, How They Feel
Correct your misconceptions about the ⅓ of the US population who engage in freelance work. Even six-figure earners find they sometimes can make more freelancing, and enjoy themselves more while doing it. Here’s what they say on the issue, and how it might one day benefit you. In 2016, the number of folks in...
Money and Jealousy: Harnessing The Beast
If you’ve ever felt jealousy creeping up on you when hearing about someone’s amazing success – or compared it to your own life – don’t worry. You’re only human. Here’s how to harness that energy for productive use. It’s raining today as I write this, which always puts me in a contemplative mood....
Highest Paying Jobs Without A College Degree
68% of Americans age 25 or older do not hold a bachelor’s degree. What are the highest paying jobs that don’t require a college degree? According to census data, 68% of adults 25 and older do not have a bachelor’s degree or higher. While the research is pretty clear that there is an...
What The Average American Family Spends In Each Category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics just released the results of its 2016 American expenditure survey, and the results are fascinating. Here are a few of my observations. Housing Is Your Biggest Opportunity Housing remains the single largest expense, easily double any other category, and often more than 10x other categories. If...
Four Steps To Crush Your Student Loans
Four steps to crushing your student loans. How to optimize your payments, how to think about extra payments on your student loans vs investing, and more. I get a lot of questions about student debt. 44 million Americans are tackling student loans as part of their financial journey, and those loans total to...