Un-cool living to get more from life
We have a plan for our lives — a plan to save as much money as possible, so we can become financially independent in the next ten years, and then do whatever we want with the rest of our lives. You could call us Mustachians or Early Retirement Extremists, but really we just like the idea of being able to decide how to spend our time without worrying about a paycheck.
7 super-easy ways to eat healthier food on a budget
Recently I decided that I should probably stop eating lunch from the fast food place across the road from where I work, and that existing solely on oven fries and breaded chicken did not a happy Kitty make. Along the way I found some quick and easy things that I could do to improve the quality of my food whilst still being on a tight budget.
Hardcore ways to survive a drought (or just save money on your water bill)
Did you know that about 25% of the continental United States is in extreme drought conditions right now? The ’10s saw a long drought in Australia that led to deadly fires, and parts of central Europe are below normal rainfall levels right now. Climate change brings weather extremes, throwing once-regular rain patterns out of whack. Even if your hometown is currently nice and wet, it might not be in the future. And besides, saving money on your water bill isn’t a bad thing. So try some of these hardcore hacks to save water…
Earning extra income at home by doing laundry
There are a lot of articles and blogs out there about making money from home, most of these are targeted at stay at home moms and include things like, “Get a job as a virtual assistant” or, “Sell your handmade goods through an Etsy shop.” These are great ideas, and I am sure they work for a lot of people, but in my experience with this a lot more time is spent scouring the interwebs for opportunities than actually generating any income. What I have found works best for me is low tech and old fashioned. I wash clothes and I bake bread.
5 tips to get your rental application approved, even if you have bad credit and pets
In a competitive rental market you want your application to be approved. I’ve been a property manager for over 10 years, so I have five important tips to help get your rental application approved! These tips are especially helpful if you don’t have the best credit, or if you have an animal…
When is saving money more important than living in a great place?
I live in the wonderfully offbeat city of Portland, right in the thick of things. I love where I live, like LOVE LOVE where I live. I can walk anywhere I could possibly need or want, and our apartment is adorably vintage. Problem is, I’m about to have to take a major pay-cut. It seems more financially responsible to move, but it’s good for our souls to live here. All that to say, when is saving more important than living in a great place?
I fixed my toilet and cut my water bill by 75%
My house has five toilets. I know, it’s an embarrassment of porcelain riches. When we first moved in some of them ran occasionally, and I knew it was wasting water, but fixing these odd-duck toilets just seemed so daunting and confusing. It’s an easy problem to ignore, so we did. When we finally got around to investigating the problem, the fix was simple, fast, and cost us all of $10.
How do you curb impulse spending?
The combination of a steady income, no huge financial responsibilities other than rent, and the ease of online shopping has meant that I have been spending money (and acquiring things) more quickly than I would like to. I know a good solution is not to browse in the first place (even if all the shoes do look pretty…), but I’m wondering what strategies other homies might have when it comes to resisting impulse purchases either online or in a store.