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The Simple Dollar

Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world.

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Latest Posts from The Simple Dollar (page 64)

Nine Businesses Kids Can Start Over Summer Vacation

Published Tuesday, July 10, 2018 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

As parents, we want to help our kids build a life they can enjoy and be proud of later on. We want to help them get a quality education, become responsible for their actions, become contributing members of society, and, most of all, find happiness with their families and themselves. But much of today’s news has left many of us wondering if the “normal” path to success is still the best way. […]

The Perfect Investment

Published Monday, July 9, 2018 - 12:26 by The Simple Dollar

With all of the TV shows, books, blog posts, academic studies, and everything else dedicated to the subject of investing, it would be reasonable to think that, with enough research, you could create the perfect investment strategy that maximizes your odds of getting the best returns possible. The exact right mix of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, in the exact right percentages, placed in exactly […]

Questions About Watches, Seasoning Mixes, 401(k) Criticisms, and More!

Published Monday, July 9, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. Copying seasoning mixes? 2. University degree as gatekeeper 3. Raising credit score while abroad 4. Shut-in suggestions 5. Easier solution than budgeting? 6. Expensive watch 7. Inexpensive watch 8. […]

Why I’m Only Focusing on One Half of ‘FIRE’

Published Sunday, July 8, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

Now that I’m 38, I’m starting to have mixed feelings about my age. It’s almost as if I’m stuck between two generations. I’m not young enough to be cool or overly idealistic anymore, but I’m definitely young enough to feel like I have plenty of life ahead of me— and to have fun. On the other hand, I’m way too old to care what anyone thinks and maybe should care more. […]

Why I’m Only Focusing on One Half of ‘FIRE’

Published Sunday, July 8, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

Now that I’m 38, I’m starting to have mixed feelings about my age. It’s almost as if I’m stuck between two generations. I’m not young enough to be cool or overly idealistic anymore, but I’m definitely young enough to feel like I have plenty of life ahead of me— and to have fun. On the other hand, I’m way too old to care what anyone thinks and maybe should care more. […]

Inspiration from Epictetus, Rhiannon Giddens, Jerome Segal, and More!

Published Saturday, July 7, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Once a month (or so), I share a dozen things that have inspired me to greater personal, professional, and financial success in my life. I hope they bring similar success to your life. 1. Epictetus on anger “Any person capable of angering you becomes your master. […]

Education versus Job Training and Preparing Your Children

Published Friday, July 6, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

As my two oldest children have started to enter their teen years, we’ve begun giving them more and more responsibilities and more and more freedoms. We’ve also been having lots of conversations about what the future might hold for them. Will they go to college? What might they study? What are they interested in? […]

The Wisdom of Frugality: Why Simple Living Is Thought to Make Us Happier

Published Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

This is the third entry in an eight-part weekly series that provides a detailed look at the book The Wisdom of Frugality by Emrys Westacott. If you’re new to the series, feel free to hop back to the first entry. For most people in the Western world today, seeking out some degree of happiness in life is a major life goal. […]

Seven Home Improvement Projects It Pays Not to Postpone

Published Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

You may think you have all the time in the world to make repairs to your home, but your property has other ideas. After my wife and I bought our first house five years ago, we began building a subconscious triage list of issues and potential repairs and started addressing them as best we could. […]

Seven Home Improvement Projects It Pays Not to Postpone

Published Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

You may think you have all the time in the world to make repairs to your home, but your property has other ideas. After my wife and I bought our first house five years ago, we began building a subconscious triage list of issues and potential repairs and started addressing them as best we could. […]