Glad you asked, reader! For me, brokerage accounts were one of the bigger signs I was starting to do ok financially. There are a few goals I feel should be hit before you start to worry too much about brokerage accounts: Debts paid off (or totally managing low interest debt payments). Emergency fund fully stocked.…
Whether you’re planning to move because your lease is up, are ready to upgrade your car, or your trusted laptop has finally given out on you, making a big purchase can be daunting. In addition to the general stress associated with spending a lot of money, there’s also the limitations of your budget to consider.…
How often do you reevaluate your financial goals? Maybe I should start by asking, have you set some financial goals? Setting financial goals is honestly one of the biggest reasons I’m doing so ok. Name it and claim it, right? (Goal setting wise – not theology wise, prosperity gospels are nonsense.) But for real, the…
You might hear a lot of warnings about how difficult life is if you work in the arts – and it can a struggle at times – but one thing you don’t hear about very often is how very lucrative touring can be. I’m not even talking about being on a super high paying gig.…
Here are some great reads I’ve found from others around the web the last few weeks: Can You Cashflow College? Of course I’m not saying this will work for everyone, but I do love reading success stories from people who made things like this work. It might not work for everyone, but it could work…
I think I’m starting to settle in from the moving transition a little. And the millennial in me is a happy camper because while my spending is still kind of high, this week it was largely on experiences and I realized, I didn’t bat an eye at it. I was reminded of a conversation I…
It’s strange that there are very few women who are interested in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general. I suspect that it is the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies. Women tend to prefer slow and steady growth that doesn’t crash after the bubble bursts. So, how can you make money from Bitcoin without any risk? You may…
The last few weeks have been a pretty good lesson in how much money chaos costs. I am a fairly organized person. I like to have systems. I like everything to have a place. I like to have spares and backups. The funny thing about moving is that it throws all your systems so far…
It’s that time again – the American presidential primaries are coming up. And if you work in the arts, there’s a good chance you won’t be anywhere near home come election day. And you might have some strong feelings about who should or shouldn’t be our president. Or you may have some lukewarm feelings. Or…
With my spending varying widely and the knowledge I won’t get a regular, full paycheck till towards the end of February – everything financial has gotten a little wish-washy. And I have been a little unsure of whether I’m doing ok or still living that tour life mentality. So I fell back on an old,…
Profile I am thirty five years old and I started out the month working as the General Stage Manager for a touring circus. I made $2,000 a week and had an approximate $40 per diem (issued in local currency). I finished out the month as a Visiting Instructor of Theatre Arts/Production Management at a state…
I have felt pretty good the last few years about finding my way financially through my weird, pieced together freelance/side hustling/stage manager life. I’ve fairly well rocked it with savings, investing, setting up retirement accounts, and even figuring out Health Savings Accounts. Funny story though, if you leave your weird little pieced together life, so…
Has my credit card ever been getting a workout this week. I always used to think the Danger Zone was those few days before or after you travel when money seems to stop mattering because you have to pick up this little thing and that little thing and why buy more groceries when you can…
Are you ever surprised by the things that catch your eye? I don’t wear much makeup. I’m pretty much a lip gloss and mascara gal – on a good day. On a super fancy day, I might be an eyeliner and eye shadow gal too, but by super fancy, I mean, New Year’s Eve or…
I think the quickest way to lose your financial savvy swagger is to a sign a lease. Signing a lease always makes me feel so trapped. And the expenses! They just keep cropping up – surprise, this was a lie, surprise, you can only use this particular company here, surprise, surprise, surprise $$$$$$$$ This is…
Hello. My name is Mel and this week I am overwhelmed. There is a lot going on right now. And I totally hid from some of it that I probably could’ve gotten a jump on during the last few weeks of my last tour. That was unwise. I am excellent at hiding from things sometimes…
If you’re operating on a tight budget, giving great gifts to your friends can be a serious trial. You want to be giving and generous, but you also want to buy groceries. Plus, if your friends have birthdays around the holiday season, you can pretty much forget it. That gift is going to have to…
The long game. I’m fairly good at the financial long game. When I buy stocks, the plan is just to hold them… forever? They’re pretty much my last line of retirement defense. Even when I invest in my retirement accounts like my IRA and 401(k), those are 100% ear marked for retirement. At 35, that…
Today I’m writing from an East Midlands train on it’s way to Sheffield from London to go visit the city I used to live in and see some friends. I kind of decided on a whim to do this about three weeks ago. All told, between changing my flight, booking train tickets and a hotel…
According to a 2017 Royal Bank of Canada poll, 39 percent of millennials between the ages of 18 and 34 said they plan to put down some of their hard-earned money to purchase a new home within two years. Meantime, another 59 percent of millennials have already purchased their own homes. These millennials have employed — or plan to…
I had a fairly unusual experience over the last few weeks. I got a sinus infection that would just not go away. There was nothing unusual about this. I get these kind of often. But out on tour, the schedule is a little crazy and it takes a while to be sure it’s a sinus…
I think everyone gets some lucky breaks in life – there’s something others struggle with that you just genuinely don’t. For me, I’ve usually laughed at Fear of Missing Out, in part because I’m a largely anti-social dork who usually doesn’t want to hang out or dance or go to clubs or drink super heavily…
Here are some money things that still puzzle me. Mortgages Man, I thought buying a house wouldn’t be so complicated. How naïve, was I? Mortgages are wildly confusing. Not only how to find a lender but what you need to qualify for one, what the different types mean, etc., etc. I mean. Ugh. What the…
Profile I am thirty five years old and I work as the General Stage Manager for a touring circus. I make $2,000 a week and have an approximate $40 per diem (issued in local currency). I’m currently living at home with my dad when I’m not on road, which Is a major factor in why…
Image by TheDigitalWay from Pixabay So, you have some money, and you want to invest it? Well 2020 is as good a year as any to do it, but where and what should you invest in? If you’re new to this, then it can be challenging to know where to start, but what is essential is to…