The 7 Personal Finance Articles We Love This Week

Last week, my purse was stolen, and I used this space to vent about how sometimes unexpected financial crises show up and fuck things up (pardon my language). It’s now a week later, and my purse being stolen has cost me nearly $900, which is more than I pay in rent every month. An important immigration document was taken (such is the cost of being a green card holder, as opposed to a citizen), which landed me at the immigration office in Boston for several thousand hours, and cost me about $450. And then my glasses needed to be replaced, and I don’t have eye insurance under Obamacare, so that came to a smooth $420 with the eye exam. Seeing as most of my checks are still waiting for me in L.A., I had no choice but to take money from my emergency fund, though in my defense, it was an emergency. Once I get back home (which will be next week!), I’ll be able to replenish my emergency fund immediately after cashing my checks, like a good little personal finance writer.

Overall, it was shitty situation. There is simply no other way to say it. But luckily, I acted quickly, and everything in my bag was reported stolen immediately, which means there wasn’t any wiggle room for anyone to potentially use my credit card. Part of being an adult, as I continue to learn the hard way, is to suck it up, deal with it, and then try to move on. (And another part of being an adult is having savings so that you can actually pay to deal with this kind of stuff.)

Even though it’s been a tiring seven days, I was proud of myself for powering through, and making some quick financial decisions. And after all that, I welcomed the inspo from these seven personal finance articles brought to us by our friends at Rockstar Finance. I really enjoyed reading Bridget’s debt-payoff opinion piece, because she calls attention to the people who are cutting time off their debt-payoff plan, even if they aren’t “novelty stories.” It was a nice complement to an article we featured last week about delaying debt payoff. I also found the Budgets Are Sexy piece (“There Are No Rules In Money Life”) to be a great reminder; it was a grounding piece that I needed to read this week. Anyway, those are just a few of my reactions to this week, and this week’s article haul, and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on these pieces, too.

1. $hit on Your Boots, Cash in the Bank — Montana Money Adventures

“I’m so thankful for that small town I grew up in, because the perspective it gave me is helping to catapult us into early retirement. I would rather have some shit on my boots, cash in the bank and freedom to hang out at the lake on that hot summer day with some ‘good people’… You bring the home brewed beer, and I will bring the venison jerky.”

2. This is Why You Have to Pay Your Debt Off Early — Money After Graduation

“Media sings the praises of people who wipe out massive sums in two or three or less years, and rarely praise the debtor who vanquished their debt in seven years instead of 10, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t win a real battle… Tossing as little as an extra $50 to $100 per month at your loan will likely execute a huge payoff for you in the long term.”

3. Fame and Fortune — Erick Arjaluoto

“Money is rarely ever the solution to your problems… The pursuit of money is like chasing the dragon: the more you get, the more you need, and no sum seems like as much as it did the last time.”

4. 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Investing in Anything — Mom and Dad Money

“Everyone’s got an angle on what the stock market is going to do next, which company is set to take off, or which mix of investments is bound to outperform. It can be confusing. With all that information out there and all the options at your disposal, how do you decide what to do?”

5. There Are No Rules — Budgets Are Sexy

“Remember: nothing’s ever permanent. If you realize you’ve made a mistake with something – or the situation doesn’t make as much sense as it used to –  don’t be afraid to change course and get going again! You’re not running for president; you’re allowed to change your mind.”

6. 10 Terrible Car Slogans — Millennial Money Man

“In 2012, U.S. car advertising spending was estimated at $15 BILLION FREAKING DOLLARS. That’s larger than Jamaica’s total gross domestic product for anyone keeping track at home. Take a look at this list of terrible car slogans and see if you can spot the crazy.”

7. How Do I Save Money? — How Do I Money?

“It’s the question I ask myself most often. And it’s the question I get asked most often… How do I save money?  Fortunately for all of us, the answer is hidden in the question.”

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