The 7 Personal Finance Articles We Loved This Week

If you’ve been reading TFD for a while now, you might know that I have one negative quality that holds me back more than anything else when it comes to money: avoidance and procrastination. I don’t consider myself a lazy person necessarily, but it’s hard for me to find the motivation to do certain things until the last minute. And one thing that used to plague me was spending little amounts of money mindlessly and not checking my bank or credit card accounts. And wouldn’t you know it — I was making life harder for myself than it had to be, and I ended up a (relatively small) debt situation to take care of.

It took time to figure this out for myself. One thing that helped was reading about simple ways to make everything easier on myself — which is why I really enjoyed ESI‘s pick from Prosperlyway, which details the ways we lie to ourselves that are keeping us from getting really good with money. For me, being honest with myself meant learning that I needed to actually face my bank account before I would magically start getting better with money. I especially loved this suggestion from the article, in response to how many of us lie to ourselves by thinking a fancy gym membership alone will encourage us to get healthier:

Not only are we wasting money on unused memberships, we are also wasting money on brand-spanking-new workout gear that also goes unused (gear envy is no joke).

Now, I am NOT telling you to give up on the gym and save that money instead. Maintaining your health has quantifiable benefits of its own (future post coming).

But I AM telling you to get a grip. Be cognizant of the trade off. Maybe you should ease into a workout routine at home before jumping into an annual gym contract. Or enforce a penalty on yourself if you skip the gym. Or sign up for a month-to-month contract.

Be sure to read the full post, as well as the rest of this week’s great picks!

1. You’re Lying To Yourself — And It’s Hurting Your Wallet – Prosperlyway

“Humans are ego-driven creatures. For many people, it’s easier to pad your ego than face a tough truth. When it comes to your wallet, this can be a dangerous fact. And when the average American cannot afford a $1,000 unexpected expense, it’s more important than ever to be thoughtful and deliberate with your financial decisions.”

2. Why You Shouldn’t Care About Others’ Finances – A Journey We Love 

“Have we become too voyeuristic about other people’s money? Have we become too judgmental about what other people decide what they want to do (or not to do) with their money? I think the PF world is becoming too judgmental. As long as they can afford it, then why do you care about other people’s business?”

3. How To Handle Expensive Family Expectations – Frugalwoods 

“Money is a scorching hot, third rail of a conversation for most people to begin with — no wonder it’s the leading cause of divorce in the US — and layering on the equally eviscerating dynamics of family relationships can make this topic feel insurmountable. But I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have to be this way.”

4. Why Side Hustles Are Made For Modern Millennials – The Origami Life 

“At any point, my job could be replaced by more senior or junior roles, consultants, contractors, freelancers, or realistically — it could be moved offshore to cheaper labor or eventually automated. I realized that I was just a small cog in the machine and I had no real power. I felt powerless, and frankly, it threw me into an existential crisis.”

5. 10 Things You Are Doing to Make Life Harder Than It Needs To Be – The Savvy Couple 

“I want to show you that making life simple again is possible. Life is this precious journey of time that you need to remind yourself not to take for granted. Each day you are alive and breathing is another blessing from above. Take advantage!”

6. Successful Careers and Failed Relationships – Optimize Your Life 

“As someone who has read a lot of biographies of successful people, I have found that one of the defining factors of these characters is a singular focus and drive. They are obsessively focused on one aspect of their life and they use that focus to push them to the top. One recurring theme that I find is that an inordinate number of these people seem to have major problems in other areas of their lives.”

7. You Are Going To FAIL – A Financial Savvy Doc 

“If you are succeeding in everything you do, then you’re probably not pushing yourself hard enough. And that means you’re not taking enough risks. You risk because you have something of value you want to achieve.”

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