The 7 Personal Finance Articles We Loved This Week
I’ve been spending a lot of money lately, and it’s making me anxious. Not because I’m spending on things I don’t actually need — I’m moving apartments next month, which has necessitated a few more household expenses than usual — but just that I’m spending more than I technically could be spending less than I am. There are also a few springtime fun things that have been going on, like an Easter party we threw last weekend, that simply take some spending to make possible. I also just paid my taxes, which means a huge chunk of my total savings is now gone.
In regards to apartment spending, there are just so many things I want to buy, but have to put off, because I obviously can’t afford to outfit the entire thing all at once. So reading articles like J. Money‘s second pick this week is extremely helpful for me:
We consume mindlessly because we want what we want, but when the consequences show up in the form of stuff or fat, we wonder how we ended up where we are. When we try to cut back, we experience a visceral sense of deprivation that keeps us wanting to go back to our consumptive habits. Because we deserve to consume. We work hard to have that privilege.
I love the writer’s perspective of saying “yes to less” but not “no to more.” I’m not telling myself that I’m never going to get the things I want for my apartment, or that I’m saying no to creating a space I love. I’m just saying yes to buying fewer things right now, both because I can’t afford to without letting go of other savings goals, and because they’re not necessary. Be sure to check that out along with the other great picks this week!
1. Why Bloggers Share Their Net Worth So Openly – Rockstar Finance
“I get it; money is important. You can’t have financial independence if you don’t have the dollars…[but] let’s take money off its pedestal and see it for what is really is: just a facilitator.”
2. Once You’ve Bought It, It’s Your Problem – Funding Happy
“The big ‘ah ha’ for me here is to focus on saying ‘yes to less’ rather than saying ‘no to more.’ It feels less like deprivation and more like freedom from burden and anxiety.”
3. 7 Tips That Forever Changed My Finances – Becoming Minimalist
“Over the years, I’ve been blessed to have countless positive influences in my life. Their example and their wisdom have shaped me in every way — including my financial practices. Here are seven specific ways.”
4. The $19,000 Haircut – Amanda Clayman
“Being able to take care of my needs safely, without worrying that checks would bounce or that I would regret the purchase later, was a kind of emotional freedom I’d never before experienced.”
5. Three Magic Words for Your Budget – Half Banked
“Of all the things in the financial world that get a bad rap, budgeting is pretty far up there. Collectively, we’ve got some pretty skewed ideas of what budgeting is and isn’t.”
6. The Best 3 Fund Portfolio For The Average Investor – Wall Street Physician
“You don’t need to have a degree in finance or Wall Street trading experience to do this. With any of the portfolios I described above, you’ll likely beat the majority of the fund managers on Wall Street.”
7. Your Desk Will Not Attend Your Funeral – Todd Brison
“Every second you spend is an investment in your future. Will the return on that investment be full of things? Or full of people?”
Image via Unsplash
