2020 is almost one month old and I finally decided to write up some of my goals for the year. Yesterday I wrote about goal-setting with my high school students and how I decided to take two small actions to make myself more relaxed at the start of the school day. Now I want to… Continue reading 2020 Goals
Goal Setting with Teenagers in the Economics Classroom
One of the reasons I love teaching economics is because the concepts can be applied to nearly everything. Since economics is the study of scarcity, students can immediately understand the pressure to make good choices with limited money, time, and energy. I enjoy harnessing the power of teaching about choices and opportunity costs to help… Continue reading Goal Setting with Teenagers in the Economics Classroom
Invest Like Somebody’s Watching
Last year I doubled my 403(b) contribution. It wasn’t because I read an article or blog post. It wasn’t because a benevolent financial advisor invited me out for coffee to talk about my asset allocation. And it definitely wasn’t because some stranger on the interest shamed me into it. It was because of my students. … Continue reading Invest Like Somebody’s Watching
Exploring Money Psychology with Students
“So why did we just do this?” I heard a student mutter to his neighbor. When I responded, “that's a good question,” this student’s eyes got big and a deep shade of red fell over his face. I believe it’s perfectly reasonable for a student (or employee sitting in a meeting) to question the rationale… Continue reading Exploring Money Psychology with Students
Forgiving Money Mistakes
After recognizing and confronting my “money neuroticism,” I’ve taken a break from obsessing about money. In my last post I observed how “the ruthless pursuit of statistics and numbers can cloud the true goal of FI -- freedom,” so I’m actively focusing on the big picture of financial independence. By consciously adopting a looser approach… Continue reading Forgiving Money Mistakes
Is Pursuing FI Making Me More Neurotic?
One of my best friends went back to school a few years ago and for a psychology assignment she had to interview people about the “Big 5” Personality Traits -- openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. She asked me to rank myself from 1-5 for each -- 5 indicating that I most strongly associate that… Continue reading Is Pursuing FI Making Me More Neurotic?
Why We’re Not Having a Frugal Wedding…But How We’re Keeping Some Costs Down
Personal Finance bloggers are known to buck trends representative of middle-class lifestyles and signs of status. They downsize their homes even as their income grows, sell their cars and bike to work instead, refuse to buy consumer goods for a whole year, and countless other examples that defy mainstream narratives of "success." The expectation to… Continue reading Why We’re Not Having a Frugal Wedding…But How We’re Keeping Some Costs Down
4 Kitchen and Grocery Store Hacks to Save Time and Money
I didn’t invent these “hacks” for saving time in the kitchen or grocery store, but I’ve found myself talking to friends about simple systems and tips for making shopping, cooking, and cleaning easier. Since meal planning and prepping can be a major way families cut back on spending in their budget, these strategies may work… Continue reading 4 Kitchen and Grocery Store Hacks to Save Time and Money
How To Start A Clothes Buying Ban
I could go on for hours about the personal and environmental benefits of a clothes buying ban. Simply choosing to refuse to buy clothes, shoes, and accessories for 15 months (with some exceptions) helped me learn so much. The ironic thing was that during my ban I never said the phrase, “I don’t have anything… Continue reading How To Start A Clothes Buying Ban
Why I Did a Clothes Buying Ban (and you* should too!)
Why Should You Do A Clothes Buying Ban? If you look into a packed closet and struggle to find something to wear, a clothes buying ban is for you. If you find yourself constantly browsing online stores and adding more to your cart just to get free shipping, a clothes buying ban is for you.… Continue reading Why I Did a Clothes Buying Ban (and you* should too!)
My Economics Education 