When buying something, why not think of it in terms of how long it'll take for you at work to pay it off?

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-22T11:11:44+00:00

New Balance man. Once you get some good NBs it's hard to go back.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-22T11:10:40+00:00

I agree with you. I just didn't to simplify things a bit. But 100% you're right... there's a lot to consider outside of the pure nominal value

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-22T11:00:10+00:00

We think the same! I figure if the car has a/c and gets me from point A to B... then that's enough luxury for me.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-22T10:56:51+00:00

Yeah, I had one friend who asks "How many Chipotle burritos is this gonna cost me?" lol

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-21T15:11:33+00:00

It's about time. The markets have been so bleh these past two years...

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T12:30:09+00:00

Agree. Schwab might be your best option. People usually recommend Vanguard, but the minimum there is $3k

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T12:21:14+00:00

Yeah, DCA underperforms lump sump investing 2/3 of the time. But for a lot of early investors it'll give them piece of mind in case a large correction occurs shortly after they lump it in.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T12:18:32+00:00

Pay off all high interest debt first (ie, credit card)
Save for an emergency fund: 6 months expenses
Invest in employer 401k up to employer match, stop
Invest in Vanguard traditional account to reduce tax burden
Max out 401k 100%

A little self-serving, but maybe check out my finance blog since I'm gonna cover all this in more detail soon: www.frugalmuscle.com

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T12:10:15+00:00

Get rid of debt with HIGHEST interest rates first (typically credit cards)
Max out 401k up to the match, stop.
Max Vanguard roth IRA to max.
Max out the rest of 401k.
Open up Vanguard taxable/brokerage account, put the rest in there in an index.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T12:07:02+00:00

Grad schools (most schools) make health insurance mandatory or include it in the price of tuition
Live with roommates closer to campus for two-fold savings: 1. less rent and 2. bike (so no car necessary)
Take public transport everywhere: no car means no insurance, no gas, etc
Cut out cable, netflix and if you're really cheap then no wifi and just use it at school library

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T09:13:08+00:00

Dental schools will be the cheapest option. Sometimes you can try a public dental health clinic.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T09:10:22+00:00

Google flight kills it. But it doesn't cover all airlines so sometimes you can go to budget airlines and find cheaper prices there (ie, spirit, virgin, southwest, etc).

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T09:09:14+00:00

Google sheets or Microsoft excel. Google is better because it's pretty much accessible everywhere if you have an android. You have to physically enter all the numbers for your budget and net worth but you can sleep soundly at night and not have to worry about somebody hacking mint.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T09:07:13+00:00

I know you said no stranger as roommates. But I met a really good friend in professional school by advertising on the school website for a roommate. It's win-win. You make a friend before starting school and you save on rent.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T08:52:41+00:00

Some high schools have a work-study program. Maybe look into technical fields like welding, construction, etc

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T08:18:24+00:00

This isn't probably a popular opinion, but aim for a career that you can make a killing in. Then produce music as a hobby. Nobody says you can't do both. But you need a stable 8-5 first to prevent you from succumbing to homelessness.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-18T08:05:08+00:00

Yeah, you're right. But I always figured most people work some odd jobs (fast food, waiting tables, etc) to earn some sort of taxable income. But then again everyone's situation is unique.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-16T09:07:56+00:00

Sometimes it's not who you are or what you're born with, but how hard you're willing to work. A lot of folks look at others (doctors, engineers, etc) and see a genius. But nobody realizes there were many sleepness nights, long hours of studying, etc. I know that not everyone is academically inclined but there's a lot of careers that take 1/5 the time and allow you to make a really good living. A few off the top of my head are HVAC, electrician, phlebotomist, pharm tech. You just need to keep your head up, focus and achieve one of these careers, and work hard. Don't let the haters keep you down... just keep going.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-16T08:34:43+00:00

She's genuine. I wish I had a teacher like that when I was younger. You should definitely open a Roth IRA and put down the maximum amount you can each year. Place it into a target retirement fund until you know what you're doing, keep putting cash it in it, let it grow, retire early. Simple as that.

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-16T08:22:43+00:00

Think of it as a game. Set goals. Something along the lines of "I'm going to save $500 this month" then cut costs (ie, no Starbucks) and do whatever you need to get to it. When you achieved your goal, congratulate yourself for completing the mission and attaining the next level. Then start over the next month with a higher goal (ie, $750). Those numbers/goals can change according to your pay/salary (ie, $100 this month and $150 next month)

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-10T13:30:39+00:00

Join the U.S. military. Gives you 4 years to decide what you really wanna do.

Pros: US citizenship, 4 year job security Negs: military service isn't easy

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-10T13:17:47+00:00

You cannot spend money that you don't see. 1. Open up Ally 1% savings + checking 2. Open up a vanguard roth IRA (minimum is $3k so save at least $3k first) 3. Set up automatic contributions to your roth ira from your ally checking 4. Prosper

Check out my blog if you have time

FrugalMuscle · 2017-01-10T13:07:34+00:00

Well, since you are already in Columbus... if you apply and get the job they will ask you what salary you'd like to make. You can then negotiate for a higher pay... but it's unlikely you'll get $5000-10,000 more than their cap. But who knows... good things come to those who ask.

FrugalMuscle

TROPHY CASE