Exploring Finances, Fitness, Food, & Fun
In my Senior year of high school, I was voted Teacher’s Pet, Most Friendly, Prom Queen, and often teasingly called ‘Miss Goody Two-Shoes’. But 2 1/2 years prior, at a different school in another district, I skipped school to avoid doing a speech in Honors English and ultimately failed the first semester of the class. A few years earlier, in…
![Imagine More [A Less Stuff Less Waste Challenge Update]](https://lifezemplified.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/less-waste-challenge-coffee-1080x567.jpg)
Two months ago I declared a less stuff, less waste challenge. This mindful spending experiment is an effort to not only keep our spending in check – something we’ve done well at the last couple of years – but to also consciously think about the waste we are creating with any spending we do. And to actively work to reduce…
International Women’s Day (March 8) is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” IWD was first celebrated in the early 1900’s, and since that time much has improved for women. However, an “unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in…
Just a quick post today to tell you about Women Who Money, the new personal finance site for women! My friend Vicki, from Make Smarter Decisions, and I, created the site to help educate women on personal finance topics, improve financial literacy, and give more voice to women in the personal finance space. And while our focus is on women, we…
Do you have an idea to explore or a desire to do something but still find yourself procrastinating? Then I challenge you to not only consider what you can accomplish in a year but actually take steps today to start on your way. Life Zemplified is now one year old. When some get to this point, they call it a…
You may already know that when you reach the age of 70 ½, you’re mandated by the IRS to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from tax-deferred IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts. What you might not know is RMDs may come into play for you a whole lot earlier than your 70th birthday if you inherit an IRA or…
Last week my husband and I were on a work trip in San Diego. We headed out a couple of days early to escape the monotony of our days in a cube and flee the Michigan winter. California did not disappoint and we enjoyed a week of warmth and sunshine On our first full day in California, we cruised up…
Most of us dream about financial freedom, but we may have a wrong concept regarding it. Many think achieving financial independence requires sacrificing, living a miser life, and depriving yourself. But, the truth is, while committing to financial independence requires making specific tradeoffs, you can reach it even after living a life of indulgence. Today’s post is contributed by Amy Nickson,…
Sponsored Post ~ When we decided to sell our sexy Jeep Wrangler in favor of having sexier finances we knew we needed to do a bit of homework and preparation before slapping up the for sale signs. Getting top dollar when selling your used car isn’t complicated, but it does require some work. I’ve outlined some easy to follow tips for…
Going from broke to wealthy requires earning and saving money no doubt. But it also requires a certain mindset and particular courses of action to increase financial health. In fact, according to current millionaires, specific behaviors, activities, and choices, are incredibly important on the quest for wealth accumulation and desire to achieve financial independence. The Millionaire Roundtable is a small…
Today I’ve got some intriguing financial statistics you may find enlightening, laughable, or perhaps even a bit sad or puzzling. They come from the Statistic Brain Research Institute, which strives to provide “accurate and timely statistics…to educate, assist, and sometimes entertain.” “I only believe in statistics that I doctored myself” ~ Winston S. Churchill Occasionally I visit their site when…
When we tire of chasing the so-called American Dream and begin seeking financial independence we often look at how we can cut our spending, to increase savings, start investing or pay off debt. This usually results in making some sacrifices. Some short-term and some for the long-term. But before you go determining your budget, be sure to consider your values….
