What do you want?
I just read Luke Burgis’ “Wanting”, which is excellent (and a little heavy), and I wanted to share with you some ideas to think about before you buy your next anything. He classifies desires (or wants) into two distinct categories: Think and Thin. Thick desires are those that you can explain why you want them. […]
Micro Financial Planning
I help my clients plan for the next 1-5 years. This was considered “short-term” planning in the world of personal finance. However, there is so much uncertainty in the world right now that planning for the future seems like an exercise in fantasy. Think back to a year ago… did you think 2020 would turn […]
45… The Tipping Point to Becoming Debt Free
I turned 45 during confinement. Including a two year break from the workforce for business school, I have been working 20 years. So, I’m halfway through my working years based on retiring at 65. It’s a cliché, but I like what I do and don’t have a desired target retirement date in mind. That said, […]
When is Enough Enough?
In a culture of work and spend, there can be an endless search for more. However, research shows that money only affects emotional well-being or happiness up to an annual income of ∼$210,000 per family, or ~$275,000 when adjusted for the cost of living in the Bay Area. Too much money can actually have a negative […]
Magic of Money
I’ve noticed a trend in the last year that makes me think there is something magical happening. The trend is towards greater responsibility for one’s financial destiny. My newer clients aren’t playing the victim card of living in an expensive area. Instead, they are making decisions to lower spending and setting savings goals, which they […]
Money Club
I hate book clubs. I have tried a few over the years and find that either I’m the only one who reads the book, or we talk about the book for five minutes and spend the rest of the time drinking wine. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it just isn’t for me. […]
The Merkel Plan
Alia and Tim were like many of my clients: living in a major metropolitan city, earning a good living, bought a great house they wanted to fix up over time. They came to me for advice and to learn what it would take to scale back work in ten years and still be on track […]
YEAR OF THE EARTH PIG 2019 AND YOUR MONEY
Say goodbye to the Year of the Dog, and hello to the Year of the Pig, the final year of the 12-year Chinese Zodiac cycle. Last year, the Dog was supposed to symbolize action and progress, with an emphasis on social awareness and the celebration of life. I do not recall a lot of progress, […]
YEAR OF THE EARTH DOG 2018- HOW TO MANAGE YOUR FINANCES
We have had two straight years of craziness with the year of the Monkey followed by the year of the Rooster. The Rooster symbolized the need to be heard, as well as egoism, despotism and belligerence. The impulsiveness and emotional instability of the Rooster meant that taking action without thinking won out! February 16, 2018, […]
Financial Minimalism
Money can be complicated. It can cause stress, tensions in relationships, and disappointments. However, money can also help provide opportunity, a sense of security and happiness. It seems nearly impossible to focus on what matters most with all the distractions of modern day life. Short-term gratification has become the panacea to feeling over-worked and under-appreciated. […]
