Frugaling

Save more, live well, give generously

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Popular
    • Archives
  • Recommended
  • Contact
  • Save Money
    • Lifestyle Downgrade
    • Save Money with Mindfulness
    • Save at Starbucks
    • Psychological Trick To Reduce Your Online Shopping
    • Best Freebies
  • Minimalism
    • 8 TED Talks To Become A Minimalist
    • We Rent This Life
    • Everything Must Go
    • Lifestyle Downgrade
    • The Purchase Paradox: Wanting, Until You Own It
    • Nothing In My Pockets
  • Social Justice
    • Destroy The 40-Hour Workweek
    • Too Poor To Protest: Income Inequality
    • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
    • Hunter Gatherers vs. 21st Century Desk-sitters
  • Make Money
    • Make $10k in 10 Months
    • Monetize Your Blog
    • Side Hustle for Serious Cash
  • Loans
    • 5 Rules To Follow Before Accepting Student Loans
    • Would You Marry Me?
    • Should I Have a Credit Card If I’m In Debt?
    • $50k in Scholarships in 70 Minutes

YOLO For 80 Years!

By Frugaling 3 Comments

Share This:

Electric Daisy Carnival EDC

There’s a conundrum that we all face as humans: we are born and must die. For many of us, that’s the most frightening thing imaginable. It stops us in our tracks, and we can’t cogently plan for the future. We are literally scared into avoiding death because death is scary. The irony!

The cyclical loop of fear allows our minds to run wild and appreciate only these few moments right now. We don’t know how many more we’ll have. But unfortunately, that tends to come with some significant financial consequences. The attitude can quickly become: charge it now and worry later; heck, you might die before you have to pay it back.

Because death is an unknown – we don’t know until it’s too late – many try to appreciate only the present moment. The Millennial generation, with the help of popular musician, Drake, have a helpful acronym that’s all about living in the now: YOLO. The vowel-laden term stands for, You Only Live Once. In that spirit, we are tasked with spending, eating, and drinking to enjoy the moments we do have. The hope is that when death comes knockin’, we lived our lives to the fullest. Nobody wants to die without living it up.

YOLO has inspired countless teens and 20-somethings to travel the world, and eschew traditional day jobs. And who can blame them? Countless generations before them searched and scoured the world for self-discovery, too! Life seems short, might as well enjoy it, right?

What seems absent from these aspirational lives and depictions is the reality that for most people, life expectancy is about 80 years. Most of my grandparents lived well into their 80s and 90s. That means that while we are trying to live life to the fullest by spending our way into blissful oblivion, we seem to be discounting the fact that humans tend to live long lives. Really LONG lives.

A lot can be done in 80 years, and it needn’t all occur at 18, 19, and 20. In fact, it’s rather depressing thinking the only time to travel and party like a rockstar is at such a young age. Life is full of adventure and opportunity – it doesn’t end at 30, 40, or 50.

YOLO isn’t inherently a bad term, but it’s important to remember that we have 80 years to do it. And if we have 80 years to YOLO all over the place, shouldn’t we plan beyond this one moment? We compete with unknown variables of death, desire, and saving for a long future. Evolutionarily, we have come to appreciate the present moment to procreate and build foundations for progeny.

While these archaic evolutionary bases of behavior affect our behaviors today, our society has changed significantly. We no longer deal with daily threats. Most of us aren’t running from lions, tigers, and bears – oh my!

Regardless of these competing demands – one for YOLOing and the other for living well into old age – there’s an emotion we all seek: spontaneity. Sustainable, life-long adventure requires healthy budgeting and savings. To take that random road trip, we must save and stop spending on credit. This choice necessitates a reinvention of spending habits. YOLO cannot become yet another excuse to party lavishly and become a gluttonous individual. Millennials and people everywhere have an opportunity to better themselves and the world around them. But they can’t do it while swimming in toxic debt.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: Aging, death, debt, Frugal, Life, life expectancy, Millennials, saving, YOLO, Youth

Two-Year Anniversary Of Frugaling!

By Frugaling 15 Comments

Share This:

Manhattan Beach, California

Discomfort: The catalyst for change

Two years ago, I sat in my then-girlfriend’s apartment in Manhattan Beach, California. Only a couple blocks from the Pacific Ocean, I felt like it was heaven on Earth. Frankly, I hadn’t found any place more relaxing and beautiful.

But that May 4th, 2013 was complicated for me. I was powerfully distracted by student loans. The numbers continued to worsen, and I wanted to stop the bleeding. The debt was hurtling towards $40,000. I was afraid I couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to reduce it as a graduate student.

Everybody in my life said they were proud of me — of making it to a Ph.D. program and helping others through counseling psychology. And yet, I felt hopeless to do anything about my financial situation. Doing good didn’t mean money followed suit.

I told my then-girlfriend that I was nervous. I told her I didn’t know what to do. I told her that when I was younger I used to write, blog, and share my thoughts. Maybe I could do that again?

Neither of us truly believed that writing could suddenly pay off my student loans and credit debt. I was green and naive, but my eagerness and openness pushed me into action.

The start of something good

With trepidation and giddiness, we sat down and talked about the idea of starting a website.

She asked, “What would you call it?”

We played around with some ideas — back and forth. Nothing really stuck. Or, when we liked something the domain name was invariably taken. Darn it! Maybe I was just too late in the game to join the personal finance community?

Then, as we decided to table the discussion, I suggested “Frugaling.” The name danced across my vocal cords and tongue with a playfulness, which also acknowledged finances. And there it was: available. I bought it immediately.

Energized, I sat down at the kitchen table and coded the basic structure of the website. I found a theme and we designed a header logo. The site was rough around the edges and certainly wouldn’t have won any design awards. With her help and my passion for personal finance, I wrote my first article. Half a day had rolled by, but it was live!

Would you marry me?

Initially, I asked my readers, “Would you marry me?” The question was bouncing around in my head ever since I was asked how much debt I had. I worried that having tens of thousands in student loans might hinder my chances at a loving, long relationship. Questions such as, “How would you provide for children?” or “How would you afford a mortgage?” stopped me in my tracks. I felt awful. After all, monetary concerns often break up marriages.

When I published that first article, I had four readers: mom, dad, bro, and Lisa. Each of them read the article, and supported my decision to start this website. Albeit, there was definitely some skepticism from them.

When I hit that “publish” button, I was awash with a familiar, but dormant, feeling. It was a rush of excitement and energy, which reminded me of a brief foray into opinion-editorial writing at my college newspaper. It had been years since I wrote publicly, and I was instantly hooked back in.

Over the coming months, a torrent of articles flew through my fingertips and onto the screen. I loved the feeling of being a writer, editor, publisher, and advertiser. I was doing it all in the cracks of free time that graduate school occasionally presented. And few even knew I existed. The love was in the process of writing, not the paycheck.

Shifting ideals, writing styles

To summarize and contain two years of thoughts, critiques, and articles is nearly impossible. The time period is collected and framed on this site for all to see. It’s a time when I hurt immensely, and saw few ways out of tens of thousands in debt.

My first articles were rudimentary. Inspiration came from other personal finance websites and, mostly, well-tread territory. Sadly, I’m not sure that I was providing earth shattering revelations.

Despite my skill level (or lack thereof), I enjoyed the process of sharing openly about debt. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t embarrassed, ashamed, and guilty about my choices in life. I was finally facing my demon.

As I continued to write, two things happened unintentionally:

First, my writing improved and developed a voice. I could write faster, and with greater clarity. My audience grew with every additional article. I learned how to write better by treating this process like a science. What worked? What didn’t? How could I improve my titles? How could I attract more diverse audiences?

Second, I noticed a missing element in the personal finance world. It centered on diversity. Many of the financial gurus and role models for debt-free living were white, middle-class, and had terrific educations. They didn’t represent the common person struggling with outsized credit and student loan debt. Writing about simple methods to save didn’t have the same caché. I wanted to appeal to an audience of disenfranchised and underrepresented. Suddenly, I took on more of a social justice role.

Look at how much I just made!

Steamboat Spring, Colorado

In late summer 2013, I climbed a popular trail in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I looked down off the majestic mountain and saw only beauty. The summer sun basked upon me, and I soaked up the moment.

I had been writing Frugaling articles for about 6 months, and was enjoying a nice break from everything — school included. But there was a surprise awaiting me when my cell service came back. I was $500 wealthier.

Something must’ve gone wrong, I thought. How’d I just make about $500?! What happened? I checked my website and saw increased traffic to some key articles. People were actually taking up my advice and buying a product I was recommending. Four people had actually used my links!

I freaked out, and called the company that handled my ads. I immediately questioned the staffer, “Is this number right? Do you see this amount? Is this real money?” He calmly replied, “Yep, it looks good. We’ll just have you fill out some tax information because you’re going to be earning more than $600 this year.”

Over the next 12 months or so I would go on to make tens of thousands of dollars, repay my student loan debt, begin investing in retirement accounts, and create an emergency fund. My life was and will continue to be forever changed by this money. It felt like winning the lottery, and was completely unexpected.

The amount of money felt comical. Here I was, a naive, green graduate student with this crazy idea to start a website and write about my student loan debt. And the endeavor had rewarded me.

My out-of-debt mood

When the debt was squashed, my mood lifted. I saw my future with greater clarity, but more importantly, I recognized the importance of the present — this moment. The debt was this cloud that followed me around. I hated owing companies money.

Freedom comes to mind, but that’s too simple. Getting out of debt cemented a logic and rule change: don’t ever lend someone your future. I never want to be beholden to a behemoth bank again. From mortgages to car loans, I’m done.

Take your “age-old” advice and wisdom and shove it. That’s not for me. I’m a Millennial that has been caught up in a business-based system of higher education for too long. The debt that can incur is dangerous and restrictive. I don’t see “good” debt anymore. No, I just see debt.

If you forego the “features” and “great benefits” of debt-inducing products, life can be a bit more reserved and boring. I don’t travel often, I sold my car, and I tend to eat out once a month. Before my journey began, I was a crisscrossing world traveler, with a stunning car (and hefty loan), and ate out for the majority of my lunches. All on the take — with the interest running against me.

Debt is too frequently a cyclical problem that people unintentionally enter — myself included. Without debt, the cyclical problem cannot occur. Life will be restrictive for certain, but I won’t be working countless hours to pay back the moments I have now. And that’s worth focusing on.

Featured and published in big-time blogs

In time, Frugaling picked up steam. The traffic and subscribers increased as a result of featured articles and influential writers. Additionally, a massive viral article made the rounds of Reddit. There were over 100,000 views in a day! But even greater was the incredible honor of being shared by two of my favorite sites over these two years: Becoming Minimalist and The Minimalists. They were both inspirational in my writing.

The site is now growing exponentially. It’s rare to see a day with less than 1,500 visitors. There was a clear shift that occurred, where 5,000-visitor months became 5,000-visitor days.

I have an incredible group of over 1,000 email subscribers who contribute, comment, and email me. They’re involvement and commentary is vital — they keep me going. From Facebook to Twitter, people write their responses and experiences with depth and clarity. I’m impressed by their input, and humbled that they care to share.

Looking to the future of Frugaling

Frugaling has constantly been my “work in progress.” It’s never finished, I’m always tweaking the site and my writing style — trying to see what works and sounds best. The future of Frugaling is something that brings me great joy to think about.

Over the coming months, I will be announcing my biggest project yet for the website. I’m hoping you’ll subscribe to see what happens next, and help share the news when I announce it.

I’m excited and grateful to have an outlet like this, where I can share my thoughts, opinions, and lessons with an incredible audience. Thank you for being one of them. It’s a home for me to sharing about social justice, making and saving money, and avoiding the traps of debt.

We only have so much time in our days and lives. Your time is precious. I want to thank you for taking the time to read, subscribe, and comment.

Your friend,
Sam

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: anniversary, debt, graduate school, Income, Life, money, Student Loans

A Nerd Learns To Resist Early Upgrades

By Frugaling 13 Comments

Share This:

New Apple Macbook - Photo by Jun Seita

Defenses are weakening as devices age

My smartphone is aging. The screen doesn’t always respond to my finger, the camera is mildly fogged over from scratches and dust on the inside, and the metal bits have little divots from drops. Sometimes when I press the “home” button, nothing happens.

My laptop is sluggish, too. The U key is sticky, the processor is beginning to struggle amidst a wealth of recent programs, and certain features aren’t available to my 4-plus-year-old computer. Every now and then the computer freezes up and I constantly have to be vigilant.

I’m a massive tech nerd, and when I begin to see cracks in performance and usage, I immediately jump to one conclusion: time for an upgrade. I can quickly rationalize the “need” for new. Look at all of these aforementioned faults and — hey! — I’m a digital writer/blogger. I need these things, right?

Lusting for the latest

In college I upgraded computers about every year at great expense. Smartphone upgrade plans didn’t matter to me. I spent the full price when necessary and negotiated early upgrades when possible.

The smell of freshly molded plastic was a beautiful sensation. I lusted after that unboxing process — from the plastic wraps to physical perfection. Hundreds — no, thousands — were spent to maintain this status and newness. I couldn’t stand to keep something that no longer was the point of affection for others. The commercials had changed to newer, “better” devices, and I unconsciously moved in unison.

Juxtaposed with my love for the latest and greatest was a powerful disgust that developed for the old. That technology became embarrassing and frustrating for me. But now, I’m holding back for the first time in my life.

Learning to resist the urge to upgrade

Admittedly, this process of buying less and refusing to upgrade early has been slow. After years of buying conspicuously, I’ve turned a new leaf. I don’t want to buy new immediately anymore. Here’s what keeps me grounded:

Value comes in time — it’s not a flash in the pan.

I want to purchase devices that last and take advantage of that worth. And there’s a lot of time to take advantage of lasting material goods. Think about it, life expectancy for those in the U.S. is about 78.7 years. That only leaves a set number of devices, objects, and material possessions over the course of a lifetime. Make them count.

Climate change is worsening

There are other reasons to resist the spending. Constant changes in technology and devices contribute to far greater climate change. Those electronics and material goods are likely made in China, shipped or flown across the Pacific Ocean, and trucked and trained to their final destinations. From the packaging, production, transportation, and actual purchase, tremendous amounts of energy must be used. And most of it is from fossil fuels — the kind that contributes to climate change.

Forever young only exists in music lyrics

I cannot help but notice that the same magazines, newspapers, and websites that advertise beauty products also share the latest gadgets. The beauty culture encourages us to stay young; forever, at great cost. Similarly, our beauty culture has disconnected and made us feel fearful about aging. Our devices are no longer timeless investments — they are planned for obsolescence. Be wary of these messages that try to subtly obliterate your older device.

That money can go to a million better places

If the preceding reasons weren’t enough, it costs a lot of money to upgrade constantly. Save the money, put it to work in the stock market, donate it to charity, or fix your bike. Nearly anything is better than spending it on a slightly newer device.

Can our devices get worn in, and could we actually begin to appreciate this character and value? How did we become so fearful of having something old?

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: Aging, Apple, climate change, Computers, debt, Devices, Electronics, Laptop, Macbook, smartphones, Upgrade, Value, Youth

President Barack Obama, Student Loans, And The Need For Reform

By Frugaling 5 Comments

Share This:

2016 is fast approaching, and that means election season. Major news networks will stalk and highlight candidates from left and right sides of the aisle. In this highly televised and recorded world, nearly everything will be analyzed and critiqued – moment-by-moment. The primaries will be a grueling process where candidates likely undercut their opponents and new ideals.

As contenders begin to take form, I can’t help but think about what issues will be most important for my generation and those to come. Financially, we are hurting. Millennials are not saving at the rates of previous generations. We are entering the workforce with record levels of debt and stagnant wages. Despite a somewhat recovered economy, we are starting behind the curve.

One of the biggest reasons for our trouble is student loan debt. In fact, it eclipses all other forms from credit cards to cars to mortgages. America is addicted to debt, but the favorite kind seems to center on youth pursuing educations. Unfortunately, this policy of placing higher cost burden on students has led to numerous unintended consequences. Graduates are suffering, despite being raised to believe that college was a simple path to prosperity.

There are few reasons for hope. Congress is a house divided. They’re split on nearly everything, and funding education via taxation isn’t on the table. This instability and counterproductive snowball-lobbing Congress cripples younger generations.

Thankfully, there’s a light amidst this partisan dueling: President Barack Obama. He recently sat down with a few high school and college students to talk about issues in education and student loans. The President acknowledged that he only paid off his own student loans in full the year before he entered congress, and that they were more than his home mortgage.

Instantaneously, the sometimes-deified leader of “the free world” became real. The students that filled the room nodded in unison and seemed appreciative. The President leaned in, and questioned the group about their own experiences.

He asked one student what she wished she would’ve known or something that was difficult about the process. She responded that student loan interest was mentioned, but not entirely explained. And she’s not alone. Most college students don’t have a firm grasp of what student loans can do. The President kindly responded that institutions tend to just hand the bill at the end of college.

This was a man who aimed to talk with students around this country – not just in that room. And no matter how planned, prepared, staged, and for-show this event was, it highlighted something rare and powerful in politics: approachability.

This administration and President must’ve known that this segment for Vice News would provide positive sentiment for the White House. But that shouldn’t matter, because this is how that office chose to connect – in a radically different way than every office before it. Regardless of the calculated nature of the time with these students, it made an impressive impact.

In a political world that could not be more hostile and aggressive, we need politicians that sit down with younger generations and empathize with the struggle in higher education. There’s hope for a better future if more do so.

Come 2016, I want to see a candidate who can sit down with younger generations and truly lean in. I want a future president who’s approachable for diverse – socioeconomically disenfranchised – people.

President Barack Obama and his staff have mastered this element, and I look forward to someone who can do even better. We need action and reform to solve the student loan crisis.

Filed Under: Loans Tagged With: Barack Obama, college, debt, education, loans, President, Student loan, Students, university

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 10
  • Next Page »

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Best Of

  • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
    The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
  • Is Frozen Juice Cheaper?
    Is Frozen Juice Cheaper?
  • 5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)
    5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)
  • My Low-Income Lifestyle
    My Low-Income Lifestyle
  • Starbucks Reserve Coffee: A Symptom Of Income Inequality
    Starbucks Reserve Coffee: A Symptom Of Income Inequality
  • What If Gas Were $10 Per Gallon?
    What If Gas Were $10 Per Gallon?

Recent Posts

  • How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
  • How To Live Stream Your Art
  • 5 Fun Summer Activities on a Budget
  • How to Pay Off Medical Debt
  • 5 Ways to Save Money Before a New Baby

Search

Archives

  • June 2023 (1)
  • May 2023 (2)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • March 2022 (3)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • October 2021 (2)
  • August 2021 (4)
  • July 2021 (5)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • May 2021 (2)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (2)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (2)
  • April 2020 (1)
  • February 2020 (2)
  • January 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (1)
  • November 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (4)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (3)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • July 2018 (1)
  • June 2018 (2)
  • May 2018 (1)
  • April 2018 (5)
  • March 2018 (6)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • December 2017 (10)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (5)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • March 2017 (4)
  • February 2017 (3)
  • January 2017 (2)
  • December 2016 (2)
  • November 2016 (4)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (4)
  • July 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (3)
  • May 2016 (3)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • March 2016 (5)
  • February 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (3)
  • November 2015 (5)
  • October 2015 (5)
  • September 2015 (4)
  • August 2015 (6)
  • July 2015 (8)
  • June 2015 (6)
  • May 2015 (14)
  • April 2015 (14)
  • March 2015 (13)
  • February 2015 (12)
  • January 2015 (15)
  • December 2014 (10)
  • November 2014 (5)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (7)
  • August 2014 (12)
  • July 2014 (11)
  • June 2014 (12)
  • May 2014 (16)
  • April 2014 (13)
  • March 2014 (13)
  • February 2014 (9)
  • January 2014 (20)
  • December 2013 (9)
  • November 2013 (18)
  • October 2013 (15)
  • September 2013 (11)
  • August 2013 (11)
  • July 2013 (27)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (16)

Best Of

  • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
  • Is Frozen Juice Cheaper?
  • 5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)

Recent Posts

  • How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
  • How To Live Stream Your Art
  • 5 Fun Summer Activities on a Budget

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in