The roll into a new year brings with it time for reflection and resolution. By the time January comes to an end, many people have left those resolutions in the dust. Here's how we did on 2017's goals and where we're turning our focus in 2018.
Mindfully Spent is about managing finances, time, and more in pursuit of meaning. It chronicles my journey to use money and moments for things I truly love.
Save money. Pay off debt. Simplify. Do the unimaginable big things that you want with your life. Look back on your dollars and days and find they were Mindfully Spent.
All in Meaning
The roll into a new year brings with it time for reflection and resolution. By the time January comes to an end, many people have left those resolutions in the dust. Here's how we did on 2017's goals and where we're turning our focus in 2018.
The holidays are all about hustle and bustle and credit card swiping for some folks. We spent hundreds of dollars on a recent shopping spree, and it didn't even include gifts for friends and family. Here's why we won't regret it!
Mindfully Spent quietly turned 1 year old in September! This belated recap discusses how the year changed the way we live. While we are celebrating some big financial wins, the greatest gains have little to do with money.
Who are we if we show up at the workplace thinking only about our own paycheck? Life is precarious. Show up like it matters.
Like almost all choices in life, there is no right or wrong answer about how to choose a career. However, almost all professions have room for growth. Also featured: a handcrafted graph of annual income changes over time.
Could an eastern philosophy that help us cut our spending and change the way we view our bodies? The passage of time changes all things, but applying a little Wabi-sabi to our lives can give us a sense of deep and meaningful peace that a new purchase or an age-defying wrinkle cream cannot.
Just ten months ago, we were 5 digits deep in consumer debt. We had a department store card balance, general credit card debt, and a car loan payment. Now we have none. But we're not done! How our financial goals and our relationship with money are changing.
Our yard sale experience was full of magic, community, surprises, profits, and fun! In this post, we share how much we made, why it made it easier to let go of extra stuff, all the things we enjoyed and learned... plus 8 key tips for success if you'd like to host your own yard sale.
Each of us comes packaged with highly variable values and priorities. Just like there is no single standard of beauty, there are a multitude of ways to define what it means to live a good life. It's why we all want different things in romantic partners, household budgets, and political candidates. Building a meaningful life (much like setting big financial goals) requires a deeply moving "Why?" Also... a bit about the evils of external validation.
In a throwaway culture, I want to be different. I want to care for my things, deliberately consider my choices, and make do when I can. I want to be the person driving the 10 year-old car.
Money can't fill a hole. Neither can distractions. Building a fulfilling life requires us to tackle the hard stuff and seek out more than the quick thrill of shallow experiences. (Also, some crazy interesting stuff on Signalling Theory and how it impacts our shopping habits!)
So many experts have said, "To have a successful blog, focus first on writing good content." I took this advice to heart, and it lead to some surprising results.
9 completely free tools that can help you spend less, better understand your finances, set meaningful priorities, and put a few bucks in your pocket.
When we pick up a new piece of furniture at Ikea, it is not common to consider where the materials came from, how much fossil fuel was used, or how soon it will end up in a landfill. But everything we buy has a backstory, and we deplete far more than just our bank accounts when we buy more than we need.
Some wise words snapped me out of a life where I habitually spent my time and money on unnecessary things that didn't bring me joy or support my long-term goals. In this post, it is an honor to share those words with you.
For those struggling to find a “why?” bold enough to motivate a meaningful change in habits, there is plenty of hope!
Good work is happening all the time, and we can choose to support it with our hard-earned dollars.
The post is part of Mindfully Spent's Series "Doing the (Seemingly) Impossible." Guest Contributor Katie Oaks Weiler Stephens writes with grace about her relationship with the material things in her life and why she decided it was time to unburden herself of some very sentimental possessions.
Guest Contributor Markus Almond (Brooklyn, NY) shakes us awake in the first post of Mindfully Spent's Series "Doing the (Seemingly) Impossible"; reminding us that "Making life count is a choice."
Homemade things imbue our home with meaning and care (and save us some pennies too!). From ornaments, to gifts, to package wrapping, to decor, we have ideas for you!