Conquering Fear: My First Outdoor Rock Climb in Joshua Tree

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Hello everyone and happy Friday! Today I’m stepping away from my usual weekly update to share a more detailed account of one particularly memorable day.

Although I write about personal finance, life isn’t just about money. You can enjoy life while still being responsible with your finances.

Lately one of my biggest fears has been heights — specifically when it comes to rock climbing.

About a month ago I began indoor rock climbing. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I’ve also always been terrified of falling.

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15 Outdoor Careers for People Who Thrive in Nature

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Looking for a list of outdoor jobs? These careers in the outdoors, adventure occupations, and nature-focused roles could change your life. Whether you want to earn extra income or build a full-time career, this list of top outdoor jobs highlights exciting, real-world options beyond a typical office setting. Recently I helped someone compile a list … Read more

Where to Sell Beanie Babies for Extra Cash: Top 10 Places

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Want to know where to sell Beanie Babies for the most money? This guide explains how to determine the value of your Beanie Babies and where to sell them to get the best return. Beanie Babies were a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s. Created by Ty Warner, these small pellet-filled plush toys sparked a collecting … Read more

32 Lucrative Spring Side Hustles to Earn Extra Income

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Are you looking for the best spring side hustles? Spring brings warmer weather and longer days—an ideal time to start a side hustle and boost your income. Whether you want extra cash for savings, a special purchase, or to reach financial goals, spring opens up many seasonal opportunities to turn skills and free time into … Read more

45 Powerful Ways to Live Fully in 2026

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Do you feel like your life isn’t going the way you imagined? Do you want to start living life to the fullest? If you’re ready to make a positive change this year, today is the perfect day to begin shaping the life you want. No matter where you are now, you have the power to … Read more

Become a Scopist: Earn $40K a Year Working from Home

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Hello! Today I’m sharing an informative interview that explains how to become a scopist. I recently spoke with Linda from Internet Scoping School, who describes how this career could be an option for you. Linda has been scoping for more than 35 years and teaching scoping online for nearly two decades. She lives in Montana, … Read more

How to Save Half Your Income: Simple Strategies That Work

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Hello and welcome! If you’re new here, I’m glad you found this post about strategies to save 50% or more of your income. If you’d like an introduction to my most helpful posts, please see my welcome page and my latest monthly blogging and online income report.

Before I started blogging, I believed a reasonable monthly savings rate was 10% to 20%. I even read an article where a “finance expert” recommended just 5% for retirement savings and claimed it was sufficient.

Looking back, those figures now seem far too low.

Many articles still suggest saving between 5% and 20%, and that may work for some people. For me, though, it isn’t enough.

Recently I spoke with someone who saves about 85% of their after-tax income each month. At first I thought that was extreme—maybe even a little crazy—but I was also a bit envious.

That person takes frugality to an extreme to reach that level of savings, but they’re happy with their choices, and that’s what matters.

Right now, we save about 60% of our income. That number could be higher, but we recently had a wedding (which redirected a lot of our funds), we’ve been traveling more (and buying equipment for camping and hiking), and a significant portion of my monthly business income goes toward taxes.

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How Teaching English in China Helped Me Pay Off Student Loans

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Hello! Here’s a guest post from a reader, Nick. A few years ago Nick felt stuck and wasn’t making progress on his student loans. After researching salaries and the cost of living for English teachers in China, he realized he could save far more money there than at home. Even without prior teaching experience and … Read more

Full-Time RV and Boat Life with My Two Dogs: A Travel Guide

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Traveling with a dog is a wonderful experience, but it requires thoughtful preparation so both you and your pet stay safe and comfortable. Some people think we’re a little crazy for bringing our dogs on every adventure, but for us it feels like taking our kids along—and we wouldn’t have it any other way. After … Read more