It doesn’t matter how much you make
What matters is how much of it you don’t spend
My YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@dollarbilz
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any strategies or insights shared are based on personal experience and research. Please consult with a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.
Posts I’ve written
Good news everyone /s
Well, good for some of you Fannie Mae has removed its minimum credit requirement from desktop underwriting of home loans…
This govt shutdown proves nothing is totally safe
This government shutdown is the longest in US history and millions of workers are now on their third zero-dollar paycheck…
I may lose my job
Today there was a sudden, all hands on deck Teams meeting (that’s like corporate Zoom) with the president of the…
Should I repair my old car or buy a new one?
My 2007 Corolla has 261,000 miles and is going on 18 years. In the last year, I’ve had to spend…
Cash Isn’t the Enemy – How to Make It Work for You
Having access to cash is essential. Almost everyone needs an emergency fund, and most financial advisors recommend keeping between three…
Don’t forget the pressure
I’ve always been frugal due to the pressure of poverty and uncertainty about the future – saving money and not…
Donating is good for your wealth
Today is Giving Tuesday, a day where people around the world give generously to transform their communities and the world…
Gratitude
It’s Thanksgiving and a big theme this time of year is being thankful for the things we have in life.…
Why I invest in index funds and which ones I use
A recent study tested whether knowing future economic news could help traders make money. They set up a game where…
Buy and hold, never sell
Most investors believe in selling at some point. Whether it’s the day trader who buys 1,000 shares of AAPL with…
Whole Life Insurance is Trash
What a title huh? I bet it got some people’s attention. I’ll explain: Whole life insurance, IUL, being your own…
If you want to make it happen, do it first
Today was leg day at the gym for me. I knew that if I cranked out a bunch of squats,…
What’s the difference between a mutual fund and an ETF?
I thought of a good analogy to explain mutual funds vs ETFs, tell me what you think: Mutual funds are…
Investing for your children’s future
You may already know how powerful compounding can be and you may have wished you started investing when you were…
If you want to be a millionaire, stop spending like one
I’m a millionaire and I still live like I’m broke. My house is a 1 bedroom apartment. My car has…
When in doubt, zoom out
This is the S&P 500 over the past 5 years. You see that little dip around March 2020? That was…
19 Tips for a Wealthy Life
These tips are general advice but remember that personal finance is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Your financial goals, priorities, and…
Quotes and Wisdom
The following is an ever-growing list of money quotes I find useful, wise, or interesting
Monthly update
July 7, 2023 Chronicles of the sort-of-wealthy but kinda broke: I am going to see how long I can make…
Rule of 72
Did you know that if you have $100k invested by age 35, you’ll retire a millionaire by 65 without adding…
Advice for military folks
Live as cheaply as you can, ignore what your peers are doing in terms of cars, going out, etc. Eat…
Who wants to be a millionaire
I discovered FIRE (financial independence retire early) back in 2011 thanks to Mr Money Mustache, a financial blogger who retired…
Money gives you the freedom to stand up for yourself
I’m usually an anxious person and don’t like arguing or conflict, so I’m scared of fighting back at work if…
How I would invest in each stage of life
Again, the obligatory disclaimer that I am not an investment adviser, and anything you do with your money is at…
Can you afford to speculate?
Your buddy just told you about a hot stock that can’t lose and will make you 10x your money. He…
How I went from Zero to $1 Million in 11 years
Disclaimer Let me start out by saying that this is in no way meant to imply that I have found…
Tesla, pt 2
2020 has been a crazy year. I won’t go into all the weirdness that has been my life this year,…
True wealth
How much money do you need to be truly happy? Some people may give you a number, but most people…
Financial independence through deferred gratification
(Originally published in Sep 2017) I went to the USS Midway museum with my wife yesterday. It’s a giant Navy…
Interest – the rowboat analogy
Let’s imagine you’re in a rowboat on a lake. Your rowing speed is about 5 mph, and that’s exactly how…
Keys to success
This semester I’ve been taking a speech class, and all of my speeches have revolved around personal finance. The kids…
Entrepreneurship
I know a few people who share my zeal for money. Some, however, don’t have the patience to play the…
Day trading is key to wealth
Today, I’d like to share with you the true secret to creating wealth, and that is trading. Buying stocks low…
Tesla Motors
About a week ago, I finished buying 50 shares of Tesla Motors, a plan I’ve had for some time. I…
‘Fuck You’ money
Is your boss a jerk? Do you hate your job? Legal troubles? Medical issues? Creditors? Sounds like you need…
Life insurance
I’ve previously talked about the different kinds of life insurance and how term is best for most people. I say most because…
Successful investing
Recently, the stock market took a pretty big dive. Plenty of people thought this was The End. The start of…
The wisdom (and foolishness) of crowds
In 1906, a British smart guy named Francis Galton attended a fair and there was a contest where people would try to…
Credit scores
A few years ago, before I really got into finance, I was in line at a Walmart, listening to a…
The lottery
In 2002, a man named Jack Whittaker won over $300 million in the lottery. He was already a millionaire at the time,…
Rappers and wealth
I was at a bar in Temecula last night with a couple of friends from work, and they had a…
Traditional or Roth retirement accounts?
If you work for a company, chances are they offer a 401(k) retirement plan. Some companies even offer a Roth…
How to get out of credit card debt
Congratulations. You’re probably reading this because you realized you had an issue with debt and googled the phrase (or I…
Don’t panic
The stock market has taken a precipitous dive in the last few days, which leaves many people worried about their…
Thrift Savings Plan
If you’re in the military (or in some other kind of government service), you will undoubtedly have been asked to…
Index Funds
I try to keep an open mind in life; basically, as the facts change, my opinion changes. Over the past…
Student Loans
Did you know that student loans are one of very few kinds of debt that can’t be discharged in bankruptcy?…
Credit cards
Credit cards. They’re portable, they’re accepted almost everywhere, and you’re less likely to get robbed on your way to a…
My financial philosophy
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I’m pretty good with money. Whenever I tell anyone how much…
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