Photo by Alejandro Escamilla via Unplash.com I'm nervous. I haven't done a net worth update since April, but I did check my net worth again in September, and I wasn't happy. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it ended up being just a little higher than the April net worth I tracked. It made sense, [...]
Tag: travel
Yearly Spending Breakdown: This Year vs. Last Year (With Graphs)
Photo by Brooke Lark via Unsplash.com If you follow me on Instagram (which you should if you'll get value from it: @wrachelwrites), you've seen these graphs which break down my yearly spending by percentage. I added up exactly what I spent last year (thanks to my budget records, this was easy to do), and made [...]
The Underrated Magic of Sinking Funds
Photo by Josh Appel via Unsplash.com A few weeks back, I posted this photo on my Instagram (which you should follow, by the way: @wrachelwrites): These categories (car, travel, and gifts) represent the 3 short-to-mid-term things I save up for on a monthly basis, and they are each a line in my budget. In the [...]
A First-Timer’s FinCon19 Recap
Photo from getrichslowly.org You guys know I love writing and talking about money with everyone in my life-- it's awesome to learn what my family & friends believe about money, what we all have in common, and what we all do differently. I often find everyone has something to teach me, and I absolutely love [...]
I Finally Calculated My Retirement Number and the Result Shocked Me
Photo by Erick Palacio via Unsplash.com I've been focused on being in control of my finances month-to-month, but I've put off thinking about a longer-term goal: my (early) retirement. Don't get me wrong, I know exactly how much I want to be investing each month once I get my emergency fund fully built, and I even [...]
On Credit Cards
Photo by Code Mnml via Unsplash.com So, I've never talked about credit cards on my blog. I didn't even realize this until my friend wrote in for a Q & A, asking "Do you have a credit card, and if so, how do you use it?" I thought it warranted an entire post. In my [...]
A Comprehensive Guide to Free & Cheap Things to Do in Iceland
Photo by Jeremy Bishop via Unsplash.com In my post last week, I wrote about all of the pricey things I did in Iceland-- ice caving, glacier hiking, boat riding, kayaking, and snorkeling. While all of these experiences enhanced my connection with the most beautiful country I've ever visited, there are just as many amazing things you can [...]
The Real Difference Between Frugal and Expensive Travel: What I Spent in Iceland
My & some of the best people I know at the most touristy waterfall in Iceland-- soaking it all in. Last summer, I took a week-and-a-half long road trip with my roommates to celebrate our graduation. Following typical college student habits, we made the trip extremely cheap. It was pretty awesome, driving up to Maine [...]
Exactly How Much Money I Spent Moving from Maryland to DC
Photo by Brooke Cagle via Unsplash.com I knew moving would be a huge expense, but it was difficult for me to determine exactly how much I'd pay in every part of the process. This is why I wanted to write it all down as I went along to give others a sense of what a similar [...]
Why I Moved to D.C.
Photo by Casey Horner via Unsplash.com When I told people I was moving to Washington D.C., they tended to give me some version of the same reaction: "That's expensive!" And they were right. My rent has increased almost $400/month, and I'm anticipating a lot small cost of living increases (gas, groceries, eating out) that will definitely [...]
Teachers Talk Money 