This summer I replaced most of my workout clothes - I haven’t bought anything new in 6 years, which is crazy. Most of it was great quality, but a couple of the colorful leggings were quite see-through, which is NOT a lewk I’m going for. So a few hundred dollars will be going back in my account! I’ll call that a win.
Read MoreI made a big dent in my consumer debt this month, but I did transfer some savings to do it because (A) I had a large payment due and I would have had to incur interest if I didn’t pay it…I also changed my W4 allowances because apparently I have had 0 withholdings since I got this job 2017. That’s crazy! Each paycheck is now ~$100 more, which means I’ve freed up ~$200/mo for reducing that consumer debt.
Read MoreMy consumer debt is finally *truly* on the decline, and as some of you may have seen in my Instagram stories last week, I’m almost to the point where I am finished with the “paying off each statement balance in a very particular order” merry-go-round. My reading list is still just as long as it was last month, because I’m falling down on the job.
Read MoreMarch and the beginning of April was hectic with my final of 3 bridesmaid adventures for 2019 consuming most of my free time. First, there was a shower, then a Bachelorette party in mid-March and finally the wedding the first weekend of April! It was all so much fun, but VERY expensive.
Read MoreFebruary always sucks, but at least this year it was productive! Except for the reading books thing. My bedside stack is at least 6 books high right now. IT WILL HAPPEN. But not in February…
Read MoreThis list is intended to be for temporary financial situations - like a government shutdown, for example, or the time between graduation and a job start date. This list is not specifically intended to be used as a general money management strategy, but frankly, if it helps you get current on your bills, have at it. I’m not going to judge you improving your situation if improving your situation right now would mean a 16% interest rate on a credit card vs a 300% APR on a payday loan.
Read MoreI know using credit cards will cost you money. And this may not be the solution for everyone, but it worked for me, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed if you’re facing some kind of paycheck interruption and you don’t want to (or can’t) rely on your emergency fund for any meaningful length of time. Do what you have to do to stay afloat.
Read More2018 was the year I committed to my mental and physical health, pretty much no matter the cost. It was the year of 2x/week personal training, weekly therapy, binging ER, and letting my brain rest when I wasn’t working on my blog or doing things with my people. The foundation is sustainable enough that I can build on it BIG TIME in 2019 without spending nearly as much money.
Read MoreHappy 2019, everyone! I’m looking forward to 2019, although I can’t believe it’s already here! 2018 seemed like it just started (and also like it was 85 years long…anyone else?) Can’t wait for new challenges and to build on everything I accomplished in 2018. The blog is nine months old, and I had lofty goals for the fourth quarter of the year, so let’s get to it to see how I did!
Read MoreOne of the things I love about Chandler is his strong story arc. He learns to be in an adult relationship after he and Monica have their first fight and develops emotionally over the course of the show. He also ditches his corporate career near the end of the series to pursue something different, riskier, and more creative. And, of course, Chandler is a model of personal finance success.
Read MoreMonica serves as a romantic foil to Rachel’s absurd dating successes, reminding Rachel that sometimes when men say they’re going to call, they’re not actually going to call. She’s afraid she’ll never find a partner. She’s particular about…everything. And she’s almost always right. I relate to Monica a lot. And she learns (and teaches) quite a few financial lessons to which I certainly can relate, and I’m hoping you can too!
Read MoreJoey…I’m trying to find the words to describe this [guy] without being disrespectful. Joey doesn’t share food, but he does share his money with his friends when he has it (which is admittedly rare) and he learned a lot of money lessons the hard way.
Read MoreI woke up breathless. I reminded myself I hadn’t been fired. Then I had a moment of actual, non-dream panic. What if this is foreshadowing? Then it hit me as I was lying in my bed, surrounded by the many boxes I had not yet unpacked: I haven’t been fired, but if I lost my job, I’d be in a realll bad situation.
Read MoreSo here are June’s extra debt payments and side hustle cash flow payments in all their glory.
Read MoreY'all, our student loan officer in law school would cheerily tell us each semester "oh well, it's just another drop in the bucket!" In retrospect, we should have tarred and feathered her or something…
Read MoreApparently I’d committed the cardinal sin of incorrectly closing my Ziplock bowl, which is always punishable by inconvenient leaks and sometimes by death of any nearby electronics.
Read MoreYou ready for some dry AF health insurance talk? I know I am!
Read MoreTo me, taking care of your body is the most important and ultimately beneficial part of any financial journey; thus, the cost of doing so outweighs any current savings you may gain by eliminating your gym membership bill.
Read MoreAs I’ve mentioned before, I’m not frugal, and I don’t try to cut corners in literally every possible way in my life. But I do waste money, and no matter how much money you make, it never hurts to make a conscious effort to spend less in some areas to have more for other areas!
Read MoreThere’s plenty to complain about these days, and honestly, it’s getting kinda draining (name that musical!) so I decided to highlight one of the good things that has come out of COVID for me. Starting a new job remotely during the pandemic has actually benefitted me in so many ways versus going into a new office setting.
If you make enough money, removing the “added sugar” from your budget is a great way to free up money – guilt-free! – for things you just *want* to buy.
Personal finance for young professionals who want to indulge their champagne tastes on a beer budget, optimize their everyday spending, and learn to invest for a financially independent future.
I'll be your guide to all things money optimization, because I like to spend as little as possible on all the nice things, and invest as well as possible so I can have the freedom I want later in life.
#TalkMoney to me at:
hello@champagneandcapitalgains.com
Follow me on Twitter (I'm entertaining - I promise!)
Follow me on Instagram
Copyright © 2019 Champagne & Capital Gains
For me, there has been an undercurrent of anxiety and grief that is hard to describe…but essentially, it hasn’t left room in my brain for much more than the essentials and, in my downtime, relatively mindless entertainment.