millionaire

i decided to start getting a little more reading done over the past few weeks. i decided that if i'm going to slow down my efforts on the lockdown the least i could do is continue to educate myself on different philosophies and schools of thought so that when i jump back on this 'no debt' train i can have even more weapons in my arsenal.

i read '5 lessons a millionaire taught me' by richard evans. a quick, easy book with some good points for, not only money, but life in general.

here they are:
1. decide to be wealthy
2. take responsibility for your money
3. keep a portion of everything you earn
4. win in the margins
5. give back

'deciding to be wealthy' is just like anything-when you decide to do something it makes it much easier to do it. having a goal and striving for that goal is not only more fun, but more attainable. so no matter what you choose to decide, make it good!

'taking responsibility for your money' was a big one for me when i started the lockdown. this means know how much you have, know where it comes from, where it's going and what it's doing. having a firm grasp on your budget (or even having a budget to begin with) is half the battle. so many people say 'i just don't know where my money went.' honestly, there is no excuse for that. if you can earn money, you should have a basic understanding of money. balance your checkbook, make a realistic budget, stick to that budget, understand your accounts, the terms and conditions, the interest rates, etc. not having a decent understanding of your money (regardless of your financial goals-or lack there of) is really irresponsible, and no ones fault but your own.

'keep a portion of everything you earn' is not a new concept. it's easy. save a little, even if it's $50/month. the power of compounding interest is a beautiful thing and it is never too early to start saving for your future.

'win in the margins' is about being frugal. open the windows and turn off the A/C, ride a bike to work, buy generic groceries, etc. consider each expense, remember that financial freedom is much better than that $6.00 latte, and spending doesn't equal happiness. whatever you need to do to reach your financial goals, do it.

'give back' to others. bbe has always told me 'i believe that for every good thing you do it comes back to you ten fold.' i think she's right. i donate to kiva, adopt a family around the holiday, and donate blood every 8 weeks. if you don't have money to donate, give your time, if you don't have time, give your blood, if you can't donate blood....then i don't know what to tell ya. :)

if you want to check this book out i suggest popping over to the library, or getting it here.

wouldn't it be rad if we all became millionaires???!
xoxo ashleycolean

the good life

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we've heard it a million times. 'livin' the good life. but what does that mean, exactly? well, it means something different to everyone out there. we all have specific things that make us happy, things that matter, and things that don't. i will never care to have a road bike more expensive than some people's cars.
i will never care to spend money 'makin' it rain' in a bar filled with strangers. i won't ever spend money on expensive european wine-the $12.00 bottle is close enough for me. we all have priorities.
i know some people think the $285 michael kors watch i've been wanting for two years now, is totally unnecessary-that to some, spending $198 on a summer dress at anthropologie is asinine, and that a $400 day at the hair salon is totally unimportant to say, someone who goes to great clips for a quick trim...but that's the thing...what's important to you may not be to me, and vice versa. the beauty of it- that's absolutely fine.

in the book i'm reading the author recommends laying out your want/needs. i like that she calls them 'want/needs' because it's true...my dad 'needs' a fancy road bike for the life he wants. same as i 'need' a MK watch for the life i want.

our good lives can change over time, evolve with us.
my friend c likely didn't think organic pears would ever be something she'd spend extra money on, but now that she has a baby-they are. when i lived in kansas having nice hiking shoes wasn't a priority-it's funny how one scary ass (almost serious) fall on a hike changed my mind on that front. lay out your want/needs, but remember to reevaluate them every so often.

things change. people change. priorities change.

my good life today:
family-being there. spending the money, every so often, to be present with my family.
friends-having a social life, entertaining friends
health-healthy food, gym membership (that i actually want to use)
a city zip code-i commute, and sometimes i hate it. but part of my good life is living in the city i love, not having a shorter drive to be stuck, living out off the highway somewhere because it's cheaper.
financial comfort-i don't need to be loaded, (although that would be nice) but being in a place void of financial stress is the goal.
pretty things-at least every once in a while!

what makes up your good life?
xoxo ashleycolean

on the road to happiness

so my tiny book club finished book number two. the happiness project by gretchen rubin.
i enjoyed it. i thought it had a lot of good insight and would recommend it to anyone looking to boost their own happiness. because, no matter how happy you are--couldn't we all stand for a bit more!


i pulled out a few of my favorite points she made through the book.


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 on starting the project:
i didn't want to wait for a crisis to remake my life.


on organization:
tackle a nagging task...unfinished tasks were draining my energy and making me feel guilty.
(this was a huge help for me. i organized and decluttered my apartment/life and was instantly happier. now, i spend 20 minutes each night putting my space back in order, and 1 lunch break/week running errands and it has been a huge happiness booster!)
on marriage (i took these to other areas of my life-and felt like they were applicable to most):
love is a funny thing. i'd donate a kidney to jamie without a moment's hesitation, but i was intensely annoyed if he asked me to make a special stop at the drugstore to pick up shaving cream.


don't expect praise or appreciation...'you have to do (that kind of) work for yourself. if you do it for other people, you end up wanting them to acknowledge it and to be grateful and to give you credit. if you do it for yourself, you don't expect other people to react in a particular way.'


on aiming higher:
enjoy now.


on parenting:
**this section had great insights for parents. several times i thought to myself you need to reread this when you have kids. so, if you're a parent. grab a copy, if only for this chapter.


on gossip:
i learned another reason not to say critical things about other people: spontaneous trait transference. studies show that because of this psychological phenomenon, people unintentionally transfer to me the traits I ascribe to other people.


(i'm not sure how true i believe this is across the board. i think it would be absolutely true with people you didn't know very well. but, i talked to my friend chel about this and we decided that because we know each other so well, it doesn't work with us so much.)


make three new friends.
(i'm an expert at this. and i think so important for people. go out by yourself somewhere and make a friend. seriously. i dare you.)
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here we are folks-the meat and potatoes!!

on money:
money satisfies basic material needs. its a means to an end. it a way to keep score, win security, exercise generosity, and earn recognition. it can foster mastery or dilettantism. it symbolizes status and success. it buys time--which can be spent on aimless drifting or purposeful action. it creates power in relationships and in the world. it often stands for the things that we feel are lacking: if only we had money, we'd be adventurous or thin or cultured or respected or generous.


indulge in a modest splurge.
(i'm planning to get myself a fancy camera-to reward myself for getting out of debt...23 months and 2 weeks from now)

give something up.
(i'm doing a lot of this these days. so far i've given up, coffee from coffee shops, paid parking (which is killing my feet), my netflix subscription, my 'mfd' online membership, happy hour, manicures, pedicures, food at the grocery store that isn't necessary, and my wine club membership.)

money. it's a good servant but a bad master.


samuel johnson 'abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.'

side note: rubin quotes samuel johnson throughout the book and it wasn't until this quote at the end i realized that she in fact was NOT quoting samuel l. jackson. i kept thinking, man, that s.l.j. is much more insightful than i would have thought. yea, you could call me a cursory reader.
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so, you should read it. i thought it was very practical, and thought provoking.

you're better looking when you smile. 
xoxo ashleycolean

3 women and a book, the almost moon

my brilliant sister decided a couple of months ago to start a 'book club.' this club is quite exclusive as it's only members are my sister, my mom and me. sara thought it would be a fun way for us to 'do something together' when she was away at school and with me living out here in the mountains. the initial idea was we could skype our book club meetings, but that fell apart because i refuse to buy internet in my apartment...and the sketchy connection i do get from (the bar) across the street isn't conducive to maintaining a good connection.

the first book was sara's pick-the almost moon by alice sebold, and it was bizarre to say the least. the first sentence of the book 'when all is said and done, killing my mother came easily' leads you through the next 3 or 4 days of the narrators life-flashing back to her childhood. at first i struggled to connect with this woman who obviously had pervading mental illness in her family, but as i read deeper into what made her who, and how she was-i found myself feeling terribly sorry for her.

ultimately, the book is well written, and interesting, but takes a little 'getting used to.'
i would give it a 6.
 our next read-my pick-the happiness project by gretchen rubin. it's promising so far, and yes, just might create more happiness!

reading is so in.
xoxo ashleycolean