An introduction to Fear FIRE
What is fear FIRE? FearFIRE is a type of Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE), first coined here. FearFIRE is having a large enough amount of money to retire early but being too afraid to pull the trigger and retire. It has some things in common with the...
15 ways to save on medical costs
Medical insurance in the United States is a bit of a mess. The costs are high, the choices are overwhelming, the bills require a Ph.D. to decipher, and the fine print and exceptions are plentiful. The good news is that if you can afford medical care in the US, it’s...
How to tackle to-do list overwhelm
I have too much on my to-do list, and it’s overwhelming. I feel this way most days of my life. And one of the most common problems my team would bring to me over the years was they had too much on their to-do list and were overwhelmed. Unfortunately, most type-A and...
The more I have, the less I want
There’s this interesting paradox I’ve slowly come to realize: the more I have, the less I want. I’ve observed this more and more as I’ve gotten older, and it’s one of many things I wish I’d learned and appreciated when I was younger. Realizing this is a part of...
My burn the boats moment
About eighteen months ago, I had a “burn the boats” discussion with a VP in HR about my career goals, or lack thereof. I told her that I didn’t want to advance at the company, that this would be my last corporate job, and that I needed a sabbatical or to move to...
Start less, finish more
I am really good at starting things. I am less good at finishing things. I am a serial starter and a pretty good finisher. I have so many ideas, feel very capable of doing most things, and I like to DIY a lot of things – these three things are the perfect storm of...
Bringing Pura Vida home
Pura Vida is Costa Rica’s tagline, motto, or catchphrase. Whatever it is, it definitely delivers. The phrase means “pure life” or “simple life,” and it is indeed more than just a phrase; it is their way of life. We just came back from a six-day vacation in Costa...
The calm after the storm
Usually, it’s the calm before the storm, but in this case, I’m noticing the calm after the storm. After a full year of virtual learning due to a global pandemic, my kids have gone back for in-person learning. This is what I have been waiting so patiently for, for...
A productive trip
This past weekend I visited one of my best and oldest friends, and it was an incredibly productive trip. I don’t mean productive in the traditional sense. I mean, it was productive for my head, heart, body, and soul. She’s one of my oldest friends; we first met in...
6 reasons why you don’t need a financial planner
I have several financial regrets over the last two decades. Though I have always been relatively frugal and responsible with my money, I didn’t always know what to do with my money and, as a result, could have done many things better. But the single worst thing I’ve...
Favorite Personal Finance Books
These are my favorite personal finance books. All of these books, in different ways, will inspire you to take control of your personal finances, find freedom through that control, and improve your overall happiness. And all that packed into about 8-10 hours of...
Less is Now by the Minimalists
I’ve been following the Minimalists and Matt D’avella for a long time. I’ve read all of their books, listened to their podcasts, watched their YouTube videos, and even seen them speak live in Atlanta. So, needless to say, I was very excited when Matt D’Avella and the...
My disk is full
I keep getting a pop-up on my Mac that my disk is full. I have a large hard drive, or I thought I did, so in one way, I am surprised by this message. But in another way, I am not surprised. I thought this was the universe sending me a message. Lately, I feel like...
Learning how to relax
I recently discovered I don’t know how to relax, so I am now learning how to relax. I’m 40 years old, and I don’t know how to relax. I’ve probably known this for a long time deep-down, but it’s become more and more evident lately. I’ve just moved to a new...
An old couch and Stoicism
Today I want to write about an old couch and Stoicism. Yes, you may think, “how could these two things possibly be related?” That’s an excellent question. Don’t worry; I have an answer for you. What is Stoicism? Stoicism is a philosophy of personal ethics,...
Bad day? Give it 24 hours.
So much can change in 24 hours. When you’re having a bad day, remember this. Give it 24 hours Twenty-four hours ago, I was at home with three kids and my husband. I was trying to get my kids to focus on their virtual learning and to quit asking for screen...
Today I am 40
Today I turned 40. It’s just another day really, but there is something meaningful about a milestone like this. It certainly pushes me to reflect upon my life, and what’s happened in the last 40 years and what I want for the next 40 years. And I hope I’ll have the...
Soda Stream vs. Canned Sparkling Water
I’ve been thinking about buying a Soda Stream for years and I think I am finally ready to take the plunge (pun intended!). I explored it last Black Friday when there was one on sale and did some cost calculations and it seemed like it wasn’t really going to save me...
2020 Books I’ve Read
We are currently at the half-way point of 2020, and these are the books I've read so far. I'll start adding comments and thoughts on them soon, and a few more in-depth mostly minimal book reviews are coming soon. I really enjoy listening to audio books while I am...
Post-Vacation Reflections
Post-Vacation Reflections I’ve just arrived home from a two-week vacation with my husband and 3 kids in Florida. It was a lovely vacation, but I was also somewhat tense and stressed throughout it. There were definitely times I was relaxed and could let go,...
Credit Card benefits I never knew I had
I’ve spent decades not knowing or using the many benefits my credit cards offer. And the main issue was I didn’t even know about half the benefits and/or I wasn’t keeping them top of mind to leverage them at the right time. There are a ton of resources and websites...
What I learned from not running my AC
I’ve not run our air conditioning for the past 4 days and it’s been 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit in Atlanta, GA. And my husband still seems to love me, so those two things combined feel like a big win! First off, I think the United States runs the AC (air conditioning)...
Death and Decluttering
I’ve read every decluttering book there is, listened to every podcast, read the blogs, watched the YouTube channels, and watched the TV shows. If there’s decluttering inspiration out there I’ve consumed it. I’ve made a lot of progress over the last 5-10 years, and...
Gratitude in Quarantine
The last six weeks of our shelter in place quarantine have flown by. I planned on writing this post one week into quarantine, and I have absolutely no idea the time since then has gone. Our last six weeks have consisted of two parents working from home with...
Coronavirus – Working remotely + kids out of school
This is an unprecedented time in the world right now with COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) pandemic. Schools are closed until further notice where I live, Atlanta, and most other cities aren’t far behind. Most companies are recommending people who can work remotely...
I won’t know until I try
I’m turning 40 this year. I’m not sure if it’s this stage in my life or something that feels symbolic about the idea of 40, but lately I’ve been trying a lot of new things. I’m realizing I just won’t know what I like and what will make me happy until I give...
Love is in the air
Happy Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of minimalism and the things that really matter in life, my husband and I typically don’t exchange Valentine’s Day presents. I’ve never personally been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day, or really any holiday that feels somewhat...
Tangly Hair Don’t Care
Ok, settle in for a quick love story about a hairbrush. Yes, a hairbrush. I have thin tangly hair and it’s a beast to brush after I get out of the shower. I’m usually worried I am going to go bald because I am losing so much hair. But like a grownup, I trudge...
WWBD – What Would Brené Do?
This weekend I watched the Brené Brown Netflix Special titled “The Call to Courage.” All I can say is wow. I’ve listened to some of Brené Brown’s books and seen her famous Ted Talk, but this Netflix special came to me at just the right time. The world has a funny...
Reflections on a Decade
There’s something about a new year that inspires me to reflect and gives me a bit of a push to think about what’s working, what’s not, and how I want to continue to improve as a human being. And if there’s something about a new year, then there’s really something...
AllI want for Christmas is an empty inbox
This week Maria Carey’s iconic Christmas song “All I want for Christmas is you” reached #1 on the Billboard hot 100 list for the 1st time ever, even though she initially released the song 25 years ago. This is a great reminder that some things get better with age,...
Paper Towels are Silly
About six years ago I quit using paper towels and paper napkins, and I haven’t bought any since. I can’t remember exactly what motivated the change, but I was making a number of changes at the time. My motivation for replacing them was partially related to wanted to...
A Minimalist Guide to the Holidays
The holidays can be a time of overwhelm, when it should be a time to reconnect and reflect with your friends and family. Somehow it has turned into massive shopping and tons of high-cost activities. That is basically everything I am trying to avoid in life these...
Book Review – Playing with FIRE
I’ve been hearing about the book and documentary Playing with FIRE for a while now, and was super excited to dig in and read it. In the true spirit of minimalism and achieving financial independence, I put a hold request on the book at my local public library and...
A No-Spending High
I’ve not yet talked a lot about my financial journey on here yet, but one of the key topics I plan to talk more about on Mostly Minimal Life is about personal finance. I plan to share the “financial independence” journey I’ve been on since I got out of college, since...
Book Review – Oprah’s The Path Made Clear
My top 10 takeaways from the book The Path Made Clear: Discovery Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey. There were way more than 10 takeaways from this book as it is filled with tons of little and big nuggets of wisdom throughout. I’d expect...
How Noise Cancelling Headphones Make me a Better Parent
I relish in silence and alone time, yet the current reality of my life is I don’t get a lot of it. I’m at work all day around people talking to me or me talking to them. When I come home, I am surrounded by three rambunctious kids who for some reason do a lot of...
Away Luggage – Perfect Minimalist Luggage
We absolutely love our Away Luggage. Yes, it’s a bit pricey (the one I have is $225) and you could get cheaper luggage. I prefer quality over quantity, so for me it’s a solid investment and I feel good about it. And in the spirit of a “mostly” minimal life, I am...
Bunk Bed Perspective
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “sometimes all you need is a chance in perspective.” Today I got that, in the form of bunk beds. I spend too much of my weekends thinking about how behind I am at work and thinking about how I have stuff I need to be doing, but how I...
Dear eMail
Dear eMail – I can still remember the first day we met. It was 1995, I was young and naïve. I immediately fell in love with you as the glow of AOL reflected from the screen onto my face.
DIY Pest Control – 95% cheaper
I live in the south and we have bugs, in every home. And I really don’t like bugs. I’m not sure that anyone does, but I’d place myself on the spectrum of people who really don’t like bugs. I also consider myself a strong independent woman, but when I see a bug, I...
It’s just too much
There are days when, for a combination of reasons, it’s just too much. I’m usually a glass half full sort of person, but some days it’s just too much and I’m tired. And on those days, I need to step away. There are days when it feels like it’s all just piling on,...
I wore the same jeans all week and no one noticed
I'm not sure if I should admit this, but this week I wore the same pair of jeans all week long to work, and no one noticed, or cared. And even if they did notice or care, I'm not sure if I care. It was partially an experiment, partially a bit of laziness of not...
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