Personal finance’s biggest problem — doing what we’re told — From a recent installment of my Never Retire newsletter — As a society, we settle on conventional strategies. If they don’t work for us, we feel shame and double down on the failing strategy. We refuse to admit when the things every money article says we should do simply aren’t…

Spending should always come before savings — for those of us being true to ourselves and reality — Two points the personal finance articles never mention: You have probably paid yourself first — that is, saved a percentage of your income before spending any of it — only to pull that savings back to your checking account prior to the end of the month to cover a budget…

It’s all about accepting reality, being realistic, and acting accordingly — All the prudent and practical money advice in the world means nothing if you don’t have the right attitude and outlook on life and living to pull it off. Sometimes, to get where you want to go with money, you have to make tough choices. If you go into decisions…

Teslas outnumber dogs in Los Angeles — Actually, that subtitle isn’t true. 18% of LA households own at least one dog. Based on my observations, that number seems low. While we’re probably not there yet, we’re on the verge of just as many Angelenos “owning” a Tesla. It’s out of control. And equally as mindboggling to make…

If you ruminate, bordering on regret over money you might need to hear this — If only I was a low cost of living zealot when I moved from home out of high school. If only I had saved the money I gave to credit card companies in my 20s. If only I thought about and managed money then the way I do today. If…

The best thing that ever happened to me was losing my ‘work ethic’ — There was a time. A stupid, shitty time. Not long ago when I regularly skipped exercise — and other lesiure activities — to work. In pursuit of the almighty — and equally as elusive — dollar. Might not seem like much, but it’s an accomplishment to have completed nearly 200…

Whether you plan to retire or work forever, if you’re fit or unfit you can’t escape this scary consideration — At the end of yoga class last week, the instructor addressed the class, warning us she was going to get emotional. One of the yoga regulars — an older gentleman named Steve — hadn’t been around lately. I knew who Steve was because he always set up in the same…

Be careful what you wish for — Check out this shit!

The prevailing view of freelancing is douchey, broey, and ultimately useless — At first this response to a recent Medium article about how I’m setting myself up to Never Retire bothered me. Then, it mildly irritated me. Now, it triggers a mix of annoyance and understanding. More than anything, it shows we need a new definition of freelancing. Because the current one…