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Episode 53: Retire Inspired with Ramsey Personality Chris Hogan

My Guest on the Show…

Speaker, author, and Ramsey personality, Chris Hogan comes on the show today to share his story and talk all about retirement.

Chris has an amazing story of how he went from winning a football national championship in college, to working in the banking industry, and then later joining Dave Ramsey’s team as one of Dave’s Ramsey personalities.

I also asked Chris to come on the show to talk about his passion – the do’s and don’ts of retiring wealthy.

Chris has made quite a name for himself by looking at retirement from a different perspective

“…retirement is no longer an age…it’s a number”.

Behind the scenes, interviewing Chris was a little surreal for me. Before the show, the only interaction I had with Chris Hogan was after I waited in line for an hour to get an autograph and picture with him after attending one of his shows here in Phoenix a few years back.

Here is the picture after waiting in line to meet him back in 2015…

Are you enjoying the podcast?

If you do, would you be willing to leave a review for the show here? The more reviews the podcast receives, the more people will learn about it!

The Money Peach Podcast is brought to you by my #1 online program for showing you how to budget, how much to save, how to manage your debt payoff, when to save for retirement, what to teach your kids about money, and how to build a legacy to last beyond your lifetime.

If you find yourself continuing to live paycheck-to-paycheck and wondering where all the money went at the end of the month, it’s time to finally make a positive change. Welcome to the class they forgot to teach you about money – Awesome Money Course.

Mentioned in this Episode

Retire Inspired (Book)

Retire Inspired (Podcast)

Chris Hogan 360

Georgetown College Athletics

Tom Corley (Rich Habits) Episode 51

The Go-Getter by Peter B. Kyne (Book)

FREE Workshop with Chris Peach

Awesome Money Course

Show Notes

Who is Chris Hogan [2:45]

Getting started in the money world [5:20]

How Chris met Dave Ramsey [7:50]

The retired guy at 41 [15:28]

The story of the pension system [17:00]

The truth about social security [18:55]

The ROTH IRA and the ROTH 401k [24:30]

The R:IQ [27:15]

The story EVERYONE needs to hear [31:40]

Is the stock market safe? [36:00]

Bamboo tree is like investing [39:30]

Dollar cost averaging [43:50]

Should you hire a financial advisor? [46:30]

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The “Make Money Marketing” Course for Bloggers is Coming!

Hey everyone, I’m so stoked to let all of you know that I’ve officially started crafting the Make Money Marketing course from the ground up! As all of you know, blogging and making money online is one of my absolute passions in life (right up there with writing about personal finance). You probably also know...

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Saving Over $100k by 25 (with a 5-Figure Salary)

There’s no denying that saving money can feel like hard work at times: It requires a long-term mindset and at least a few short-term sacrifices.

Yet these three make hitting $100,000 net worth by 25 look easy. With specific plans in place to reach their goals and some serious discipline, they’re proof you don’t need a six-figure salary to build up a net worth of that much.

Here’s how they did it.

“I treated saving money like a video game—and figured out how to beat it.”

Gwen, 26, IT specialist in the Midwest

“I never set out to save $100,000 by a specific age—I just wanted to save as much as possible. My ultimate goal is to retire by 35, so I’ve been prioritizing saving and living below my means since college.

I was fortunate to have some great financial role models: My parents made me save 50 percent of my allowance and gifts, encouraged me to avoid debt and ingrained frugal habits, like paying for cars in cash, reusing plastic bags and buying second-hand.

When I started my first full-time job, I adopted smart habits of my own: I built up a $10,000 cash cushion, and automatically transfer money into my 401(k) until it’s maxed out, $100 into my Health Savings Account (HSA) and $450 into my Roth IRA. I cut costs by living with a roommate. I drove the car I’d had since college and visited friends and family for vacation instead of traveling to luxury spots.

Over the following three years, my income increased, too—I hit $77,000 last year—and I worked up to saving about 75 percent of my take-home pay. This ultimately helped me hit a net worth of $100,000 last July—which felt great, and really validated all my frugal choices.

My next goal? Grow my savings and investments to $200,000 by the end of the year. (I’m around the $150,000-mark now.) I know accomplishing this is somewhat dependent on the market continuing its upward climb—but I’ll do my part either way.”

Her advice for others:

“Treat your savings like a game! What skills can you sharpen to earn more money? How can you optimize your spending in order to keep as much of your money as possible? What else can you do to make your money work for you?

I know saving is hard, especially when you don’t earn much. But it’s entirely doable if you start with small changes. It can be as easy as shopping with a list and ordering fewer drink at happy hour. Once you’ve mastered the habit, you can watch the effects compound.”

“Having money to fall back on provides a sense of security I’ve never had before.”

Drew, 27, commercial real estate professional, Washington, D.C.

“Growing up, my family was not well off. I actually received free breakfast and lunch at school because our household income was so low. As I’ve embarked on saving as an adult, that perspective has motivated me: Having money to fall back on provides a sense of security I never had. And because I never lived a lavish lifestyle, I don’t find joy in buying stuff.

After just two years of consistently saving and investing in my early 20s, I reached a net worth of $100,000 at 25. And it wasn’t because I earned a huge salary. In fact, it’s never exceeded $70,000.

Rather, I attribute my success to three things: First, I’ve always held multiple side gigs. I even lived off my income as a ride-share driver, deliveryman and real estate photographer my first year out of college and saved my salary. I’m also frugal: I say no to lavish trips with friends and big purchases like a car—opting to stay local and ride my bike to work. Finally, I’ve kept my living costs very low by house hacking, or renting out spare rooms in my three-bedroom home for a profit.

This has allowed me to build my net worth across a variety of sources: When I reached $100,000, I had $13,500 in cash and nearly $50,000 across a regular brokerage account, 401(k), IRA and other investments like gold. Plus, I’d put $40,000 between mortgage payments and the down payment into my home, which has increased in value by about $45,000 since I purchased it.

His advice for others:

“Do things that make saving simple—like setting up automatic transfers and opening an account that’s separate from your checking account, so you’re not tempted to spend. You can start with just $25, $50 or $100 at first.

If that’s overwhelming, make a specific plan to hit your goal. If you don’t succeed, you’ll fail upwards! Let’s say life throws you a curve ball—you had a few medical bills and totaled your car. These expenses might prevent you from getting to $100,000 by a certain age. But if you started saving early and practice good habits, you could still end up with $50,000 or even more.”

“The most important step I took on my journey to $100K was proactive career growth.”

Hannah, 29, data scientist in Raleigh, N.C.

“I’ve had a lifelong fascination with saving and investing. As a teenager, I talked my grandpa into letting me invest a small amount I’d saved from odd jobs and gifts in his next commercial real estate deal. Unfortunately, we lost money when the project went sideways—but my grandpa returned my investment in full.

By high school graduation, I had $25,000 saved from waiting tables, teaching tennis and a $4,000 cash scholarship. Four years later, I’d whittled it down to $15,000—the rest went to living expenses and a car—which prompted a new goal: save $75,000 for another real estate deal with my grandpa. I didn’t manage to achieve that goal before my grandpa’s health declined because: life. (I got married and had a baby!)

However, it set a fire in me to ruthlessly prioritize saving over the next three years. By 24, I’d amassed $100,000—an additional $55,000 in my savings account and $30,000 between my 401(k) and IRA.

I recognize I’ve been lucky in certain ways: I didn’t graduate with student loans, thanks to my family’s generosity, and I’ve benefitted from the long-running bull market: The first time I checked my 401(k) balance, I had annualized returns of 19 percent! But I also proactively invested in my career growth, fighting for $25,000 worth of raises. Growing my income to $75,000 by 24 allowed my frugal habits—like living with three roommates and scouting out free entertainment—to take me even farther.

Even though I never got to do a deal with my grandpa, I did eventually invest in real estate. Today, my husband and I own two properties: our home, where we rent out the basement, and a separate rental. We bought them with cash for about $130,000, and they’re now worth about $200,000 combined.”

Her advice for others:

“If you want to save a lot of money quickly, it’s important to recognize the role your income plays. If your full-time salary isn’t enough (in addition to cutting back), find ways to increase your income without boosting your lifestyle. For most people, picking a side gig is a great solution.

There’s also huge value in breaking up a goal into small, achievable steps. For example, I started by talking with my boss about getting a promotion at the end of the year. Then I made a plan to increase my job performance, making sure my boss noticed. Finally, I checked in every few months to make sure I was on track for the promotion—that I eventually scored.”

This post originally appeared on Grow

Related:

4 ways to stop stressing about the money

20 common money mistakes to avoid

How I finally got over my fear of investing

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Have You Had Your Financial “Aha” Moment?

Hey everyone! Today I have an awesome read for you by Dave from MarriedWithMoney.com. This post really made me think of the moment that got me fired up about personal finance a few years ago, and ultimately led to me starting this site and writing about money full-time. I think you’ll really like this one....

Keep reading...

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If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

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How to Finally Get Started With Your Side Hustle Idea

After running this site for a while, I’ve started to notice an interesting trend when it comes to the ever-popular idea of running a side hustle. Most people talk about it, but rarely ever take the jump into actually doing it. Now, I could go on and on about how important it is to have an...

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Episode 52: Automating Everyday Money with Trim Founder/CEO Thomas Smyth

My Guest on the Show…

A few months ago I came across this really incredible FinTech (Financial Technology) software called Trim.

Trim does many things like sending me a message letting me know how many subscriptions I have active, how much I am (over) paying, and even allows me to cancel anything and everything with one push of a button!

The way I think about Trim is this: it’s the virtual assistant in the background of my life, working 24/7 for free, and making me look like a financial rockstar when it comes to the everyday money.

Which is why I wanted to talk to the man behind Trim – Thomas Smyth. Thomas is my favorite kind of entrepreneur. He took an idea running around in his head, gave it a direction, and created an incredible product with a very strong WHY behind it – to automate our good financial habits so we can focus on the things in life we would much rather focus on…versus spending an hour on the phone with the cable company negotiating a bill (Trim does this).

To see all Trim can do for you, check out Trim:

Betterment

 Are you enjoying the podcast?

If you do, would you be willing to leave a review for the show here? The more reviews the podcast receives, the more people will learn about it!

The Money Peach Podcast is brought to you by my #1 online program for showing you how to budget, how much to save, how to manage your debt payoff, when to save for retirement, what to teach your kids about money, and how to build a legacy to last beyond your lifetime.

If you find yourself continuing to live paycheck-to-paycheck and wondering where all the money went at the end of the month, it’s time to finally make a positive change. Welcome to the class they forgot to teach you about money – Awesome Money Course.

Mentioned in this Episode

Ask Trim

Mint.com

Twillio

All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren (Book)

The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu (Book)

Awesome Money Course

Show Notes

Who is Thomas Smyth? [3:40]

Why Trim was created [11:42]

Getting started with a text message (this is cool) [14:42]

Starting off with one thing at-a-time [18:48]

My first day using Trim [23:17]

The features of Trim [26:56]

How Trim makes money [33:25]

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5 Steps to Take When You Move Back in With Your Parents

Hey everyone! I have another great post by Jen from Frugal-Millennial.com for you today! This is a subject that’s near and dear to me – my wife and I rented a room from her parents while I paid off my student loans. There are so many Millennials that are going through this right now, and...

Keep reading...

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What is Stocked in My Minimalist Pantry (Includes My Weekly Grocery List)

Earlier this week, I took you on a tour of my simple kitchen. The purpose of that post was to show you one example of what a clutter-free kitchen can look like, as well as to give you a little peek inside my world! Aside from the fact that I like to line things up and keep them in order, my kitchen hasn’t always been that organized. Just look at how messy the top drawer in my kitchen was three years ago! (And here’s the follow-up from a few months after my initial declutter and purge in 2014.)

Now that you’ve seen the shelves and know what tools and utensils I use on a regular basis, I thought I would talk more about the actual food I buy and store in my kitchen. If there’s one thing I’m proud of in regards to food it’s the fact that I’ve never wasted much of it. Even thinking back to when I first moved out at age 18, I have never been someone who stored a lot of food in her pantry or felt the need to stock up just because something was on sale. Instead, I shop 2-3 times a week and buy what I need when I need it.

As a result, I buy – and use up! – a lot of whole foods and fresh ingredients, rather than rely on what could be filling up my cupboards. But it does also mean that things look pretty empty. ;)

Here’s an overall look at the contents of my fridge and freezer. I took this picture on Sunday afternoon, and it wasn’t until doing so that I realized there was still blue tape stuck to the freezer door and on that yellow sign near the back! Oh boy, if that’s not proof of how little I use my freezer, haha. Typically, the only two things I keep in there are frozen berries for smoothies and ice packs that I bought for pain management after my car accident (and still use to this day).

These are all the condiments I currently own, though I wouldn’t call them all staples. I do have salsa, hot sauce and soy sauce available at all times! (And plan to make more homemade salsa when I finally buy a food processor – thanks again for all of your great suggestions.) I also like to have rice vinegar for salad dressings, etc. But the peanut sauce and salad dressing you see here were sort of “testers”. I make a really good spicy peanut sauce of my own but wanted to try this one out. And the salad dressing is from the Okanagan and is vegan and sugar-free, so I thought I’d try it too.

Also, I <3 Hemp Hearts and I only drink almond milk (original unsweetened).

You probably saw this stuff sitting on the counter in my last post. It all lives in the corner where I make my coffee, tea and smoothies every day! So, it might be obvious but I add Vega and chia to my smoothies. I also add chia to “cereal” – aka a bowl of granola, berries and milk. I keep decaf black tea stocked at all times. And, of course, coffee. I know some people prefer to grind their coffee fresh daily, but I typically grind up a week’s worth at a time. I don’t have one favourite blend, but instead like to try dark roasts from local roasters and also buy Kicking Horse at the grocery store when it’s on sale. This is Grizzly Claw (dark roast).

Fun fact: Vega is a Vancouver company, as is Earth’s Own (the almond milk), Kicking Horse is in BC, the Hemp Hearts above are from Manitoba and Prana (chia) is based in Quebec!

Onto the “pantry” – although I don’t really know if you can call one shelf a pantry? There are literally only 12 things on this shelf right now. The staples in this picture are: brown rice, rice noodles, coconut milk and natural peanut butter (no sugar added, only peanuts). Beans are also a staple for me, but I don’t usually buy them in cans anymore. Instead, I buy bulk and soak them overnight. These are leftovers I bought when I was in the middle of moving and wanted some easy meals. I’ll probably make a plan to eat them both up in the next week or so, then go back to bulk. (I also buy bulk rice but they were out of brown!?)

My one deliciously guilty pleasure, these days, is granola. I think I’m super late to the party on this one. Have you guys been enjoying granola for years? Why did it take me so long to try it? I don’t buy it all the time, but I do love this stuff from Nature’s Path. It’s organic and vegan, and coconut and cashews are the way to my heart (and stomach). And NP is another company based out of BC! Next to the granola, I have some flour and baking powder for baking sugar-free muffins (another new obsession). And finally, I have white wine vinegar and sesame oil for dressings and sauces. There’s also coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil next to the stove.

That’s it for the food, but I do have a separate cupboard full of spices! The ones you see in the mason jars were all bought in bulk. The shakers were ones I couldn’t find in bulk at the time. I also have a refillable pepper grinder. And the Himalayan pink salt is new for me. Honestly, up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even own salt! I don’t like to add it to my food but it is included in a lot of recipes (especially when it comes to baking). Rather than use table salt, I figured I’d finally buy a pink salt grinder and test it out. So far, so good.

All-in-all, my pantry looks kind of empty and minimal – because it is! In my experience, the idea of only buying “stuff” when you need it should also apply to food. By buying food when you need it, not only will your fridge and pantry be filled with less clutter, you’ll potentially reduce your food waste which will save you money. As a side rant, I have to say that groceries are more expensive than ever now, which is why it’s even more important to cut costs and save where you can!

One of the things that helps me save both time and money is buying most of the same stuff every week. If you’re curious, this is what my typical grocery list includes.

My Weekly Grocery List

2-3 apples

4-5 bananas

berries (both fresh for snacks and frozen for smoothies)

a lemon and a lime

kale and/or spinach

avocado

broccoli

cucumber

zucchini

red peppers

yams

ginger

almond milk

eggs

rice noodles

granola (a bag usually lasts two weeks)

whatever I need in bulk (including nuts/trail mix)

sometimes a fake meat product (like veggie ground or sausage)

and then anything else for specific recipes I’m trying*

*As an example, this week I think I’ll use up those black beans by making black bean quesadillas, so I’ll buy some Daiya cheese and wraps! That means I can also use up the rest of the cilantro in my fridge. :)

In showing you all of these pictures this week, I want to make sure I leave you with one thought: you don’t need to be “as minimalist” as I am. If you feel overwhelmed by how much work you would have to do to overhaul your kitchen and/or your pantry, slow down and ask yourself what ONE thing you could work on instead.

There are still so many things I want to change about what you see here! I’d love to eventually have a zero waste kitchen, but I’m not quite there yet and that’s ok. It’s a work in progress because I am a work in progress. And by making these changes slowly, all of these new things I’m trying (like cooking more and making my own salad dressings) have the potential to become lifelong habits. <– that’s the goal. Attaining a certain level of minimalism is not.

So, what’s the one thing you’d like to change about your kitchen/pantry/grocery shopping habits?

Also, do you have any links/recommendations for where I can source reusable bulk and produce bags? xo!

Extra Reading

Building a Minimalist Pantry (and Part 2.0) – The Faux Martha

How to Make a Real Food Pantry – Nourishing Minimalism

How to Stock a Minimalist Pantry – The Stone Soup

The Minimalist Pantry – My Year of Abstinence

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Trim Review: What is Trim and Why Should You Consider Giving it a Try

Do you know how much money you paid out in “grey charges” last year? A 2013 report by Aite Group can give you a good idea.

“Grey charges–deceptive and unwanted credit and debit card charges that occur as a result of misleading sales and billing practices–totaled more than $14 billion per year among U.S. cardholders, averaging roughly $215 per U.S. cardholder incurring these charges.”

Trim Review: Helping Customers Save Money on Grey Charges

“Grey charges” aren’t fraudulent charges. Instead, they consist of those often unwanted charges you may or may not remember having agreed to. Some examples of grey charges include:

Free trial subscriptions you meant to cancel but didn’t

Service and luxury fees

Late fees

Unwanted auto-renewals

Payments on services you no longer use

And there are other fees that qualify as grey charges too. When Trim founder Dan Petkevich realized he was paying for a renter’s insurance policy on an apartment he had moved out of a year earlier, he started looking into what other grey charges he had been paying.

Dan and his longtime friend, Thomas Smyth, sat down together to research what services that they were each unknowingly paying for, and the idea for Trim was born.

The two worked together to create a service software program that would search out members’ grey charges and help them have more control over their finances.

To date, Trim has saved its members over $8,000,000 on unwanted fees and subscription costs.

How Does Trim Work?

The premise behind Trim is simple, yet genius. The company describes Trim as a “personal finance assistant”. Here’s how it works.

After you sign up for Trim, you enter your credit card and debit card information into Trim’s secure system.

Since the company has the capability to work with over 15,000 financial institutions, it’s highly likely Trim supports your bank or credit union. If your bank or credit union isn’t on their list, simply email Trim’s customer support center for help.

Once Trim has the information, the software analyzes the account history on each of the debit and credit cards you’ve shared with them.

The way the software is set up, it has the capability to recognize recurring payments. It already knows which merchants use recurring payments, so it can tell the difference between a subscription and a non-subscription daily or regularly occurring purchase, such as a coffee shop purchase.

As the system recognizes recurring payments, it stores the information, allowing you to easily find, manage and cancel subscriptions.

The Trim system will also text you the information it finds and ask if you would like to cancel the subscription. If you do want to cancel, you can just text back “Cancel ____________” entering the name of the company.

After it receives a cancel request, Trim will contact the company for you and get the subscription cancelled. They’ll start by sending an email with your text authorization.

If the company doesn’t respond, they’ll continue to contact them through other methods such as a phone call or certified letter.

Trim won’t stop working for you until the job is done, even with sometimes-difficult cancellations such as with gym memberships.

What Else Does Trim Offer?

The Trim program offers other useful features as well.  With just a quick text, Trim can show you what your balances are on the credit cards you’ve shared with them.

Trim can also show you how much money you have been spending on individual vendors or merchants.

These features can help you manage your spending and stay within your desired budget even when you aren’t using a traditional budgeting spreadsheet or budgeting program such as Personal Capital.

Price Negotiation

Trim’s software program also has the capability to negotiate prices on recurring bills on your behalf. It will contact your cable provider, your insurance company and more in an effort to help you pay less for the services you want to keep.

How Much Does Trim Cost?

Trim doesn’t charge any sign up fees or monthly service fees to its members. And when it cancels subscriptions for you that service is free as well.

However, Trim will take a percentage of the money they save you when they are able to successfully negotiate a lower monthly payment on a recurring bill, such as your insurance bill.

The company makes money with the percentages they take from lowering your recurring bills and from third party partners such as credit card companies. This is how they are able offer the service for free to customers.

How Secure is Trim?

Trim promises bank-level security for its customers. They use 256-bit SSL encryption for the website as well as the server-side databases.

They also use two-factor authentication when you register for services, when you sign in from a new device or if your security token has expired.

Also, Trim promises not to sell or share your data with anyone, or use it for any other purpose without your permission. The company will only use your information to help you save money.

Your Own Personal Finance Assistant – For Free

With all of the money being lost to grey charges for services that are no longer needed or wanted, it makes sense to consider “hiring” your own personal finance assistant and put the Trim system to work for you.

Although those sneaky recurring charges might seem like they won’t make an impact on your financial goals, you might be surprised to know that you can potentially build a fortune with that seemingly small change.

In other words, don’t discount the debt that can be paid off – or the wealth that can be built – from the money you might not even realize you are spending.

Stop giving your hard earned cash to companies that aren’t giving you every dollar’s worth of benefit for the services you pay for.

Instead, put systems such as Trim in place to help you capture every wasted dollar, and put each saved dollar to good use as you create a more secure financial future for yourself or your family.

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A Peek Inside My Small and Simple Kitchen

Since moving to Squamish, I’ve intentionally chosen to live without a few things and get comfortable in my space before buying anything for it. To give you a visual, this originally meant living without a couch for the first two-and-a-half months and having only a chair to sit on. (I finally bought a couch in June!) I also moved without a coffee table and a desk, both of which I am still on the hunt for.

It’s hard to believe I have already been here for four months. While I haven’t put all the pieces of the puzzle together yet, it does feel like home now – my home – and I think a huge part of that is because of how much time I spend in my kitchen.

I was hesitant to ever share pictures of this condo I’m renting for many reasons. On top of wanting to maintain a little bit of privacy, I also didn’t want to contribute to the ideas we are shown about how minimalism should look. But it was a good friend who helped me see I could open the cupboard doors and share stories about what’s inside my kitchen, instead. This is the same friend who suggested I show how I travel light.

In the coming months, I’m going to be sharing a lot more conversations about how minimalism looks different for everyone. Today, I’ll show you how it looks in my small and simple kitchen. As you’ll see, it doesn’t all match but it works – and that is a gift. <3

What’s Inside My Small and Simple Kitchen

First, I know the word “small” is relative. In this case, I actually have more cupboards and storage here than we do in our family home in Victoria (and you’ll see that much of it goes unused). I also know it’s at least double the size of what most apartments have in places like NYC. So, I’m comparing the size of my current kitchen to most of the ones we see on TV shows, in magazines and on Pinterest. The kitchens we’re told to dream about.

I also consider it small because I cook and bake a lot, and find I only ever use the tiny bit of counter space between the stove and the sink. (Note to my future self: If you ever have the luxury of being able to design a kitchen, add lots of counter space between those two things! That’s where you need it most!)

If you’ve seen tours of some other minimalist kitchens, the first thing you might notice about mine is that I leave things on the counter. I stand by my statement: a home is meant to be lived in, not looked at. For the purpose of these pictures, I didn’t move anything around. My wallet and keys stayed on the counter because that’s where they live. And a few pictures down, you’ll also see my phone charger because that’s where my phone spends most of its time, too. Aside from wiping the counters clean, this is how my kitchen looks every day.

What you’re seeing here is the space in which I do most of my drink prep. I make coffee, tea and a smoothie almost every day, so I leave the things I use on the counter at all times. As a tip, putting things in places where you’ll actually use them is the best way to make it a habit. If you’re trying to save money by buying less takeout coffee, or less takeout food or beverages in general, leave the things you need in places where you can easily gravitate towards them. The same is true if you’re simply trying to eat or drink better. Don’t hide the healthy stuff. Leave it on the counter or at least keep it in a place you look at often.

Something I hadn’t thought of until looking at this picture is how much of what I use was gifted or handed down to me. My parents gifted me most of my pots and pans when I moved out on my own in my early twenties, after getting out of a bad relationship. They also gave me the teapot and the crockpot (slow cooker) for Christmas one year. And in realizing she wasn’t using it often, my aunt gave me her Nutribullet. It’s not fancy and it doesn’t all match, at this point – but it works. My family helped me create a working kitchen, and for that, I will always be grateful. (Oh and yes, that’s my “pantry”. Pretty empty, eh? More on food in a future post!)

I also bought everything you see here. And again, I keep the things I use most often out and ready. In this picture, that includes cooking utensils, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.

One thing to note here is there’s a huge cupboard in the corner – both top and bottom – that I simply never use. Not only do I not own anything that would fit in there, they are also extremely annoying to open and close because of how small the doors are. I find new designs fascinating because even with everything we know about maximizing space, we still waste so much of it. (I also have a “den” that’s no bigger than a standard closet. Maybe that’s a side rant?) I also don’t use the space above the microwave, but that has more to do with the fact that my ceilings are deceptively high (at least 9 feet) and I can’t reach the top shelves!

For fun, I thought I’d give you a peek inside my cupboards and drawers. The one cupboard I do use in this picture is next to the microwave and it’s mostly filled with spices.

I only use three of the four drawers in my kitchen.

And I spend the majority of my time in this half of the kitchen.

Like I said in the beginning, I use the tiny bit of counter space between the stove and the sink to do most of my food prep. It’s also nice to do food prep near the compost bin because that’s where most of my waste goes! And despite having a dishwasher, I find it’s easier to do dishes by hand when you live alone. I’ll run the dishwasher once a week, usually after doing a bunch of meal prep. But on a day-to-day basis, it’s easier to wash the few dishes I use by hand and let them dry on the mat. (I didn’t feel the need to put these away either. You all do dishes. You know what they look like!)

Something I’ve learned about myself is that I will use the same glass for water multiple days in a row, but I use at least two mugs each day (sometimes more) for coffee and tea. So I could actually do with fewer glasses! But on the days I run my dishwasher, it’s not uncommon for all of these mugs to be in there.

Finally, everything you see in this cupboard was a gift. I’ve been using the same set of Corelle dishes since I was eighteen years old. They weren’t made for Pinterest pictures, but they work (and they never break). And my old roommate in Toronto gave me the mixing bowls. I use these so much, they should almost live on the counter.

So, that’s it! The contents of my kitchen. It’s not exactly small, although the amount of space I use in it is. And if you noticed everything (including what’s on the front of my fridge) was lined up, I should mention it’s always like that – because I have always been like that. Ever since I was a kid, I have kept things lined up, often in orders of colour or size, and perfectly organized. I don’t know how or why, that’s just the way my brain works. When I worked at the deli in a grocery store, I used to think I’d enjoy stocking shelves more because I naturally want everything to be facing the same direction. Can’t explain it – but I won’t complain about it!

If you’re reading this post and wondering what exactly goes into a small/simple/minimalist kitchen, here is a detailed list of what’s in mine:

The Kitchen Appliances I Use

coffee grinder

electric kettle

French press

teapot

NutriBullet (small blender for smoothies)

crockpot (aka slow cooker)

electric whisk

The Kitchen Utensils I Use

8 x glass cups* / 8 x mugs

8 x bowls / 8 x small plates / 8 x large plates

set of eating utensils

1 x santoku knife (currently the only sharp knife I own)

1 x can opener, scissors, hand grater, veg peeler, garlic press, ice cream scoop, melon baller

3 x cutting boards

1 x wok / 3 x pans / 4 x pots

1 x turner / 2 x wooden spoons / 2 x rubber spatulas / 1 x whisk

1 x strainer

set of plastic food storage containers

set of glass measuring cups

set of plastic measuring cups and spoons

set of plastic mixing bowls

set of baking sheets (not pictured – they live in the drawer below the oven!)

spiralizer (yes, I use this often!)

1 x travel mug

2 x water bottles (different sizes)

3 x plastic cups for my friends’ kids when they visit :)

2 x dish cloths

4 x dish towels

mini oven mitts

indoor compost bin!

*my mason jars double as glass storage containers :)

Things I Live Without

a knife block (I currently only own one sharp knife)

a toaster (I don’t buy much bread, and don’t need to toast it if I do)

Things I’m Considering Buying

a ladle (still need to replace my last one)

a paring knife

a fine-mesh strainer

a large glass food storage container (for things I bake like muffins)

a food processor (or a bigger/proper blender)

As part of the slow food experiment, I thought I would also share more about the food I buy, and show you what’s inside my cupboards and fridge. Look out for that post on Wednesday!

For now, I’d love to know what your favourite item in your kitchen is and why. I’m torn between my French press and my Nutribullet. Let’s go with my Nutribullet because it makes an amazing smoothie!

Extra Reading

16 Things Your Kitchen Can Do Without – Becoming Minimalist (Guest Post)

A No-Frills Kitchen Still Cooks – The New York Times

How to Setup a Minimalist Kitchen: Part 1 + Part 2 – The Stone Soup

Things I Don’t Own – Sarah Wilson

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How a Multi-Millionaire Built His Investment Portfolio

Hey everyone! I’ve got a really cool interview for you today. I recently sat down with a good friend of mine named Mike (I did this interview with him about a year ago that was very popular on the site). He has a net worth of around $5,000,000. He’s always been very open to letting...

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The Free M$M Facebook Community is Live!

Hey everyone! I’ve got to admit; this is probably one of the most exciting things that has happened for the site so far this summer. For a while now I’ve been going back and forth about creating a private Facebook group just for M$M readers. There are a lot of groups out there right now,...

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Episode 51: The Simple Daily Habits of Millionaires with Tom Corley

My Guest on the Show…

In 2013, I was listening to the Dave Ramsey Show on the radio when he brought up an incredible book called Rich Habits by Tom Corley.

After hearing about the book, and then listening to the interview with Mr. Corley, I immediately purchased the book and finished it that evening.

The Rich Habits were so powerful in my own life that I have continued to practice those same ten habits from the thousands of millionaires Tom interviewed for his research for his book all these years later.

What are the habits of America’s wealthiest people and what are the habits of the America’s poorest people? Some of what we talk about is obvious. However, Tom shares some stories of other habits that none of us would ever even think about. My favorite… “the Hello Call”.

Tom Corley is not only an incredible guest to have on the show, but he shares habits you can start creating in your own life right now which will have a direct correlation on your income, net worth, financial security, and overall well-being.

Now, I have a few questions for you all…

What are some of your questions you would like answered on the show? Simply leave a comment at the bottom and let me know or you can contact me here and ask anonymously.

Are you enjoying the podcast? If you do, would you be willing to leave a review for the show here? The more reviews the podcast receives, the more people will learn about it!

The Money Peach Podcast is brought to you by my #1 online program for showing you how to budget, how much to save, how to manage your debt payoff, when to save for retirement, what to teach your kids about money, and how to build a legacy to last beyond your lifetime.

If you find yourself continuing to live paycheck-to-paycheck and wondering where all the money went at the end of the month, it’s time to finally make a positive change. Welcome to the class they forgot to teach you about money – Awesome Money Course.

Mentioned in this Episode

Rich Habits by Tom Corley

Change Your Life, Change Your Habits by Tom Corley

Rich Kids by Tom Corley

The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

Rich Habits Website

Episode 38: Retired at 34?!

Episode 49: Meditation with Leisa Peterson

Audible – Listen to books anywhere

Awesome Money Course

 Show Notes

How I found out about Tom Corley – cool story  [2:27]

Growing his business alongside his day job [4:47]

It takes time to build something great [7:13]

Tom’s big break and his opportunity luck [9:50]

4 types of luck [15:13]

Rich habit #1: Becoming aware [18:20]

Rich habit #2 : Goal setting [26:12]

Jim Carey writes a $2o million check (to himself) [32:24]

Rich habit #5: Relationships [34:33]

Taking action towards building relationships [39:41]

 Subscribe via iTunes

Subscribe via Stitcher

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5 Ways to Stay Disciplined With Your Money

I think all of us can agree – money in general can be really frustrating sometimes. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve talked to so many readers that are just grinding to get ahead and they still feel stuck (even if they are totally killing it). It’s super easy for “gurus” and...

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6 Odd Ways to Build a Fortune with Small Change

What are two things you walk out of the coffee shop with after you pay with cash?

Coffee and small change.

If you are like most people, that loose change will be used for future purchases at the coffee shop or local convenience store. Instead of spending your change on your next cup of coffee, you can save your money instead.

These are a few odd ways you can build a fortune with small change!

The Millionaire Janitor

Ronald Read recently made national headlines for passing away with $8 million. Many Americans leave a multi-millionaire dollar inheritance, but, how Mr. Read accumulated his wealth is quite unique. He was a janitor and gas station attendant his entire life. These are two careers that produce very few millionaires.

While we don’t know the exact steps he took to reach $8 million, we know he was a diligent saver despite having a small salary. To reach a net worth of $8 million yourself, experts estimate you need to invest $300 a month with an 8% rate of return for 65 years.

If you don’t think you can build a small fortune from spare change think again. The money can even be sitting immediately underneath your nose and you don’t even have to make any drastic spending changes, regardless of your job or income.

1. Use a Piggy Bank

Instead of placing the loose coins in the cup holder or the dollar bills in your wallet, put the money in a piggy bank, glass jar, or coffee can. When your container is full, deposit the coins in your savings account at the bank to earn interest or invest your “profits.”

By knowing you have two dollar bills in your wallet, you know that you have enough money to buy the cup of coffee that costs $1.19 after tax. When you keep the money out of sight, you remove the temptation to make those small purchases.

Why not just make change with a $10 or $20 bill instead? If you do, put any $1 bills in your piggy bank in addition to any pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters you receive. To make this task feel less legalistic, create a savings goal. Some ideas can be the extra change can be for your child’s college fund, extra loan payments and investment contributions, or paying for your entire family vacation.

If you are serious about saving your small change, keep only keep $10 and $20 bills in your wallet. That means anything $5 or less goes into your money jar.

2. Use a Micro-Saving App

This odd way is the digital version of the first suggestion. Using apps like Digit or Acorns can make recurring small withdrawals based on your spending habits. Digit puts the spare change into an interest-bearing savings account and Acorns places your money into a micro-investing account. Both apps allow you to make money while you sleep.

Acorns, for example, rounds up your purchase amount to the nearest dollar and invests the difference. If you spend $3.30, Acorns will withdraw 70-cents to invest and your bank account will show a $4 transaction. The amounts Digit and Acorns withdraw are so small that you will hardly realize the money is gone. You can also schedule one-time transfers to build your account balance too.

3. Schedule Automatic Bank Transfers

With each paycheck, schedule an automatic transfer. Just like your employer withholds your income taxes, 401(k) contributions, and insurance premiums every check, have your bank transfer at least $50 every check.

If you get paid twice a month and want to match Mr. Read’s investment goal of $300, you would schedule two transfers of $150 to a “no-touch” savings account or your investment account on the days your paycheck is deposited.

4. Pack a Lunch and Save the Difference

If you buy your lunch every day you work, you can spend $2,500 a year if lunch costs $10 a day for 50 weeks. After working 30 years, that is $75,000 in paid lunches. Instead, pack a lunch for a fraction of the cost and place the cost savings in a separate account that earns interest.

At the end of each month, tally up the number of days you packed a lunch and transfer the savings amount to the separate account. Twenty working days a month at $10 per lunch equals $200 saved a month.

You are already in the habit of spending that money each day so it shouldn’t affect your monthly budget. Save the money for a particular goal or keep it for a rainy day. And, this tactic can be used for your other daily habits, like the gas money saved by carpooling or riding your bike to work.

5. Work a Side Hustle

Instead of coming home and watching a rerun of Friends for the umpteenth time, make some extra money in your free time with a side hustle. Perhaps you have a hobby that can be monetized like woodworking, walking dogs, designing websites, or one of these 68 side hustle ideas.

You don’t have to do a side hustle permanently and it can even be a few nights a week. Use the extra cash to pay down debts or reach a particular savings goal like maxing out your Roth IRA.

6. Shop with Ebates

When you shop online with Ebates, you can get cash back at over 2,000 online stores. This is a digital version of couponing and it only takes a single mouse click to open a shopping session and save 1% to 40% on your purchase.

Quarterly, Ebates will pay you your cash rewards by mailing a “Big Fat Check” or via PayPal. Put that money into a savings account instead of your checking account to go on a mini-shopping spree.

If you are an extreme saver when shopping, you can save the difference with the other methods you use to save money at the cash register.

Summary

Anybody can build a small fortune by making a small adjustment in how they spend their money and time. While you can also build your net worth by not spending at all, it can also be possible to add an entirely new perspective on how you view spare change you receiving in your normal, everyday activities.

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4 Reasons Not to Go To Grad School

Hey everyone! Today I have a great post for you by Jen from FrugalMillennial.com. Out of all the different college questions that I get from M$M readers, “Should I go to grad school?” is definitely one of the more common ones. Millennials are in such a weird place where we’ve been told that college is the...

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