Optimize with Jacqueline

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I love learning about personal finance. Every book I read teaches me something new. I’m a book person through and through—podcasts are fine for quick takeaways or buzzwords, but books are where the real substance lives.

One book that really hit home for me was Your Money or Your Life. It peeled back the curtain on how deeply consumerism has taken hold of our culture. Did you know that before the explosion of the so-called “American Dream” and the rise of modern consumerism (thanks, Amazon), people used to actually relax during their time off? Eating at home was normal, maybe a road trip to visit family was your big vacation, and a night out at the local diner was a treat—not a weekly routine.

Now? We spend more when we’re not working than when we are. That realization made me mad.

I’ve been traveling my whole life—spoiled by amazing grandparents who took us to Paris and Germany at 10 and 13, road trips to Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore and countless visits to Mexico, Hawaii, and Canada. I’ve lived in Europe for over a year, traveled South America for months, and even worked in Asia. I thought I was just living life to the fullest. But when I zoom out and look at it all through the lens of capitalism, I see how deeply I’ve bought into consumer culture.

The idea that travel is a must—that tasting every cuisine, wearing the perfect vacation outfits, and posting beachside cocktails is a measure of success—that was sold to us. It was a scheme. A system to get us to consume more, so the rich could get richer.

And damn… I felt stupid. At 37, I realized I’ve been a pawn. We all are. Trapped in the endless cycle of “keeping up with the Joneses.”

So now? F**k the Joneses.

My next vacation is a road trip to visit friends. I don’t care what car I drive. I don’t care what I wear. I care about retiring in five years. I care about pouring my energy into things that matter. That doesn’t mean I’ll never travel again—but when I do, it’ll be on my terms. No souvenir T-shirts. No sugary cocktails for Instagram. No pointless spending just to “experience” something.

Another gem I picked up recently was from Rich Dad Poor Dad. Did you know that the interest your money earns doesn’t get hit with Social Security, Medicare, or California short-term disability taxes? Meanwhile, your W-2 paycheck gets carved up like a turkey. I do my own taxes—I should have known! But it lit a fire in me. It’s time to make my money work for me, not just sit in a 401(k) waiting for 59½ to roll around.

So I’m building alternate income streams. High-yield savings accounts. CDs. Anything that lets me grow wealth without extra taxes dragging me down. Traditional retirement accounts are great—but I want out before retirement age. I want freedom now.

And you know what? Getting creative and living like you’re broke can actually be fun. I’m obsessed with baking bread right now. I’m learning to grow a sourdough starter and tweak my technique. Flour, water, salt, and olive oil cost next to nothing—and the homemade loaves taste a million times better than store-bought. I wish we could keep chickens where we live. Back to basics. That’s the vibe.

In the end, this journey isn’t just about money. It’s about clarity. It’s about saying no to what doesn’t matter and hell yes to what does. My priorities are set. My goals are locked in. And the Joneses? They can’t have my money.