Category: Finance
-
Is Costco Gas Really Worth It? A Data-Driven Look at Savings vs. Time
I love a good experiment, especially when it comes to optimizing my everyday life. Recently, I set out to answer a question I’ve had for a while: is Costco gas really worth it compared to just filling up at the gas station on my way to work? I tracked my gas fill-ups, time, and costs…
-
5 Years to Retirement: My Plan, My Why, and a Lot of Dogs
I work in a male-dominated field—engineering and manufacturing. It’s not always glamorous, and it hasn’t always been kind. But I’ve been doing it for 15 years. Back in college, I worked at a boba smoothie joint. Every rude customer reminded me why I was working so hard to finish my degree: so I wouldn’t have…
-
Consumerism and Keeping up with the Joneses
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…
-
75 Medium Reflection: Round 2 of 75 Hard (My Way)
I just wrapped up my second round of 75 Hard—well, my 75 Medium version of it. I gave myself more grace this time, but I still stayed committed and learned a lot along the way. My Modified Rules: Spoiler: I mostly read. Meditation is still a challenge for me. What I Hoped to Accomplish When…
-
My Practice Monday of Retirement
Okay, so I’m a little obsessed with early retirement right now. Like deep dive into Reddit forums, spreadsheet budgeting, FIRE podcasts obsessed. The dream feels within reach: we’re about five years away from paying off our house, and once that’s done, my husband and I should be able to comfortably live on one income until…
-
How We Manage Our Subscriptions (Without Letting Them Sneak Up on Us)
You ever check your credit card statement and realize you’ve been charged for a subscription you completely forgot about? Yeah… same. Subscriptions are sneaky. And if you’re not actively managing them, they’ll quietly pile up and start draining your monthly budget. The average U.S. household spends $220 a month on subscriptions. Our total right now?…
Optimize with Jacqueline 