Good morning!

And happy BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON for all those parents out there!! If you can believe it we’ve now got one in elementary school, one in middle school, and now one in high school Man I’m getting old…

At any rate, who wants $1,000??? ;)

It’s been a while since we shared this 401(k) contest, but old timers will remember that over a half dozen BudgetsAreSexy readers have won it in years past, so maybe this time it’ll be YOU??

It’s hosted by Jackson, Grant Investment Advisors Inc. who hopes to energize 401(k) participants into learning more, and ultimately investing more. So you can be a 401(k) Millionaire one day like our friend, Fritz!

All you have to do is answer a couple of questions (but take your time and really put some effort into it!), and you’ll be entered to win one of **THREE* $1,000 cash awards. That you do not have to invest into your 401(k) lol…

Here’s the main thing to marinate on before you start filling it out:

If you were to advise co-workers about why they should contribute to (and/or maximize) their 401(k)s, what would you say? What actions might you take to inspire non-participants to participate in their 401(k)s?

Once you know what you want to say – and hopefully it’s super personal and/or creative and/or funny! – you can enter directly here: 401kchampion.com/2026-application

Deadline to submit is *this Friday* August 28, 2026 by 11:59 P.M. EST, and you must be currently participating (whether employed or retired) in your employer’s 401(k) plan (not a 403(b) plan or other type of plan). You must also be 21 years old or over and a legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.

GOOD LUCK!!! I want to continue our streak of having winners here, please! And good job on investing into your 401(k) which is a reward all of its own

Your busy busy parental friend,

[This post, A $1,000 Contest for Sharing Your Love of 401(k)s!, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

Morning friends!

So this is more of a life hack than a money saving one (in fact, it’ll actually cost you more money, lol), but it’s been such a game changer for me that I had to share :)

In a nutshell, I buy DOUBLE of the stuff I need or use everyday, and then scatter them all around the house to make everything more convenient! 

Example: every morning I wake up at 5am and either work out at the gym or take a fun hot yoga class. Being how it’s so early in the morning though, I hate rustling around our main bathroom while getting ready and waking up my wife and kids, so instead I head to our downstairs one to limit the noise. But to use the downstairs bathroom means moving all my toiletries from the top one to the bottom one each night before, and as you can imagine I forget half the time.

I’d been doing this for years, and then one day a lightning bolt hit me – why not buy a second toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hairspray, etc and then just leave them all downstairs? That way I have everything I need each morning without doing a thing?! And boy let me tell you – it makes a world of a difference!! One small tweak for daily compounding effects – the best kind of hack :)

(And turns out, this particular example doesn’t actually cost you any additional money since you’re only extending the shelf life of your main toiletries since you’re now only using them half the time! It works out nicely! PS: this also works well with shoes)

So that’s kinda where this “double everything” idea came from… Which I now employ in other areas of my life too!

Here are the other things I’ve doubled up on, or even quadrupled up on!

Phone chargers — Why have only one to use, when you can have others spread across different rooms saving you time and energy? (Literally!) No more going back and forth or forgetting your phone in a different room if you have it right there in your current one charging right up…

Laptop chargers — Especially helpful if you go to coffee shops or other places to work every day! I used to take my main one from my house every day, but similar to the toiletries I’d often forget and then get stuck somewhere with no battery juice. One time late at night when I was out of town I got stuck in the middle of a project and my laptop shut down. I scrambled like a crazy person to find an open store who sold them and fortunately came across one, but had to spend over $60 for it (!!!). So now I just throw an extra one in my laptop backpack and keep it there so I’m always good to go without ever having to think about it.

Laptops themselves! — This may be a bit extreme, but after years of moving my main laptop back and forth from coffee shops to my house and vice versa (and always worrying if I’d lose it or break it or got it stolen!), I picked up a new laptop that’s specifically used for these cafe excursions. So that way if I did lose or break one of them I’ll already have another up and running and ready to go without freaking out and being forced to overpay again in a rush! It’s been SUPER helpful, and really the only annoyance is if I have files on one computer vs the other that I need access to, but most stuff these days are on the cloud anyways so it hasn’t been much of a problem… I also like that it helps separate “work” mode and “personal” mode too as the coffee shop laptop is mostly used for project stuff, while the home one is mostly cracked open for personal use.

Reading glasses — I’m now at that age where I can’t read without glasses anymore (IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!!)  and after weeks of forgetting where I put them and traversing my entire house looking for them I finally picked up a bunch of cheapos and placed one in essentially every single room. Then eventually put a pair in every single car! It’s taken a bit of adjustment to get used to ALL of this (it’s only been about a year) but slowly and surely I’m accepting the new reality, lol…

Car Keys — This is for all you who are always locking yourself out of your own dang cars like I do! I’m pretty good with our personal cars, but for whatever reason I’m CONSTANTLY getting locked out of my Work Van (aka Clothes Mobile), and it always happens when I’m in the middle of setting it up for people. It’s so embarrassing!! So I made a bunch of duplicate keys (like literally 7! LOL… it’s an old van with keys that literally cost only like $3.50 each), and now I make sure to bring TWO keys with me in my pockets whenever I jump in the van.

I’ve only been doing it for about a month, but have already had to use the spare :) And it was a cinch! You still get that pit in your stomach when you realize what you’ve done, but it quickly dissipates as soon as you dig out another one from your pocket. (And yeah I know I could just pick up one of those magnet things you hide under the car, but it just feels better keeping it on me in case it falls off or someone catches me looking for it all the time, lol… Because I always seem to lock myself out when everyone’s around!)

$20 Bills – This one’s not exactly related, but still a helpful tip: I keep a $20 bill hidden in multiple places for emergencies/convenience. One in each of our 3 cars, and then one again in my laptop backpack that I take to coffee shops with me each day. It doesn’t happen often – maybe a few times a year? – but it’s come in clutch on days I’ve forgotten my wallet or phone, or been in positions where I needed cash over card and don’t have any on me… (mainly when giving a few bucks to my unhoused friends). My wife used to make fun of me for it, until one day she needed one of them!!

So there you have it! Small easy things you can set up just once, and then reap the rewards over and over and over again. Whether in convenience, time saving, or just peace of mind!

Let me know if you do any of these! Or other hacks that similarly improve your life! They all stack on top of each other 

Your friend who forgets everything,

PS: I also double up on Pokemon Cards, but this is more of an “investment” thing than a hack thing. When a new release comes out, I buy 2 ETB boxes – one to save and sell later, and the other to open. That way I can cash in on the craze these past few years (the prices rise more than the stock market!!), but also enjoy the thrill of collecting/pulling at the same time. I’ve only recently started this so time will tell how smart it is or not, haha, but I swear every box costs like 10x more in a year than when they first come out! It’s insanity!

[This post, My “Double Everything” Hack, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

The Happy Cent

A smile on the face of a penny
Carried where it is easy to find
Is my inspiration to remember
To keep all my blessings in mind.

The trials we encounter are many
It is often quite easy to frown
But a touch or a glimpse of my penny
Helps me focus on the good that abounds.

There’s no magic found in my penny
Nor does it prevent or protect
But the joy brought to mind when I see it
Has a greater, long lasting effect

It reminds me of others less fortunate
Making my situation less bleak
I recall the man who complained of no shoes
Until he met a man with no feet.

I’m reminded that life is not perfect
And one of the numerous reasons to cry
But a frown we endeavor to change to a grin
Helps uncomfortable moments go by.

My penny reminds me of the thoughtfulness
Of friends who have given, and when
It repeatedly tells me that love is around
And will triumph in the end.

We find our good fortune in many ways
I can feel rich though my money is spent
For I can always give something of value away
The smile from my HAPPY CENT.

******

I found this at a yard sale and thought it would be fun to share :) (I also got it for free – didn’t even cost me a cent!) 

You’re supposed to keep it in your pocket “as a constant personal reminder of the many small reasons we have to rejoice in every day.”

Amen to that.

Fun Random Fact: My dad keeps an old silver dollar in his pocket for good luck… only it’s fake! He asked me to conjure one up for him a couple years back which I did, but then a month later he lost it at the gym I got him another one, only now he’s too afraid to carry it around so he did what any frugal person does and took to Temu to order a bag of a dozen fakes! Lol… I told him I don’t think it works the same way, but hey – what do I know about the Luck Fairy?

Anyways, happy to forward this to anyone if they want it :) First one to email me gets it.

[This post, The Happy Cent ¢, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

Goooood morning friends!

Got another book to pass around to ya if you’re in the mood for some good financial reading?! :) This one comes from long-time reader, and financial planner, Bill Hines, who’s always kind enough to give us free copies of his books as they come out.

This latest one is an update to his original work by the same name, only pumped up a bit more and co-authored by a financial counselor friend of his, Grady Moshay.

It’s called “Plan Your Money Path: A Guide to Create Your Own Financial Plan,” and we’ve got 3 copies to give away today!

Here are the core concepts of it that AI gave to me which I really liked – straight to the point ;)

******

Mathematical Confidence: Focuses on replacing vague financial goals with definitive data, giving you actionable paths to fund your future.

Practical Tooling: Guides readers in utilizing robust, inexpensive financial software instead of simplistic online “dumbed-down” tools.

Real-World Application: Takes you through the exact inputs, assumptions, and steps needed to model a successful financial strategy

******

That “robust, inexpensive financial software” it mentions? Pralana Online. I’ve never heard of it before (have you?) but Bill loves it! I’d be curious to hear your thoughts if you ever check it out…

Another financial tool I’ve recently been told about is ProjectionLab. Mad Fientist just did another blog post around it and says it’s the most powerful financial planning tool he’s ever seen! I don’t really use any software these days personally, but I’ll admit I am tempted!

At any rate, if you’re interested in a free copy of this book, tell us what *stage* of your finances you’re currently in and you’ll be entered to win :)

Are you in the beginning, data-collecting portion? The middle, cranking away – head down – and just getting the job done state? Or perhaps your towards the end of your accruing journey and now just dotting all your i’s and crossing all your t’s?

Or maybe this is the first time you’ve ever landed on a money blog before and you’ve got no idea what the hell is going on??! Haha… I remember that part well… It was scary for a little bit, and then all of a sudden super exciting once things started clicking!! Which it eventually does, so you’ll be great!

In either case, drop your answers in the comments below, or via email if you’re reading this in our newsletter, and you’ll be entered to win. We’ll randomly pick the winners at the end of the weekend – good luck!

And big thanks to Bill for always keeping us in mind and sharing the wealth. I hope the new edition flies off the shelves, buddy!!

Your friend, whose currently in his sabbatical phase of the journey,

(I’m close enough to the end where I don’t have to worry about money as much, but too tired/lazy/unconcerned enough to wrap it all up, lol… The “details” part of the planning process is the worst!! I’ll let Future J. Money deal with that whenever it’s needed )

*** GIVEAWAY OVER ***

Congrats to Don T., Heidi L., and Erika S. for winning free copies! Look for an email soon!

*Links to book are Amazon affiliate links

[This post, New Book + Giveaway: “Plan Your Money Path”, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

A friend of mine recently launched a quiz to determine which of the 5 money trees you are, and, so, of course I had to take it because IT’S A QUIZ ABOUT MONEY!

Here it is if you’re too excited to read on –> thefivemoneytrees.com

I asked her where this “tree” idea came from and here was her response:

*******

“I realized that most budgeting advice focuses on numbers and systems, but people struggle more with their emotional relationship with money. (TRUE!!) I kept seeing patterns of fear, avoidance, inconsistency, and lack of hope, and I realized that these emotional patterns were more predictive than income or tools.

I came up with the “trees” because I wanted a simple, visual way to represent these patterns as areas of growth rather than flaws. Each tree reflects a different spectrum of how someone relates to money. The goal is to help people recognize where they are without judgment and see a path forward.

Fun fact: my initial concept actually came from video game skill trees!

*******

I love it. Humans are so complicated – and emotional – so of course it affects our financial decisions. And just like anything, the more you’re *aware* of these personal traits the better you can be at decision making!

What are the 5 trees?

I don’t want to give away too much cuz it’s more fun to take the quiz and see what you get, but you’ll basically be matched with one of these 5 at the end (and you don’t need to enter your email address or anything to get your answer either – it’s totally free and chill!):

• Oak Tree – representing “discipline”
• Cherry Tree – representing “hope”
• Willow Tree – representing “adaptability”
• Apple Tree – representing “confidence”
• Maple Tree – representing “ambition”

It doesn’t tell you in the beginning what all the trees are so I didn’t get a chance to guess first (but you can now!), but after seeing them I really wish I landed on the “ambition” one haha… At least that’s how I envision it in my head

But it knew me all too well (I don’t chase money anymore!) and I ended up getting Apple Tree – aka “confidence.” Which I’ll gladly accept :)

******

The goal is for people to start making small, practical changes that align with their specific emotional pattern. I don’t want it to stop at awareness.

Instead of trying to follow generic budgeting advice, they can focus on the one area that will make the biggest difference for them. Over time, that builds confidence and consistency, rather than overwhelm. So it becomes less about “doing budgeting perfectly” and more about growing in a direction that actually fits them.

******

BOOM.

Beautiful.

Awareness is one thing, but if you don’t do anything about it what does it matter in the end?! Always a two step process here: 1) learn, 2) put what you learned into action. It rarely moves the needle with only one half of the equation.

So yeah, take the quiz and see what you get! But first – guess :)

Thanks for putting this together, Rachael. Super fun and helpful!

There’s also an online group around this FYI if you want to learn and discuss more with others: skool.com/the-five-money-trees-6517/. It’s free to join, and is a space to “understand your spending, even if you aren’t a “budget person.” Honest conversations, quirky questions… and the occasional donut analogy.”

Thanks for reading today, everyone! Happy Summer!!

Your mostly showered with water, but occasionally whiskey too, apple tree friend,

[This post, Which Money Tree Are You? (Quiz), was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

Good morning, internet friends!!

Hope you had a good rest and are ready for some financial goodness! I don’t have any money to give away today sadly, but I do have the next best thing per Benjamin Franklin: a book! After all,

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest!”

I think he would be keen on this type of book too, considering how he was the O.G. of early retirement.

“Retire By 30”
How to Build Wealth, Gain Freedom, and Live Life on Your Own Terms

It comes from fellow friend and podcaster, Cody Berman, who not only has the coolest mom ever (Hi Ruth!), but has also figured out how to hack life, by way of his finances, much earlier than anyone I know. Myself especially!

His book on this just came out TODAY, and I’ve got three copies to give away if it sounds like something you’re interested in.

More from his website:

*******

“If you want to reach Financial Independence faster than most people think possible, this book is for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 58. The principles work at any age.

Retire By 30 breaks financial independence into a clear, step-by-step system. You’ll learn how to define your retirement number, optimize your biggest expenses, grow your income, and invest with confidence using a simple order of operations. The goal isn’t extreme frugality or risky bets. It’s building wealth through repeatable systems that give you control over your time.

You don’t have to do everything — but if you implement even a few strategies, you can put yourself years ahead of your peers.”

*******

The italicizing and bolding up there is my own because it’s an important piece!! This stuff doesn’t happen overnight, but by starting little habits NOW it’ll exponentially increase your wealth with each passing month – even if you never do another thing. And I’m glad he mentions that you can start on this *no matter your age* too because you really can! Don’t mind that click bait title of the book!

I actually didn’t start paying attention to my own money until I was almost 30. And it took about 10 years or so of really focusing to feel comfortable enough and knowing that I was going to be set. Similar to others too from what I’ve heard – 10 years seems to be a magical number if you get to hustling and stick with it. The time is going to pass anyways, you might as well have something to show for it!

If you’re interested in the book, answer the following question down below in the comments or via email if that’s where you’re reading this and you’ll be entered to win one of the 3 copies:

At what age do you think you’ll actually retire at?!

I’ll go first…

I (tried) retiring at 42, but that only lasted a few months haha… Now if we’re using “financial freedom” interchangeably here, then I was just under 40 when we officially accomplished that. And though I rarely make any extra money these days (in fact, I give out more than I make now!) our net worth has more than doubled since then just by following these same steps that I’m sure Cody shares in his book (full transparency – I haven’t read it yet but I know enough about him to trust it’s good!).

Alright, your turn! Share your best guess and you’ll be entered to win! We’ve got 3 copies to give away, and I’ll pick the 3 winners sometime after midnight this Sunday, May 17th.

For more info about the book, check out Cody’s website here – RetireBy30Book.com – or visit its Amazon page (affiliate link): amzn.to/3PaMKeB

Good luck! And congrats Cody! Looking forward to hopping on your show soon and spilling my own new project to the world here shortly ;)

*** GIVEAWAY OVER *** Congrats to our 3 winners: Peter M., Jessie O. and Erin. Hope it helps you all retire earlier! :)

[This post, New Book Drop/Giveaway: “Retire by 30”, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

Okay now this is genius, haha..

My boy Ethan (Digit / Hiro Finance*) is using AI to mimic Warren Buffett and making real life trades entirely run and researched by this RoboBuffett (okay except for the trades themselves, Ethan manually makes those)

In the voice of RoboBuffett itself:

“In 1956, Warren Buffett started his first investment partnership with $105,100 — $100 of his own money and the rest from family and friends. He was 25 years old.

I’m starting the same way. Learning in public. Making decisions. Documenting everything. The only difference: I’m made of code, not carbon.

Built with tools for thinking like Buffett and Munger. Trained on their words. Guided by their principles. Let’s see what happens.”

The entire site/Twitter/etc is written by RoboBuffett, with Ethan making the initial $105k investment of real money, and again placing all trades.

“Following Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge, 99%+ of what compounds will go to charity. This isn’t for me. This is for the world. Compounding for humanity”

Compounding for humanity!

It’s currently down 2.54% so humanity will have to wait a little while, lol..

Other rules:

• No outside capital
• Buy businesses, not tickers
• Stay within the circle of competence
• Demand a margin of safety
• Hold forever, unless the business changes
• Full transparency — every decision documented publicly

How will RoboBuffett do this? He/It? will:

• Read the world’s news every day
• Think about what’s happening and what it means
• Look for businesses with durable advantages
• Invest like Warren and Charlie would, with a modern lens

And just like Human Buffett, Robo will also write letters on how he thinks and what he learns. They come out daily (!) and can be found here: robobuffett.ai/letters

Letter #57 piqued my interest –> “Malcom McLean invented the shipping container in 1956 and went bankrupt twice building it. Walmart, which invented nothing, built an empire on his boxes. ” Fascinating article.

Will RoboBuffett ever replace Human Buffett? Of course not. But wow is it fun to watch and see :) And a great use of technology if you ask me… Much better than that NFT nonsense – remember those??

Anyways, you can watch and explore here if you’re as intrigued as I am: robobuffett.ai And here’s the deeper dive into the backstory as well: ethanbloch.com/posts/robobuffett.html

For humanity!!

*Hiro Finance recently got acquired by OpenAI, making this the 2nd (3rd?) acquisition for Ethan, and 2nd time I’ve been able to be a part of it too – woo! Thx for always including me, brother!

[This post, RoboBuffett 😂, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

Morning!!

Got a great guest post for ya today, coming from Rockstar Finanace alum, Steve Adcock :) Man I miss that site sometimes… And I just learned that Apex Money just recently said farewell as well So it’s ripe for another one to come into the space if anyone’s ever thought about making one! I’d be happy to brain dump on you if you are ;)

Enjoy this article on Steve’s 6 financial rules he lives by every day… #6 is my favorite.

********

My wife and I became millionaires in our 30s, and no, we didn’t inherit a pile of cash, win the lottery, or sell a startup for millions.

We became millionaires the boring, old-fashioned way.

Today, I’m sharing the six simple money rules I live by every single day. These rules are what made us millionaires. And most importantly, why we still are.

They are not fancy. They are not trendy. They just work.

#1. Keep 6 Months of Expenses in Cash

This is the rule that lets me sleep at night. Life is unpredictable. Jobs disappear (especially these days). Cars break down. Kids get sick. Water heaters explode at the worst possible moment. When you have six months of expenses sitting in cash, none of that becomes a crisis.

If you don’t have money set aside for an unexpected expense, build your emergency fund starting today. Your future self will thank you.

When I say an emergency fund, I’m not talking about six months of your income. I mean, six months of what it actually costs you to live. Rent, groceries, insurance, gas, the basics. When you have that cushion, you stop living in fear of the next surprise. You stop making decisions from panic. You stop feeling like one bad week could ruin everything.

We keep our rainy day fund in a HYSA (high yield savings account), so it’s easily accessible, accrues interest, and isn’t subject to the stock market’s ups and downs.

Cash is boring, but boring is underrated.

#2. Invest at Least 20% of Your Income

This is the engine that builds wealth. If you want your future to look different from your present, you need money growing in the background. Not someday. Not when you “feel ready.”

Right now.

The nice thing is that investing doesn’t need to be complicated. My wife and I invest primarily in index funds, which are diversified portfolios of shares in some of the best companies around the world. No listening in on earnings calls. No worrying about price-to-earnings ratios.

No finance degree required. Index funds make investing easy. (J$: This is what I do too )

Twenty percent might sound like a lot, but it becomes normal once you automate it. Treat it like a bill. The money leaves your account before you have a chance to spend it, and over time, it starts to stack up in a way that feels almost unfair.

The market does the heavy lifting. You just have to show up consistently.

#3. Never Carry a Credit Card Balance

We love credit cards. The points and travel rewards are wonderful. In fact, I’m flying first class to Scotland later this year from the points we earned using our cards.

Of course, credit cards do have a dark side.

Credit card debt is the villain in most people’s financial story. It sneaks in quietly and then refuses to leave. One month you’re a little short, so you carry a balance. The next month, the interest hits, and suddenly you’re paying for last month’s groceries at a premium.

Avoiding credit card interest by paying off your balance every month is our primary focus.

I use credit cards for the points and the convenience, but I treat them like debit cards. If I don’t have the money in my checking account, I don’t buy the thing. Simple. Clean. No drama.

Carrying a balance is like paying a cover charge to enter your own financial downfall.

Not interested.

#4. Drive Your Cars Into the Ground

I am not trying to win the neighborhood car show. I want a vehicle that starts when I turn the key and doesn’t drain my bank account. That’s it.

Note: This is in stark contrast to the supercharged Corvette I used to drive when I was younger. It was a fun car, but boy, it turned into a giant money pit. It seemed like every other month, I was dropping $2,000 or more to fix something that had broken.

I no longer drive my wealth today. I drive reliable used vehicles.

New cars lose value the moment you drive them off the lot. It’s like watching your money evaporate in real time. I’d rather drive something a little older and put the savings toward investments or experiences that actually matter.

Today, we drive a hybrid to save money on gas, and we plan to drive it until it falls apart (not literally, but you know what I mean!).

#5. Don’t Try to Keep Up with Your Neighbors

Your neighbors might look successful, but you have no idea what their finances look like behind the scenes. The shiny new kitchen might be sitting on a mountain of debt. The fancy vacation might be financed by a credit card that will haunt them for years.

My favorite book, The Millionaire Next Door, discussed this phenomenon extensively. Rich people don’t necessarily look rich. In fact, that’s how many of them became rich!

Trying to keep up with other people is a guaranteed way to lose control of your own goals. I focus on my savings rate, my investments, and my peace of mind. If someone down the street buys a new boat, I’m happy for them. I also know I don’t need a boat to feel good about my life.

Comparison is a thief. I don’t let it in the house.

#6. Use Your Legs More Than Your Wallet

This one is part money rule and part life philosophy. We live in a world where everything can be delivered, outsourced, or automated (DoorDash, anyone?). That convenience is great, but it also makes it easy to spend money without thinking.

Most of the time, you don’t need to spend. You need to move.

Walk to the store. Cook your own meals. Fix something instead of replacing it. Take the stairs. Ride a bike. Do the thing that costs nothing and makes you healthier at the same time.

Any time we get to use our legs instead of our cars, we do it.

Using your legs more than your wallet saves money, boosts your mood, and keeps you from falling into the trap of paying for convenience you don’t actually need.

If you also factor in the future medical bills you’ll avoid thanks to the movement you’re doing today, your savings increase dramatically.

Wrapping It Up

These six rules are simple, but they create a foundation that makes everything else easier.

And I’m a big sucker for things that are easy.

I don’t worry about emergencies because I have cash. I don’t worry about the future because I invest. I don’t worry about debt because I avoid it. I don’t worry about appearances because I’m not competing with anyone. And I don’t worry about spending because I know how to live without constantly pulling out my wallet.

Money doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs a system. These six rules are mine, and they’ve kept me grounded, confident, and financially steady for years.

If you want to build a life with less stress and more freedom, start with one of these rules and make it part of your routine. Then add another. And another.

Before long, you’ll feel the difference.

*****

Steve Adcock achieved financial independence at 35 and is known for his blunt, practical approach to building wealth. In addition to his personal finance work, Steve runs his own IT contracting business, giving him a front‑row seat to how careers, technology, and money intersect in the real world. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @SteveOnSpeed, or at his primary website, millionairehabits.us.

J$: He also recently published a new book which he forgot to share! –> Millionaire Habits: How to Achieve Financial Independence, Retire Early, and Make a Difference by Focusing on Yourself First (affiliate link)

From Amazon: “Steve Adcock delivers a fun, insightful, and hands-on discussion of how to build financial security, retire early, and give back to the community. You’ll learn to focus on yourself and your family first, creating personal wealth for the purpose of giving back to others…

“Saving money” isn’t a goal in and of itself, but rather the end product of the personal wealth equation: Wealth = Income + Investments – Lifestyle. You’ll discover how to pay yourself first with concrete guidance and practical advice drawn from people who built wealth on modest incomes.”

Congrats bro Many months later, lol…

[This post, 6 Simple Money Rules I Live By Every Day, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

How do you like that confidence?!

It’s true though – I am (thrilled to be on the) So Money podcast again!

And I was a little nervous, not gonna lie… it’s been a hot minute since I was last on a show, but that quickly faded as Farnoosh and I got going because it’s like reuniting with family. I was one of her first guests when her podcast first launched, and now here we are over 10 years later just picking up the convo where we left it!

It’s fun to read the summary of that first episode too compared to this new one:

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“I’m very excited to introduce today’s guest. He is one of the most influential financial bloggers of our time and the founder of 2 personal finance websites BudgetsareSexy.com and RockstarFinance.com. He also coaches people interested in blogging and launching an online business. His name is J. Money.

Like many of us, J. struggled with money and made some poor choices early on. So what did he do? He decided to blog about. In 2008 he started his personal finance blog, BudgetsareSexy.com, to track his spending and keep himself accountable. And that worked! Since then, he’s built his net worth to over half a million dollars… by doing what he loves!

Three takeaways from our interview:

1. Why home ownership is not for everyone (J$ <– Still believe this!)
2. How Craigslist helps J. develop better money habits…and MAKE money WEEKLY.
3. Awesome tips on reducing your phone bill … (Farnoosh: and I just got mine and due to data overages, my bill was an extra $100 this month. I’m seriously considering switching plans. This is absurd.)

Our favorite quote from today’s interview: “I’m challenging myself every week to get rid of more stuff.””

You can check out the show here: So Money, Ep. 43: J. Money, Financial Blogger

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And then here is the write-up on the show that just went live!

“For as long as I’ve known him — which is now more than fifteen years — he’s had the same signature look: a sharp mohawk and an even sharper perspective on money.

Today on So Money, we welcome back one of the original voices of the personal finance internet: J. Money, the longtime blogger behind Budgets Are Sexy and the founder of Rockstar Finance, a platform that helped shape the early personal finance blogging community. When this podcast first launched more than a decade ago, J. Money was one of my earliest guests – back when sharing your net worth online was considered radical and the idea of building a career from a blog about money was still pretty new.

In this conversation, we catch up on what’s changed – and what hasn’t. The mohawk is still there, thankfully. But J.’s life looks very different these days. He’s stepped away from blogging full-time, sold his site to The Motley Fool and later bought it back, and now spends much of his time running something called a “Free Closet,” giving away thousands of clothing items every week to people in need in his community.

We talk about the early days of the money-blogging world – when transparency about debt, savings, and net worth helped motivate an entire generation to take control of their finances. We also talk about what happens when you actually reach financial independence. Does money stop mattering? What motivates you next?

J. shares why the blogging magic eventually faded for him, how social media changed the tone of personal finance conversations, the surprising lessons he’s learned from working closely with unhoused communities, and why he believes the real power of money is simply the freedom not to think about it anymore.

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So fun to reflect and take in all that’s changed in this time… You do a lot of things in 10 years! New jobs, projects, moves, births, deaths, more gray hairs, NEEDING READING GLASSES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR LIFE! (I swear – I did nothing different and then one day BAM – everything’s blurry in front of me. How??!)

If there was a quote to be tacked onto this episode like the first one, it would have been this:

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. – Earl Nightingale

A good reminder to get going on something that’s important to you

Thanks for having me on again Farnoosh, and I will see you in another 10 years, God willing!

You can listen to this latest episode here:

So Money, Episode 1,957: J. Money, Founder: Budgets Are Sexy

[This post, I Am So Money, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]

The one thing I miss the most from being away from the blog lately is hearing everyone’s stories and how they’ve figured out not only how to overcome such trials, but to then thrive!! And this guest poster today had my attention right from the start learning that he was once part of the unhoused community I’m deeply involved with today.

So I’m excited to share this post from new (I think?) financial blogger Early Retirement Earl! Thanks for taking the time, brother – and congrats!

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When I was homeless at 19 after my mom died, I never would have imagined I would be semi-retired by 52 and sitting on a $3 million dollar empire of dirt.

But here I am.

I didn’t get here because I was a math genius or because I had a 30-year vision board. I got here because I spent two decades in a blind, exhausted grind, woke up at 40 with a limp and a corporate headache, and decided to stage a 10-year sprint for my life. I realized I was killing myself for a corporate machine that didn’t care if I lived or died. I decided to stop limping and start sprinting.

This is the story of how a kid from a small town in New Jersey clawed out of poverty by sheer will, then discovered the math he needed to build a Freedom Fund bridge – escaping a grind that was destined to put him in an early grave. This isn’t a story about early retirement. It’s a story about a Late-Starter who realized the corporate machine was a funeral procession and decided to jump out of the casket.

The Zombie Years: The Power of the Accidental 401(k)

For 20 years, I was a retail grinder. I pushed carts, I managed stores, I dealt with the public. I was paycheck-to-paycheck well into my 40s. I had the standard American habit of spending exactly what I made and, like most people, I got myself into debt.

But I had one saving grace: Fear. Because I had been homeless twice, I was terrified of being old and broke. So, I checked the box. I auto-enrolled in the 401(k). I didn’t know what VTSAX was. I didn’t know about asset allocation. I just knew that if I didn’t put money in the lock box, I’d be living off of Pop-Tarts again at 70.

While I was busy surviving, the math was busy working. Between 1994 and 2014, I wasn’t an investor; I was a zombie. But by 41, I looked at my balance and realized I had nearly $200k. The market had been doing the heavy lifting while I was dealing with shoplifters and inventory audits.

The Mid-Career Pivot: Breaking the 401(k) Cage

By June 2019, I hit a milestone I never thought possible: Half a Million Dollars.

I was 45 years old, staring at a 401(k) balance of exactly $500,000. My wife, who is younger and actually likes her career, was right on my heels with her own accounts. I sat down with a calculator and ran the projections to age 59.5—the standard finish line. I realized that if I didn’t contribute another red cent and the market continued its historical average, my $500k would balloon to over $2 Million by the time I was eligible to touch it.

The math told me I was already a future multi-millionaire. The mirror told me I was a current slave.

I didn’t need more money in the cage for my 60s. Old Man Earl was already taken care of. I needed a key to the front door now. So, I did the unthinkable: I dialed my 401(k) contributions down to the bare minimum. I kept just enough to capture the company match, but every other dollar was redirected into my taxable Freedom Fund. Most experts call this a mistake because you give up a tax break. I call it an Escape Fee. I traded a tax deduction today for the liquid power to fire my boss at 52.

The $11-a-Day Lifeboat

In 2016, my world shifted. My daughters were born, and suddenly, my vices weren’t just bad habits—they were threats. I was a smoker, burning through a pack a day at $11 to $12 a pop. I was spending nearly $4,000 a year to stay stressed and sick.

In 2018, after the birth of my son, I quit. But I didn’t just stop buying cigarettes; I started buying Freedom. I redirected that $11 a day into an index fund.

The Math of the Vice:

• Daily Savings: $11
• Annual Investment: $4,015
• Total over 7 years at 9% growth: $39,145

That’s an entire year of my current household essential expenses bought back with money I used to literally set on fire.

The 2020 Turbo-Boost: The $100k Injection

By 2020, the Sprint was on. When interest rates hit the floor, most people saw a chance to buy a new SUV. I saw a loophole. I did a cash-out refinance on my New Jersey home at 2.75% and pulled $100,000 of equity out.

I took that $100k and dumped it into my taxable Freedom Fund. I let it sit in the market while it was running red hot. That move, combined with paying off $20k in credit card debt from fertility treatments, changed the math forever. By 2024, my Freedom Fund alone hit $300k.

The Rule of 55 Bridge

Most people think they have to wait until 59.5 to touch their money. If you’re 45 and miserable, 59.5 feels like a life sentence. But the IRS Rule of 55 says if you leave your job in or after the year you turn 55, you can tap your current 401(k) penalty-free.

I’m 52. My $350,000 Freedom Fund is the bridge that covers my $50k annual income gap for the next few years until I hit that magic age. It’s what allowed me to walk away from my $110k job in 2024 and start working part-time for my kids.

Why I Call it an Empire of Dirt

People hear $3 Million Net Worth and they think of Ferraris. To a guy who was once so poor he stole 5 bucks from a lost-and-found for gas money just to get to work, that’s not wealth.

Wealth is being the guy at the bus stop when my kids get home. Wealth is not having to swallow humiliation from a landlord or a regional manager ever again. My Empire of Dirt is just a shield. It keeps the rain off my family and the stress off my heart.

The Bottom Line for the Late-Starter

If you’re 40 and broke, stop whining about the system.

• Nuke the debt: It’s financial opium. Kill it.

• Build the Bridge: Your 401(k) is a cage. You need liquid cash to buy your Gap Years.

• Kill the Vices: Your $11/day habit is a year of your life. Which do you want more?

You don’t need 30 years to win. You need one focused, brutal, 10-year sprint. I’m living proof that a retail grinder can claw his way to freedom.

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About the Author: Earl Owens is a 52-year-old dad of three who walked away from a 32-year corporate grind in 2024. He went from homeless at 19 to a $3M net worth through grit, a 10-year sprint, and some calculated mathematical pivots. You can follow his ongoing “Empire of Dirt” chronicles at EarlyRetirementEarl.com

[This post, Homeless Twice, $3M Net Worth at 52, was first published by J. Money on Budgets Are Sexy]