You pull into your driveway, turn off the car, and lower your head onto the steering wheel. You dread getting out of the car. At least on the way home, you could zone out and listen to music. Walking up your driveway and seeing the shutters that need to be… Read More

You wonder why you even bother building a budget. Because every month—without fail—something breaks or the electric bill runs high or a forgotten bill comes in the mail. You’d almost find it funny if it wasn’t so frustrating. Besides all the surprise expenses, simply living keeps getting… Read More

On my 13th birthday, I saved up enough money to buy myself a treasure I always wanted: a (microscopic) diamond ring. The day I bought my ring, I woke up early, carefully applied blue eye shadow to match my baby blue dress, and showered myself in my mother’s perfume. Read More

Notice: Your Account Has Been Overdrawn. When you opened your email, these were the words you were dreading you’d see. And there they are, right in front of you. Your chest tightening, you will yourself to open the email and assess the overdraw fee. It’s staggering. You… Read More

You remember the days when things were simpler. And cheaper. When you were a kid, you were content to play with a hula-hoop and silly putty. Now kids can’t seem to live without expensive video games, iPads, and smartphones. You used to be able to go grocery shopping without… Read More

Christmas used to feel magical. You remember the thrill of waking up on Christmas morning as a kid. The magic of tinsel and lights on your neighbors’ houses. The simple joy of baking cookies. The warmth of gathering with family and friends. Now Christmas fills you with dread. You… Read More

The knot in your stomach tightens as you pull another bill from the mailbox—a bill you fear you won’t be able to pay. The pain in your jaw aches as you plug the numbers into your budgeting spreadsheet—and, yet again, you come up short. The rocks in your… Read More

I’m sick of thinking about money, the comedian said. The sentence came from my computer screen—I was half-listening to a stand-up special playing in the background while cleaning. But this sentence made my ears perk up. The comedian’s words sounded familiar: I had thought those exact words just five… Read More

Money has a cruel way of disappearing when you need it most. You spend weeks, months, years saving up for that new car or house or vacation. But then—just as your goal is in sight—the refrigerator breaks, there’s an unplanned hospital stay, you lose your job, you get… Read More

You pull into the driveway, turn off the car engine, and place your head on the steering wheel. You don’t want to go inside. Because you know that, once you step through the front door, you’ll be hit with reminders of all the things that need to get done that… Read More