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WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT: “How Much Is Enough?”
The New York Times by Ron Lieber
Ron Lieber writes a great personal finance column for The New York Times. He mostly talks about kids and money. This article addresses the question of spending limits for what parents are spending on their kids, but it applies to any area of spending. Just because you can afford to buy something, should you? This is a great question and I’ve found that the answer often changes and it’s closely tied to our values. Goals and priorities shift so determining “how much is enough” is an ongoing conversation with yourself. I’m going to spend more time thinking about how we determine “how much is enough” across all categories of spending. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Here’s an older post I wrote on the topic of spending versus saving on your kids.
NEW RESOURCE I RECOMMEND: Student Loan Hero
Student Loan Hero was founded in 2012 and it has a ton of great content on the topic of student loans, with a focus on refinancing. There are now better options for refinancing (low rates, no fees, great customer service) with new online lenders such as Common Bond. If you have student loans with interest rates over 5%, I’d look into your refinancing options. However, be careful if you have federal loans as you’ll lose access to favorable repayment options if you refinance.
A STORY I APPRECIATED: "How one couple erased $55K of student loan debt in 14 months"
I really appreciated this couple sharing their story about marriage, money and conflict. The courage of others to share their money successes and failures helps fill the void of money conversations in our communities. This couple talks about how their finances got messy soon after marriage and what they did to improve their situation. It’s a lot easier to decide to tackle a goal that requires short term sacrifices (like paying off debt) when you have stories like this to encourage you. It helps keep the long view (and our future selves!) in mind.