In 2005, my best friend Erika gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy she and her husband named Isaac. Fifteen months later, Isaac was diagnosed with autism. While the diagnosis offered the family some reassuring context for why Isaac reacted to the world the way he did, it was also a difficult time. It was clear that this baby's future would be different from what the family had hoped for him. Isaac is a teenager now. As a family … [Read more...]
Bestow Review: Term Life Insurance in Minutes (Literally!)
If you've ever gone through the traditional route for finding life insurance, you know the headaches built into the process. Things like high-pressure sales, struggling to compare apples to apples among products, a mandatory physical exam, and excessive paperwork. Online life insurance brokers have made it easier to shop for quotes, compare rates, and avoid hard-selling insurance agents. But they haven't been able to entirely nix … [Read more...]
7 Things to Do Before You Quit Your Day Job
This post is brought to you by Bestow. While this is a sponsored post, all content and opinions expressed here are my own. Is it your ultimate dream to quit the rat race and open up a small business? Maybe you have a side hustle already and you're thinking it's time to make the leap to do that full-time? Not only would you get to be your own boss and set your own hours, but you could also build something meaningful … [Read more...]
How to Start a Business with No Money
Want to improve your finances by adding more income to the mix? Start a business. Wondering how to start a business with no money? Do you think you need small business funding to kick things off? BS! Sure there are some types of businesses where full ownership will be limited if you can't come up with your own capital to fund things (e.g. a franchise). Don't think for a second that you have to possess a lot of cash to get … [Read more...]
9 of the Most Successful Small Businesses (and How to Start One)
Becoming a small business owner takes hustle, dedication, smarts...and a great business idea. You know if you have those first three qualities, but coming up with a profitable idea for your business can be a bit more intimidating. How can you know if you're creating the next Amazon.com--or the next Pets.com? Thankfully, there's no reason to reinvent the wheel. There are many small business ideas that have proven themselves to be … [Read more...]
How to Build Passive Income with Equity Crowdfunding
Passive income is the holy grail of personal finance. Earning money without having to hustle for it sounds like a pretty good deal. However, you might assume that passive income is only available to people higher up on the socio-economic ladder than you. If you're not in the financial position to become venture capitalist, you might think that you're going to have to toil for every dollar forever. In the past, it may have been … [Read more...]
Introducing Vidzuno, aka How to Start a Video Production Company
I recently started a third business: FinVid, LLC (doing business as Vidzuno). We’re calling it a "video production company" with a mission to "help influencers and brands create amazing video." It’s admittedly broad in scope. We’re hoping to refine that this year. Today I thought I’d share my motivation for this new company and walk you through the steps I took to get it up and running. This company--and how I think about … [Read more...]
3 Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites to Add to Your Investing Portfolio
As many wealthy investors can tell you, real estate is a solid investment that can provide annual income as well as long-term growth. Unfortunately, buying real estate also requires quite a bit of upfront capital, as well as time, energy, and money for maintenance. Plus there is the risk of finding and keeping good tenants. Thankfully, individual investors no longer have to save up hundreds of thousands of dollars or … [Read more...]
Christian Healthcare Ministries Review: Save Thousands Per Year on Healthcare
Christian Healthcare Ministries is a healthcare sharing ministry in which members can share medical costs while staying faithful to Christian beliefs and biblical principles. Although companies such as CHM have been around for decades, these companies are less-known because traditional health insurance is standard in the United States. Here are the joining requirements for Christian Healthcare Ministries, monthly cost and coverage … [Read more...]
35 of the Best Passive Income Apps for 2019
One of the best forms of income is passive income. That's because it flows in while you're busy doing other things. It can provide a valuable second income, that you can use to fund your retirement plan, get out of debt, or save up for your next vacation. Fortunately, there are dozens of passive income apps available. You can find one for just about any income venture you can think of. Some are truly passive--you invest money or … [Read more...]
Investing in Fine Art with Masterworks (Our Review)
My mother owned an art gallery for nearly 40 years, and I literally grew up surrounded by art. Because of my background in the art world, I was both intrigued and a little wary of this new investment platform. Masterworks allows regular joes to buy shares of art masterpieces as an investment. My personal finance side is excited to see a platform open up an asset class that is generally out of reach of the average investor. … [Read more...]
Betterment vs. Wealthfront: Which is the Better Robo-Advisor?
Betterment vs Wealthfront, these are the two largest and best known independent providers in the robo-advisor space. They’re also two of the earliest entries to the field. Because of that, they've evolved to the point where they have far more services than what is offered by the typical robo-advisor. Betterment and Wealthfront are often taken together when the topic is robo-advisors, and there are good reasons for that. The two … [Read more...]
How to Make Extra Cash Renting Out Your Stuff
If you're like me, you probably own plenty of things that you only use every once in a while. Whether you've got an empty bedroom, a collection of cocktail dresses, assorted athletic equipment, or a car that you only drive once or twice a week, you could be putting your stuff to work for you. Renting your stuff is a great way to make extra money. Renting out your stuff is a no-muss, no-fuss way of earning some part-time money … [Read more...]
M1 Finance Review: The Free Robo Advisor YOU Control
If you've been fascinated with the idea of robo-advisors, but still prefer to go the do-it-yourself route, you need to check out M1 Finance. It’s a robo-advisor for sure, but one with a unique twist: you choose your own investments. That's the self-directed part. But once you choose your investments, you get all the benefits of a robo-advisor. M1 Finance then manages your portfolio for you, including periodic rebalancing and … [Read more...]
The Cash Flow Analysis for Our Rental Property (at Year End 2018)
It’s time once again to do our annual rental property cash flow analysis. To see previous years, visit the link at the bottom of the post. Twenty-eighteen was another challenging year for our rental property: 100% occupied (thankfully), new contract negotiations, and major water damage that ruined the wood floors! If you're new to my recaps, this is property is our old personal residence - a Frisco, TX townhome we purchased in … [Read more...]
