Lifestyle

My soccer team roared back from a deficit to a 2-1 comeback win last Sunday. The win good enough to put us in second place heading into playoffs. There’s nothing quite like hearing the final whistle and the feeling the satisfaction of a hard fought win. I’d love for my mini-me to have as much fun playing soccer as I do. It doesn’t cost me a whole lot for me to play year round but I have no idea how much I’ll need to shell out for him kick a ball around. The kid is barely a year and a half but how much will it cost to send my kid to play?

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Frugal and minimalist virtues are often held in high esteem. While I agree that it’s important to save and be less wasteful, I think it’s equally important to revel in life’s simple pleasures. Small indulgences, in moderation, aren’t bad. They make me happy and are a reminder that I don’t need the fancy Chanel quilted lambskin clutch or the house with the white picket fence. On what, you ask, do I indulge? These are a few of my favorite things:

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Public service announcement: guys need to spend time together drinking beer and playing sports. Calm yourselves, naysayers, it’s proven by science. While I may enjoy a local brew, I’m way more into the sports. Every week I play soccer with the guys and come winter, hit the slopes. Sports is a way for me to clear my head and get caught up in the rush of adrenaline. Since nothing in life comes free, here’s what it costs to get into two of the best sports around.

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I’ve been mulling over a pair boots for quite some time. I don’t actually need the boots- it’s something that I want. Naturally I questioned how much I wanted the boots and considered If this was an item that has value. I finally decided yes. I saved enough of my allowance to buy the boots, checked for sales (none), then made a trip to the store and bought them. Full price.

Growing up I was taught to never pay retail- I think it may also be a golden rule in the personal finance world- but lately I find myself ignoring the rules and buying at full price. In fact, I’ve been avoiding sales. Continue Reading

I was out with the boys Monday night, catching the highly anticipated debut of Andrew Wiggins (go, Ender, go!) in the game between Kansas and Duke. I stumbled home in the wee hours of the morning to catch some much needed zzz’s before another early morning with our early-riser of a toddler. The morning came too soon. The little bugger woke up crying at 3AM because he wanted a glass of milk. He then proceeded to wake up for the day at 5AM. Suffice to say, yesterday morning was not the greatest.

Then, after a long morning meeting, my boss called me aside and asked if we could talk. “Oh, great,” I thought, “what could it be now?” “We’ve been aware of the recent contributions you’ve made and would like to recognize your efforts with an increase to your salary.” Booyeah. Continue Reading