My finance blog is changing a little bit

I originally started this website with two intentions. The first was to track my spending and portfolio. In essence, it was to be a simple finance blog. The goal was to force myself to save more. In that regard, it has worked very well.

The second goal was to become a better writer. What better venue to do that than a blog where I could talk about all things finance. In that regard, it has worked decently. I have written quite a bit about the world of money. My writing style and quality have both improved. People have commented and visited my blog and it’s been exciting to see it grow.

However, I’ve come to realize something in recent months. Finance is great and all but I need to expand my subject matter. There’s a lot of topics out there in finance. However, I often want to write something but realize what it is would just be a retread of something I already talked about. I don’t want this blog to become that.

I don’t want to write about topics that are already covered well everywhere else. The idea of just making this a finance blog is too limiting for what I want to do.

There’s only so many ways to say the following;

• Get a job with a decent salary. If your first two raises are crap then jump ship to another job. Keep growing your salary as you get older. Don’t forget about enjoying your job too. Some are lucky enough to do that.
• Most people dislike their job and find it boring. Traffic sucks. That’s why saving early is important because it gives you options.
• Save money but don’t save too much. Maybe avoid $14 avocado toast but spend on things that bring you value. I don’t know what those are for you, it’s part of the journey to figure that out.
• Don’t just eat rice and beans and save for a better life later on. Life is too short to not live it now.
• Don’t worry too much about projections. It’s all just numbers on a page. You can’t predict the future. The 4% rule is great but not everyone is lucky to live into their 80s.
• Keep an emergency fund in case you lose your job or shit hits the fan. Often times, your job loss will happen during a bad economy. Stocks drop then too and you might be forced to sell at a low point to pay your bills.
• Hey! 401k’s are cool. HSAs are cool too as are IRAs. After that, brokerage accounts are cool.
• Invest in an index fund. It’s cheaper and easier. Expense fees matter. Vanguard target retirement funds work for most. You can invest in dividend stocks or pick your own stocks too. However, that takes time and you’ll likely lag a simple index fund. Only do it if you find it enjoyable as a hobby or you’re a stock market genius.
• Investments can drop in value quickly. It’s easy to say you won’t sell but it’s just as easy to panic. Maybe add some bonds in there just in case.
• You can invest in real estate too if you have the drive to do that.
• Other investments exist too. There are risks with every one of them including stocks.
• Find a hobby and try to stick with it. Maybe try a few other hobbies. You never know what you’ll like.
• Make a few close friends. Find a compatible significant other and be on the same page on the important things like kids, money, sex, honesty, communication. Enjoy time with other people. Be good to others.
• Eat healthy, exercise, floss your teeth. Buy a nice winter jacket if you live in a place where winter is rough, being cold sucks. Wool socks are the best.
• Drive a safe car. Try to live in a safe place.
• There are many paths in life – no one has the right answer – follow your own path and write your own story.

That last part is important to me. I have a lot of interest beyond just finance. In the end this will still be a finance blog. I’ll still post about my portfolio, expenses and dividends. I’ll still talk about stocks and money and my career and other crap. I still love that stuff but if I want to write a few times I week, I need more topics.

That requires expanding the subject matter.

The other day I got some banging sauerkraut and I was like, man I wish I had a place to talk about this stuff. Now, I will. I’ll talk about food, health, travel, books or other crap that I may find interesting any given month.

Hopefully you enjoy that other stuff too.

Here’s a picture of my dog in a cone to thank you for reading my off-topic nonsense. Another bullet point I forgot; Pets are great. Also, I think I need to clean my carpet.