Intentional Living

To “live intentionally” means to live according to your values and beliefs.  I believe when we commit to being more thoughtful in how we spend our time and our money we can overcome the overwhelm, reduce financial stress, and live a more purposeful life.

Intentional living allows us to take better care of our minds and our bodies, and in turn, better care of those around us.

Here you’ll find content to help you spend less time and money on the things that matter less so you can create margin in your life and your budget to spend more on the things that matter most.

Mom yelling at teenage daughter

Her 21-Year-Old Daughter Saved Up and Paid for an Entire Friend Trip on Her Own, and Two Weeks Later Her Mom Asked Her to Cover 10% of the Family Vacation Cost (Even Though She Doesn’t Need the Help)

ByKristin Stones

Her daughter is 21, works part-time, and recently saved enough money to pay for an entire trip with her friends on her own. Two weeks after that trip, the family has a vacation planned, and her mother asked her to contribute about 10% of the total cost. Not because the family cannot afford it. Because…

Man holding a car key with a confused look on his face

He Stopped Making Payments on His Car After the Engine Blew, the Bank Charged Off the Debt and Removed it From His Credit Report, but He Can’t Scrap the Car Because the Lender Still Holds the Title

ByKristin Stones

He bought a brand-new Subaru in 2011, the engine blew a few years later, money got tight, and he stopped making payments on the loan. Capital One never came for the car. It has been sitting in his garage ever since, technically belonging to a lender that eventually charged off the debt and disappeared from…

Young couple arguing over money

Her Brother Comes Back Every Few Months With a New Emergency, Has Only Repaid a Fraction of What He Already Owes, and Her Parents Are Calling Her Selfish for Hesitating to Give Him More Money

ByKristin Stones

She has spent the past several years building her savings from scratch, and her brother is fully aware of what she has set aside. Every few months, a new emergency surfaces and a new request follows. The first time it was car repairs. The second time it was rent. Now he is asking for help…

Man looking frustrated while looking at his phone

Collection Agency Insisted He Owed $1,500 From a Cash Advance Years Prior, Threatened to Garnish His Wages But the Statute of Limitations Already Expired

ByKristin Stones

The call came in with an urgent tone and a tight deadline. Someone on the other end claimed he owed $1,500 on a cash advance from 2017, said the debt was connected to a lender in Florida, and referenced something about 48 months from 2021 in a way he could not follow. He had not…

Adults sitting on a couch arguing

His Sister Has Been Executor for Three Years, the House Has Yet To Be Appraised or Listed, and He’s Losing His Home in a Divorce and Cannot Afford to Replace It Without His Share of the Estate

ByKristin Stones

Three years ago, his mother passed away after a long and healthy life. She did not die suddenly, and everyone had time to prepare. His sister was named executor of the will, and she informed the other siblings that the house would be sold and the proceeds divided equally. He has never personally seen the…

Man screaming into his phone

A Collection Agency Has Been Calling Him Nonstop About His Estranged Mother’s Debt, Describing It as an Urgent Legal Matter, and Won’t Stop Calling Even After He Asked to Be Removed From the List

ByKristin Stones

The calls started without warning, and the framing of each one was designed to create urgency. ARM & Associates has been contacting him repeatedly about his estranged mother’s outstanding debt, describing every call as either an urgent change to your account or an urgent legal matter. He does not share a last name with his…