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.

Parents arguing with teenage son

He Made $24,000 on an Investment His Parents Funded, Offered to Repay the Original $6,000 Multiple Times, Bought Them Gifts, Covered Household Costs, and Still Can’t Get Them to Accept That He Owes Them Something

ByKristin Stones

That’s the situation a young man finds himself in after his parents lent him $6,000 a few years ago to make an investment that significantly outperformed expectations. He recently sold it for $24,000, immediately offered to repay the original principal, and was turned down. He’s tried buying things for them, contributing to household expenses, and…

Dad using laptop with daughter

His 21 and 18-Year-Old Are Comfortable Living at Home and Showing No Signs of Leaving, So He’s Creating a Household Contract With Rent, Mandatory Savings, and a Retirement Account Funded by the Rent They Think Is Just Paying for Food

ByKristin Stones

He has three kids: a 21-year-old daughter, an 18-year-old son, and a 16-year-old still in high school. All three have part-time jobs, they’re respectful, and they generally follow through on what’s asked of them, though usually only after being asked. That last part is what’s driving the conversation. The older two are adults now, and…

Mother yelling and daughter who looks sad

She Has $700, a Solid Side Hustle, and a Plan to Start Investing $15 a Month in Index Funds When She Gets to Campus But Her Mom Is Furious About All of it and Won’t Say Why

ByKristin Stones

That’s the situation one young woman is navigating as she prepares to start college with $700 saved, a small income stream from selling clothes on Depop, and an upcoming gig working with a tennis coach. Her plan once she’s on campus is straightforward: get a student job, open a Roth IRA, invest a modest amount…

Man looking angrily at his phone

He Sold His 20-Year-Old Truck As-Is for $3,300, Disclosed the Blown Head Gasket Upfront, Got a Signed Bill of Sale, Filed the DMV Release of Liability the Same Day, Then the Buyer Texted the Next Morning Saying He Was Bringing it Back

ByBeckham Stones

That’s the situation one California man is dealing with after selling his 20-year-old truck for $3,300 yesterday. The truck had a blown head gasket, the buyer knew about it before the sale, and the bill of sale explicitly stated the vehicle was being purchased in its current condition with no guarantees. He signed the title…

Friends fighting at the table

Her Boyfriend Ripped the Handle Off Her Friend’s $40,000 Audi, They Immediately Paid the Full $1,000 Her Friend Requested, and Five Months Later With the Car Still Unrepaired Her Friend Is Claiming She Needs $800 More to Finally Fix It

ByKristin Stones

That’s where one woman finds herself after her boyfriend accidentally ripped the door handle off her friend’s Audi six months ago. He pulled too hard on the rear passenger door thinking it was unlocked, the handle came off, and because it contains wiring the repair turned out to be more involved than a simple cosmetic…

Older woman looking angry with adult woman

She Owns a Downtown Apartment Worth $1,800 a Month in Rent, Her Aunt Is Demanding She Charge Her Cousin $900 and Says She’s Selfish for Saying “No”

ByBeckham Stones

That’s the position one woman finds herself in after her extended family discovered her one-bedroom investment property was sitting vacant before she listed it. She lived in the apartment for four years, saved enough to move into a larger place closer to her tech job, and held onto the property as a rental to help…