Financial Success Without a Huge Income - or Extreme Frugality: The Simple Dollar's Weekly Roundup

[The Simple Dollar] In Case You Missed It: This Week's Best from The Simple Dollar Financial Success Without Extreme Frugality or a Huge Income [cooking] By Trent Hamm It’s quite possible to achieve financial success without extreme frugality and without a lot of wealth already in the bank or a huge salary. We're living proof that it’s possible, and it's because we used a handful of very smart strategies along the way. Here's a basic blueprint for what we did, from focusing your frugality on stuff you don't care about, to learning to cook meals you enjoy at home. [Read More] Three Things NOT to Do at Your Year-End Performance Review [performance review] By Jen Hubley Luckwaldt While annual reviews can be stressful, they’re also an opportunity to make your accomplishments known, advocate for yourself, and get on track for the coming year. Go into the meeting prepared and with a clear head, and you could come out ahead. But first, let’s talk about what you absolutely shouldn’t do. [Read More] Figuring Out a Great Life on a Limited Budget [smiling woman at picnic] By Trent Hamm Sarah and I recently decided, for kicks, to see what our day-to-day financial life might look like if we suddenly both decided to quit our jobs. And we realized we could, potentially, just barely eke by on our savings as long as we needed to. What would that life look like, though? Here's how we would do it - and still enjoy our lives. [Read More] Balancing Your Financial Goals and the Luxuries of Friends [rich friend] By Trent Hamm We’ve all been there at some point: You meet up with a friend and discover they've acquired some sort of luxury good or had some sort of expensive experience. Maybe it's a brand new car or the latest smartphone, or they just got back from a trip to Rio. Whatever it is, they’ve just enjoyed a luxury that’s well outside the borders of your budget. And you’re jealous. At least a little. [Read More] What Are My Student Loan Repayment Options? [investing] By Matt Killorin Graduating from college takes determination, hard work, and fortitude — but so does paying for your education. Picking the right student loan repayment plan is hard because you often begin the process before you have a real idea of what your future will hold. Don’t panic, though: When it comes to your federal student loans, at least, you have a lot of options. [Read More] More from The Simple Dollar: - [Reader Mailbag: Eating Out, Keurig, Juicing, Hobbies, and More!] - [31 Days to Financial Independence, Day 16: Cutting Education Expenses] - [Four Strategies to Stay Sane While Battling a Student Loan] - [There's a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Take on Holiday Debt] - [Trent: Planning Ahead for Extended Leave, Professionally and Financially] - [Should You Invest Your Short-Term Savings?] - [A Loan to Build a Dream On: Where to Find Small Business Funding] - [Tips for Getting a Cheap Rental Car] More from Around the Web: - [How One Frugal Mom Unlearned 'Holiday Guilt'] (USA Today) - [Lego Is the Perfect Toy] (New York Magazine) - [This Is Why Americans Are Overweight and Broke] (MarketWatch) - [A Flight to Cuba Costs Less Than $60 Right Now] (Money) As a reminder, you're receiving this email because you subscribed to our weekly mailing list. If you no longer wish to receive our emails, you can [unsubscribe here] at any time. Thanks for reading! --The Simple Dollar team 1525 4th Ave. #500 Seattle WA 98101 USA [Unsubscribe] | [Change Subscriber Options]