EoR No. 17: What did you buy into 10 years ago that feels silly now?
Plus, mindfulness practices for money stress, rules for splurging, buying a house after bankruptcy, the woman who lives without money and more
Top of mind
Did the past week feel 10 years long to anyone else? I spent it watching courts hold the Trump administration accountable for its inhumane treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, deeply sad but optimistic this regime won’t succeed at fascism. The week was capped off by an inspiring Day of Action, thousands turning out around the country again to protest the administration. So, we’re entering a new week on a higher note, but still pretty exhausted. I think that counts as good news these days?
🥑 ICYMI at Healthy Rich this week
🔗 Things to catch
Thanks to Jeanine Skowronski for talking with me about spending and “splurging” for her newsletter, Money As If.
Kimberly Palmer was inspired by some YDNAB ideas to write about “intuitive budgeting” for NerdWallet.
Meet the woman who lives without money — and the lessons we can learn about simplicity.
I talked live with Jen Baxter on Monday about the viral essay that led to my first book deal.
Remember when we were all going to be girlbosses?
💬 Let’s discuss
What were you into 10 years ago that makes you cringe now?
Salon’s girlboss satire took me back to being 28; buying in fully to the promise of digital media; thinking closing my Activity rings would solve everything; and wanting nothing more than to be a boss bitch with a 401(k) and three weeks of vacation to travel to Puerto Rico every year. What were you buying into a decade ago that feels silly now? Was your mind changed by age? The pandemic? A first or second Trump administration? The spiking or plunging economy? A job change? A growing or aging family? Share the old parts of you you laugh at now — and what you’ve learned in the meantime.
🙋♀️ Don’t miss our latest class!
I spoke with estate planning experts and founders of Legado, Noelle Kimble McEntee and Ciara Lister, Esq., to answer your questions about getting your affairs in order. We talked about unique estate-planning challenges for non-traditional families, plus the basics — like what, exactly, is a trust? The recording, like all Healthy Rich classes, is available with a paid subscription.
Ten-years-ago me bought into a lot of bullshit:
- That minimalism was morally better, when really it was the kind of minimalism that said to throw all your stuff away because 1) circumstances never change so what you need now is all you'll ever need, or 2) if you do need it later, you can always buy it again.
- That (see again: morally better) I should spend my time making, rather than my money buying, hygiene and body-related products.
- That in order to be a good person aligned with my values of loving animals -- all animals, collectively and individually -- I should only buy vegan-friendly products of all kinds.
So much guilt. So much shame. So much fear. I do none of those things now and turns out I'm still a good person.
I thought I would be able to keep working FT forever, until 7-01-2015, when I was laid off from my job as editor of a daily paper.
Turns out it’s extremely difficult to pivot to another career if you’re 50-ish.
I didn’t manage it.