Comments on: 5 Foundations of Personal Finance, #2: Earn With Contentment http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/ Simplify your home. Mon, 21 May 2012 00:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Holly http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6217 Holly Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:21:26 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6217 I'm also terrible at salary negotiations. My latest one was just a few months ago after a promotion, but I didn't get a nickle over what was offered because I just couldn't bring myself to push at it. :/ Like Michelle my husband and I pay a lot in rent to live in the city we love (San Francisco in our case). Our rent is more than most people's mortgages. Home ownership here is completely outside of our reach, with most single family homes in our neighborhood starting around $700,000. The good news is that we live pretty simply and haven't used our savings for a house down payment, so we could live off our savings for 13 months with no change in lifestyle. "Emergency Fund (Months)" is actually a column in our budget spreadsheet. I’m also terrible at salary negotiations. My latest one was just a few months ago after a promotion, but I didn’t get a nickle over what was offered because I just couldn’t bring myself to push at it. :/

Like Michelle my husband and I pay a lot in rent to live in the city we love (San Francisco in our case). Our rent is more than most people’s mortgages. Home ownership here is completely outside of our reach, with most single family homes in our neighborhood starting around $700,000.

The good news is that we live pretty simply and haven’t used our savings for a house down payment, so we could live off our savings for 13 months with no change in lifestyle. “Emergency Fund (Months)” is actually a column in our budget spreadsheet.

]]> By: Rachel http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6211 Rachel Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:27:53 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6211 Great example Sherri, and you're so right, the worst they can say is no. Great example Sherri, and you’re so right, the worst they can say is no.

]]> By: Rachel http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6210 Rachel Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:25:29 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6210 Jenni, don't remind me. I've been snacking on icecream bars lately with this pregnancy. :) Jenni, don’t remind me. I’ve been snacking on icecream bars lately with this pregnancy. :)

]]> By: Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6205 Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:01:35 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6205 I've been asking myself the same questions lately (which prompted me to write the post displayed below, titled "On Growing Up"), and the problem that I've encountered is that I can live simply, but just can't give up NYC (where I paid 8 times in rent what you did just 10 years ago)! Now it's learning what me & the hubby can do without in order to live (both literally & figuratively) in the city that we love. <abbr><em><em>Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach´s last blog post..<a href="http://whenigrowupcoach.com/blog/2009/04/08/on-growing-up/" rel="nofollow">On Growing Up</a></em></abbr></em> I’ve been asking myself the same questions lately (which prompted me to write the post displayed below, titled “On Growing Up”), and the problem that I’ve encountered is that I can live simply, but just can’t give up NYC (where I paid 8 times in rent what you did just 10 years ago)! Now it’s learning what me & the hubby can do without in order to live (both literally & figuratively) in the city that we love.

Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach´s last blog post..On Growing Up

]]> By: Cherry Tree Lane http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6189 Cherry Tree Lane Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:17:52 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6189 I love this post. Great ideas and a wonderful perspective. <abbr><em><em>Cherry Tree Lane´s last blog post..<a href="http://number17cherrytreelane.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/the-oprah-show-scares-me/" rel="nofollow">The Oprah show scares me.</a></em></abbr></em> I love this post. Great ideas and a wonderful perspective.

Cherry Tree Lane´s last blog post..The Oprah show scares me.

]]> By: Sherri (Serene Journey) http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6179 Sherri (Serene Journey) Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:20:25 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6179 Hey Rachel, I just wanted to echo your point on salary negotiation "Most salary conversations only take a minute, and how you handle that minute can make a big difference in your overall pay." Negotiating is very nerve wracking for some (me included). At my last position I was given a job offer and I counter offered with a fairly substantial increase in the annual pay. I was shaking in my boots but I was also of the mindset "the worst they can say is no." Happily for me they met me just above the middle and it made a HUGE difference to my pay. That one uncomfortable moment was certainly well worth it! Oh and to answer your question we have 3 months saved up :) <abbr><em><em>Sherri (Serene Journey)´s last blog post..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SereneJourney/~3/uwsOhRhghxI/" rel="nofollow">Go Ahead Make Your Day: 50 Ways To Make Today Shine</a></em></abbr></em> Hey Rachel,
I just wanted to echo your point on salary negotiation “Most salary conversations only take a minute, and how you handle that minute can make a big difference in your overall pay.” Negotiating is very nerve wracking for some (me included).

At my last position I was given a job offer and I counter offered with a fairly substantial increase in the annual pay. I was shaking in my boots but I was also of the mindset “the worst they can say is no.” Happily for me they met me just above the middle and it made a HUGE difference to my pay. That one uncomfortable moment was certainly well worth it!

Oh and to answer your question we have 3 months saved up :)

Sherri (Serene Journey)´s last blog post..Go Ahead Make Your Day: 50 Ways To Make Today Shine

]]> By: Allison @ Worthington Wire http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6178 Allison @ Worthington Wire Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:15:52 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6178 excellent! <abbr><em><em>Allison @ Worthington Wire´s last blog post..<a href="http://www.chow.com/stories/11580?tag=left_column;stories" rel="nofollow">How to Grow Herbs Indoors : Easy? Maybe not. Rewarding? Oh yeah.</a></em></abbr></em> excellent!

Allison @ Worthington Wire´s last blog post..How to Grow Herbs Indoors : Easy? Maybe not. Rewarding? Oh yeah.

]]> By: Life from the Roof http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6175 Life from the Roof Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:55:28 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6175 A little over five months, but that would mean no extra spending money at all, and just paying the bills, groceries, gas, etc. We're working toward 6 months, but it seems like this last month is going to take forever . . . kind of like losing the last five or ten pounds of baby weight! <abbr><em><em>Life from the Roof´s last blog post..<a href="http://lifefromtheroof.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/favorite-frugal-recipes-tabouli/" rel="nofollow">Favorite Frugal Recipes: Tabouli</a></em></abbr></em> A little over five months, but that would mean no extra spending money at all, and just paying the bills, groceries, gas, etc. We’re working toward 6 months, but it seems like this last month is going to take forever . . . kind of like losing the last five or ten pounds of baby weight!

Life from the Roof´s last blog post..Favorite Frugal Recipes: Tabouli

]]> By: Marci http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6168 Marci Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:36:22 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6168 I just purged our tax files this past month and found our tax returns from when we first got married. Oh my! I can't believe we made it on that little! Makes me wonder why it takes so much now... We could survive a little while if the employment situation changed. Being self-employed, our thoughts right now are on how to adapt to a changing economic environment. <abbr><em><em>Marci´s last blog post..<a href="http://overcomingbusy.com/2009/04/08/romans-challange/" rel="nofollow">Romans challenge</a></em></abbr></em> I just purged our tax files this past month and found our tax returns from when we first got married. Oh my! I can’t believe we made it on that little! Makes me wonder why it takes so much now…

We could survive a little while if the employment situation changed. Being self-employed, our thoughts right now are on how to adapt to a changing economic environment.

Marci´s last blog post..Romans challenge

]]> By: Kirwin http://smallnotebook.org/2009/04/08/5-foundations-of-personal-finance-2-earn-with-contentment/#comment-6167 Kirwin Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:31:10 +0000 http://smallnotebook.org/?p=1126#comment-6167 Right now, we have enough for about 3 months worth. However, we're aggressively working on building that number to 6 months worth. It just gives us more peace of mind. <abbr><em><em>Kirwin´s last blog post..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gracefulcreative1blogspotcom/~3/W7vu1UK2zUE/whats-your-love-language.html" rel="nofollow">What's your Love Language?</a></em></abbr></em> Right now, we have enough for about 3 months worth. However, we’re aggressively working on building that number to 6 months worth. It just gives us more peace of mind.

Kirwin´s last blog post..What’s your Love Language?

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