She Doesn’t Want a Mortgage September 27, 2017 Home, Lifestyle Jamie Burgess The best landlords I ever had didn’t care much about the money. The husband and wife had lived in the same house for 35 years, only the third owners since the place was built in 1935, and they rented out the stand-alone guest cabin on their property every winter because they believed in giving us Keep Reading
4 Reasons to Move Abroad as an Adult September 27, 2017 Lifestyle, Savings, Spending Jamie Burgess Last time I moved to France, I sold my car and spent the $3,000 on all my “landing expenses”: flight; furnishings; first, last, and deposit. I could have done it on less, but it certainly convinced the landlord more quickly when he showed me the room and I just held out a wad of 50 Keep Reading
The Job Offer September 26, 2017 Lifestyle, Spending, Student Loans Jamie Burgess After almost a year and many canceled lunch dates, I finally made it to see my childhood best friend’s office. He showed me around and introduced me to his colleagues, and then we walked out onto the rush of Boylston Street to a place he likes to go for lunch. Once we’d placed our order Keep Reading
Money Nightmares September 20, 2017 Lifestyle, Savings, Spending Jamie Burgess In the dream, she was scolding me: “You’re spending more than twice your income every month!” I could see the laptop on the table with my bank accounts on the screen. “But Grandma!” I insisted, “Look at the numbers, that can’t possibly be true!” I was getting upset. I hated to be accused of financial Keep Reading
Another Millennial Wedding Story August 25, 2017 Lifestyle Jamie Burgess The wedding was pot luck, which didn’t have to be a bad thing. We all love and hope for an open bar, but of course I understand that celebrating a wedding is about more than the pomp of the party. I showed up in the afternoon after a five-hour drive, a little sweaty and exhausted, Keep Reading
An Open Letter to Anyone August 7, 2017 Lifestyle, Spending Jamie Burgess I want to talk to you about something because I care about you and I think it’s important. Sorry. Those were the words we used to tell people to use when talking to their families about making a will. It’s a little cheesy, I guess, but it’s true. I want to talk to you about Keep Reading
She Had a Coke Habit July 21, 2017 Lifestyle, Savings, Spending Jamie Burgess She had a Coke habit that couldn’t be kicked—Diet Coke, to be exact. Preferably with Lime. And in the basement, the empty cans were stored in trash bags and ready for 5-cent deposit returns, bags upon bags, piles of them to the ceiling, until one day she would throw a full bag on the pile Keep Reading
He Doesn’t Pay Rent June 16, 2017 Lifestyle Jamie Burgess A woman in my office is giving me the cold shoulder. I didn’t like the guy she fixed me up with. In my defense, he’s twenty-six years old and has never paid rent. Dude. What. Are you doing. There’s a reason we get a bad reputation, you know, for being financially irresponsible, for mooching off Keep Reading
My Financial Faux Pas Revealed June 9, 2017 Lifestyle, Spending Jamie Burgess For a state that insists on constantly bragging about the health of its residents, Denver airport has some of the least healthy and least appealing options for dining of most any airport I’ve visited in America. I fly through Denver often these days, and I never thought I’d be left longing for the time when Keep Reading
Mom Knows Best – a Financial Trick for Travelers June 5, 2017 Lifestyle, Savings, Spending Jamie Burgess When he asked me to spend the weekend with him in Denver, I said yes before I gave it a thought. About half an hour later, we were still at dinner, and all the thoughts started to bombard me: this was our—what?—fifth date, maybe? Go away together? It sounded like a recipe for disaster, particularly Keep Reading