Author: Steve Ainslie

I hate being cold. But since I live in North Carolina I have to deal with it every winter. A few weeks ago our first winter forecast called for low temps in the single digits. I thought about how cold I’d be walking the dogs. I thought about how I’d be shivering for hours while…

Online and in media, people often ask: These make for compelling (I guess) sound bites, interview closing lines and Twitter posts. However, beyond providing distractive entertainment and content filler, they don’t help anyone. For life’s biggest problems, there aren’t no easy answers and no shortcuts. You don’t need someone to provide easy answers. If these…

On a recent Money For Couples episode a couple in their early 50s said they wanted to pay for their children’s college and provide a “financial safety net” for the children’s future. Without hesitation, Ramit said, “You cannot afford to pay for your children’s college. There is no safety net. You don’t have enough money.”…

I heard Ramit Sethi say this on his podcast today. Although I’d never heard this quote before, I’m quite familiar with the principle behind it. My grandfather used to say “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” This is how he taught me to paint, to mow the lawn and to soother home repair work….

When I was a teenager shooting hoops one of the most embarrassing shots was when you would shoot the ball and miss everything. Forget about making a basket, these shots wouldn’t even touch the rim or the backboard. Everyone would laugh at you while shouting “Nice airball!” I don’t shoot hoops anymore for entertainment, but…

I don’t waste my time trying to determine someone else’s motivations, beliefs or intentions. My speculations about what is going on inside someone else’s head are completely irrelevant. Unless we have a close relationship or the matter is trivial, I usually won’t ask them either. What is more revealing is their actions. I don’t need…

A few weeks ago I wrote How You Spend Your Time Shows What Is Important To You. Then, just the other day, I heard Ramit Sethi say on his podcast, “Show me a person’s spending, and I can show you what they love.” I have to agree with Ramit. There’s wishful thinking – ie. “I want…

Since the Covid shutdown 5 years ago, I’ve been hearing constant complaints about restaurant prices, service, quality and experience. To add insult to injury, there are now ubiquitous and obligatory tip expectations for all “restaurant experiences” – including self service, delivery, drive-through, pickup and in person – with minimums often set above 20% – regardless…

In a recent Money For Couples podcast episode, I listened as a married couple in their early 60s spoke about financial issues. Initially, they said their financial problem was that they were spending too much money and didn’t have enough set aside for retirement. After Ramit Sethi dug into their numbers with them, he uncovered…

I have been listening to Ramit Sethi‘s podcast Money For Couples recently. In it, he interviews a couple that has applied to his show for financial advice. Ramit digs into their current financial situation, debt, problems, financial education/background, family history with money, etc. Although on the surface it is a financial podcast, his advice often…