One thing that consistently amazes me is the sheer number of inventive ways frugal bloggers reduce their expenditures. From making your own laundry detergent to sneaking candy into a movie theater, there are many options for those who want to make every dollar stretch farther.

What I haven’t seen, though, is a detailed breakdown of whether some of these activities are worth it for those of us who are not on a salary. (more…)

One of the most common questions I receive is, “How did you make a million dollars at such a young age?”

This is a popular question. In a recent book, “The Middle-Class Millionaire: The Rise of the New Rich and How They Are Changing America”, the authors take a look at households with a net worth between $1 million and $10 million, which they call “Middle-Class Millionaires.” In the book, which was written by interviewing more than 3,600 middle-class millionaire households, they drill down to the same question: “How can you become a Middle-Class Millionaire?”

I read the book and was surprised to find that many of the ideals espoused by middle-class millionaires are ideals that I share. Below, I will outline five ways of thinking that helped me to sell my business for $1.1 million at age 26. (more…)

If you have ever said, “I just don’t have enough time to do [an activity I love]”, this advice is for you. Be prepared: This post is designed to get you thinking differently about your business and your life. Your ego is guaranteed to raise objections to this type of thinking. As those objections surface, write them down, and consider how you can overcome them as you give this advice a try. (more…)

We’ve all heard it in the news. “RECESSION!” scream the headlines. These headlines and news articles about upcoming recessions are designed to induce fear. However, instead of worrying about getting laid off, losing your house, or any of the other scenarios that the media loves to portray, I’d like you to consider this: What if the upcoming recession is an opportunity for you to make more money than you are now — and be happier to boot? (more…)

It’s interesting how a single sentence in a conversation can completely change your perspective.

After I sold Simpli Hosting, I realized I needed new business cards. I had just redesigned erica.biz, so I did a quick mockup business card (below) and ran with it. I then got wrapped up in blogging and finishing up everything at Simpli, and I forgot about getting “actual” business cards. My temporary cards and I arrived at South by Southwest, where I bumped into Robert Scoble.

I know famous bloggers like Robert Scoble aren’t supposed to even be approachable, but I found Robert to be open and friendly. He was happy to give advice on my upcoming projects, but the most valuable piece of advice he gave me had nothing to do with my personal projects. One sentence that Robert said completely changed the way I thought about business cards. After you see how it changed my perspective, perhaps you’ll consider changing your business cards as well. It may well be one of the most valuable decisions you will make. (more…)