Advice

On Coming to a Zen-Like Approach to Freelancing

As I’m nearing the end of my 8th month as a full-time freelancer, it’s hard to believe I’m two-thirds in to my yearlong experiment. Life has certainly been a little crazy, and I’ve slowly come to realize how much I’ve learned in the last eight months. I’ve learned a lot about managing my time and […]

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Budgeting

Try the Percentage Method for Budgeting

So I’ve been playing around with different systems for budgeting, and the one that works best for me is to create buckets for my recurring expenses. The money I have left over, I  kick over to the percentage method. Here’s how I do it: Step 1: Create Buckets for Your Money I am big into […]

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Freelancing

A Few Half-Truths About Freelancing

Now that I’m hitting my five-month mark as a full-time freelancer (yikes? hooray?), I’ve been reflecting about what I used to think freelancing would be like what it’s actually all about. You might even compare it to seeing something in a movie and then experiencing it in real life. For instance, daydreaming about, say, sliding […]

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4 ways to structure your time
Freelancing

Four Ways to Structure Your Time

One thing I’ve been trying to figure out is how to best structure my time. I must say, I’m pretty awesome at tracking my time on assignments, but structuring my time within a given day is an entirely different story. It’s definitely in an experimental phase and I expect to keep trying out new things along […]

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Budgeting

What I Vow to Do Differently Next Tax Season

Because last year I made the switch to being self-employed, my taxes this time around are going to be a little more complicated. As a result I’ve developed somewhat of what I call “Fear of Taxes Syndrome (FOTS).” I kind of am approaching this year’s taxes with a bit of a fly-by-my-seat approach—and it feels […]

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Minimalist Freelancer
Freelancing

What It Means to Be a Minimalist Freelancer

As someone who practices Zen Buddhism and minimalism, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means exactly to be a minimalist as a freelancer. To be being minimalist has to do with your approach and mindset to how you work. It’s about getting rid of what’s not important to you. And as I’ve nearing […]

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Travel

Trade Show Vacationing in Vegas: Where to Eat on the Cheap

There are an infinite number of options in Vegas, from fast food to $500 a plate restaurants owned by world-renowned celebrity chefs. Business travel means you can deduct virtually all your meals—or at least 50 percent— so enjoy the culinary landscape and keep the receipts. There’s pretty much every mainstream eatery in town, but here’s how […]

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