I work in the service industry so I get tips in apps all the time. Venmo is my favorite! But I noticed with digital money I treated it like it wasn’t really there. It became an invisible money that I would go use when I wanted to “shop and scroll” for comfort or escapism. After MJ’s influence of giving every dollar a job. I now use the digital money as part of my “meal train” giving for people who need support in daily life struggles. I made a Rule: every tip has to go through the 70/30 split and what is left can go back into the digital wallet after I’ve accounted for it as income. I spent years leaking money because of a refusal to “look” at my habits and take responsibility for my actions. Wow what a gut check. I hope my story inspires you to set some new rules and stop the money leaks. Are there any areas where you are leaking? How do you allocate digital funds? Do you have rules for them?

What are you fine folks up to this weekend?

As we head into a new year, I want to be honest for a moment. I’m walking through some pretty heavy, ongoing personal stuff right now. The kind that doesn’t wrap up neatly or resolve on a timeline. I’ll share more on that soon, but for now, just know that life is doing what life does… stretching, testing, refining. That said, here’s what I do know. I hope 2026 brings you peace, growth, clarity, and prosperity in whatever form you’re chasing it. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never been big on arbitrary promises made after champagne. But I do believe in setting intentional goals and showing up for them every day, even when it’s messy or inconvenient. So here’s to progress over perfection. Direction over pressure. Momentum over motivation. What are you hoping to accomplish this year personally, professionally, financially, creatively? I’d love to hear what you’re working toward!

This is what I'd do. Budgeting gets a bad reputation because most people treat it like punishment. Like it’s a diet. Like it’s a list of all the things you’re “not allowed” to have. But here’s the truth most people never get taught: a budget isn’t restriction... it’s direction. And if I had to start all over again, rebuild my entire financial system from scratch, this is exactly how I’d do it. Step 1: I’d Get Brutally Honest About My Income Not the “I think I make around…” number. The real number. Take-home pay. After taxes. After insurance. After retirement contributions. Most people fail at budgeting because they start with a fantasy income and then wonder why the math keeps punching then in the throat. If I had to start again, I’d sit down with every pay stub, every deposit, and calculate exactly what’s coming in each month. No guesswork. No rounding up. No delusion. Step 2: I’d List Every Single Fixed Expense (Without Judgement) Rent, utilities, insurance, car payment, phone bill, subscriptions (yes, even that sneaky one you forgot about), debt payments, childcare, pet care... everything that hits the same time every month. I wouldn’t label anything “good” or “bad.” I wouldn’t shame myself for the totals. I’d just write the truth down. Because a budget built on lies collapses fast. Step 3: I’d Get Realistic About My Variable Expenses Groceries, gas, eating out, Target runs, Amazon “oops,” random kid emergencies, dog emergencies... basically, life. This is where most budgets die. People try to become a brand-new person in one month: “I’m going to spend $30 on groceries and never eat out again!” Yeah… no. If I were starting over, I’d look at my actual spending for the last 90 days and average it. Because you can’t change what you refuse to look at. Step 4: I’d Add Sinking Funds Immediately (Not ‘Someday’) Future expenses are real. Pretending they aren’t is why people swipe the credit card every December and cry on January 2nd. Christmas happens every year.

Yesterday I drove passed a lottery billboard heading to Louisiana that said the jackpot was 10 Billion. It's a typo I believe because the website said 1 billion. Anyway out of curiosity, what's your fantasy scenario if you had the winning ticket for that much. And how big of a dog shelter would you build? What house would you walk up to and ask them how much and say deal? What business would you buy? I'm not kidding about the dog shelter. And all the rescues I could find would get large donations. And I would traipse around the country to all the friends I still talk to and play pick a briefcase. Then vanish to Japan for a month.