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Talk Like an Investor: The Basics of Dividend & Growth Lingo
Stop getting lost in the alphabet soup of investing. From the ‘4% Rule’ to ‘Roth IRAs,’ this is the definitive, plain-English glossary for anyone building their Snowball in 2026. Bookmark this page—you’re going to need it.
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How do You Budget? I Want to Track it All.
I’m opening up the books and looking at every single dollar. From the “scary” $93k annual total to the actual $47k it costs to keep our household running, here is the raw breakdown of my 2026 budget, the hidden subscriptions I found, and how I’m tracking my emergency fund.
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Time Change or Time for Change?
This morning is my least favorite morning of the year. Spring ahead. This is Daylight Saving Time in the United States. It always makes me feel exhausted for at least a week. It’s been one week since I talked about adding regular exercise into my daily regimen, and I did pretty well this week. I
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Products for Sale: Why My Site Will Stay Free
I am really a fan of referral links. I post them frequently and The Toolbox holds them all in one place, but everywhere I turn, things want a price online. I’ve talked about the multitude of places I post content in the 24 social media accounts article, but it goes deeper than that. At least
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Frugal Friday 3/4/26: When Can You Lower a Bill?
My internet bill spiked to $99 after a “hidden” promotion expired. Here is how 30 minutes on the phone saved me $90 and how I’m turning that extra cash into more dividends for the snowball.
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X Poll: What is a Balanced Portfolio?
I polled the community to find out what a “balanced portfolio” means in 2026. Is it just diversification, or something more? The results might surprise you. Here is a breakdown of what “balance” actually looks like when you factor in real estate, age, and risk tolerance.
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Social Security Math
Is Social Security a safety net or an opportunity cost? We compare $50k and $100k salary contributions against 48 years of market growth. When the difference is as high as $26 million, you have to ask: who really benefits from the current system?
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Distrust Is Warranted? The Truth About Retirement Account “Fees” and Lies
I’m going to be blunt. My blog mostly avoids the FACE-PUNCHING of the Mustache Blog, but an article hit my phone a couple days ago that has just pissed me off. Fortune’s website wrote an article about the “possible” new retirement accounts for people whose employers don’t offer a 401k plan. We’re living in 2026.
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February 2026 End of Month Update: Is it Improving?
February was brutal on the market, but the strategy is holding firm. We added $1,000 in new capital and saw passive income grow by $14.63, proving that dividends pay you even when share prices drop. Here is the full, transparent breakdown of the February Snowball.
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A Little Exercise for a Healthy Brain
Discipline isn’t just for spreadsheets and stock picks; it’s for survival. Inspired by my grandfather’s 30-year routine, I’m committing to a simple, daily exercise goal to ensure I’m around to see the “Snowball” reach its full potential.
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Community: February 2026 – How do You Better Your Local Area?
Beyond dividends and spreadsheets, the “Snowball” is about the people around us. This February, from moving furniture for family to clearing snow for neighbors, I’m looking at how small local actions build the community we actually want to live in.
Mini Thoughts
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Monthly Dividend Progress
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