Hi, and welcome to my site! It’s a blog about personal finance and careers, told through the lens of my search for happiness and mindfulness in life. Why those things? Well, because most people view them as a necessarily evil to use in their pursuit of happiness in life… and I think they can be more than that!


I’ve been studying karate for nearly four years as of the date of this post. Throughout that time, I’ve learned a ton of lessons; lessons that apply both to karate and the world beyond. Sometimes the lesson is painfully clear (like keeping your guard up while sparring so you don’t get punched in the face). Other times it’s not so clear, and I’m still exploring most of them. But this series of posts represents a chance for me to reflect on those lessons for both your benefit and my own. I’ll specifically focus on lessons that I’ve been able to apply outside the world of karate. Today’s focus is the principle of Shu-Ha-Ri. (more…)


My wife and I recently purchased a new home; and by new, I mean 35 years old. Not ancient by any means, but old enough to be in need of a little TLC. As first-time homebuyers in the way-overheated Canadian real-estate market, we were lucky to even be able to afford this place, but it came with a few expenses we weren’t prepared for.

If you’re planning on buying a resale home, you want to be as prepared as possible upfront for the expenses you’ll be facing. That’s why I put together this list of expenses I’ve had to deal with. You may not need to address everything on this list, and it’s not exhaustive, but hey, it’s better than having to take a week’s worth of cold showers when your faucet craps out, right? (more…)


Have you ever thought about your retirement? Do you dream about all the things you’d do if you didn’t have to work? I do, every single day. If you want that though, then you’ll need to have a plan and work toward it. And a great place to start is to understand the power of compound interest.

This is the first post in the Personal Finance category of my site, so we’re starting out basic. If you don’t already know what compound interest is, read on to learn more about why you need to get it working for you sooner rather than later. (more…)


Recently I’ve been the target of identity theft in a few different instances, and across multiple mediums. It’s irritating, but it’s nothing compared to the feeling of helplessness you get when someone actually gets away with it. It’s hard to focus on your happiness when you’re thinking about what some fraudster is doing with your personal information. That’s why I wanted to reiterate some good information on how to avoid identity theft. (more…)