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Merry Christmas!
I hope your holidays are a time to seriously rest, relax, and recover.
Take a few MOMENTS to relax and read.
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MONEY TIP
Pick a “Keystone Expense” for the Year. Instead of financial resolutions (which fade by February), choose one expense category that, if optimized, will meaningfully shift your entire financial picture.
Examples:
- Groceries
- Transportation
- Subscriptions
- Kids’ extracurriculars
- Eating out
Track only that category for 90 days (you can call it a “New 90-Day’s” resolution if that makes you feel better). Improve it by 10–20 percent. A single keystone expense can create cascading financial margin, just as a keystone habit transforms your routines. It’s simple, measurable, and sustainable for the entire year.
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OPPORTUNITY
AI Cashback + Price Alerts. Rewards Bunny is a newer browser extension/app that combines cashback, auto–price checks, and return-window reminders. Think: Rakuten + Honey + a personal assistant that tells you when to return something before the window closes. It helps minimalists spend intentionally, helps travelers snag cheaper gear, and reduces “oops” spending waste.
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MINIMALISM TIP
Instead of decluttering a room, declutter one horizontal surface every day for a week. Kitchen counter. Nightstand. Bathroom shelf. Desk. When a surface is clear, the room feels clean even if nothing else changed. It’s one of the quickest ways to feel momentum, and it builds the minimalist habit in a sustainable way.
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ESSENTIAL READING
A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine A highly readable introduction to Stoicism with practical strategies for reducing anxiety, appreciating what you have, and living simply. Great intersection of minimalism, mindset, and financial peace.
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NOTION
“Every Choice Has a Hidden Cost.” Not in a scary way — more in an awareness-building way. Choosing one activity means giving up another. Choosing one toy means storing, cleaning, and maintaining it. Kids quickly grasp opportunity cost when it’s framed as, “If we say yes to this, what are we saying no to?” It’s a powerful financial and life skill disguised as simple logic. It’s called opportunity cost, but kids need to grasp the lesson more than the word.
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TRAVEL TIP
Choose Lodging by “Daily Rhythm,” Not Amenities. Pick your hotel or Airbnb based on how you actually spend a day, not on the biggest list of features. If you’ll be out exploring most of the time, location and quiet matter more than a hot tub; if you’re traveling with kids, quick food options and laundry access beat fancy décor. Designing the trip around your family’s rhythm creates a far better experience than chasing perks you won’t use.
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SCRIPTURE
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12
Closing Questions
What is the most common negative thought you have about yourself? What would the positive version of it be?
That’s a good thing to focus on in 2026 (the positive version).
