Financial and Lifestyle Resources for Vermont

For most people, energy conservation means turning down the heat, turning up the air conditioning, or installing a water-saving shower head, but there are other actions homeowners can take to conserve energy, make their home more comfortable and durable, and spruce up their space at the same time.

Have you ever dreamed of retiring early and going swimming with tropical fishes? Are you simply looking to increase your savings? Mr. Money Mustache is a finance blogger who writes about how he and his wife managed to retire in his 30s by lowering their expenses and saving 50% of their income. But how? Here are five of his tips to help you cut costs, save money, and achieve financial independence that much sooner—whether you want to go snorkeling or have any other retirement plans or financial goals.

Getting a new job is exciting. Finding a new job? Not so much. If you’ve experienced anything like my six-month job search in Vermont, the process can get stressful, tedious, and exhausting. But there are ways to make it easier. Now that pandemic restrictions have eased, Vermont’s job market is finally opening up and employers are actually struggling to find workers. From firsthand experience, here are some of my personal tips for finding a job.

“In order to G-E-T you have to A-S-K.” This was the one-liner that stuck with me following Brooks Harper’s keynote address at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Workforce and Talent Summit. He has a fascinating life story which helped set him up for a career as an author and one of the most sought-after career speakers in the country. But he makes a point to emphasize that he never got anything along the way without asking. It’s a modern-day spin on the old adage, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” It applies to many facets of our lives and, in this blog, we’re going to focus on A-S-K-ing for a raise at work.

When we were younger, many of us were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Well-intentioned adults may have been excited to get a sneak peek into our little minds and identify what we were passionate about. If you had asked me, I would have said a naturalist (think Steve Irwin); if you asked my brother, he would have said a dragonfly. What makes this innocent question quite layered, actually? Following our passion implies that we have a clear calling that will not only make us happy but will also be lucrative.

As of May 13, over 35% of Americans have been fully vaccinated thanks to the hard work of scientists, medical engineers, and state government officials. The result is a declining number of positive COVID-19 cases and death rate, leading many states to slowly begin reopening. Here in Vermont, we currently rank first in the nation for rate of vaccine administration! With all this good news, it might soon be safe to travel again and perhaps reschedule that trip you canceled in 2020. In fact, CNBC reports that 65% of Americans plan to travel more in 2021 than in years prior to COVID-19! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your post-COVID adventures out in the world.

Spring is finally here and, with it, more hours of daylight, warmer weather, and greater opportunities for outdoor cycling. Biking is a great, gas-free alternative to cars and can save you money and improve your physical health all at once. So, dust off your bike and get it out of storage and onto the road. However, before you do, it’s a good idea to give your bike a tire-to-tire once-over.

“Stop! Back up!” I shout enthusiastically to my spouse Ryan every time we drive or bike past a pile of free stuff on the side of the road. Next comes a debate between us over whether the discarded items are worth taking home or not. Most often, I say “yes,” Ryan says “no,” we take it home anyway, and Ryan ends up thanking me later for grabbing it. I find a lot of satisfaction in giving objects a second life, but is this obsession truly saving me money?