Mckenzie Mack
Posts
Longer versions of what I post about money — saving, investing, and the decisions behind it.
5 Money Things I Don't Do as a 30-Year-Old on Track to Retire by 40
I'm 30 and on track to retire by 40. Here are five money habits I skip — from checking accounts and debit cards to combining finances with my partner.
Read post →How I Made $1,000 Just From Opening Bank Accounts
I made $1,000 from bank sign-up bonuses. Here's how bank account churning works, the requirements I check first, and why I plan for the tax.
Read post →How I Earned $1,000 Opening Bank Accounts
I earned $1,000 in bank sign-up bonuses. Here's how I check the requirements, avoid fees, and why I set aside money for taxes on it.
Read post →Can the Average Person Retire Early? Why I Think the Answer Is Yes
Why I think early retirement isn't just for high earners — and what I look at first when someone's income lands right on their area's median.
Read post →Can the Average Person Retire Early? A Real Budget That Says Yes
I'm on track to retire by 40, but I earn a lot. Here's a real budget from someone earning under the median income who's on track for 53.
Read post →If I Had to Start Over With My Finances, These Are the First Five Things I'd Do
I'm on track to retire by 40. If I woke up tomorrow and had to rebuild my finances from zero, here are the first five moves I'd make and why.
Read post →If I Had to Start Over With My Finances, Here's the Order I'd Do It In
If I woke up tomorrow and had to rebuild my finances from zero, here's the order I'd work in — tracking, cutting big costs, debt, benefits, then investing.
Read post →My One Rule for Getting Ahead: Don't Complain About Something You're Not Actively Trying to Fix
I love to complain. So I made a rule: if I'm venting about it, I have to be working on it. Here's how that rule changed my job, my debt, and my income.
Read post →Living Alone Is a Luxury, and the Price Shows Up in Your Budget
I break down budgets every week, and the people with low expenses usually have a roommate. Here's why I see living alone as a priced-in luxury.
Read post →What My FIRE Page Is For (And Who It Isn't For)
I make content about financial independence without extreme frugality. Here's who I'm actually talking to, and why it isn't everyone.
Read post →How I Got 1% Off My Federal Student Loan Interest Rate With Autopay
I logged in and saw my federal student loan rates at 2.67%, 2.86% and 3.45%. Here's what the new 1% autopay discount is and who it leaves out.
Read post →The 1% Interest Rate Reduction on Federal Student Loans (Available Until June 30, 2028)
Why I flagged the 1% interest rate reduction on federal student loans, what a lower rate actually changes, and how I'd confirm it before the June 30, 2028 deadline.
Read post →5 Signs I'd Start Applying for a New Job Yesterday
The five signs that tell me it's time to update my resume — from hiring freezes and stalled financial goals to constant fire drills and Sunday scaries.
Read post →The Money Milestones I Set Before I Quit My Job
I'm thinking about quitting my job, so I set money milestones instead of a quit date. Here's how I'm thinking about runway, fixed costs and a cushion.
Read post →The Two Financial Milestones I Set Before Quitting My Six-Figure Tech Job
I want a mini retirement, so I set two milestones first: Coast FIRE to retire at 50, and business revenue that covers my expenses. Here's my thinking.
Read post →5 Money Habits That Made the Biggest Difference in My Finances
The five habits I actually keep: no Amazon, no alcohol, credit cards only, manual spend tracking since 2018, and a No Buy quarter to start the year.
Read post →5 Things I'm Doing Before I Take a Mini-Retirement
I'm planning a mini-retirement from the 9-5. Here's the business income, six months of expenses, eight years of investing and CoastFIRE goal behind it.
Read post →Retiring by 60 on $47,500 a Year: How I Split One Paycheck Three Ways
How I think about splitting a $47,500 salary between retirement, an emergency fund and debt payoff — without waiting for a raise to start.
Read post →Budgeting a $47,000 Salary to Retire at 60
How a $2,600 monthly take-home splits across expenses, debt, sinking funds and investing — a real $47,000 budget that lands at retirement age 60.
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