This week’s posts and podcasts that inspired me are more about attitude and the journey of personal finance than the numbers. If you have the right attitude, the numbers will come; if you don’t have the right attitude, the numbers aren’t going to matter when you get there. I still have plenty of work on both fronts, so it’s great to hear from people who have good advice for the adventure.

I preempt our regular programming (can we talk?) – Wealthy Accountant

 I appreciate hearing from other writers about the uncertainty they feel about what they do and whether it has an effect. It’s nice to see others talk about how maybe it has all been done before, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be the entryway for someone else. This is a great post for just reminding yourself that if you enjoy what you do, keep doing it, because someone out there is going to appreciate it.

Why I’m glad I grew up poor – Mr. Free at 33

 I’m a Michigan native (a Michigander, if you savvy), so I always have a soft spot for stories from the mitten, especially the Detroit area. Jason has one of those life stories you would always hear about growing up around Detroit, but he’s been extraordinarily successful at taking that background and turning it into a positive driving force, if a sometimes uneasy one. Much respect, sir.

What we’ve learned from living in a vacation destination – Our Next Life

 I’ve lived in two vacation destinations now — one beach/golf area and one ski/hiking area — and ONL is definitely right that you can tell who is from out of town. I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to some of the behavior mentioned in this post, though. I definitely like to keep a schedule and fill most days with stuff to do and see. I could be better about that. This post is a good reminder to relax and take in your surroundings instead of trying to cram them into your itinerary. It also totally makes me think of the National Lampoon’s vacation movies, which is definitely a bonus. I also took a work trip this week, so I listened to several podcasts I had been meaning to get around to. The first one out of the gate was the Mad Fientist’s interview with Mrs. ONL, who sounds just as awesome and intelligent in person as she does in print.

Family and Money – Pete the Planner Podcast

 In this episode, Pete tackles the touchy subject(s) of family and money. Specifically, he talks about how to handle it when family members make poor money decisions and whether you should help bail them out. He covers the problem with aging parents who haven’t saved enough to retire (but often do anyway), and young adults who get into trouble early. You know that feeling you get when you hear something in a podcast and instantly recognize it as a truth you needed to hear? That’s the feeling I got as soon as I heard Pete talk about how common it is for young adults fresh out of college to spend money to maintain the lifestyle their parents had, and how it’s your job as a parent to warn them against doing that but to ultimately let them fail financially on their own so they learn how to do it the right way. It was that, “Oh, he’s talking to me and my wife” feeling. Even if that’s not your situation, it’s a great listen. And by the way, I really like Pete’s podcast because it’s far more accessible for people who aren’t neck deep in the personal finance world, so you can share it with people who may need help but would be totally overwhelmed by some of the more technical personalities.