Career

• Career strategies of high earners (35 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Kristin Wong. I mentioned in my last post that I read Barbara Stanny's "Secrets of Six-Figure Women." Stanny interviewed 150 women who earn more than $100,000 annu...Read more »

• Investing in professional conferences (20 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Sarah Gilbert. I am writing this after the third weekend in a row of attending professional conferences. While I wouldn't suggest such a schedule (it was a fluke...Read more »

• 9 traits of underearners (73 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Kristin Wong. I just read Barbara Stanny's "Secrets of Six-Figure Women." I was happy to find that I share similar traits to the 150 women she interviewed. But there ...Read more »

• The cost of workaholism (65 comments)

  "What are your resolutions this year?" a girlfriend recently asked me. I thought about the areas of my life I'd like to improve upon and responded, "I'd like to work less. I think I'm a workaholic." ...Read more »

• I’m off to grow a giant pumpkin! (30 comments)

  This post is from staff writer El Nerdo. I love my job, but my job doesn't pay so well. For a while I attempted to cope with this problem by means of personal finance. However, while thinking and w...Read more »

• Negotiating for perks when raises are off the table (21 comments)

  This guest post is from David Lye. David is an expert on novated leasing, which is a “company car” type perk that many Australian companies offer their employees. In today’s uncertain econo...Read more »

• A scholarship for small-business folks (12 comments)

  With student debt now topping credit card debt (see page 3 of the PDF), every penny that you can find to put toward education is wanted. We hear a lot about student loans, but not so much about schola...Read more »

• Planning for a new financial paradigm (58 comments)

  I'd tried and occasionally gotten by on very much less, and I'd shuffled small freelance gigs and guiltily spent windfalls instead of saving. But I just couldn't figure out a long-term way to make my...Read more »

• Throwing away an old rule (73 comments)

  Fellow peasants, unite! The time has come to overthrow the old order! GRS rule #3 says, "Spend less than you earn." But why should we continue to do that always? Because of tradition? Because of aut...Read more »

• Workplace gratitude: A simple way to boost your ‘income-producing ability’ (79 comments)

  I watch a lot of  "House Hunters." It's mostly mindless TV, but I have learned a few things. One of those things is that, in Japan, renters pay their landlords something called "key money." Key mone...Read more »

• Make more money as a subject matter expert (33 comments)

  I spend a lot of time working. I have my day job, first of all. I also have a demanding side hustle in addition to writing here. I've spent most of my working life like this. I like working and lea...Read more »

• In defense of passion (with the help of reason) (81 comments)

  "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." -Hegel Last week, GRS published an article by April Dykman that presented some ideas by Ramit Sethi and Cal Newport about h...Read more »

• Why “follow your passion” is bad advice, and what to do instead (42 comments)

  Jennifer didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up. "I did hours upon hours of research into different fields I thought I might be interested in," she says. "I thought I might want to do...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Is traditional advice killing your job search? (24 comments)

  "Vince" was halfway through his MBA program and struggling to find an internship. So, he took his career counselor's advice and blasted his resume and cover letter to 30 companies."I just tried to ...Read more »

• The power of personal networks (40 comments)

  This post is by staff writer Honey Smith. While I believe that focusing on your day job generally has the possibility for greater payoffs than side gigs, I am currently under-earning based on my e...Read more »

• Lessons from a master (53 comments)

  I have been re-watching the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" for the past couple of months. I've seen it at least 10 times, probably more, while writing drafts for this article. I've watched it alon...Read more »

• Safeguarding your career switch (44 comments)

  The night before I moved to California, I got a flat tire. The day before I moved to California, someone backed into my car. The first night that I moved to California, I got a parking ticket and my...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: What is your most pressing financial issue? (98 comments)

  As Election Day draws (mercifully) near, that old question “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” comes up again and again. I’m not going to talk politics. However, I think the bette...Read more »

• Earning more vs. spending less: The decision (89 comments)

  This is the last article in a series. Here are round 1, round 2, and round 3. The need to specialize I have been wrestling now for some time with the question of where to focus one's energies: ...Read more »

• Should you be a generalist or a specialist? (66 comments)

  Way back in 2009, I read a blog post on whether you should be a generalist or a specialist. Sure, the post’s focus was on freelance commercial writing, but every now and then, I would think about...Read more »

• Reader Story: From recession to best financial shape of my life (53 comments)

  This guest post from William Cowie is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. William has contributed to ConsumerismCommentary.com, BudgetsAreSexy.com and other personal finance b...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: If parents are paying for college, are any majors off limits? (257 comments)

  This is a guest post from Jacqueline Whiton, who self-financed her undergraduate education and MBA. She is interested in personal finance and is saving to fund her three teenagers’ anticipated colle...Read more »

• Side Gigs v. Day Jobs (132 comments)

  This post is from new staff writer Honey Smith. If you’re in debt -- especially if you’re in significant debt -- frugality will only get you so far. To really make a dent, you have to increase...Read more »

• Stop Being the Person You Think You Are (100 comments)

  This post is from GRS staff writer Donna Freedman. Donna writes the Frugal Cool blog for MSN Money, and writes about frugality and intentional living at Surviving And Thriving. How’s your life go...Read more »

• What Matters in Matters of Love and Finance (165 comments)

  "You need to keep your skills fresh," said a commenter in a recent post about the finances of parenting, referring to the concept of a mother staying at home with the kids. "In case of death or divorc...Read more »

• A Lifetime of Work (78 comments)

  Note: This article is a reprint (with some edits and additions). Several readers have suggested that one way for Get Rich Slowly to retain my voice although I'm no longer a regular contributor is to r...Read more »

• Reader Story: I Asked for a Raise — and Got It! (71 comments)

  This guest post from Robin is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. It's a follow up to her June story about the real cost of work. Some stories contain general advice; others are e...Read more »

• How Much Is Your Time Worth? (89 comments)

  This is a guest post by Joel Runyon of Impossible HQ. Did you see the Justin Timberlake thriller In Time last year? Probably not. Nobody else did either. Well, I did, I guess. And while the movie w...Read more »

• Can’t Get a Job? Get a Microjob! (69 comments)

  This post is from GRS staff writer Donna Freedman. Donna writes the Frugal Cool blog for MSN Money, and writes about frugality and intentional living at Surviving And Thriving. Looking for work? So...Read more »

• Reader Story: Getting Off Track (73 comments)

  This guest post from Nicholas is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or fai...Read more »

• Lost on the Career Path (89 comments)

  For the next week (or two), we'll be sharing "audition" pieces from folks interested in being new staff writers at Get Rich Slowly. Your job is to let us know what you think of each of these writers. ...Read more »

• Nobody Has It All: Careers We Can Believe In (189 comments)

  This post is by staff writer Sarah Gilbert. By now, lots and lots of people know that Anne-Marie Slaughter doesn't have it all. Even though she was extremely high-powered, as Director of Policy Pla...Read more »

• The Value of Human Capital (33 comments)

  For the next week (or two), we'll be sharing "audition" pieces from folks interested in being new staff writers at Get Rich Slowly. Your job is to let us know what you think of each of these writers. ...Read more »

• Reader Story: The Real Cost of Work (94 comments)

  This guest post from Robin is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failur...Read more »

• Are You Afraid to Earn More? (136 comments)

  This is a guest post from Rya Hristova. Rya had her reader story featured at Get Rich Slowly last year. She writes a Bulgarian personal-finance blog called kadebg.com. Did you grow up in a modest f...Read more »

• Burgers or Blogging? Further Thoughts on Pursuing Your Passion (92 comments)

  Over the past couple of weeks, we've been exploring the nature of work at Get Rich Slowly. What does it mean to pursue your passion? Is passion what work should be about? Or is a job just a source of ...Read more »

• Reader Story: I Quit My Passion and Took a Boring Job (216 comments)

  This guest post from long-time GRS reader Knot Theory is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved ...Read more »

• Reader Story: Re-Evaluating the Rat Race (164 comments)

  This guest post from Joe is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure....Read more »

• How to Negotiate Your Salary (70 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. One of my goals for GRS in 2012 is to write more about earning money. I quit my job a year-and-a-half ago to become self-employed, but I know that mo...Read more »

• Career Moves: How to Win the Office Politics Game (Part Two) (21 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. Last week we talked about the whys of office politics. Why do they exist? Why do we have to play the game? Today we'll get to the good stuff: How to run...Read more »

• Career Moves: How to Win the Office Politics Game (Part One) (44 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. "Office politics" is one of those phrases that used to make me groan. I worked in an office from the time I was a freshman in college until I quit my jo...Read more »

• How to Know When to Quit (62 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. Before I became a full-time freelancer, I worked for a couple of different companies. Both times I started a new job, it started out exciting and fun. ...Read more »

• How to Ask for a Raise in a Bad Job Market (40 comments)

  This is a guest post by Alexandra Levit, a formerly nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal, and Money Magazine's Online Career Expert of the Year. Levit works with organizations a...Read more »

• 10 Career Lessons from Julia Child (51 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman, who believes lavender, chocolate, and honey are the stuff that dreams are made of. Readers, I hope you'll forgive me for writing another culinary-th...Read more »

• Why Leaving My Job in Finance Was the Best Decision Ever (40 comments)

  This is a guest post from Sean Ogle, a former portfolio analyst who is now pursuing his goals of starting a business and seeing the world. Ogle writes about travel and entrepreneurship at Location 180...Read more »

• On the Road to Nowhere: The True Story of My First (and Worst) Job (67 comments)

  It's Labor Day in the United States, the holiday that traditionally marks the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. Officially, it's intended as "a day off for the working citizens"....Read more »

• Reader Story: Taking a Risk, Reaping the Rewards (44 comments)

  This guest post from Maggie is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — ...Read more »

• Playing to Your Strengths (52 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and raising children at Childwild.com. Shortly after finishing college, a friend of mine was fired fr...Read more »

• Hourly vs. Salary: Which is Better? (153 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. I had a conversation with a friend, we'll call him Joel, who had two job offers. One was a low-stress 9-to-5 gig, but paid $10,000 less than the other ...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How Can I Handle “Required” Office Spending? (214 comments)

  "Money is more about mind than it is about math." — That's one of the fifteen tenets of the Get Rich Slowly philosophy. By this I mean that psychology and emotion and relationships play a bigger...Read more »

• Five Career Moves with Exponential Returns (62 comments)

  This post is from staff writer April Dykman. One of my favorite topics to write about is ways to earn more money, though I don't often cover it here at GRS. As most regular readers know, last summe...Read more »

• Reader Story: I’m a Sugar Mama (and Proud of It!) (127 comments)

  This guest post from Kerry is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some reader stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success &m...Read more »

• How I Earn My Money (73 comments)

  A lot of what we write here at Get Rich Slowly is theoretical. "This is how you should do things," we say. Or, sometimes, the articles are meant for inspiration: "Here are some great ideas for taking ...Read more »

• Follow-Up: Taking a 20% Pay Cut (32 comments)

  I get a lot of requests for follow-ups to reader stories and reader questions. People want to hear how things turned out. Because I want to know how things turned out, too, I've started a semi-regular...Read more »

• Jump-Start Your Career With a Personal Business Model (10 comments)

  This is a guest post from Tim Clark, an entrepreneur, teacher, and the author or editor of five books on entrepreneurship, personal development, and business models, including the international bestse...Read more »

• Studs Terkel’s Working (22 comments)

  A couple of weeks ago, I shared an instructional video from 1948 called ...Read more »

• What To Do with an Old 401(k) (68 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. When a friend of mine changed jobs recently, she d...Read more »

• You and Your Work: A Short Film About Employment from 1948 (38 comments)

  Last weekend, Kris and I hired a friend's 12-year-old to help with yardwork. We leave for Africa on Monday, and we don't want to burden our housesitter with unnecessary chores. When we heard that our ...Read more »

• The Importance of Salary Negotiation (75 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. I have a good friend who recently graduated from M...Read more »

• On the Value of Networking (56 comments)

  It's hard to believe, but Kris and I graduated from Willamette University nearly twenty years ago. We enjoyed our time in college, and remain close to many of our classmates. It's always fun when we g...Read more »

• Living Like a Millionaire on Pennies a Day (41 comments)

  This is a guest post from Sean Ogle, a former portfolio analyst who is now pursuing his goals of starting a business and seeing the world. You can read more from him at Location180. You can also follo...Read more »

• Career Insurance: Insuring Your Most Valuable Asset (14 comments)

  The following is a guest post from FMF at Free Money Finance. If you'd like daily tips, thoughts, and suggestions on how to grow your net worth, subscribe to Free Money Finance for free by clicking th...Read more »

• How to Maximize Your Salary (48 comments)

  This guest post comes from Kimberly Palmer, author of Generation Earn: The Young Professional’s Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back, which hits bookstores today. She’s also the Alpha Con...Read more »

• The War on Work (127 comments)

  I write a lot at Get Rich Slowly about Financial Independence, by which I essentially mean early retirement (or semi-retirement). That is, accumulating enough money that I no longer have to work. To m...Read more »

• Reader Story: Working for Uncle Sam Overseas (51 comments)

  This guest post from Mike is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — or...Read more »

• Growing Your Human Capital: 11 Ways to Boost Your Income-Producing Ability (34 comments)

  This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new articl...Read more »

• Reader Story: I Got a 20% Pay Cut — and Loved It! (61 comments)

  This guest post from Tim Stobbs is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success &mda...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How Do I Survive Until I Get My First Paycheck? (95 comments)

  Isaac wrote recently with a question about how to make the transition from college to the Real World. He has a good degree, but it'll take him time to find a job, especially since the economy is still...Read more »

• Reader Story: I Was a TV Freelancer (or Financial Planning and Job Instability) (37 comments)

  This guest post from Kristen Swensson is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. It's also the funniest post I've published since Robert Brokamp's last appearance. Swensson is the pro...Read more »

• Is It Time To Quit Your Day Job? (96 comments)

  This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. (It's also her birthday today.) Who doesn't dream ...Read more »

• Taking Care of Business: Expense Reimbursement (46 comments)

  This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. Most employees have to submit expense reports at some point — be it for out-of-town travel, client dinners, special events, or other expenses you ...Read more »

• Let’s All Find Awesome Jobs (32 comments)

  In one recent interview, a reporter made a comment about my book reviews. "I read several of them, and they all seem to be positive," she said. "Do you like every book you read?" No, of course not....Read more »

• Have a Financial Health Day…at Work (27 comments)

  This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new articl...Read more »

• 9 Sneaky Expenses That Eat Away at Your Income (58 comments)

  This article is by staff writer Adam Baker. Baker is a founding member of Untemplater.com, a new multi-author blog focusing on personal finance, entrepreneurship, and life design for people in their 2...Read more »

• Invest in Your Most Important Income-Producing Asset (18 comments)

  This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the advisor for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new articl...Read more »

• New Job, New You (41 comments)

  I spent 17 years working at a job I hated, afraid to pursue my passions. I've spent the past two years doing something I love, and the difference in my attitude is like night and day. Some folks take ...Read more »

• Job Loss: Got a Financial Game Plan? (63 comments)

  This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed was 15.4 million and the jobless rate was 10 percent in November. While those ...Read more »

• Reader Story: Budgeting For a Lifestyle Change (41 comments)

  This is a guest post from Sean Ogle, a former portfolio analyst who is now pursuing his goals of starting a business and seeing the world. You can read more from him at Location180. You can also follo...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: What If Your High-Paying Job Makes You Miserable? (108 comments)

  On Thursday, I featured a guest post from Free Money Finance that proved to be surprisingly controversial. His five steps to six figures in seven years offered solid common-sense career advice for tho...Read more »

• Five Steps to Six Figures in Seven Years (143 comments)

  This is a guest post from FMF at Free Money Finance, a personal finance blog designed to help you grow your net worth. You can subscribe to Free Money Finance here. Historically, "making six figure...Read more »

• Crush It! and The Best Books on Boosting Your Income (28 comments)

  Yesterday, I argued that the most effective path to financial success is to boost your income. Frugality is an important part of personal finance, and you will eventually meet your goals if you simply...Read more »

• The Personal Finance Hour, Episode 21: Job-Hunting Skills (3 comments)

  On this week's installment of The Personal Finance Hour, Jim and I spent the hour talking with Michael Hampton, the director of Career Development at Western Oregon University. (We also had a lively p...Read more »

• 5 Ways To Rescue Your Rotten Résumé (33 comments)

  This is a guest post from Kerry K. Taylor, author of Squawkfox, a blog where frugal living is fun. On today's episode of The Personal Finance Hour, Jim and I will be discussing job-hunting skills. Fir...Read more »

• What’s the Difference Between High-Income Earners and Low-Income Earners? (230 comments)

  In June, a user at Ask Metafilter wondered: What are the differences between someone who makes $100,000/year and someone who makes $30,000? As you might expect, this question generated a lot of discus...Read more »

• What is the Value of a College Education? (156 comments)

  This is a guest post from Jason Barr, who writes about personal development at Start Being Your Best. Jason is a potential Staff Writer for Get Rich Slowly. His first post described what he learned fr...Read more »

• Employee or Entrepreneur? The Pros and Cons of Self-Employment (110 comments)

  In my recent review of Pam Slim's Escape from Cubicle Nation, Chett left the following comment: I was talking with a good friend last week who is self-employed. I told him I envied his entreprene...Read more »

• Escape from Cubicle Nation (35 comments)

  Last Friday, I attended a workshop put on by Pamela Slim, who writes about entrepreneurship at Escape from Cubicle Nation. Before this meeting, I didn't know much about Slim or her message, but her wo...Read more »

• How to Nail an Interview: 20 Job Interview Tips (37 comments)

  After writing about how to negotiate your salary recently, a couple of readers pointed me to another job-related tool on the web. Steinar Skipsness has created a microsite called How to Nail an Interv...Read more »

• Starting a Business After a Job Loss (25 comments)

  This is a guest post from Matt, a long-time GRS reader. After earning a master's degree in electrical engineering, my father joined a large technology company where he did quite well for himself. T...Read more »

• Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute (55 comments)

  Most personal-finance blogs write about cutting expenses. But you can obtain powerful results by looking beyond frugality, by boosting your earning power. One of the best ways to increase your income ...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Help! I’ve Been Laid Off! (109 comments)

  In December, I shared a guest post that provided 10 essential steps to take before you're laid off. But what if it's too late? What if you've already lost your job? In this economy, more and more peop...Read more »

• Finding a Good Job in a Bad Economy (73 comments)

  Plonkee, my colleague from "across the pond", e-mailed me recently with a question about the recession. She wonders what job prospects are like for recent (or soon-to-be) college graduates. Unfortunat...Read more »

• “Do What You Love” — And Other Career Advice (43 comments)

  On Tuesday, I spoke to students at Western Oregon University about the transition from college to the "real world". I attended this same event last year, so knew going in that it would be interesting ...Read more »

• Book Review: Overcoming Underearning (15 comments)

  This is a guest post from Jeremy M, who writes about experiencing a full life at Lucid Living. When I asked GRS readers recently which books they'd like to see revieweed here, Overcoming Underearning ...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Is It Unethical to Work a Second Job? (211 comments)

  To build wealth — or to get out of debt — you must create a positive cash flow. That is, you must spend less than you earn. One way to do this is to cut costs. Another is to increase your ...Read more »

• Career Renegade: Make a Living Doing What You Love (18 comments)

  "You don't have to be world-class great to make a great living doing what you love," Jonathan Fields writes in Career Renegade, "if you are willing to step outside the box, approach your passion diffe...Read more »

• 10 Essential Steps to Take BEFORE You’re Laid Off (94 comments)

  This is a guest post from Kevin Merritt, founder and CEO of blist, a web-based list-sharing and database application. As a nation we have enjoyed relatively low unemployment for the last five years...Read more »

• Living with and Learning from Layoffs (48 comments)

  Earlier today, I shared several lists of recession-proof jobs. The experts who created these lists don't agree on much, but they do seem to think that both jobs in IT and the health-care industry are ...Read more »

• The Best Recession-Proof Jobs (114 comments)

  In The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets (which I recently reviewed), author Peter Schiff provides a list of the best jobs to beat the economic collapse he predicts is just around the corner. ...Read more »

• Working from Home: What I’ve Learned in 8 Months as a Professional Blogger (41 comments)

  The internet is the new El Dorado, a mythical land of gold and plenty. Some savvy marketers have convinced their followers that it's easy to make money online. It's not. Just like anything else, it ta...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Best Part-Time Holiday Jobs? (77 comments)

  Christmas is approaching, and with it come seasonal jobs. For some, these can be a great way to earn extra cash, which can be used to purchase gifts, to pay off debt, or simply to save for the future....Read more »

• Beyond “Real Hourly Wage”: How Much Time Does Stuff Actually Cost? (35 comments)

  In my last post, I explained how to compute your real hourly wage, a notion popularized by the book Your Money or Your Life. Authors Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin encourage readers to calculate their ...Read more »

• How to Compute Your REAL Hourly Wage (38 comments)

  Like many Get Rich Slowly readers, I credit Your Money or Your Life with changing the way I approach my personal finances. This book transformed my relationship with money, and helped me to understand...Read more »

• How Do You Turn Passion into a Career? (And Should You?) (30 comments)

  Ask Metafilter is one of my favorite sites on the internet; I've been an active member there for years. It's a great place to get advice on many subjects, including money. And careers. Recently a user...Read more »

• You Make HOW Much? Getting Paid What You’re Worth (34 comments)

  A little blurb in the 22 September 2008 issue of Newsweek caught my eye. Linda Stern writes that younger workers are becoming more comfortable about sharing their salary information with friends and c...Read more »

• The Best Salesman in the World (39 comments)

  In yesterday's links roundup, I shared the story of Joe Ades, the gentleman grafter. Ades sells vegetable peelers on the streets of New York City by day, but goes home at night to a three-bedroom Park...Read more »

• Every Job I’ve Ever Had (67 comments)

  It's Labor Day in the United States, the holiday that traditionally marks the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. Officially, it's intended as "a day off for the working citizens"....Read more »

• Reader Success Story: How I Gave Myself a Raise (20 comments)

  Jon wrote yesterday to share a success story of personal finance principles in action. Here's a slightly modified version of his e-mail. I've been a reading personal finance blogs for some time now...Read more »

• Enough is Enough: Wealth is What You Make It (44 comments)

  This is a guest post from Steve Ross, a pastor at a church in rural Oregon. I learned something about how wealthy I am recently. I am a pastor in a congregation that is in a financial crisis. W...Read more »

• Network Your Way to Job Security (42 comments)

  This is a guest post from Brandt Smith, who writes for Wealth and Wisdom, a blog focused on helping you achieve wealth and life balance through entrepreneurship. I was stunned but not surprised whe...Read more »

• Reader Comment: Further Thoughts on Careers and Jobs (38 comments)

  There have been a couple great discussions this week at Get Rich Slowly. The article on tips for first-time homebuyers yielded many anecdotes and suggestions. My piece on the difference between a care...Read more »

• The Difference Between a Career and a Job (61 comments)

  What is the difference between a career and a job? Trent at The Simple Dollar recently suggested the following dichotomy: A job is something you do simply to earn money; a career is a series of c...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Advice for Starting a New Business? (61 comments)

  I encourage GRS readers to pursue their dreams. I also extol the virtues of entrepreneurship. Mike believes he's ready to take both pieces of advice to heart. He wants to leave his job, set out on his...Read more »

• The Informational Interview: A Job-Hunter’s Secret Weapon (16 comments)

  This article originally appeared at I Will Teach You to Be Rich in a slightly different format. Finding a job can be tough. Competition is fierce, and even if you've got the skills, it's a challeng...Read more »

• Reader Story: Beware of Scams and Pyramid Schemes (106 comments)

  In the past, I've shared the story of the worst job I ever had. In a lot of ways, it felt like I was part of a pyramid scheme or multi-level marketing operation. I've been approached to participate in...Read more »

• Life After School: Advice for New Graduates (50 comments)

  On Tuesday evening I gave my first-ever presentation about personal finance. I spoke to a group of about 70 graduating seniors from Western Oregon University. My talk went okay. It wasn't terrible, bu...Read more »

• I Quit My Job — What Should I Do With My 401k? (78 comments)

  This is a guest post from Todd at The Working Dollar. When you leave your job, you have several choices regarding your 401(k). These options are pretty much universal, meaning they apply to every 4...Read more »

• Some Thoughts on Goals and Adult Education (44 comments)

  Last night, Kris and I had dinner with Craig and Lisa. Craig is an architect. Lisa is a technical writer who has spent the past few years as a stay-at-home mother. (Lisa contributed two GRS guest post...Read more »

• 6 Tips for Landing Your Dream Job (30 comments)

  This is a guest post from Alexandra Levit. Alexandra writes Water Cooler Wisdom, a career advice blog. Her new book, How’d You Score That Gig? A Guide to the Coolest Careers — and How To Get T...Read more »

• What to Do If You’re Laid Off? (41 comments)

  About a month ago at AskMetafilter, a user wrote looking for advice on what do after losing his job: TERROR! After 25 years in the IT industry in Ireland I feel like the 21st century equivalent of...Read more »

• Uncommon Lifestyles and the Truth About the 4-Hour Workweek: An Interview with Tim Ferriss (40 comments)

  One of the fundamental premises of the Get Rich Slowly philosophy is that by making sacrifices and smart moves now, you can create a better life in the future. It's a philosophy of deferred gratificat...Read more »

• How to Quit Your Job Gracefully (54 comments)

  Deb Perelman at eWeek recently shared some advice on how to quit your job with your bridges intact. Too often smart employees let their guard down during their final days, and they do things that may ...Read more »

• The Pros and Cons of Working at Home (31 comments)

  This is a guest post from Betsy Teutsch, who writes about socially responsible investing, savvy consuming, and sustainable living at Money Changes Things.                I sit down to ...Read more »

• How to Earn More from Your Current Job (Without a Raise or Promotion) (27 comments)

  This is a guest post from Lily of The Honest Dollar, a great new personal finance blog. The most common ways to increase your salary are to get promoted or to negotiate a raise. But promotions don...Read more »

• Some Final Thoughts on Work, Education, and Fulfillment (10 comments)

  I've been pleased with our discussion here over the past couple days. Many of you have contributed valuable insights about education and careers. I always tell people that Get Rich Slowly has the best...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How To Find Work That You Love? (92 comments)

  During yesterday's discussion about the value of a college education, several people noted that it's difficult to decide what to study when you don't know what you want to do with your life. This remi...Read more »

• The Value of a College Education (137 comments)

  I've been thinking lately about the value of a college education. I earned a B.A. in Psychology from Willamette University in 1991 (with a minor in English Lit, and almost another minor in Speech Com)...Read more »

• Parents.com Stay-at-Home Calculator (44 comments)

  When a new baby arrives, young couples face a decision. If both parents work, who should stay home with the child? The mother? The person with the smallest salary? Or should both parents continue to w...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: Is Education Always a Good Investment? (75 comments)

  Lisa is trying to decide what to do with her life. She's in her mid-thirties, has two young children, and for the past few years has spent most of her time parenting. Now that the kids are older, she'...Read more »

• How to Earn Extra Income Through Private Tutoring (24 comments)

  This is a guest post from Jeff Sackmann, a GMAT tutor based in New York City. Jeff runs the blog GMAT Hacks.  He is the author of The GMAT Math Bible and several other GMAT-related resources. Are ...Read more »

• Quitting the Day Job: Finding the Guts to Pursue Your Dreams (223 comments)

  Something amazing has happened in the past eighteen months. While I've been learning about personal finance — and sharing my knowledge with you — Get Rich Slowly has grown from a small si...Read more »

• Better Use of Leisure Time: Self-Improvement Tips from 1950 (18 comments)

  I've written before about how profitable it can be to use your free time to engage in money-making hobbies. But even if your hobbies don't earn you money directly, you can still use them to develop us...Read more »

• Money-Saving Ideas for Working Parents (18 comments)

  Over at The Dollar Stretcher, Pamela wrote looking for money-saving ideas that won't burden an overfull schedule: I need some tips from women who work outside the home and drive to a workplace ever...Read more »

• Breaking the Shackles: How to Escape from Minimum Wage (69 comments)

  Earlier today I provided a statistical snapshot of minimum wage earners. The numbers indicate that in the United States: Most minimum wage earners are young. Most minimum wage earners work in fo...Read more »

• Who Earns Minimum Wage? A Statistical Profile (52 comments)

  There's been some discussion recently among moneybloggers about writing more for those who earn the minimum wage, and for those who face other financial difficulties. This is a good thing. But all thi...Read more »

• Drama in Real Life: “You’re Fired!” (75 comments)

  We just fired an employee. Letting a person go is never an easy thing, especially at a small family business like ours. We treat our employees well, and relate to them as real men and women instead...Read more »

• Traveling to Save: How to Get Paid to Live Overseas (28 comments)

  This is a guest post from Cassie Browne. Cassie writes about discovering food in Japan at Eaten in Translation. J.D. has written about how to save for an overseas trip and how to have a vacation on...Read more »

• Requesting (and Receiving) the Raise You Deserve (10 comments)

  This is a guest post from Alexandra Levit. Alexandra writes Water Cooler Wisdom, a career advice blog. First things first — when is a good time to ask for a raise?  Coming off a strong perfo...Read more »

• Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek (56 comments)

  When I picked up The 4-Hour Workweek, I was worried it was some sort of "get rich quick" book. The first few pages didn't do much to change my mind. The author, Timothy Ferriss, makes a lot of bold cl...Read more »

• Getting the Guts to Relocate to a Cheaper City (65 comments)

  This guest post is from Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success. Trunk is a career columnist for the Boston Globe and Yahoo! Finance, and also dispenses wisdom on her blo...Read more »

• Three Ways to Be Sure You’re Paid What You’re Worth (32 comments)

  A reader contacted me via IM this week to ask for help with his job search. GRS reader: hey JD J.D.: Hey, David. GRS reader: i am in talks with a company to go work in the us, arizona to be pre...Read more »

• Career Advice for the College Graduate (28 comments)

  This is a guest post from Lisa Lessley Briscoe. My friend (and fellow Bearcat) Lisa writes: "I was just poking around on GRS (I don't usually read) and noticed that you'd posted an entry for colle...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How Do You Find a Job? (46 comments)

  Mandy from Personal Finance 101 needs advice on job-hunting. She recently moved across the country, and now finds herself looking for work. She could use some tips. I've decided to break down and...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How Do You Get a Job When Nobody Will Give You a Chance? (38 comments)

  Last fall I wrote an entry entitled "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?" I described how it's difficult to know what you want to do when you're 21. (And how sometimes it's difficult to know what...Read more »

• Finding Your Life Work: Vocational Lessons from 1940 (7 comments)

  You folks seemed to enjoy "Your Thrift Habits", the educational film I posted last week. I liked it too. I've found a few more of these to share, and will post them on Saturday mornings. Today's film ...Read more »

• More Money: 5 Ways to Earn Extra Cash in Your Spare Time (64 comments)

  The discussion yesterday about how to earn money when you've lost your job got me thinking about ways to earn extra income outside regular employment. None of these are quick fixes, but they're ways t...Read more »

• Coping with Unemployment: Blogging is NOT the Answer (41 comments)

  Lazy Man wrote to me yesterday with a crisis from one of his readers. I received this very distressing letter today: "Hi Lazy man, tell me how do you create a blog to get help to pay my bills....Read more »

• Finding a Mentor: It Never Hurts to Ask (14 comments)

  Your career is one of your most important assets. After your health, it plays the largest role in determining your ability to acquire wealth. Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist is a weblog filled with ...Read more »

• Anatomy of an Overnight Success (11 comments)

  You're not going to get rich quickly from your hobby. While it's possible to earn a little income from a hobby or a side-business in a short time, to truly make it profitable takes hard work over t...Read more »

• Become a Consultant to Defeat Debt Quickly (13 comments)

  The recent discussion about job-loss included a debate on the merits of becoming a consultant. Regular reader Andréa Coutu is a consultant. She wrote this guest article on how to become a consu...Read more »

• Ask the Readers: How to Get Started in Life? (18 comments)

  Over the past week, I've received a barrage of messages from people seeking specific personal finance advice. While I'm willing to offer help where I can, many times the questions lay outside my area ...Read more »

• What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? (47 comments)

  How can you know what you want Till you get what you want And you see if you like it? — Steven Sondheim, Into the Woods We had some good friends over for dinner the other night. While ...Read more »

• Salary Secrets and Myths (3 comments)

  Jeanne Sahadi at CNNMoney has written a guide to salary secrets and myths. "Employers seem to have the better hand in pay negotiations," she writes. "But here are six ways to better read the cards the...Read more »

• A Beginner’s Guide to Freelancing (6 comments)

  Somewhere between workaday jobs and entrepreneurship lies the murky world of freelancing. The idea of striking out alone appeals to many people. But where does one start? Phil Gyford has created a beg...Read more »

• How to Get the Most Out of a College Job (11 comments)

  A college job can be a chore. Or it can be the doorway to future success. The choice is yours. I asked Michael Hampton, director of career development for Western Oregon University, for advice on ...Read more »

• The Worst Job I Ever Had (70 comments)

  Your job is one of your most important assets. It gives you earning power. It can bring you personal fulfillment. But what happens when you're stuck in a job you hate? Here's the true story of the wor...Read more »

• Nine Tips For Young People Starting Careers (11 comments)

  Jeanne Sahadi at CNN Money has posted the get-started guide to making it, a set of tips for young people starting their careers. I asked five managers I've known over the years and my favorite work...Read more »

• How to Give Yourself a Raise (7 comments)

  This is a guest post from Stephen A. Smith. My fiancée, Kerrie, has a good job. She works for Hachette Book Group (formerly Time Warner Book Group), where she gets three weeks of paid vacation eve...Read more »

• The Most Lucrative College Degrees (6 comments)

  Are you still in school? Are you looking for a job that pays big bucks? CNN Money has a list of the most lucrative college degrees. Majors that have seen some of the biggest increases in average ...Read more »

• What Makes a Resumé Scream “Don’t Hire Me!” (10 comments)

  A column over at CNNMoney has some good advice on what to leave out of your resumé. Don't include your hobbies. Don't include your marital status. Don't include information about your c...Read more »

• How To Acquire a Good Entry-Level Job (3 comments)

  Not everyone is ready to aim for a $100,000 job. On AskMetafilter, a user writes: I need to find some sort of long-term employment that will put me on my way to establishing financial independence ...Read more »

• How to Get a Job Paying More Than $100,000 (5 comments)

  I've written a lot about how you can save money, about how frugality and thrift can help you to get rich slowly. But another way to save more than you earn is to increase your income. Paul's Tips offe...Read more »

• The Secret of My Success (5 comments)

  I found a piece last week that addresses an important facet of personal relationships. Michael Hyatt is often asked, "What's the secret of your success?" His answer: "Responsiveness." So many peopl...Read more »

• Best Jobs in America (1 comment)

  MONEY Magazine has posted its picks for the top fifty jobs in America. Heading the list are software engineer, college professor, and financial advisor. To find the best jobs in America, MONEY M...Read more »