Mastering Your Financial Future

by Henrik Bacilieri A new year is right around the corner. And while I’m not big on vague “resolutions,” I am huge on  specific goals —especially when it comes to money. Right now, my life isn’t flashy. I’m still early in the game. But that’s exactly why I want to build a solid foundation before life starts moving faster. So here’s how I’m setting up my 2016 financial game plan: 🎯 Step 1: Define What “Winning” Looks Like In 2016, “winning” for me is not about income. It’s about  discipline ,  growth , and  stability . My vision: I have a $1,500 emergency fund I’m saving 20% of every paycheck I’ve started learning how to invest My spending is intentional, not impulsive I feel calm—not chaotic—when I look at my finances That’s the target. That’s the win. ✍️ Step 2: Make the Goals Measurable Here’s what I’ve written in my notebook: Track my spending every week Save at least $150/month Read 6 finance books next year (one every two months) Open a Roth IRA before July Sta...

by Henrik Bacilieri Thanksgiving just passed. And while most people were talking about food, family, and football, I found myself thinking a lot about  money . Not in a greedy way. But in a  reflective  way. Holidays have a strange relationship with money. They bring out both the  best  and  worst  of how we spend. And this year, for the first time, I’m really watching it all unfold from a new lens. 🎁 The Pressure to Spend There’s this unspoken message during the holidays:  If you love someone, you’ll buy them something. It’s everywhere. Ads. Sales. Discounts. “Limited-time offers.” And I get it—gifts are beautiful when they come from the heart. But I’ve also seen how people go into  debt  to show love. They stretch their wallets, swipe their cards, and worry about bills in January. I’m learning that  love isn’t measured in receipts . 💸 The Trap of “Treating Yourself” Holidays make it so easy to say: “It’s the end of the year… I d...

by Henrik Bacilieri It’s almost the end of 2015, and I’ve been reflecting a lot lately. This time last year, I was still in Italy, trying to figure out what I was doing with my life. Still chasing old dreams. Still lost in the noise. Fast forward 11 months—I’ve moved to the U.S., started learning about finance, began documenting my journey, and developed habits I never had before. But I don’t want to coast into the new year. I want to  finish strong . Here’s how I’m approaching the last stretch of 2015: 1.  Reviewing My Financial Habits I sat down and looked at every month since I arrived in Ohio. What worked: Building an emergency fund Tracking every dollar Saying “no” to what doesn’t fit the plan What didn’t: Inconsistent saving patterns Getting lazy with tracking in October Overthinking before taking action I’m not judging myself. Just being honest. 2.  Doubling Down on Simplicity There’s a lot I want to learn—investing, crypto, credit, side income. But right now, I’m ...

by Henrik Bacilieri Okay… so this week something weird happened. I was at a small café, having coffee with a friend, and he casually said: “You ever look into Bitcoin?” I laughed at first. Isn’t that internet monopoly money? Something gamers and hackers use? But I’ve heard about it more than once now—especially online. A few Reddit threads. Some early adopters talking about it. Even a finance YouTube channel I follow dropped it into a video. So I finally asked:  What is this thing? 🧠 The Basics (from what I understand so far): Bitcoin is digital money It’s not physical. It exists online. You store it in a “wallet” (which apparently isn’t leather…). No central bank controls it This part is wild—it’s not backed by a government or controlled by a bank. It’s decentralized. There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoins That’s it. No more printing. It’s coded into the system. That scarcity is what gives it value. People are mining it This part still confuses me, but apparently, computers ...

by Henrik Bacilieri Right now, I don’t make much. Let’s just say I’m clocking in and clocking out, trying to squeeze value from every single hour. It’s minimum wage. It’s not ideal. It’s not glamorous. But here’s the thing… Even earning the smallest amount, I’ve started to see how  money works —because I have no choice but to  make every dollar count . When you earn less, you  can’t  afford to ignore your money. Every swipe, every purchase, every $5 “treat yourself” moment  adds up . I used to think money problems would go away when I earned more. But the truth is: You don’t fix money problems with more money—you fix them with better habits. Here’s what this season of minimum-wage hustle has taught me: 🧠 1.  Discipline isn't about how much you earn—it’s about what you do with what you earn. It’s easy to assume that “rich people” have better money habits. But earning more without discipline just means  bigger mistakes with higher consequences . Right n...