About
If you want to reclaim more time and money in your life, you’re in the right place.
If you want to have a better relationship with money, you’re in the right place.
If you want to open yourself to a new life that you deserve, you’re in the right place.
Hello! Welcome to TheMoneyCherry! 🍒
This little blog on the web helps you get more out of life instead of working all the time. No fancy degree is needed. The rules are simple:
Who the heck is Miss Mon Cheri?
Introvert. Recovering penny-pincher. Tiramisu connoisseur. I’m the girl that tells their friends, “No, it’s not in the budget!” But I swear, I’m not boring. If you like to learn more about me, continue below.
Why “Miss Mon Cheri”?
My nickname “Mon Cheri” is where ‘theMoneyCherry’ derives from. This blog is full transparency – I’m completely open about my finances, investments, income reports, my reviews, and everything in between. Even if it’s behind a nickname.
What’s theMoneyCherry 🍒 ?
TheMoneyCherry 🍒 exists to help you have a healthier relationship with money, so that it serves as a foundation to help you design your dream life. Learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to. TMC’s main focus is to help you stop living paycheck to paycheck, budget better, and invest like a millionaire.
I’ve also expanded topics to revolve around Money – Life – Blogging
Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE)
I’m passionate about helping you get to your FIRE – where you’re financially independent enough to live life on your own terms. Because retirement is not an age, but a number.
If you’re financially free, it means you have the assets that generate income to cover all your expenses. This is why I love passive income, so much – money works for you and not the other way around. And you don’t have to be a millionaire to reach it. You can reach financial freedom by discovering your FI Number.
A Bit more About
This blog is all about a better relationship with your money so you can improve your life through finance. While money might not mean everything – it affects everything else. (People who said money doesn’t mean much is certainly lying to you.)
Money Management = Life Management
Spending, keeping, and making it, is a different set of skills entirely. Let me help with that! Because the truth is your life will be better with more money. By a lot.
Who are you and How did you get here?
I’m Mon Cherie, the person behind theMoneyCherry.
I didn’t grow up with a lot of money per se, but I was lucky enough to never go hungry. I remember watching my mom (badass) go to work with a broken leg supporting a family of five. Even though I have fond memories of making our own dumplings, and pickling food, our family knew we had to be careful with money. We were in that paycheck-to-paycheck cycle that we needed to get out of.
But my villain story began when I learned about how to make money “grow” by putting it in a savings account at my local bank.
They’ll help your money grow, they said.
A safe bet, I’m told.
Until I found that was actually bad advice. My money was not “growing”, it was “resting”. And then I discovered what inflation was.
The average savings account rate at a bank in Canada (where I am from) is less than 4%. The rate of inflation in the world averages 3% – 6%. Therefore, I was slowly losing my money.
I cannot afford to be “safe” anymore. No one can. I was doing all the right things – education, job, saving – but it will still mean nothing in the long run. So all the hard work my family was struggling with will bear no fruits in the long run?
Ergo, I put a lot of effort (and money) into trying to find a way out.
It was actually a lot of fun reading all about it. And when I realized I didn’t have to “resign” to anything I didn’t want 100% (like a stressful 9-to-5) just for my family; I was more hopeful and less jaded. I could enjoy my time, not worry about money for years, and be happy? Sign me up!
Why aim for FIRE?
Aiming for Financial Independence is aiming for the Good Life.
I was an artist/designer who wanted more from life …and more money. Even if I wanted to paint all day, but knowing how much an artist make, I took an office job. I got caught in the rat race anyway.
As it turns out, I don’t have to work in the rat race forever! Imagine having not to worry about a paycheque anymore. Imagine work being optional. There’s an awesome concept where your money works for you – it’s called FIRE (Financial Independence Retirement Early).
Most importantly, I really like the idea that I am in control.
It’s not that I wanted to stop working and do nothing on the beach (that’s a lame goal tbh). I wanted to spend time doing what I enjoy – without the anxiety of where my next paycheque is going to come from, how long I have to work, or asking “How am I going to pay for this?”
It also gives me the assurance that I can take care of people and prepare for emergencies if life decides to throw me that curveball. The time you’re buying back and that you’re ready for anything is one of the best feelings in the world.
Do you want to spend a month on the shores of Bali? Or take the afternoon off to watch a movie? Or volunteer with Wolves in the middle of the year? Can’t really do that if your boss needs you in the office on Monday.
What does FIRE mean to you? How would define your “retirement”? More importantly, can you even afford retirement? Because a recent Canadian survey suggests you need about 1.7 million to retire comfortably.
How’s that pension plan looking?
Why start a blog?
It started as a personal challenge.
But when my friends started to ask me about ETFs, I came to the crazy belief that I could help others too. I would send links and books but realized I needed a place to keep everything organized so that everyone could reach them.
I also want to show you that you can do it too – achieve that good life by making financial literacy less complicated.
Because the truth is, money improves you life. A lot. I’ve been there in the rat race and feeling stuck, you can learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to. That’s efficient, isn’t it?
How are you going to afford to retire? So what now?
I’ve worn a lot of hats: babysitter, receptionist, retail worker, interior designer, artist. Now, I make most of my living via contracts. I started looking into other online businesses as a side hustle and hopefully replace my already unsteady income.
I think online businesses are one of the perfect ways to make an income – lots of flexibility, scalable, and I can take it with me wherever in the world. And I can continue this even till retirement.
Most importantly, no glass ceiling. You’re 100% accountable for your success. And you can go as far (or even pivot) as you like.
Stay on Top of it!
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