That thing I packed and never used
Somehow, no matter how much I travel and how light I pack, I always end up with something I never ended up using. Often, the item that’s indispensable on one trip ends up being totally unnecessary on another. Other times it’s a product of hope — the...
Adjusting to life at home after traveling
It’s no secret that it’s a challenge to adjust to life in another country or life on the road. However, many people assume they’ll be able to pick up right where they left off when they return home. Nope. It can be just as challenging to get back...
I Want Out: How to go abroad during COVID-19
Despite all the rhetoric that we need to #stayhome, there’s no requirement that you literally stay home. Those whirlwind tours of 14 cities in 14 days are verboten, but it’s easy to travel while following all restrictions and guidelines for staying safe...
An escape guide for Americans
An escape guide for Americans There are a lot of reasons you might want to leave the US. First, do you have a passport? If the answer is no, you can’t get started on any of these options. Getting your passport is the very first step. Second, if you have a criminal...
Quarantine reads to embrace staying home
People are eagerly sharing tips on how to “travel without leaving home.” What about accepting where we are? Is travel about finding the “exotic” or is it a way of seeing the world? As Jonathan Franzen reminds us, “The first lesson reading...
Staying home when going home isn’t an option
The news is listing off a daily COVID-19 death toll. The world has shut down to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Everyone is frantically learning to adapt to working from home, homeschooling kids, living without cleaners, personal care assistants, and someone else to...
Early retirement: What happens when the unexpected occurs?
Financial independence and early retirement – known as the FIRE movement – requires devotees to relentlessly save, tirelessly work, and aggressively invest to free themselves of a full-time job by their 30s, 40s, or 50s. Despite their best-laid plans, what happens...
The best books I read in 2019
To celebrate releasing the fourth edition of Moving to Canada and my 2019 Cross Border Tax Guide, here are the books I’ve found fascinating recently: Understanding Canada A History of Canada in Ten Maps It’s a challenge to find books on the history of...
Cat lady world tour
I wish I could have the tour start in San Francisco’s nascent cat museum, but alas, the fledgling museum and it’s pop-up shows seem to have fizzled out. Who’s ready to revive the project? Instead, let’s begin in Ohio. Feline Historical Museum,...
Gated communities and the legacy of the kollektivhus
I grew up as the kind of person who scoffed at country clubs and gated communities. Scoffing is actually a generously polite description of my feelings on the matter. I viewed the type of people who are members of country clubs as part of the problem. When I thought...
Who I am in the beds of strangers
I have stayed in a lot of different homes. I spent three years subletting apartments in Prospect and Crown Heights, Brooklyn in an era before AirBnB. I have stayed in well over 100 homes through CouchSurfing and the personal networks that have sprouted up through the...
Washington DC: A digital nomad’s guide
Sure, any tourist knows what to see for a weekend in DC. But what about those of us who aren’t just any tourist? As a nomad we have time to explore, but we’re there for a lot longer than the typical tourist. While I’m free to spend an afternoon in a...
How to retire in Canada
By Rachel Hartman IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN heading north for retirement, it’s important to think through the implications the decision can bring. “Many Americans assume that moving to Canada is easy and that there’s a special pathway for Americans, since our two...
Everything you need for your cat’s quinceañera
Far too few cat owners take the time to mark a important milestone in their cat’s life: their quinceañera. It’s time to change this. In order to help correct this oversight, I’ve put together a basic quinceañera party planning guide for you. View...
How to stay connected on the road – without going broke
Your life may be location independent, but your cell phone plan isn’t. If you’re getting directions on Google Maps, posting to Instagram, or using your phone as a mobile hotspot, you don’t want to wind up with an astronomical bill. Sure, you can turn off your data and...
Dog friendly bars in Toronto
Toronto has a lot of things going for it as a place to live, but one of the things that is a source of constant heartache is just how not dog friendly it is! Sure, there are plenty of restaurants where you can clip your pup to the patio railing and they can look at...
A CouchSurfer’s Guide to New York City
Sometimes the big, obvious choices are must-sees. Other times you’re better off skipping the crowds and going someplace totally weird. As a Brooklyn CouchSurfing Ambassador, I would get asked for recommendations all the time. Here are my top recommendations for what...
How I became a remote managing director
I spoke with Kathryn Hunter, host of Compass Pod. Her podcast is all about women who have built location independent careers. We chatted about using your multidisciplinary background, scaling back when ambition is exhausting, and the power in simple ideas. You can...
Travel and reinventing yourself
I’m startled by the number of people who, when they find out I’m a perpetual traveler, get excited by the assumption that I reinvent myself every time I arrive in a different place. Which is probably the positive spin on people assuming that I’m...
How a $5K Windfall Changed My Life
When you think about life-changing money, a million-dollar lottery win or huge inheritance come to mind. But it turns out that, at least for millennials, a smaller amount would really make a difference. According to data collected by SelfLender and OnePoll, most...
Volunteering as a nomad
When people think of volunteering while traveling, they usually think of digging wells in African villages or building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Those are the sort of volunteer opportunities that require a few weeks of time — a commitment a lot of us...
Peace Collective Reinvents MAGA Hat As Anti-Hate Toque in #unravelhate
Whether or not it was intended, the red MAGA baseball cap beloved of Donald Trump’s supporters has become a symbol of a certain right-wing ideology since it first appeared in 2016. Now Canadian clothing brand Peace Collective has found a way to subvert that and...
Building your own pension
A few weeks ago I attended a breakfast talk on philanthropy at my university. There were relatively few students there and I ended up sitting next to a man who seemed a little bit north of retirement age (let’s say over 55) who said he worked for the NY...
Ottawa’s best places to work remotely (that aren’t a coffee shop)
Can’t drink another latte? Here’s where to get some work done on your laptop in Ottawa that isn’t just a list of coffee shops.
The best of Toronto
Now that I’ve been living in Toronto for a while, people ask me for recommendations all the time. Here are my favorite spots in Toronto: Art Museum: Ryerson Imaging Center The exhibitions here are always fantastic. Not only are they well curated, but...
Destination resolutions
People make a lot of fuss about New Years resolutions, but as a traveler, I enter each temporary home with a new resolution. The world is eager to remind me that I can’t escape myself by traveling, but they seem to have little understanding of just how much a...
Books that explain Canada
Canada doesn’t seem so different from the US at first glance, but the differences soon become glaring. These are the books you need to read to understand Canadian culture and how it’s different from the US.
Forget a carry-on, I’ve gone personal item only
A few months ago I accepted the challenge to go personal item only for six weeks…and I basically haven’t looked back.
How I got my first house sits
Curious about house sitting but don’t know where to start? Here’s how it works.
The ultimate guide to getting into museums for free
Forget free museum nights, go for free on your own schedule If you’re a nerd like me, museum admission fees can add up quickly. Sure, many museums have free nights. I’m sure they’re a lot of fun in some cities, but in places like New York or Toronto...
Resetting my finances after a breakup
When my wife and I split up a year and a half ago, it felt like my finances were out of control. She made more than twice as much as I do. When we met I was a dumpster diving couch surfer and she was a normal person who bought things in stores. Living with her, I came...
The three types of people who insist I NEED to have children
If you’re a woman who doesn’t have kids, you’ve gotten it: the person who corners you to interrogate you on why you don’t have kids yet. Maybe it’s your aunt. Maybe it’s your best friend from middle school. Maybe it’s a...
5 NYC tourist attractions you will never visit
Every time some article promises to share some hidden NYC attraction my ears perk up. And it’s just about always somewhere that requires some serious connections (or spy skills) to access. Let’s agree to stop pretending these are places tourists can go....
City Place, Toronto: What it’s really like to live there
Curious about what it’s really like to live in City Place? Here’s what Toronto’s waterfront neighborhood is like.
Moving To Canada Book Makes Extra $600 Per Month
I chat with Ryan Helms from Grit and Hustle about writing my first two books and how timing is the best marketing. Listen to the podcast on Hustle to Freedom.
A year of house sitting
People keep asking me what the heck I’m doing with my life. Here’s what I’ve been up to in a year of house sitting.
How I retired before I became financially independent
Most people have some ideas about what they want to do when they retire. They dream of traveling the world, following their passions, or making the world a better place. The other day I was checking my retirement accounts and the little calculator said I’m on...
Saving shouldn’t involve suffering
Saving for a big trip? Get real tips on how to cut your spending, from someone who makes very little money. Stop worrying about budgeting and denying yourself and still see the world.
Leslieville, Toronto: What it’s really like to live there
Leslieville has all the charm of Cabbagetown’s adorable houses and tree lined streets, mixed with the diversity Toronto is famous for.
How much does it cost to house sit?
So, you’re curious about house sitting. The idea of staying in other people’s homes for free is pretty enticing…but what’s the catch? Even though no money changes hands, house sitting isn’t entirely free. Here are the actual costs that...
How to house hack without a multi-family property
Plenty of mediocre financial advisors will tell you to cut out the ‘latte factor’ to cut back on your spending. Any good financial advisor will tell you to stop worrying about your lattes and instead go after your biggest expense — housing. Sure, you...
Let’s be honest: Do you really want to travel?
Do you really want to travel? Or does it just seem like something you should want to do?
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn: What it’s like to actually live there
What it’s really like to live in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn New York, USA A small town in a big city The first time I stepped off the subway and walked into Ditmas Park…I was so confused. Where was I? Where had the city gone? I had no idea that Brooklyn had...
Do you love where you live?
You want to know what it’s really like to live in a city, but hardly anyone has lived in enough places to compare. I’ll be providing information you can’t get anywhere else — what it’s really like to live in Toronto, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Boston, Chicago, Kingston, Raleigh, and other places I’ve gotten to (temporarily) call home.
Windsor Terrace & Kensington, Brooklyn: What it’s like to actually live there
What it’s really like to live in Windsor Terrace & Kensington, Brooklyn New York, USA Family friendly neighborhoods in the city These two neighborhoods are both literally and metaphorically half way between Park Slope and Ditmas Park. It feels less like the...
Traveling after a breakup and other stereotypes
I’ve learned a lot this year about stereotypes. The moment I mention that my wife and I are separated, the conversation is effectively over. As soon as I mention an ex, every word out of my mouth is viewed from the lens of some chick flick version of a breakup....
The ultimate one-step guide to saving money on flights
The internet is awash in advice on finding cheapest flights. Is it about when you book? Clearing your cache? Using a VPN? Don’t forget about all the sites you should check for the best deal. And tracking prices. And the flights that transfer in your destination...
5 inspiring stories of real estate success
Buying a home empowers you to take control of your life, increases your self-worth, and best of all, gives you options to diversify your financial life. While it might feel overwhelming or out of reach, these women show that against certain odds or challenges, home...
When you need a vacation from traveling
I’m living my best life and filling my days with incredible things, why am I exhausted? Learn about decision fatigue and how to guard against it.
