For years, I thought I was pretty good with money. I balanced my checkbook every month. I never overdrew my account. I paid my bills on time. And beginning in the late 1990s (yes…I’m dating myself), I started tracking my spending in Quicken (I still do). Heck, I had both an actual paper checkbook and…
All posts by Amanda Poffenberger
🏠 What 25 Years of Real Estate Investing Has Taught Me
Hubby and I have had quite the adventure in real estate over the years. What started as a simple rent-versus-buy decision in 2001 eventually helped us build wealth and create financial stability for our family. Grab some coffee, tea, whatever you’ve got, and buckle up, Gladys. Let’s talk real estate. House #1: Sterling, Virginia Hubby…
🚪 Should You Consider the Mega Backdoor Roth? Here’s How It Works
Several readers have asked me to explain the Mega Backdoor Roth strategy. I haven’t personally used it because most of my retirement savings went into my Traditional and Roth Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts, and I later rolled my Roth TSP into a Roth IRA. When I worked for the federal government, employees had access…
📆 How My Federal Retirement Actually Unfolded
When I announced my retirement from the federal government, several people asked me what the process was actually like. Not just the paperwork, but everything that came with it. How long did it take? When did my pension start? What surprised me? And what did those first few months really look like? If you’re considering…
☀️ The Vacation Fund Changed Everything
For years, I thought the hardest part about vacation was getting time off work. Or finding the perfect place to go. It wasn’t. The hardest part was coming home. Coming home to the credit card bill after a week that was supposed to be relaxing. The stress started before we even got home. Every dinner.…
🏝️ What Happened After I Retired from the Government
Peeps, Besties, Gladys and Brutus – It’s been a wild ride for the past nine months since I retired from the federal government. Last May, I made the decision to take advantage of an early retirement program. That’s still a little crazy to say out loud because I always assumed I would work for 35…
🤨 I Had No Idea How to Invest
When I started working for the government in 2000, I was 21 years old and had no idea, at all, how to invest money in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the government equivalent of a 401(k). I knew two things: I didn’t grow up in a family that talked much about money. And 401(k)s weren’t…
🏢 The Best College is the One You Can Afford
In Northern Virginia, college admissions can feel like a competitive sport. Parents compare acceptance rates. Students compare rankings. Social media fills up with announcement posts. And somewhere along the way, it’s easy to forget one important question: What can we actually afford? Senior Year is an Olympic Sport Our son had taken several Advanced Placement…
💡 What I Learned During the Seven Weeks I Had No Paycheck
In September 2025, I retired from the federal government after 25 years of service. I had already accepted a position with Markon and planned to continue working as a government contractor. There was only one problem. I had absolutely no idea when I was going to start. Because of a government shutdown, the process of…
💍 The Day My Engagement Ring Was Stolen
In 2003, my engagement ring was stolen from my own home. I was on work travel at the time, and because I was worried I could lose it – or worse, get mugged while traveling – I left my ring at home in its box on the dresser in our bedroom. During my trip, my…