Welcome, I'm Tommy!​

Do you order too many pumpkin spiced lattes from Starbucks instead of saving for an emergency fund? Do you not pay off your credit card balances in full every month? Do you want to stop FOMOing from all of the amazing travel pictures on Instagram and make things a reality? Well if you do these things all of the time, then you have come to the right place! This website is to help people like you get their personal finances in order and want to learn how to travel hack so you can make your dreams become a reality.

You are probably wondering why I should listen to this random guy’s advice? You are right… I am not a Financial Advisor with a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) credential. I am not a fiduciary. And I only have about 3 decades of experience of living in the real world. Let me repeat I do not have any credentials for financial advising so feel free to use or not use my advice.

I just find money really fascinating! I also want to help people learn about personal finances and become financially secure. It’s something that is not taught in schools yet it is one of the most important skills to learn. I am fortunate enough to have learned from my parents and everything else I learned is self-taught. Also, I made some mistakes along the way.

But here are some things about me and my qualifications. I majored in financial planning with minors in Communication and Organizational Leadership at Purdue University. I aced my senior year financial planning capstone course with one of the most influential professors I had in school. Thanks Big Joe! I had an internship as a Financial Advisor Intern with Northwestern Mutual. I currently work full time in banking as a Portfolio Manager. Not to brag, but I have an 800+ credit score. I have been managing my own finances since I was about 6 years old. Thanks Mom and Dad for opening up a savings account in my name! Lastly, my parents raised me with good values, taught me responsibility, discipline, and respect, and I credit them for the man I am today.

From Razor Scooters to Traveling

Let me explain how I became interested in money. Let’s go back to 10-year old Tommy when I was living in San Diego. My Dad served in the Navy for 30 years so I was fortunate enough to see a lot of the U.S. as I moved 7 times finally settling in the Chicago land area when he retired.

When I was a kid I wanted to buy a Razor Scooter so I could be one of the cool kids on the block. Like good parents, they decided to teach me about money at a young age and gave me an allowance after doing those weekly chores that we all used to dread. My parents taught me if I wanted to buy something really really badly, then I would have to work in order to save up for it instead of nagging them over and over again. I ended up buying that silver blue Razor Scooter with light up wheels and the ollie tail on the end of it.

Skip ahead a few years or a decade later. One of the first things I did after graduating college and getting a big boy job was applying for my first credit card with Navy Federal Credit Union. I wanted to build my credit history and reap the credit card rewards because who doesn’t like “free” stuff! Over the years in the real world, I have learned the art of travel hacking by reading blogs. Travel hacking has really become a hobby for me and it can become a dangerous hobby if you are not responsible with your money.

So what will you learn here?

If you want to become financially literate, improve your finances, or want to learn the art of travel hacking then you have come to the right place! This website will give you an arsenal of financial and travel tips, advice, and suggestions that has been tested by me. I am in no way a perfect person and I have definitely made some financial and travel mistakes in my life. That’s why I want to share this knowledge with you as I don’t want you to make the same mistakes as I did. Failing is the best way to learn. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky

Are you ready to get your financials in order?

My Dad taught me that we should always be learning something new. One of my principles in life is to always try to better yourself and live life to the fullest. Life is short so don’t take it for granted.

Let’s get your finances in check!

Sincerely,

Tommy