Welcome back to the Summit Path Coaching Summer Adventure Series! As we hit mid-July, the temperatures are soaring. When it’s simply too hot for an afternoon hike or working in the garden, sometimes the best summer adventure is retreating to a cool, dark space for a great movie. But as we always emphasize on the path to financial independence, entertainment shouldn't mean blowing your monthly budget. You don't need to spend $80 on premium tickets and a bucket of popcorn to

Summer has a beautiful way of reminding us that life doesn’t have to be complicated to feel meaningful. Sunshine, long evenings, and a slower rhythm create the perfect backdrop for one of the simplest pleasures we often forget to savor and that is eating outside. Whether it’s a picnic in the grass, a campfire meal, or a pop-up tailgate with friends, eating outdoors invites us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with nature, with each other, and with ourselves. And the best part?

Summer is a fantastic time to embark on a new adventure: starting your own garden! Whether you are drawn to vibrant flowers, crisp vegetables, or calming greenery, stepping into a local nursery might leave you thinking—wow, that is costly. If you aren't quite ready to invest in a $15 tomato plant or an expensive premium chrysanthemum, don't worry. Let’s explore how you can cultivate a beautiful, thriving garden on a budget, whether you are working with a sunny window ledge, a

Welcome back to our series on summer fun that won’t break the budget! This past weekend brought us so much rain that it inspired me to focus on classic indoor entertainment—specifically, games and puzzles. Most of us have a dusty board game or a half-finished puzzle sitting on a closet shelf. If you don’t, you can easily prepare for the next summer downpour by hitting up a local thrift store or garage sale. You can almost always find great games at these spots, often for unde

Introduction Welcome back to our weekly series on enjoying a spectacular summer without derailing your financial goals! When we think of summer getaways, we often picture expensive road trips or pricey amusement parks. But one of the absolute best resources for free, family-friendly entertainment is sitting right in our own backyards: the city park system. Choosing a local park over a paid attraction is a cornerstone of intentional spending. It allows you to keep your summer

Culturally, student loans have become the norm, but let’s be candid: they are a terrible anchor on your financial future. Millions are trapped, but if you are ready to ascend to true financial independence, you need a plan to eliminate this debt for good. Here is a breakdown of the best strategies to get these payments out of your life. Federal Loans: Don't Consolidate For federal loans, there is only one surefire exit strategy: pay them off fast. We generally do not recommen

Summer is here. Want to get ff the screens and out on adventures without breaking the budget? Hiking is a fantastic way to bond with family and get everyone excited about nature. The secret to a successful outing isn't the distance or the elevation—it’s choosing the right *type* of hike to match your family's personality and energy levels. Types of Family-Friendly Hikes 1. The "Adventure" Hike (Nature Scavenger Hunts) Perfect for younger children who need a little extra moti

When it comes to higher education, society often sells us a dangerous narrative: that taking out tens of thousands of dollars in student loans is simply a "normal" part of growing up. We reject that narrative entirely. At Summit Path Coaching, we believe that true financial freedom requires discipline, strategy, and action. Our foundational rule for college planning is simple: Borrowing money for school is off the table. It should not even be considered an option. Earning a d

At Summit Path Coaching, we know that lasting financial change is not just about information; it is about action. True action comes from clarity, confidence, and understanding the "why" behind your money decisions. The first step in our ASCEND coaching model is Awareness—identifying your current financial reality and surfacing the beliefs that shape your decisions. Often, what holds us back are misconceptions. Let’s bring clarity to the conversation by busting the most comm

Welcome back. Let’s recap. You discovered your why, wrote it down, shared it with others, and stuck it where you can see it every day. This is your motivation to go on the budgeting journey. Then you found all your sources of income and all the things you spend money on over the month. We put that all together and categorized and sorted this to create your first budget. We know that first few months of budgeting may not be perfect, but you did see some interesting, and mayb

These are ways to find extra margin in your basic monthly budget to move you toward your goals faster.

Gaining Ground: How to Build a Simple, Actionable Budget At Summit Path Coaching, we know that lasting change isn’t just about information; it’s about action, and action comes from clarity, confidence, and understanding what drives you. Managing your money shouldn't feel chaotic. Whether you are an individual working toward personal financial stability or a small business owner, building and maintaining a realistic budget is foundational to your success. A structured approach

Welcome back to our Budgeting Basics series. At Summit Path Coaching, we know that lasting change isn’t just about information; it’s about action, and action comes from clarity, confidence, and understanding what drives you. Before you can confidently tell your money where to go, you have to understand your current financial reality, beliefs, and attitudes about money. In our ASCEND coaching framework, this process represents the very first step: A — Awareness . This stage is

Let’s be honest: when you are just starting to take control of your finances, saving that first $1,000 can feel like a mountain. If your budget is already tight, the idea of scraping together an extra grand by transferring $20 a week is frustratingly slow. Here at Summit Path Coaching, Trish and I see this all the time. People lose momentum because the process takes too long. But building that initial safety net is crucial—it's the buffer between you and a blown tire, a surpr

Monday Budget Series: Step One – Finding Your Financial Baseline Welcome to the first installment of our Monday Budget Series. At Summit Path Coaching, we believe that taking control of your money starts with taking an honest look at where you stand. In our ASCEND coaching framework, the very first step is Awareness —understanding your current financial picture without judgment. Before we can tell your money where to go, we must know exactly how much of it is coming in. Today

The deadline to file your taxes— Wednesday, April 15, 2026 —is right around the corner. But this year, tax season isn't just about digging up old receipts and filling out the same old paperwork; everyone is talking about the massive changes hitting our tax returns. With the recent implementation of new tax laws, the buzz around "no tax on tips" and "no tax on overtime" is very real. People are actively searching to understand how these policies will affect their take-home pay

We have been hearing your concerns about making your gas budget work, and we want to validate that those concerns are incredibly real. With the price of gas having jumped 42% since January 1st, 2026, it is hitting everyone’s wallet hard. Let us help you explore some practical ways to reduce your fuel consumption and make every single drop stretch a little bit further: 1️⃣ Improve Your Gas Mileage It is not just what you drive, but how you drive! Ease off the pedal: Driving

For years, the internet was a performance. A carefully curated show of "Quiet Luxury," #Blessed moments, and daily indulgences, framed as essential self-care. It was a beautiful, but unsustainable, curated lie. Welcome to 2026, where the illusion is officially dead. The biggest viral wave in finance isn't showing off a new purchase; it's proudly, vocally, and aggressively declaring what you refused to buy. We have officially entered the era of Loud Budgeting 2.0 and the Gre

For anyone approaching retirement, Social Security timing is one of the most significant financial decisions you will ever make. It is the difference between a lifetime of "just getting by" and a lifetime of financial security. As we move into 2026, the rules have officially shifted, and the stakes are higher than ever. If you were born in 1960 or later, your Full Retirement Age (FRA) is now 67. While that might seem like just a number on a government website, it fundamenta

At Summit Path Coaching , we believe financial freedom isn’t about deprivation; it’s about intentionality . Our ASCEND model focuses on building habits that support your long-term goals while allowing you to enjoy the climb. Living a life you love doesn't require a high-priced ticket. By applying a little Strategy and Clarity to your weekend planning, you can find fulfillment and connection without derailing your financial roadmap. Here are several ways to enjoy your weeke