Craig Ruvere

"Money is a tool, not the goal. Financial freedom is the goal. Don't forget that." – Anonymous. My great-uncle spent his career as an educator, starting in the classroom and eventually becoming the Superintendent of Schools in Nutley, New Jersey, where the renowned lifestyle guru Martha Stewart spent much of her childhood. My great-aunt and uncle lived in a beautiful center-hall colonial home that exuded old-world charm and character, which had been meticulously maintained over the years, just like all the other sought-after houses on their tree-lined street. Considering the value of their property and my great-uncle's substantial salary as a superintendent, one might expect him and my great-aunt to drive around in a Mercedes, Cadillac, or another luxury car from the 1990s. Instead, they drove around in mainstream car…

"Your journey to a new career path is an opportunity to not just survive but thrive and create work that's meaningful to you." - Seth Godin. My grandparents married in 1941, during a time when it was customary for many couples of that generation to adopt gender roles in their marriage. My grandfather explored a new career path outside the home to earn the necessary finances for their family. At the same time, my grandmother managed the household with ingenuity and creativity before eventually caring for their two children. While their gender roles and individual contributions were clearly defined, collectively, they each enhanced their existence's overall quality and abundance. By 1965, after spending 24 years managing the household and raising her two children to be responsible and independent young adults,…