These last two articles have focused on how common it is for early retirees to continue making money after they say goodbye to the cubicle. I share stories like that because I’ve seen it happen in so many lives, including my own. Plus, if you do it right, work is fun.... Read more »

“Dear Mr. Money Mustache… I’d like to retire soon. I’ve had a good career and the numbers say I’m just over the threshold, but I’m still afraid. It would help if I had a solid plan for what to do after retirement – perhaps even make some money eventually. Because... Read more »

In case you hadn’t already noticed it in the news, it seems we are hitting a  turning point in how the rest of the world perceives this lifestyle that you and I have been enjoying. First, we were ignored. Then, there were a few stories that just focused on the... Read more »

I’d love to retire early, but then what?  … Although I retired about thirteen years ago, and continue to be retired, about one year ago I opened up a little business on Main Street here in Longmont, Colorado. It is a multi-purpose gathering space, under the guise of a coworking... Read more »

It was mid July, and I had just finished a sweaty run on the trails which criscross my older sister’s farm in Canada. I was overheated and heading straight for their swimming pool when she saw me walking across the lawn. “Oh yeah, please do use the pool! You’ll help... Read more »

Read an article about where the richest neighborhoods are in America, and I came across this excerpt: “Although New York City got all the attention when Amazon.com Inc. announced the winners of its headquarters sweepstakes, the other lucky town was Arlington, Virginia. The online retail giant plans to bring 25,000... Read more »

Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! Have a look at the FAQ... Read more »

Hi Everyone! I am new to this subreddit but not new to the FIRE movement. While being a stingy mother****er for many years, I officially began my FIRE movement in February 2017 and currently have a 70% SR and work full-time as a consultant in cyber security. Some background on... Read more »

Current salary is roughly 140k. Will max out at my position around 160k including bonuses hopefully in the near future. -Car has 34k left to pay off -17k left on private student loans -Massive amount of public student loan debt around 300k (I was young and dumb but what's done... Read more »

I am planning on starting a blog/book on how to live frugally and would appreciate anyone's tips, even unconventional, on workarounds you do to save money in day to day life, vacationing, etc. One of the main ways in which FI/RE can work is if you live a frugal life.... Read more »

Today we have an interview with Modern Gal, who quit her corporate career at age 35 and decided to join a non-profit and make a difference in the world. It seems that we have a lot in common. Q: What is your early retirement story? MG: About 7 years ago,... Read more »

Copyright © 2007-2015 earlyretirementextreme.com This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If you see this notice anywhere else than in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint: 47d7050e5790442c7fa8cab55461e9ce)Originally posted... Read more »

Has anyone ever felt that or know what I’m talking about? Maybe one needs to have been studying for a while. I am talking about the period, usually about a week or so, right after an examination and right after a major cramming session which has suddenly been replaced by... Read more »

We definitely live in an information society, yes! We might live in a knowledge based society. Emphasis on might! But can we claim that our society is wise? Definitely not! Today there are more people than ever before working on generating information. Information is in a sense any piece of... Read more »

Note: Large parts of the book were inspired by [the thinking behind] this post and normal accident theory. Most people organize themselves in a lifestyle which is very prone to accidents. I do not. Bad things practically never happen to me. Conversely, good things happen rather often. This is because... Read more »

Today, Ether to FI checks in with another of his bimonthly updates. Despite some unpleasantness in the markets, his family’s net worth continues to climb, as they’re now worth more than five times what they were when we first met them when he was fresh out of residency in July... Read more »

The Sunday Best is a collection of articles I’ve curated for your reading pleasure. Expect most of the writing to be from recent weeks and consistent with the themes presented on this website: investing & taxes, financial independence, early retirement, and physician issues.     Presenting, this week’s Sunday Best:... Read more »

When investing, it’s important to think about your objective. It’s tough to answer the question “Where should I invest my money” without knowing what you hope to achieve. Today, Passive Income MD reviews two of the most common objectives: investing to receive ongoing cash flow and investing in assets that... Read more »

I’m honored to have my friend Miss Bonnie MD here to allow us to get to know her better. The good doctor is a leading voice in the physician personal finance space. She focuses on empowering female physicians to take control of their finances to create a better, more balanced life... Read more »

I’ve been a small business owner for most of my career. In recent years, I’ve learned how to leverage various credit cards to maximize rewards. You may be a small business owner, too. If you have a private practice or a partnership, that’s obviously a business. If you earn money... Read more »

If you have a profitable business, forming an S Corporation can potentially save you thousands of dollars every year on your taxes! Read more → The post The Tax Benefits of Forming an S Corporation appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

If you focus on the right things and start your business in the correct way, you're guaranteed to improve you life both before and after early retirement! Read more → The post Why Everyone Should Have Their Own Business (and How to Guarantee Success) appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

James Clear joins me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about productivity, deliberate practice, fasting, and his new book - Atomic Habits! Read more → The post James Clear – Atomic Habits and Building a New Identity After Retirement appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

The director of the "Playing with FIRE" documentary joins me to talk about the film that has the potential to take financial independence mainstream! Read more → The post Travis Shakespeare – Playing with FIRE appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

Professional real estate investor Chad Carson breaks down the 10 best tax benefits of real estate and explains how they can help you retire earlier! Read more → The post The Incredible Tax Benefits of Real Estate Investing appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

Today I’d like to introduce you all to a friend I met during this year’s Chautauqua in Greece. I’m endlessly fascinated by how people from other countries pull off FIRE, and Steve Cronin is an expert on how to invest towards Financial Independence while living as an expat in the... Read more »

If you’ve ever used Skype before,you need to thank Estonia.   Long before it became a global success with 300 million users, it was a tiny start-up in Tallinn. The coders, who also happened to be schoolmates, Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn (yup. Apparently a real name), had... Read more »

“Can you write about how much you’re paying to work?’” We got this e-mail from a reader recently. Apparently, once-upon-a-time I’d mentioned in a post how we don’t realize how much we PAY to work. I said I’d be writing about this in a future post, but then forgot to,... Read more »

On this blog, we have a lot of fun. We make a bunch of dick jokes, we make fun of home boners, we do a WHOLE lot of MATHING SHIT UP, and, occasionally, we change people’s lives. Hopefully for the better. But as much as I’d like to take as... Read more »

“Whoa, is that your phone?” We were at Chautauqua Greece and I had whipped out my smart phone to take out a picture. And as soon as I did, it was snatched out of my hands, passed around the group like an alien baby as a crowd of onlookers gawked... Read more »

In Spring of the last 3 years I have stepped off a plane in Europe, wearing stylish skinny jeans and a classic neckline T-shirt. 3 or 4 months later, I was sporting a budding double chin and elastic waistline “athletic” shorts. Upon returning “home” I would slowly shed my substantial... Read more »

The holiday season is quickly approaching, a time when many are hoping for or expecting a hefty year-end bonus. Without traditional employers, alas, nobody will be sending us a check to install a new swimming pool or even a membership to the jelly of the month club. (The gift that... Read more »

GCC: We first met Bob and family at an expensive import coffee shop (aka Starbucks) in Osaka, Japan, where we enjoyed some tasty treats as a globetrotting respite. So clearly this was after they had found balance and inner peace 🙂 Check out this personal story from the trenches of... Read more »

This whole early retirement thing has been pretty easy so far, thanks to a solid plan and a bit of luck. We have had a hefty economic tail wind, a strong US dollar, (mostly) good health, unexpected income, a low tax burden, and an abundance of enthusiasm and good cheer.... Read more »

(This post is the 2nd in a series. Subsequent posts forthcoming… soon. See the first post: Is Your 401k Too Big?) A Traditional 401k / IRA allows us to invest for the future in a tax advantaged way. However, in some cases these accounts can become tax disadvantageous due to sheer... Read more »

In the world of personal finance, the subject of how couples share (or don't share) their money comes up time and time again. It's no surprise. After all, money problems are a leading cause of divorce. But for some reason, the concept that “personal finance is personal” doesn't always factor... Read more »

Greetings from Prague! I'm just over halfway through my European vacation, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my adventures and to take a glimpse at the financial side of this journey. This trip is unusual for me because I'm traveling with a party of six. My... Read more »

My name is Zach, and I write at Four Pillar Freedom, where I tend to tackle financial topics through data visualization. While J.D. is on vacation, I offered to explore one of his favorite topics: the effects of saving rate versus investment returns. Albert Einstein supposedly once said that compound... Read more »

If you're panicked because you still haven't thought of the perfect gift for the people on your Nice List, you'll be relieved to know you don't need to spend as much time as you might think looking for something thoughtful. You also don't need to run up your credit card... Read more »

Howdy. My name is Michael Robinson. While J.D. is visiting Europe with his cousins, I volunteered to share how my wife and I have leveraged the power of geographic arbitrage to pursue our dreams — and to build our wealth. Geographic arbitrage means taking advantage of the differences in prices... Read more »

The thing that baffles me is how most of the men on this forum are still so stuck in late 20th century thinking that they can't comprehend that the cost of keeping a wife/house-husband who likes to do productive things is worth a shit-ton of capital otherwise invested. Simple calculation:... Read more »

If I start shooting in your general direction, it is an aggression even if no bullet hits you.Statistics: Posted by Jean — Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:49 am... Read more »

The thing that baffles me is how most of the men on this forum are still so stuck in late 20th century thinking that they can't comprehend that the cost of keeping a wife/house-husband who likes to do productive things is worth a shit-ton of capital otherwise invested. Simple calculation:... Read more »

With the right woman, I'd be open to being "kept" like that. I like doing those kinds of "productive" things anyways. Right. As Jean noted elsewhere, ERE is mostly home economics (being your own housewife) combined with a bit of finance. Of course, this is also how the middle-class/mid-gentry used... Read more »

I wonder if it gives you an energy buffer if you do get sick. People often loose weight when they are ill, if you haven't got any to loose you could be in trouble quite quickly.Could be, people on chemotherapy generally have trouble eating so having some cushion might help.... Read more »

Made a chicken Ranch tenderloin CasseroleA bag of frozen Chicken and Garlic vegetable pastaBox of Rice n Broccoli Rice a RoniFrozen Broccoli... Read more »

Dug a bit deeper into my Super and found a lost (not really, just unknown to me) $20,000... so that was nice O_O brought total net worth up to a little over 9grand, but I intend to stick with this thread until NW minus Super and HECS is 10k (they... Read more »

First, congratulations on finding your direction!  I don't think it's at all bad to take time to really think deeply on your direction before you get serious on your details; more power to those who can, but you could easily find you were going faster ...... Read more »

Quote from: the FUNance Guy on December 17, 2018, 06:49:31 PMCurrent expenses: Mortgage: P&I - $1018, escrow- $318Food: $600Internet: $80Cellphone: $90Car Insurance: $115Utilities: $350Misc (HH expenses, food out...... Read more »

Hello everyone, this is my first post WOW. What a serious topic! Or is it really...Most people love children, as l do, especially those cute asian and latin ones; but more importantly, we are genetically programmed to reproduce and it can be argued, s...... Read more »

The house pictured above is in Montgomery, Alabama. I have never seen this house in real life. I have never been to Montgomery, although I am sure it is lovely. The odds are good that you, too, have never been to Montgomery and have also never seen this house. Even... Read more »

On this Thanksgiving Day one of the things I am grateful for is our trusty 2007 Forester, Steve. I last wrote about Steve a couple of years back, and in that post I tell the story of his awkward name. At the end I invited you to tell me about... Read more »

“No one in my day-to-day life understands this FI path. At Chautauqua, everybody gets it. I have found my tribe.” Way back in 2012 I headed to Ecuador to create the very first Chautauqua held in the fall of 2013. The basic concept then, as now, was… Travel to a... Read more »

Yeah. I’m amazed, too… JL Collins NH on Twitter Newbie that I am, I am not entirely sure how I’ll be using it. Mostly likely letting my followers in on random things I think are cool and my comments on issues that don’t require a full blog post. My first... Read more »

So as not to keep you in suspense… 76% = VTSAX 23% = VBTLX  The Total Bond Market Index Fund. 1% = Cash in  VMMXX. A checking account at our local bank for ready cash and paying bills. Back in the day… Way back in June, 2011 I launched this blog. That month I... Read more »

This week, I'm thrilled to be featured on Coryn Quester's “Discover What's Possible” Podcast! In the interview, we talk about everything from the ‘Why' of FI,  to the most challenging aspects of financial independence for those just starting out. But one of the more interesting questions she posed really got... Read more »

This past weekend The Wife and I went to see Crazy Rich Asians, and really enjoyed it! (Featured image credit: Entertainment Weekly) Having been on the FIRE journey for a few years now, it was fun taking in all the over-the-top luxury on the screen. Of course, this wasn't the... Read more »

It's been 250 days since I quit my stressful job in software engineering to dip my toes in the early retirement waters, so I wanted to give you an update on post-retirement life. First, some big news: I was one of the winners of the FinCon scholarship program this year! If... Read more »

This week I had the pleasure of being featured on the Fire Drill Podcast with Gwen from Fiery Millennials and J from Millennial Boss! How to Learn from Mistakes and Turn Your Life Around with Joel from FI180.com Some takeaways from the episode: Recovering from significant real estate and investment mistakes... Read more »

A common theme here in the financial independence community is simplicity. Mr. Money Mustache has his classic “Simple Math of Early Retirement” post, which took the FIRE world by storm. Jim Collins wrote “The Simple Path to Wealth”, which has become the de-facto starter kit for people looking to begin their... Read more »

“We are always in transition. If you can just relax with that, you’ll have no problem.” -Chogyam Trungpa By Leo Babauta I’ve been training in uncertainty for a few years now. I realized that the people I coach and teach are just like me: we feel shaky, scared, anxious, uncomfortable... Read more »

By Leo Babauta I am no technophobe, but I do believe in living consciously … and technology has a tendency to overrun our attention and our lives. It’s designed to do that: tech companies are motivated to keep our attention in their apps, their websites, their devices. They’ve found incentives... Read more »

By Leo Babauta Our lives are often spent in a rush, almost on autopilot, drifting from one wave of busyness and distraction to another, adrift in a sea of crises and urges. There’s noise and quick tasks, lots of tabs, messages and requests, demands on our attention, multitasking, mind scattered... Read more »

By Leo Babauta It can be stressful and anxiety-inducing to be in the middle of a bunch of life changes at once — so much so that it can turn a time of change into a time of misery. We all go through times of massive change: a divorce, death... Read more »

By Leo Babauta We’re entering the last month of the year, and it can be a crazy, shopping-filled, party spree of a month for many people. Or it can be a simpler, more mindful period of closing out the year and getting ready for the coming year. I’d like to... Read more »

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! True, true, but it’s also the most stressful time of the year for some. Stressed? Moi? You may be thinking. But indeed, amid all the ho-ho-ho-ing and fa-la-la-ing, there’s an undercurrent of dread related to one of the most contentious aspects of... Read more »

Naomi, her husband Jon, and their four children recently sold their home in an Atlanta suburb and moved to a new home, also in an Atlanta suburb. Case closed, right? Not quite! Hoping for a lower cost of living, a smaller home, proximity to grandparents, and more diversity, Naomi and Jon... Read more »

You didn’t think I’d let a holiday sneak by without weighing in, did you?! Impossible! I am a known lover of holidays and above all, the trifecta of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I live all year for these three. I moved to Vermont so that we could have picturesque fall... Read more »

October 2018 Transition visits in October. We’re caught balancing between two extremes, tentative and uncertain, unable to find sure footing in either fall or winter. There’s a riot of color on every leaf and the trees look fake with saturation. The oranges and reds and yellows all cluster around, pushing... Read more »

Former travel writer Juliana and her husband Nicolas, formerly an ecotourism guide in Central America, now live in the suburbs of DC along with their baby daughter and Juliana’s parents. They’d like our help in charting the next chapter of their lives and figuring out how to balance debt repayment... Read more »

Shopping on Amazon can be overwhelming at times.  A search for a simple product can sometimes yield hundreds or even thousands of potential choices! I’ll break down how to filter through these choices efficiently.  Within minutes, it’s possible to locate the product with the best price to quality ratio, as chosen... Read more »

Another month of traveling around the country full time is in the books and spending time in New England wasn’t cheap.  Honestly, it wasn’t that expensive relative to a typical month of living in Seattle either! We started the month outside of beautiful Acadia National Park and finished it in... Read more »

Do you pick up coins off the ground?  Maybe only nickles and above?  Job Spotter, a smartphone app, lets you find money hidden in plain sight in the form of “Now Hiring” signs!  Snapping a picture of a hiring sign is worth between 5 cents and $1.50, paid out via Amazon... Read more »

Starting from Seattle in February, my wife and I have now spent 8 full months traveling across the country! We’ve never tried anything like this before, so we had no idea how much our adventure would cost.  Therefore, we are tracking every penny spent and keeping a running tally here... Read more »

Another month of adventuring around the country is in the books and we’ve once again broken our record for lowest amount of spending! We started the month with friends and family in Indianapolis before making our way north to Minneapolis for another amazing CampFI!  We finished the month making our... Read more »

A Christmas Sabbatical 🎄🎄🎅 “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott You know those people who quit their jobs and then sell everything they’ve got to go on an epic life-changing adventure? Well, I’ve never had the balls to... Read more »

A Bunch of Q&A’s on 529s, Cell Phones, Money Coaching, Minimalism, Blogging, Life, and Business Hey hey! Got a batch of new questions passed my way over the months, and thought I’d share some of them here in case anyone else is wondering the same things… If there’s something you’ve... Read more »

Net Worth Report: $851,800.32 (+$9,619.40 // +1.14%) Well this was a much less exciting month! And I’ll take it every time, haha…. (SlowAndSteadyIsSexy.com!) Good to see all those reds turning back to greens though after last month’s blood bath, and now if we can only find an extra $50,000 laying... Read more »

Pop Quiz: How do you feel about the money you spent this week? Are you pleased with it? Horrified? Don’t even want to know so you’re going to click away now? 😉 Let’s do an exercise today where we look back at what we spent this week and see how... Read more »

Would you live at The Mall for $700/mo? Just heard about this on the radio this morning and so fascinated by it… Apparently you can – or soon can – rent an apartment at the mall for only $700/mo! Would you do it?? I’ll be honest, if I were single... Read more »

Financial freedom grows along a spectrum and financial independence is one point in the journey. I like to focus on growing financial freedom. Because it’s something we can all do. At each step in the journey. You pay off some debt, your financial freedom grows. You start investing, your financial... Read more »

Holidays can be the most joyful time….and the most stressful. I think we all would like to lean towards more joy and less stress. I’ve always had holiday anxiety. Ever since I was a kid. My mom did everything right to create a perfect holiday experience and I sat in... Read more »

My passion for ice cream is no secret. There’s a local place I adore. Often I get a single scoop in a waffle cone. But sometimes I feel like there has been a large shortage of ice cream in my life and I will order a double. And it’s delicious.... Read more »

We did a 10-week family trip this year with our 5 kids. We went to 11 National Parks, museums, Disney, State parks, and zoos. It was amazing on so many levels. It was inspiring, restful, adventurous and fun. In the end, our out of pocket expense was $1850.  Trip Planning... Read more »

Last week I attended a conference of 2200 people involved in personal finance and media called Fincon. I was slotted to speak alongside four other familiar faces in the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) community. JD Roth (Get Rich Slowly), Pete (Mr. Money Mustache), Carl (1500days) and Leif (Physician on... Read more »

This blog is written for and by DIY investors and retirement planners. In the process of working on it, I’ve learned a lot of people need personalized financial advice and guidance. It would be failing a large percentage of our audience to not recognize their need and assist them. This is... Read more »

I was an avid reader of financial independence, retire early (FIRE) blogs on the path to my own early retirement. They served as inspiration and education. However, I found them to be an echo chamber. Each tries to outdo the next in an effort to show you how to optimize... Read more »

When we need advice, most of us consult a friend. There is nothing like a personal referral from someone who has “been there/done that,” and has your best interests at heart. So, traditionally, around this time of the year, I’ve written a “Favorites” post like these I did in 2014,... Read more »

It’s time for our monthly collection of articles to help you save more, invest smarter and retire sooner. We share several newsworthy events and announcements that occurred in November. The IRS announced increased contribution and income limits for retirement savers. As market volatility continues, we share a few different perspectives... Read more »

Like many Americans planning early retirement, our family’s biggest challenge is obtaining affordable health insurance. We’re searching for an affordable, long-term solution to bridge the gap from employer provided coverage to Medicare. My recent research shows purchasing Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant insurance on the marketplace presents several challenges. For... Read more »

Shortly before his humiliation and expulsion from public life, Florida Senator Marco Rubio resurrected the idea of allowing some non-government employees to invest in the Thrift Savings Plan, which is the federal equivalent of private-sector 401(k) and non-profit 403(b) plans. The proposal got some sympathetic attention from lazy personal finance... Read more »

Since the product was announced on Thursday I’ve been following with interest the drama surrounding Robinhood’s “Checking and Savings” product, which has since been put on hold and rebranded as a “Cash Management” account. It’s an interesting story about the brokerage and banking industries, and I think it’s possible at... Read more »

This is a funny thing I was unaware of until I saw someone mention it on Twitter the other day: the SEC hosts a website offering free financial planning tools. I was surprised, since I think of the SEC as having a “hands-off” approach to investing: they don’t want people... Read more »

The local public library recently spit into my hands Reihan Salam’s slender volume about US immigration policy, “Melting Pot or Civil War? A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders.” The “son of immigrants” in question is Salam himself, who is so thoroughly integrated into American life he... Read more »

A spectre is haunting the United States — the spectre of “effective altruism.” This is the idea, lifted from the corridors of financial capital, that philanthropy can and should be streamlined, optimized, A/B tested, and transformed to make sure each dollar is deployed “effectively.”The other day I saw Dylan Matthews,... Read more »

A LOT has changed since my last post. First of all, I’m unemployed for the first time since I was 16 yrs old! Woohoo! Stay At Home Dad (SAHD) Lifestyle Change is now officially in full swing. Yeah!! As for the rest of what’s been going on, my last post... Read more »

I’m reposting an edited version of this because I noticed I missed World Suicide Prevention Day yesterday. I was dealing with my own depression and finding someone to talk to. I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety a lot over the years and there have been times that I’ve had suicidal... Read more »

This past week I have had 3 different Heating and Air Conditioning companies at the house explaining to me what is wrong with our AC system and what it would take to correct it or replace it. That’s right, only 6 weeks in and the whole AC/Furnace unit needs major... Read more »

When I made the decision to leave my job, I felt like I wouldn’t be a good PF blogger if I didn’t monetize my departure somehow. Just plain old quitting is for suckers! Financial Samurai espouses, “Negotiate your severance” and for $85 I’ll tell you how! I had multiple people... Read more »

While a lot of things have changed for the SSC family in the last few months, there are some things that haven’t. We are starting to get our new schedule established, and responsibilities are getting divvied up accordingly. A new plan of attack is being worked up for this Lifestyle... Read more »

There's a question that gets thrown around in the FIRE community: is achieving financial independence and early retirement possible for everyone? And I keep getting surprised that the correct answer is hardly ever uttered. I'm not sure I've heard it more than once. Which is crazy. It's such a softball... Read more »

Election Day is nearly here, and buried deep down on our Tempe ballot is Proposition 417, which would increase sales tax by a tenth of a percent to fund the arts in our city. Even deeper on page two of our ballot is Prop 126, which aims to prohibit levying any... Read more »

As long-time readers know, we have been battling car lust for a while. Well, at least I have. Our current car, our trusty 2006 Toyota Matrix, has never let us down. Okay, maybe the paint job has let us down a bit. And maybe my DIY clear coat job... definitely looks... Read more »

A few weeks ago I was on my way to Culver's for the first time, because even a single dollar donated to the 2018 version of the GOP is one too many. So I decided to donate my burger dollars to a different joint, and Culver's seemed like it would... Read more »

Earlier this month, I turned thirty eight. We skipped all the birthday stuff this year, no cake or parties or singing, opting instead to have a quiet day with just the family, as Mrs. Done by Forty mercilessly beat me at Kingdom Builder and Viticulture.Birthdays be damned: her victory would... Read more »

You can’t always believe what candidates running for office say as they slog through their campaigns — gross exaggeration, pandering, and outright lies are to be expected by all involved — but when it comes to Obamacare, surely it is … Continue reading →... Read more »

Quick disclaimer:  I can’t recommend that readers perform the actions I’ve taken, so be aware while reading I’m not suggesting that everyone should follow my lead here. Please don’t, at least not before carefully thinking through the implications. Most people implement alternate … Continue reading →... Read more »

I quit my job about a year ago. My last day was April 17th, 2015, to be exact. At this point I’ve got close to twelve full months of my new life under my belt.  That’s plenty of data, if you … Continue reading →... Read more »

Well, it’s not a return exactly.  Not in the ordinary sense of the word. What I’ve actually been doing is reading some of my old anger diary entries.  This feels like entering a time warp leading back to my old life, living out days … Continue reading →... Read more »

Disclaimer.  Yet again, there’s no talk of finances in this one.  Instead I’m discussing some of my post-working life in a very casual, journal-y way.  Additional warning:  It’s intensely personal.  If that doesn’t sound interesting to you, well then, absolutely no worries. … Continue reading →... Read more »

It’s important to shed some light on the realities of how hard deals will be for you. The difficulty is not usually because the unit you buy is so bad, but because of the inept people you’ll be forced to rely on along the way. View the full article: The... Read more »

As an investor, you'll have to come up with answers to many questions when you consider acquiring a multifamily property. The first, and likely the most important question is: what will the rents be? View the full article: 4 Absolute Rules for Setting Appropriate Rent Prices on The BiggerPockets Blog.... Read more »

Carlos Fuego is an emergency room doctor with a superpower—the ability to realize that money doesn’t buy happiness. Carlos is now living his best life, practicing the amount of medicine he wants to, when he wants to, and leaving in time to be home with the kids and help his... Read more »

When you're looking to buy property, you’ll want to reassure yourself that you’re buying at the right time. It’s a common belief that the real estate market fluctuates in cycles, with prices rising and falling at predictable intervals—but is that really the case? And if so, is it really possible... Read more »

Are you part of the vast majority of people who really want to invest, but don’t feel like you’re ready? If so, don’t worry! These steps will help. View the full article: 4 Steps Newbies Can Take to Get Ready to Invest (Even if You’re Still Saving Up!) on The... Read more »

Here’s the latest information and tools to make your military Blended Retirement System decision– and a new way to think about your career and your choices. [Note: I’m participating in Kate Horrell’s #BRSBlitz initiative. I’m not compensated by USAA for this campaign and you won’t see any FTC disclosures like “#USAAPartner”,... Read more »

The 2019 VA Disability Compensation Rates are effective as of Dec. 1, 2019. If you receive VA disability pay, you will notice the increased amount in your first check in January 2019. There was a 2.8% increase from 2018, the largest such cost of living adjustment (COLA) since 2012. The government... Read more »

On Wednesday 28 November, the DoD BRS office held a teleconference. The numbers As of Monday 26 November, the unofficial opt-in numbers are: 307,213 307,207 active-duty total opted in  [Updated Monday 3 December] 243,709 active duty 63,498 Reserve/Guard. This is out of roughly 1.6 million opt-in eligible servicemembers. Approximately 100K new servicemembers... Read more »

[Nords note:  You have five weeks to decide about opting in to the Blended Retirement System.  Get it done before 31 December 2018.  We’ve had some strong pushback on my last post, “Your BRS:  It’s Not About The Money”, and I offered Warner25 the opportunity to explain his legacy High Three perspective. ... Read more »

Updated for 2018! Veterans Day is Nov. 11, 2018, with the official Federal Holiday designated on Monday, Nov. 12th. This year, hundreds of restaurants and companies are offering military members and veterans a free meal or another discount as a sign of appreciation for their service to our country. This guide will show... Read more »

🎵Deck the halls with boughs of holly🎵… and Starbucks For Life, please? We’re super happy it’s here and also ecstatic you can get at least 2 free entries per day! We’ll show you how below. Starbucks For Life started November 27th and will run until December 31 for 2018, a... Read more »

Atomic Habits is the best book I’ve read about habits yet. Why is it so incredible? James Clear, the writer of Atomic Habits, lays out a blueprint for creating and keeping great habits. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. – James Clear I love the concept of automation. If... Read more »

Ubud is a gorgeous and lush location, where nature combines with the modern for an unbelievable experience. That’s the feeling we got at Blanco Par Mandiff as well. We stumbled upon Blanco Par Mandiff when we looked at the best restaurants to go to in Ubud. After riding our scooters... Read more »

The Ubud Monkey Forest is one of the most magical places we’ve been. With over 700 monkeys and 196 species of trees in 12.5 hectares of forest, this place is a must on your trip to Ubud, Bali. The Ubud Monkey Forest, which is called the Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana in... Read more »

A few weeks before FinCon 2018 I watched National Geographic’s Free Solo movie premiere in NYC. I couldn’t help but relate how close the movie’s philosophies on rock climbing were to the financial independence movement’s beliefs. The star of Free Solo is Alex Honnold, who ascended the 3,200 foot rock... Read more »

My estate planning lawyer said something interesting before I decided to hire her. “People who aren’t rich might need estate planning more than rich people because they might not be able to afford to pay probate fees in the case of an untimely death.” Leave it to the US court... Read more »

My dad is in his 70s and he mentioned he wish he’d started a Roth IRA when he was young. When you’re in your 70s, you must take required minimum distributions from your pre-tax retirement savings accounts and pay taxes. Given nobody likes to pay taxes, I empathized with his regret.... Read more »

When I first started writing about achieving  financial independence early in 2009, I never thought the FIRE movement would reach such a huge level of interest a decade later. After all, only misfits decide to aggressively forgo material pleasures, save 50% or more of their incomes, and retire from well-paying... Read more »

Some of you don’t believe me that it’s better to retire in a bear market, when all is in shambles, than in a bull market. I, for one, found it very hard to quit the money when times were good. I was always suffering from the “one more year syndrome.”... Read more »

Hopefully, everybody has been building a CD Step Stool or a Bond Step Stool (not a ladder) in this rising interest rate environment. A Step Stool is the smarter approach because the short end of the yield curve has been rising faster than the long end. The Fed Funds rate... Read more »

Last year I designed and built a hoop house for around $650 in materials. I didn’t want to waste money heating the thing, so the plan was to keep it passive. Since I never worked with an unheated greenhouse before, … Continue reading → The post How Much Can a... Read more »

Having a paid off house has always been a goal. Living mortgage-free sounds awesome, but it can also put the brakes on financial growth. Any money put toward home equity is robbing investment accounts of hard working capital. After years … Continue reading → The post Should I Pay Off... Read more »

I love hiking in the shade of the woods, racing to the top of a mountain to take in a satisfying view. Lately however, I’m less interested in flying up rocks and roots to see the world from afar. I’ve … Continue reading → The post How to Get Started... Read more »

For years, I spent my days waking up early and rushing to wash, dress, and sit in traffic only to sit in a cube waiting to rush home. All that time, I was propped up by dreams of a freer … Continue reading → The post Reflecting on Two Years... Read more »

Health, wealth, and time are our most valuable resources, and I like being in control of them. But sometimes circumstances arise that we don’t foresee. Over the past few months my health went out of my control as I developed … Continue reading → The post How Late Stage Lyme... Read more »

Listen & Subscribe: on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, Android Device (This post may include some affiliate links) This is my most important and special interview to date. It’s with my Mom. I talk about her so much on the show and in every interview I do so why not... Read more »

Listen & Subscribe: on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, Android Device (This post may include some affiliate links) Does your income matter when it comes to being able to reach Financial Freedom/Financial Independence? How big of a role does privilege play in being able to reach your goal and does... Read more »

Listen & Subscribe: on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, Android Device (This post may include some affiliate links) The journey to Financial Independence can be a tough one that is full of ebbs and flows. I believe that it is so important that we share our stories to inspire... Read more »

Listen & Subscribe: on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, Android Device (This post may include some affiliate links) At some point or another, we’ve all said to ourselves “I have way too much STUFF!”. If you haven’t yet, consider yourself ahead of the game as we discuss sustainability and... Read more »

Listen & Subscribe: on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, Android Device (This post may include some affiliate links) The road to financial literacy can be a daunting journey, especially when you’re 22 years old, $30,000 in debt, and making $18 an hour while living in the most expensive city... Read more »

When I got the opportunity to write a guest post for JD Roth over at Get Rich Slowly, I knew it was time to finally put to paper the idea for a post that had been marinating in my head for quite some time. So often we hear people talking... Read more »

Apparently Tuesday was the darkest day in the last two years with almost no sun output (0.55 mJ/m^2, if you’re counting). The good news is, we aren’t even to the shortest day of the year yet. Oh wait. Perhaps that isn’t good news. I do love the Pacific Northwest, and... Read more »

Welcome to another week of the Women’s Personal Finance Wednesdays roundup. I started this series after months of debate because I wasn’t certain I wanted to up the ante and commit to publishing three posts a week. However, now that I’ve started sharing these posts, I’m so glad I started.... Read more »

After the last couple of months of less than stellar savings rates, it feels good to write an update that comes closer to where we were at the first half of this year. Juuuuust shy of that 50% savings rate goal I set at the beginning of 2018, but it... Read more »

A newer tradition in my family has been to visit the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle during the holidays for Wild Lights, and we went again this past weekend. Last year was rainy and windy, so still fun, but it made us really appreciate this year with relatively nice weather.... Read more »

Time to open up the books on how much money I spent last month. Managing expenses is absolutely critical to becoming financial independent at a young age. In fact, I’d argue it’s much more important to be an excellent saver than an excellent investor in this regard. And in order to... Read more »

Every Sunday, I uncover a high-quality dividend growth stock that appears to be undervalued. These pieces are published at Daily Trade Alert, which is a site that focuses on dividend growth investing, stocks, and unique investment opportunities. I’ve been writing for them for years now, and they’re just great over... Read more »

Is it possible to live an almost completely digital life?  And is it a worthwhile goal to have?  Well, I won’t aim to answer the second question. That’s up to you. But in regard to the first question, I think the answer is: yes. I think it’s very possible to... Read more »

Ahh, dividends. Even just hearing that word conjures up all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings for me. I remember playing the board game Monopoly as a kid. My favorite Chance card was the one where Mr. Monopoly (or Rich Uncle Pennybags) collected his bank dividend of $50. I thought... Read more »

Every Sunday, I uncover a high-quality dividend growth stock that appears to be undervalued. These pieces are published at Daily Trade Alert, which is a site that focuses on dividend growth investing, stocks, and unique investment opportunities. I’ve been writing for them for years now, and they’re just great over... Read more »

The purpose of doing an experiment is to learn something about yourself, and to see if there is an opportunity for growth or positive change. I started the Buy Nothing 2018 experiment with this in mind. It started with a no clothes challenge, but since I had plenty of clothes... Read more »

I was sitting on a bench just enjoying the beautiful fall day. It was sunny and warm, or perhaps I was warm due to the semi-vigorous bike ride. Every now and then a cloud would briefly cover the sun or a gentle breeze would throw a slight chill in the... Read more »

  Today’s guest post is written by EJ, a physician blogger who writes at Dads Dollars Debts. I reached out to him shortly after I read this post, and asked him to share his story with all of you. Enjoy! THP   So how does one lose all of their... Read more »

One day, back when I was relatively young and naïve, I was watching an episode of 60 minutes. I’m sure you have probably seen this show at least once, but in case you haven’t it is a news program that does relatively in depth stories on various topics. I used... Read more »

I am 5/12th of the way through my buy nothing experiment I started at the beginning of the year. In short, I have decided to be more deliberate about my consumption and buy things only when they meet certain criteria as I described in this blog post.   As I... Read more »

We've been living here in Spain for about four months now, so how is it going? Is it everything we'd hoped for? What do we miss most (and what do we not miss at all)? Just what are we doing with all that spare time? The post Semi-FIRE Abroad: Ordinary... Read more »

How to get your Spanish Residency Card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) once you've arrived in Spain. You got your residence visa, now it's time to seal the deal! The post Obtaining Your Spanish Residency Card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) appeared first on The Frugal Vagabond.... Read more »

How we were able to live abroad, and how you can too! How to get a Spanish Non-Lucrative Residence Visa and live legally in Spain for a year or more! The post How to Get a Spanish Non-Lucrative Residence Visa appeared first on The Frugal Vagabond.... Read more »

A few days ago, we revealed that we’d be taking a sabbatical year to live abroad. It’s the culmination of years of dreaming and many months of planning, but in the very near future, we’ll be living abroad and exploring… The post Our New Adventure Begins appeared first on The... Read more »

We're leaving the country, but to where? Who's going? Are we FIRE, or is this something different? How did we get here, anyway? The post Massive News: We’re Moving Abroad! appeared first on The Frugal Vagabond.... Read more »

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/17/worst-start-to-december-for-the-stock-market-since-great-depression.html Dow and S&P only down about 8%, hard to...... Read more »

Sunset Attachment 30189 (http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=30189)Attachment 1...... Read more »

MIL has been paying for a Genworth LTC policy for many years. She currently has paid in about $41K. Her annual premium was $3500 but next year the...... Read more »

Today I started receiving dozens of email from Apple Support Communities on numerous topics that I never subscribed to. Either Apple got hacked or I...... Read more »

Small 401k from a long ago mega-corp job, has changed the stable value fund. Used to be invested in Guaranteed Investment Contracts spread among...... Read more »

If you’re looking to make some extra money or need to make money quickly, one of the best ways to make money is to sell things that you don’t use or don’t need. In addition to making some extra money, selling things you don’t use will also help to declutter... Read more »

Of all the things you can spend money on, life insurance is nowhere near the top of the list in terms of something that is enjoyable or exciting. But if you have a family, life insurance is an important part of your financial plan. With that in mind, you’re probably... Read more »

Creating a budget is one of the first steps you should take for getting your finances in order. The process can seem overwhelming, but it isn’t difficult. One of the biggest challenges is knowing how to categorize your expenses to keep everything organized. In this article, you’ll find a list of... Read more »

If you’re looking for a way to make money from home, working as a transcriptionist is an excellent option. There is plenty of transcribing work available, the schedule and hours are flexible, and the pay can be pretty good. There is a lot to love about the possibilities of working... Read more »

While there are a lot of different ways to save money, some of my favorites are the easy methods that don’t take much time or effort. I love being able to make a quick, painless tweak to my habits to save money on things that I need to buy anyway.... Read more »

How Do We Follow the Guidelines from The Richest Man in Babylon? I've Reached F.I. Now How Can I Help Children Do the Same? And much more! The post 583 – Mega Friday Q&A: (two days early) Richest Man in Babylon, Children and F.I., Invest All at Once, Preparing for... Read more »

Getting Health Insurance after Divorce. Opportunities When Moving Cross-Country. Should I Keep My House in New Orleans as a Rental House? And more! The post 582 – Friday Q&A: Getting Health Insurance after Divorce, Opportunities When Moving Cross-Country, Should I Keep My House in New Orleans as a Rental House,... Read more »

Audio was from: https://www.intherabbithole.com/e257/ The post 581 – Understanding Why Money Doesn’t Work Sometimes (OR, Understanding Just-In-Time Inventory Management) appeared first on The Radical Personal Finance Podcast.... Read more »

The app is called "Soulver." The post 580 – Useful Tools to Track Your Shopping Cart Totals When You’re In The Store appeared first on The Radical Personal Finance Podcast.... Read more »

Articles referenced: https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-1616-rubbish.html-2 https://www.aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/some-towns-are-videotaping-residents-garbage?redirect=blog/free-future/some-towns-are-videotaping-residents-garbage-streams The post 579 – Why and How to Protect Your Garbage from Snoopers and Thieves appeared first on The Radical Personal Finance Podcast.... Read more »