Kevin@InvestItwisely just published his list of plugins he uses on his blog. I think this is quite useful, especially to new bloggers. I know I didn’t waste a lot of time in the beginning because I found a couple of long lists from experienced bloggers on which plugins and services... Read more »

I have a confession to make. I write a personal finance blog, but I rarely read other personal finance blogs. There is a reason for that. Here is the reason. I find that once anyone get actively involved in any community, they will start to (subconsciously) adopt the thinking modes... Read more »

Aside from being financially independent, I also maintain a 4 hour work week just to prove that you don’t need to accumulate six figures of net worth to leave a full time career. Consider it a form of social service: Oh, the sacrifices I make just to prove a point... Read more »

I have mostly seen this within the context of backpacking, which in this modern age is known as “incredibly awesome minimalist traveling” or something, and institutionalized education. It is a surmountable problem which comes from the fact that most people treat these lifestyles, the traveling lifestyle and the student lifestyle... Read more »

Save 75-80% for five years and then quit your work and do something else. I’m not the only, nor the first one to do this. I recently found a couple who also saved 75% for 5 years and now use their financial independence to do just that. They have been... Read more »

I finally talked to the person who introduced me to the idea of financial independence - Jacob Lund Fisker from Early Retirement Extreme! Read more → The post Early Retirement Extreme – A Systems Approach to Lifestyle Design appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

There's a better alternative to resolutions and goals...especially if you're pursuing financial independence and early retirement. Read more → The post A Better Alternative to Resolutions and Goals appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

Military servicemembers have access to incredible tax, investing, and travel benefits that can accelerate the journey to FI! Read more → The post Military FIRE – The Tax, Investing, and Travel Benefits of Military Service appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

The Ultralearning Experiment was a bigger success than I'd even hoped and here's what I learned from it (plus a massive announcement)! Read more → The post 8 Key Lessons from the Ultralearning Experiment (and a Huge Announcement) appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

One of my favorite writers, Morgan Housel, shares the investing lessons he's learned from COVID-19, history, and other academic fields! Read more → The post Morgan Housel – The Psychology of Money appeared first on Mad Fientist.... Read more »

Well folks, here we are in April. It's no longer winter but it's not quite summer yet. Maybe we'll enjoy a little bit of spring before the heat sets in? Right now we're suffering through the horrible intermediate phase of "pollen season" here in North Carolina. It lasts a week... Read more »

Unless you are an heir to a big fortune or you have won the lottery, you have to work hard to have money.  To accumulate wealth, you have to make more money than you spend.  The key is to keep your expenses low.  And there will be sacrifices.  Nothing crazy... Read more »

Time flies when you're having fun, right? Although in the case of February I think it flew by because it's the shortest month of the year. Only 28 days! Here we are in March, just a couple of weeks away from the official start of spring.  I'm looking forward to... Read more »

Y'all still having fun out there? At this point of the year we are officially more than half way through winter. Spring is just around the corner! Here in North Carolina, January was more wet than cold for us. Although we did get a light dusting of snow that lasted... Read more »

2020 is (finally) over. What to say? Overall it was a pretty good year for us. The complete lack of traveling wasn't great. Wearing masks is no fun. But we persevered and survived and got to enjoy another year of early retirement.  In December, we enjoyed the moderate North Carolina... Read more »

Today, I want to tell you about three stocks to strongly consider buying if you’re in your 20s. These three stocks are high-quality dividend growth stocks that have a ton of long-term potential. All three stocks are growing like crazy and taking advantage of huge megatrends. These stocks don’t offer... Read more »

Electric vehicles are the future. And there’s a lot of money to be made here. Unfortunately, most of the investment opportunities in this space aren’t appealing options for dividend growth investors because of poor fundamentals, sky-high valuations, and no dividends. But there are some high-quality dividend growth stocks that stand to... Read more »

Would you like to invest in the best businesses you’ll ever see? Want to collect the safest dividend in the world? Like the idea of a company compounding your wealth and passive income at double-digit rates while you sleep? Then this is a stock you should definitely take a good... 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 »

Think collecting totally passive dividend income is amazing? How about collecting even more totally passive dividend income than you were getting yesterday? Would you like to know about stocks that are giving their shareholders more money? Well, here are three dividend growth stocks that just increased their dividends – and... Read more »

We know how hard it can be to get a home offer accepted. We’ve been shopping for the better part ... Read more... Read more »

The Sunday Best is a collection of articles I’ve curated from the furthest reaches of the internet for your reading ... Read more... Read more »

With the usual tax day that normally occurs in mid-April coming up, it’s a great time to remind your wage-earning ... Read more... Read more »

It’s hard to argue with the Frugal Expat’s assertion that owning assets tops having a job, assuming the income provided ... Read more... Read more »

A guy named Leif sends a guest post to a guy whose name is also Leif (but sometimes goes by ... Read more... Read more »

I always thought a houseboat in Sausalito would be an interesting housing hack, but I don't love cold and damp. If you're less temperature sensitive, it might be worth looking into, but I'd probably rent, not buy.... Read more »

We reopened restaurants and bars and resumed school sports in Michigan on Feb. 1, and expanded capacity in March 1. Life isn’t back to normal, much as we might wish it so.[url=https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/coronavirus-tracker-what-mic...... Read more »

Quote from: Rdy2Fire on Today at 06:11:56 AMAdditionally I always viewed SS as a loss, unless you live to be VERY old, you will never get the return on your investment and the government doesn't want you to. It's a s...... Read more »

Quote from: Botany Bae on April 12, 2021, 12:06:41 PMQuote from: ctuser1 on April 12, 2021, 11:59:09 AMI did not see it mentioned - but please make sure there are no big trees on or close to the...... Read more »

Quote from: Roland of Gilead on April 13, 2021, 09:18:19 AMQuote from: bacchi on April 13, 2021, 09:11:19 AM?? How does that matter?Society needs a certain number of workers to develop...... Read more »

2021 is determined to deprive us of nice things, so some tired click bait has been making the rounds again: claiming that a $400k income somehow qualifies as middle class in some coastal cities. I don't have to link to this junk, right? No, I don't. We won't. We don't... Read more »

Now that congressional Democrats have moved past the Republican's latest political showboating (this time in the form of a twelve hour vote-a-rama) the non-fascist party can move forward with a COVID relief bill. They'll likely do so through reconciliation, a process that allows certain bills to pass with only 51 votes in... Read more »

I wasn't sleeping, and for the usual reason. I was so stressed from work most nights, thinking about deadlines I wasn't able to meet and the series of conversations I'd need to have explaining when we could deliver, that I couldn't turn my brain off enough to relax & doze... Read more »

Like so many other Americans, we celebrated a bit these past couple weeks. We felt some relief that a (too-small) majority of Americans made a choice for competence, decency, and democracy. And because of that, we're allowing ourselves to feel a little hope, too.It's premature. The primary problem with voting... Read more »

I don't know what to write about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passing. I only know enough to be dangerous about her tenure on Supreme Court, the significance of her service, or what this will mean for the nation.I think I know what will happen next in the Senate. Republicans will... Read more »

In 2008-2009, the American dream of a home with a white picket fence turned into a financial nightmare, sending many families underwater for a decade. After looking at the numbers, there’s an ongoing debate over homeownership. Owning may not be the right decision for everyone. Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen... Read more »

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“When you are financially whole in the way I’ll teach you to be, you won’t have to live in fear. You’ll have a plan for each area of your finances so that they are constantly working on your behalf“. — Tiffany Aliche America’s favorite budget expert, Tiffany Aliche joins us... Read more »

Winter is over, spring is here, and Brad and Jonathan have hosted their fifth live event on Stereo! With the new season and sense of hope, people are beginning to think more about traveling and travel rewards points. Start thinking about a trip you want to take and join us... Read more »

Do you have a budding entrepreneur at home? Help them bring their business ideas to life, learn the value of money, and gain future-proof skills. About a year ago, Rob Phelan, launched The Simple StartUp workbook and live coaching series aimed at helping kids aged 10-18 develop their first business... Read more »

Long-overdue greetings to all my readers out there.  With 2021 right around the corner, it’s a perfect time to start your tax planning for next year.  You know what means, right?  Yeap, it’s time for my most requested post of the year, 2021 Free Money!    What Exactly Is Free... Read more »

Great News:  We’re Still Healthy! Warm quarantine greetings from swampy South Georgia!  Tomorrow starts week 3 of no school for us (and most of the country).  All in all, our daily life is pretty normal except that we no longer have jobs to report to.  It’s almost like we’ve re-FIRE’d... Read more »

Okay, I know this post is late, but here it is.  Before I get into last year’s accomplishments and this year’s goals, it’s worth mentioning that there are many things in life that are more important than money:  family, community, faith, health, and love.  As I write these words, the... Read more »

Happy New Year!  I just wanted to let you know that I did an interview with Breanna Reish of the One Million Apples podcast.  We talked about our 2019 hardcore savings, geo-arbitrage, my Twitter “rants,” and my never-ending obsession with Bigfoot.  I hope you enjoy the interview. Gerry... Read more »

The holiday season is upon us:  fall weather, pumpkin spice, falling leaves, cool breezes…actually, who cares?  It’s tax-planning time, so it’s time for my most anticipated post of the year:  2020 Free Money! Refresher:  What is “Free Money!”? For the uninitiated, my Free Money! posts are an attempt to simplify... Read more »

[smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA311.mp3" title="The Surprising Solution to Overthinking, with Jon Acuff" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ] Hey Podcast Family!! Before we dive into today’s show notes, I’m bursting with excitement to make a super-special announcement … Enrollment for our flagship course, Your First Rental Property,... Read more »

[smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/paulaandjaymoney/AA310.mp3" title="Ask Paula - What Should I Do With $25,000?" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ] Greta is tired of financial modesty. She wants to achieve financial independence through diversified income streams, and has her eyes set on owning local duplexes. What should she... Read more »

[smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA309.mp3" title="Are We Due For Another Housing Market Crash?" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ] Are we in a housing bubble? Are we going to see a repeat of 2006 all over again? Are there any good investment deals to be found right now?... Read more »

Kelsey Kaszas loves numbers. But crunching numbers too much can be a crutch, rather than a tool. Before she enrolled in Your First Rental Property (YFRP), Kelsey found herself stuck in analysis paralysis. She wanted to invest in rental property, but she kept crunching theoretical numbers without taking action. “When... Read more »

[smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA308.mp3" title="Ask Paula - I Want to Travel After I Retire; How Much Should I Save?" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ] Anonymous in Virginia wants to travel after retiring, which will increase her expenses for the first seven or so years of her... Read more »

It was the fall of 2019 and I was firing on all cylinders.  I was the lightest I had ever been in my adult life, my popping veins provided visual reminders of my well earned fitness.  I had just broken... The post Fit But Not Healthy, Wealthy But Not Rich... Read more »

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #40! Here are some things I really like and that you might too.    Finance Articles Young FIRE Bloggers Remind Me Of Good Will Hunting (My Quiet FI) – “Don’t pursue it... The post T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 40 appeared first on Accidental... Read more »

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has had time to crunch the numbers of the U.S. labor market for calendar year 2020 and the official data are coming out.  Prior to March 2020, the U.S. labor market was on fire.  From... The post The U.S. Labor Market In A Pandemic appeared... Read more »

Subscribe To New Posts Here! The post My Work Happiness Over Time appeared first on Accidental Fire.... Read more »

Drudgery gets a bad rap.  What is drudgery?  Merriam Webster defines it as “dull, irksome, and fatiguing work, uninspiring or menial labor”. Merriam’s first example of drudgery used in a sentence is “He hated the drudgery of his job.”  I... The post In Defense of Drudgery appeared first on Accidental... Read more »

Burnout and Finance I was recently asked to speak to a bunch of medical residents about my story of burnout and my general philosophy on finance and life. I declined for a variety of reasons, but upon reflection I realized that this was a topic I had not addressed. This... Read more »

Hey philosophers, just wanted to let you know about a couple of small projects I participated in recently. I haven’t had much time or motivation to write these last couple of weeks. I have been paying the work price for my two week vacation to Alaska. Flexibility to take a... Read more »

As my feet rhythmically hit the belt of the treadmill, it briefly occurred to me this was perhaps the weirdest time to start my journey back to some sort or reasonable physical fitness. The treadmill was gently rocking side to side and I was looking out at an endless expanse... Read more »

As an evangelist of part-time work for physicians, I occasionally get an e-mail from a physician reader asking if cutting back on work is the right move for them. Often times they are early in their training, and I’m not sure how to respond. I feel conflicted. I know what... Read more »

A feeling of dread suddenly came over me. The numbers just didn’t add up, yet I could not figure out where I went wrong. Maybe I typed something in wrong or missed a section, but everything looked more or less complete. Maybe I’m just getting too old for this and... Read more »

For those of you following along, you know I've been a bit busy lately. In addition to my own music, podcast, and software projects, I've also been popping up on other people's podcasts. A few weeks back I sang a few bars of Michael Bublé on The FI Show with... Read more »

Back in November of 2017, a tired, burned out version of myself was pushed past his breaking point. After months of mandatory unpaid overtime, morning self pep-talks, stress-eating, and yelling at coworkers, the old Joel finally had enough. He walked up to his boss, and with a surprising, zen-like calm,... Read more »

Wait a minute. Strike that – reverse it! I know, I know, I haven't updated this blog in months. What gives?! If things get any more sporadic around here I'll be on the Miss Mazuma publishing schedule! 😉 Maybe I should adopt the slogan of Wait, Buy Why and claim that I'll have... 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 »

Paying for your everyday expenses with cashback credit cards is an easy way to make some extra money you can use for anything, including travel. But if you do a lot of traveling or if you’re planning for an upcoming trip, a good travel rewards credit card will give you... Read more »

If you have solid typing skills and want a side hustle, transcription could be a good option for you. There are many platforms that offer transcription work. Here we’ll explore Athreon to help you discover if it could be the right choice for you. A Brief Overview Athreon has been... Read more »

If you’re carrying a balance on your credit card and not able to pay it off in the short-term, you may want to consider transferring the balance to a new card. Some credit cards offer 0% interest on balance transfers for an introductory period of time. That means, instead of... Read more »

Saving money and improving your financial stability is likely to be a priority for many people. Whether you’re looking to save for something specific or you simply want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, money is a primary concern for most of us. It’s easy to become discouraged if your... Read more »

Most Americans are receiving $1,400 in stimulus checks, with many couples and families receiving $2,800 or more. If you’ve already received the money, or are awaiting its arrival, you might be unsure of exactly how to use it. Sure, you could splurge since you have some free money, but before... Read more »