There was one day after I saved my first $100,000 and before I retired where I stopped worrying about money. I don’t remember when it was exactly, but overnight, my perception shifted and not having enough money to do what I want stopped nagging me. The biggest protection against devastation is building in a lot… Read More: Build in a lot of cushions when planning for retirement »
My friend Mimi is contemplating relocating from Chicago, Illinois to Sydney, Australia for her job. The assignment would last anywhere from 18-24 months and comes with a cost of living increase. She asked me, since I’m trying to impersonate a personal finance guru, if the move was “worth it.” So I asked her some questions… Read More: How to decide if a salary bump is worth the… »
The year ended! 2018 retired and it’s time to update my chart! But, first, if you don’t mind, a stroll through history. History lesson I was reading through my old journals and I came across some fun stuff I think you’ll like seeing. Or maybe you won’t. I don’t know what you like anymore. How… Read More: Updating my Chart – 2018 »
When my financial avatar, Mimi, was a finicky baby with more student loan debt than sense, I checked her pulse hourly. Before I retired, I popped my head in monthly. Since retirement, I’ve been poking her to make sure she’s still breathing three times a year. Mimi is getting annoyed with my poking, though. She… Read More: Updating My Chart – January – April 2018 »
When I started this blog, updating my chart each month was great fun. Even when the market was temporarily down, my net worth almost invariably went up. It’s a delight to plot your way to retirement while you’re working and making gobs and gobs of money in a bull market. The deeper I wade into retirement… Read More: Updating My Chart – September – December 2017 »
Have you read The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins yet? This book outlines the investment strategy I use. I read it in one night and told you about it here. Do you like listening to audio books? I’ve tried, but I stop paying attention after a couple of minutes. I’m a visual learner.… Read More: Want something free? »
I was watching Judge Judy the other day and she said something that stuck with me enough that I’m now telling you. She was talking to a man who was very obviously losing his case. He had taken a dog from his ex-girlfriend who, he acknowledges, had paid him $500 for it. He had no… Read More: Say thanks and hope the rest of the day goes… »
Do you remember me telling you about my friend, Leif?* I knew him when I lived in Chicago. He carries one of the best souls I’ve ever encountered. Kind and loyal and good, we saw each other almost daily for years and I counted him among my favorite people. He was also, unfortunately, a super… Read More: Guinea Pig Update: Leif! »
For years, I would check my credit report every four months. I can peek at them for free once a year from each of the three credit agencies, so staggering this way gives me the maximum amount of free without obsessing and still keeping a close eye. I like this strategy too because, if I do… Read More: Did you already freeze your credit? »
This reminder popped up for me recently: Check your net worth, my darling! Oh. Right. It’s September. Another four months of living and not working and it’s time to write another post updating my progress on this early retirement experiment. This is normally my best shot at evangelizing. Look, it’s working! Truth be told, I… Read More: Updating My Chart – May-August 2017 »