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What’s Your Post-Retirement Multiplier?

12 Comments / Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Saving, Spending / By /

You’re reading this article, so you obviously care about your finances.  Hopefully, you’re on track with your money or working toward that goal.  Getting out of debt, saving and investing have been beaten into you by every financial outlet in the world. Maybe you’re even on the path to financial independence or early retirement.  But have you taken the time to figure out what you need by looking at your post-retirement multiplier?   What is a Post-Retirement Multiplier? When I talk about your post-retirement …

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It's All About the Expenses...

It’s All About the Expenses…

22 Comments / Spending, Debt, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Saving / By /

You’re doing your best to get yourself on the right track with your finances.  You’re working your way out of debt and have turned your eye toward reaching financial independence.  But the media wants you to focus on the money you have coming in.  I want you to focus on your expenses instead. First of all, know that your income is important – no doubt about it.  In my article The Steps to Wealth, the first thing I talk about is getting a …

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I'm a Cheap @#$... and Proud of It!!!

I’m a Cheap @#$… and Proud of It!!!

20 Comments / Spending, Debt, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Saving / By /

When I was a kid, I was a good saver.  Every penny I got was definitely a penny I saved.  I wasn’t necessarily cheap and still bought candy and toys, but I was just good at saving.  As I got to high school, the trend continued and I continued to be careful with my money, especially once I got my first job and learned the importance of hard work. Then things changed. That’s not to say that I didn’t have a …

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The Cost of Vacation

The Cost of Vacation

8 Comments / Travel and Vacation, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Spending / By /

Just got back from a great vacation in Texas. My brother and his wife moved to Austin about a year ago so we went to visit them. They just built a really nice house with a pool, hot tub, cabana, outdoor kitchen, etc. – how can you pass up a visit with all this good stuff?!!  So we stayed at their “oasis” for a little over a week and had a great time. Unfortunately, I was so relaxed that I realized I had …

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The Steps to Wealth

The Steps to Wealth

27 Comments / Debt, Education, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Motivation, Real Estate, Saving, Spending / By /

I just finished reading The Richest Man in Babylon.  I had a lot of recommendations to read this and I’ll tell you that, for as old as this book is (originally published in 1926!!), the content still holds strong.  Great book if you’re trying to find your way to wealth.  There is some very sound advice that stands the test of time, such as saving at least 10% of what you make and that you can live off your income, but you …

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Just One Thing...

Just One Thing…

10 Comments / Education, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Motivation, Real Estate, Saving, Self-Employment, Spending / By /

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably someone interested in or already on the way to the world of financial independence.  Regardless of why you’re here, I think we all know some of the basics of reaching that goal: Get out of debt ASAP – This is the #1 step that needs to be done… and this refers to bad debt like credit cards, car payments, etc.  This does not necessarily mean good debt like mortgages on rental property that serve as assets helping to provide you with cash …

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Shared Finances or Keep ‘Em Separated?

10 Comments / Saving, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Spending / By /

There are a couple of trains of thought on whether or not spouses should keep their finances separated out or whether they should be combined.  Some people are very adamant that, once you’re married, you are as one and all your finances should be joined together as such.  On the other side of the fence are those who feel that merging your money spells financial doom.  That, of course, leads to the question… Shared Finances or Keep ‘Em Separated? My wife and I keep a lot …

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How Do You Keep Track of Your Finances?

10 Comments / Debt, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Saving, Spending / By /

I’ve said before that Quicken was a lifesaver for me and my finances all the way back in 1999.  That’s when I stumbled across the product and it helped me realize just how much of a mess of debt I was in.  I was then able to rely on the software to really come up with a game plan and eliminate all of it over the next handful of years. Obviously software can’t get you out of debt (you need to do that yourself), …

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Four Weddings and Maybe My Funeral…

10 Comments / Spending, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), General Thoughts, Travel and Vacation / By /

Today I’m getting slightly off track because I need to rant and, well, it’s my blog so I’m going to go for it! Ok, first off, maybe four weddings is an exaggeration… I have three to go to in the next month. And maybe it’s not really going to be my funeral, but it sure feels like it! Here’s the problem… Wedding number one is out-of-town – it’s in the big city… New York City. I hate the big city. …

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Should You Compromise Your Lifestyle to Retire Even Earlier?

24 Comments / Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Saving, Spending / By /

If you’re reading this right now, you’re most likely either looking for a way to retire early or you already have a plan in place.  Either way, the thought repeatedly comes to my mind of ways to make retiring early happen even sooner. I run an interesting gamut of being frugal with most things but still splurging by taking cruises and other fun vacations on a regular basis.  It drives me nuts to waste money on things I have the ability …

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