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You are here: Home / Early Retirement / The 2018 Golden Nameplate Awards (Cubert’s Top FIRE Blogs)

The 2018 Golden Nameplate Awards (Cubert’s Top FIRE Blogs)

November 26, 2018 by Cubert

golden nameplate

It’s almost time to wrap-up another fun-filled year in this little corner of Blogtopia. There were plenty of New Year’s resolutions not kept, but I managed to find other challenges (aka “experiments”) to keep me, um, challenged. But let’s not dwell on that stuff. Today it’s time to celebrate some excellent writing and blog skills. With that, we usher in the 2018 Golden Nameplate Awards!

Last year’s inaugural crew turned out to be flat-out stellar. I even had a chance to meet two of my winners in person, months after the awards were given out. I’d like to think the Nameplate gave each winner a boost of sorts (10 views, maybe 20??). But even if it didn’t, at least they know how much their work is appreciated.

Done by Forty and Miss Mazuma — Nice to meet you! And the rest of the 2017 winners, I hope to meet you soon as well for my free hug. FinCon 2028??

 

In Review: The Winners of Last Year’s, 2017 Golden Nameplate:

(Click the plate to visit each winner’s site.)


2019 best finance blogs2019 best finance blogs 2019 best finance blogs 2019 best finance blogs2019 best finance blogs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of these blogs went on to produce some excellent content in 2018. Some of them even won other, dare I say more respected awards. A few got featured in big-time national outlets. One went on to write a book (spurred by a Golden Nameplate award, obviously!) And one even got to split an amaze-balls Pizza Luce pie with yours truly, during a business trip to MPLS. Gravitas!

Here’s the fun part: Starting with this year’s awards, and going forward, the winners from the previous year get to nominate winners for the current year. That means no one can blame ME for picking favorites. Har!

No need to worry about that notion though. This “pay it forward” plan worked out amazingly well here in 2018. Granted, I had to HOUND a few of last year’s winners to get their picks in on time. (Celebrity bloggers really should consider finding talent agents…)

First-year nameplate winners did an outstanding job of picking some wonderful nominees for me to peruse and pick from. I hope you’re just as excited as I am because the quality of work here is top-notch!

Without further content-fattening adieu, announcing the winners of the 2018 Golden Nameplate Award (TM)! Drum roll, please???

 

Buzz……

 

Buzz……

 

 

 

 

Buzz…

 

Buzz…

 

 

Okay okay… Enough! The winners are (in no particular order):

 

Crispy Doc

2018 Golden Nameplate

What’s not to love about a site that combines the crinkly, crumply, Kentucky Fried Chicken sound of fresh dollar bills, with MEDICINE?!? Sort of hits the mark there, in a social commentary sense..? Crispy admits that his blog is a “midlife crisis blog.” Oh, how I can personally relate to THAT. My man is living large-ish in Coastal California and that makes my cold Minnesota backside kinda jealous right there.

Crispy (err, Doctor Crispy… Doc?) has his stuff TOGETHER. Just read one of his more recent posts, and you’ll quickly see that his priorities are family-centric / people-centric. That, plus living in Coastal California is truthfully (I believe) the key to utter happiness.

Crispy got his start in September 2016, the same month and year I fired up Abandoned Cubicle. And that makes us brothers, and could even get me on his will. We’ll see. Regardless, I’m excited to dig deeper into his archives. There’s a LOT of healthy wisdom and quality writing there. Way to go, Crispy!!!

 

Frugasaurus

2018 Golden Nameplate

Introducing, Team Frugasaurus! I love this name because our kids are really into dinosaurs these days. And now they can learn about dinosaurs who watch their budgets like hawks (or pterodactyls…?) Kristine has created a blog “…about their journey to a more frugal, financially independent and environmentally friendly lifestyle.” I can dig that.

And the cool part? This duo is from Norway! Having traversed “Norge” from bottom-to-top several years ago, I can attest to what a beautiful country Kristine hails from.

Her and her husband’s goals are ambitious. They aspire to “…be our boss and retreat to our dream home of a sustainable cabin in the woods, with a large forest garden where we can grow a large proportion of our food and ideally be off-grid.” Wow. But I can tell you that in Norway, this is entirely achievable and much more the norm than here in the states.

Congrats to Kristine! Here’s your Golden Nameplate Award. Don’t worry, it’s recyclable! 😉

 

DiverseFI

2018 Golden Nameplate

What’s that? Another physician?? Damn. You’d think the medical field was nothing but hard work with bad bosses and mountains of debt or something. All these docs looking to hang up their rusty scalpels and bent needles…

Doc G at DiverseFI is another absolute gem blogger in an ever-growing community of medically-minded financial independence and early retirement seekers. This blog is special. Doc G writes about deep topics stemming from personal experience; in what has to be an enormously challenging and rewarding field of nursing home care.

I selfishly hope that with this award, Doc G will give me another chance to do a podcast panel. You need to check out what he and Paul Thompson are cooking up at What’s Up Next. If I sneak onto one of these shows, without my boss crashing my calendar, I know I will have made it big!

 

Four Pillar Freedom

2018 Golden Nameplate

Zach is cooking with gas. Heck, he’s cooking with rocket fuel over at Four Pillar Freedom. You get a new post at least six times a week! I have a hard enough time ginning up one worthy nugget per week. Yeesh.

Zach is a wonderful writer and curator of his blog. I love how he probes into the bigger questions and themes of FIRE. For the uninitiated, the name “Four Pillar Freedom” comes from the following, which can be used as a framework to help you live a rich, meaningful life:

Pillar 1: Philosophy – Identify your “why”
Pillar 2: Psychology – Reduce spending
Pillar 3: Work Ethic – Increase income
Pillar 4: Finance – Grow wealth

Notice how you don’t arrive at “Finance” until you get to Pillar 4? That’s because these mighty pillars are in sequential order, yo. Gotta crawl before you walk. Check out Zach’s latest project, “Collecting Wisdom“. It’s a wonderful spot to share the wealth of great ideas and thoughtful writing in the FIRE community.

 

Optimize Your Life

2018 Golden Nameplate

I’m just getting to know about Matt Lane and his writing. What I’ve seen so far, I dig! Matt’s blog, Optimize Your Life is “…based around the idea that with a little bit of research and a little bit of effort we can live a richer, more productive, and happier life.” I can get behind that idea, 100%.

Notice a theme here? Each of our nameplate winners has a philosophical twist on finances and lifestyle economics. I suppose that makes for inspiring and entertaining reading, but I think it speaks to the bigger point that our society is far, like light-years-far, from having reconciled its relationship with money.

One of Matt’s posts that hit home was published the same month Abandoned Cubicle was launched: How Much Does Happiness Cost? In the post, Matt nails it with the line, “…you should never forget that voluntary minimalism is a privilege.” Bravo, good sir!

 

CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS of 2018! Adorn your sites with these golden badges of honor and only good things will happen. 🙂

Keep up the phenomenal writing, and remember you have a new responsibility: I’ll be harping on each of you in late 2019 for nominees next year.

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Comments

  1. Kristine @ Frugasaurus says

    January 29, 2019 at 3:02 am

    I can’t believe I only commented on this on twitter! I am too ditz for words sometimes…

    Thank you so much! I cannot believe you would put me in with such prestigious company. Looking forward to nominations for 2019!

    • Cubert says

      January 29, 2019 at 6:30 am

      No worries, Kristine! You’re certainly welcome. Keep up the great writing on Frugasaurus! (PS – Are you anywhere near Tromso?)

  2. Done by Forty says

    November 26, 2018 at 2:17 pm

    I don’t think I even got a hug when I met you. Which is kind of bullshit, if you ask me.

    Anyway, I think you have a much better class this time around, if only because I’m not in it. “Addition by subtraction,” my old basketball coach would quip, as he sat me down on the bench.

    Congratulations to this year’s winners!

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 2:42 pm

      Oh, you did too. In the parking lot on the way in, remember?? 🙂

      You set a *very* high bar for those writing chops, packed with critical thinking. Sarcasm or not, don’t sell yourself short, big shooter!!!

  3. Crispy Doc says

    November 26, 2018 at 12:34 pm

    Cubert,

    I’m touched by the honor and humbled by the stellar roster of winners (whose names I’ll come to tarnish through their association with me).

    Thanks for the generous recognition – I’m feeling the love, and it makes a difference.

    Fondly,

    CD

    P.S. I just just realized the crazy presumed meth-head the cops brought in during last night’s shift, the one menacing innocents with a wooden fraternity paddle, was actually Fritz conducting initiation rituals for new honorees. Sorry about the leather restraints, Fritz…

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      You’re welcome, sir!!

      Btw – Fritz is used to leather restraints… A-hem…

  4. Mrs. Groovy says

    November 26, 2018 at 12:32 pm

    Amazing choices each and every one of them!

    And Mr. Groovy’s opus was soooo motivated by your golden nameplate award. Thanks for the mention.

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      Thank you, Mrs. Groovy!
      Re the opus magnus, I’d love to believe that. But sometimes if you say it or write enough, it becomes true?

  5. Angela @ Tread Lightly Retire Early says

    November 26, 2018 at 10:26 am

    Excellent choices this year and last, Cubert!

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 11:21 am

      Thanks, Angela!! If I had my voting powers back, you’d be in this class for sure. Your blog is among the best in my book (and many others!!)

  6. Fritz @ TheRetirementManifesto says

    November 26, 2018 at 10:16 am

    Hounded?? I can’t imagine a winner of such a prestigious award not joyfully and promptly answering the call for nominees. Whew, I’m glad I got my nominees in!!

    Great annual tradition, and a great Class Of 2018! Welcome to the Cubicle Of Fame, newbies. Hazing events will begin promptly (once my PR agent gets on it).

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 11:19 am

      LOL. How did you know I was referring to you, Fritz?? Rest assured there were one or two others… If you get an agent, make sure he or she “shows you the money!” 😉

      Actually, I might brainstorm a few hazing activities for FinCon next year. Probably some lame stuff involving shaving cream and short sheeting…

  7. Miss Mazuma says

    November 26, 2018 at 9:21 am

    Dude – FinCon 2028?? Most of us old people won’t be alive by then!! 😉

    In other news, if I remember correctly, I got at least 23 views after you announced the winners last year so it’s safe to say that Golden Nameplate award was a definite high point of my year. Of course, I haven’t written much since but that’s only because I’m still riding the high!! I can only imagine where this years winners will be next year. Kudos to them!!

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 9:54 am

      Okay okay.. MAYBE 2019. We’ll see! (and yes, I’m worried that by 2028 we’ll be swamped by melted ice bergs. So there’s that…)
      23 views! Dang! I get that much on a Sunday! Glad you got some love from this site. You’re an emeritus nameplater now. 🙂

  8. Doc G says

    November 26, 2018 at 6:09 am

    Hey man. Thanks for the honor. We will definitely have you on the oodcadt soon! Two Docs? Who knew. I’m a big fan of all the blogs mentioned.

    • Cubert says

      November 26, 2018 at 6:11 am

      You’re most certainly welcome! I’ll be ready for you next time on that podcast invite! 🙂

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