While ambling along the path to near-retirement and dealing with all of the indecisions of late, another facet of personal finance emerges to dog me. Where should I put my money? Having paid off cars, a paid-off house, and no credit card debt, we've been in healthy surplus territory for a while now. Originally, I thought I'd simply open up a Vanguard ETF (exchange-traded … [Read more...] about Where Should I Put My Money?
Personal Finance 101
Learn how to make the best decisions when it comes to your hard-earned money. When you make smart money decisions, you tee yourself up for goals including early retirement. Learn how to invest, how to avoid keeping up with the Joneses, and how to raise kids without breaking the bank!
Self Deprivation on the Journey to Early Retirement
The headlines are catchy. Some 20-something out there worked hard for 5 years to save $500,000 so he or she could retire early before 30. A noble, Instagram-worthy pursuit to be sure, but with it comes a brutal stretch of self-deprivation. Starbucks suddenly becomes a no-no. Getting around in a car is a sin. You might even have to give up your gym membership. Damn. I'll be … [Read more...] about Self Deprivation on the Journey to Early Retirement
How to Pay off Your Mortgage in 5 Years
When considering the idea of mortgage paydown, first thing's first. Any super high-interest debts (like credit card balances) should be paid off first. For all other debts, I'm a fan of using the cash flow index method to prioritize debt repayment. You may find the mortgage falls low on the list since typically, those high payments are spread over a long, 30 year period. Once … [Read more...] about How to Pay off Your Mortgage in 5 Years
How Much of Your Income Should You Save Every Month?
This is a post that asks and attempts to answer the question, "How much of your income should you save every month?" For many, savings rates simply aren't a priority. While examining my handy dashboard excel budget last week, I focused my attention on our savings rate. Hard to believe, but we had somehow achieved a savings rate of 83%. That's 83% of our take-home pay … [Read more...] about How Much of Your Income Should You Save Every Month?
How Being a Sports Fan Affects Your Life
One of the fastest ways to consume time and money is to be a fan of big-money sports. Especially this time of year, when American football is in full swing, sports fandom is off the charts. Let's explore how being a sports fan affects your life. Frankly, it's getting way out of control, my friends. I once enjoyed watching college football, and even some NFL, even though so … [Read more...] about How Being a Sports Fan Affects Your Life
