Funding the Adventurous Life
Alrighty then, welcome back to more spray-down about our trip in Sicily. If you missed last week, check out the little ditty on the beachside climbing mecca of San Vito Lo Capo. This post highlights the cities of Syracuse and Palermo, a stark contrast to the low-key coastal town we experienced in our first week.
Continue reading “A Winter in Sicily, Part 2: The Big City Life”
So last week I quit my job. And now we’re in Sicily. Greetings from the sunny Mediterranean! And sunny it is, a wonderful departure from the snowy and dark northern latitudes where our journey began. We find ourselves this first week in the small town of San Vito Lo Capo, living that peninsula life in northwestern Sicily.
Continue reading “A Winter in Sicily, Part 1: San Vito Lo Capo”
WHOOAA!! Yes, it’s true. By the time you are reading this, I have finished my last day in Corporate America, facing an uncertain future. We have achieved financial independence, perhaps reaching a new pinnacle of unrelatability. I have no job, and I have no plans for a job. The story of how this came to be is both planned and not, but either way, I’m incredibly excited for what is to come. So, how did we get to this point?
Continue reading “BREAKING: I (Sort Of) Quit My Job”
Are those who become financially independent “lucky?” Are successful business owners, elite athletes, or artistic masterminds “talented?”
Perhaps. But it’s hardly the entire story. Where and how does good fortune end and real “luck” begin?
Continue reading “Wow! You Are So Lucky to Retire Early!”
Hey you guys, it’s 2020, a new year! One of my favorite (past) pastimes is to begin each year with a plan for using all of my vacation. Studies, however, reveal that Americans are rarely capitalizing on the full gift of paid time to not work, and it’s costing us all big-time. The rippling effects go far beyond our own well-being and can affect society at large.
How much are we truly leaving on the table?
Continue reading “The Astonishing Cost of Unused Vacation”
The holidays mark a unique time of the year — a time of reflection. Perhaps this is the only time when we are more likely to consider where we’ve come than where we are going. As we mark the end of a decade, I feel an even stronger sense of reflection, and I’m sure you do too.
How do you feel about this past year, or the past ten years?
Will 2020 be the beginning of the best years of our lives, or more of the same? For most of us, there’s far more of that trajectory that we can control than we might first consider.
Continue reading “A Decade In Review: Reflection and a Look Ahead”
Charles Sheldon lived over a century ago. There was no Twitter, no hashtags, no websites, and no “financial independence movement.” After a brief but lucrative career in the railroad and mining industries, Sheldon became a self-made millionaire in his 30s and retired at age 35. He used his newfound freedom to track down bighorn sheep and then, you know, became the “Father of Denali National Park.”
So, it begs the question: what would we do if we were given the gift of time?
Continue reading “Charles Sheldon: FIRE Before It Was Cool”
Throwing on a jacket, I hurriedly move wide-eyed about the house, gathering my crap strung aimlessly in seemingly every room. Let’s see, it’s a gym day, so I need my gym bag, chalk bucket, climbing shoes, and post-session snack. Damnit, where are my keys?! IT’S TIME TO GO!!
Ugh…honey, can you fill up the dog’s water? LOOK, I’M JUST ASKING FOR ONE SIMPLE FAVOR!!
Yes, love you too. I’m sorry I raised my voice. Kisses?
Sound familiar? Busyness, often worn as a badge of honor, is one of the prime reasons folks struggle to spend less. This is particularly true when it comes to food. Yes, spending less often requires front-end planning and action, preparing meals in advance for easy and quick deployment later. Below we examine the often-ridiculous fallacy of busyness and offer six ways anyone can free up more time to live better and spend less.
Continue reading “But There's No Time to Save Money!”
After over 89,000 words written here to date, I wonder if I’ve consistently taken the correct tone. It’s very easy to point the finger in judgment, to be the cynic, but there is far more difficulty in being a source of encouragement or inspiration. So, let’s take a step back today. I want to explain why I started this project, and why I care so deeply about you and your money.
Continue reading “From Love: Why I Care About Your Money”
I’ve written much about the realities of American job satisfaction. I’ve routinely pointed out the growing sense of discontent in the traditional workforce, and that fewer people are truly passionate about their work. The ability to be creative is often associated with increased job satisfaction, so you can imagine how someone of that leaning would feel when forced to spend their days filing paperwork.
Last week I had an incredibly thought-provoking phone conversation with an old friend. My friend is one of the lucky few who are excited to jump out of bed and face the work day. But not only that, he’s also secured another foundational pillar of life satisfaction: financial security. I came away from this conversation with thoughts swirling in my head, and a clearer picture of what lies ahead for me as my corporate career comes to a close.
Continue reading “Creative Craig and His Incredibly Captivating Career”