early retirement Archives - Page 5 of 5

March 23, 2020April 3, 2020

Shocking Headlines of the 2008 Financial Crisis

(And Why They Are So Important Now)

I don’t want to talk much about the novel coronavirus today. I want to talk about money, because that is what I do here. Money may not be a priority for you and your family now amongst a spreading virus. However, I want to calmly acknowledge that the world is also facing a very real personal finance threat, one that could be far more impactful for most Americans than the virus itself (which I’m not taking lightly). Before we make rash decisions in a time of panic and hysteria, let’s examine some important headlines from the 2008 financial crisis and why those messages are so incredibly important right now.

March 16, 2020August 9, 2021

The Sky is Falling: Lessons from the Coronavirus

Happy Monday! What a week! The coronavirus is spreading like southern Kudzu and is now officially a pandemic. Social distancing is suddenly the new order, flaming a wildfire of fear and panic, crippling the economy. The stock market is currently down 20% from its February high. The S&P 500 dropped 9.5% in a single day. And then the very next day the market bounced back 9.3%. We have entered bear market territory, ending the historic 11-year bull market run. OPEC meddling crashed oil prices. And I just quit my job. We have (had?) big plans for a new way of life. So, what’s changed?

February 10, 2020October 12, 2020

BREAKING: I (Sort Of) Quit My Job

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?

December 16, 2019December 16, 2019

Charles Sheldon: FIRE Before It Was Cool

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?

September 23, 2019September 23, 2019

Financial Advisor: Who Needs One?

The stock market is scary. I completely understand; there was once a time when I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. In fact, according to Ally Invest, 65% of survey respondents are intimidated by investing. It seems like a Wild West proposition, and surely only well-trained professionals are equipped to predict the future success of individual companies. You realize the potential of investing, but you wouldn’t know how to start. It’s probably best to pay a financial advisor for this service, right?

Some say the answer to whether you need a financial advisor is “maybe,” but I’m more strongly in the “no” camp. Here’s why.

July 22, 2019August 6, 2019

Early Retirement: Is It the Solution?

Alrighty then, let’s get back down to some brass tacks, shall we? I originally started this website in a heartfelt effort to get folks thinking about their finances. And what was the bait? It was our story of a potential early retirement. So how is our plan coming along?