financial independence Archives - Page 6 of 11

July 19, 2021July 19, 2021

The Happiness Curve: Beware of Expectations

The grass is always greener on the other side. No truer words were ever uttered. Get it? Utter? Cows? Grass? Anyway, it’s our expectations that lead us in search of new experiences, but do they always pay off?

This concept of something better on the horizon has governed my existence for as long as I can recall. Under the constant glare of incandescent lights in a corporate office, I dreamed of selling my house and living on the road. But once I was living that reality, I discovered the very real contrasts of life on the road that I already knew existed.

When I was surrounded by all the nature, I just really wanted to lay on my living room rug with air conditioning, a lacrosse ball under my lower back, watching The Great British Baking Show.

It didn’t take long for us to decide that some sort of hybrid life was our best option. We opted to buy a house in St. George, Utah, intent on nesting here for the majority of the year, like Roland’s Rock House. For the rest of the year, particularly the hateful summer, we planned to travel and perhaps rent out our home.

So, how is that going?

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021

Why Trying to Quit My Job (Sort of) Made It Better

It’s been almost exactly 18 months since I quit my job and watched the last corporate world elevator close behind me.

Reflecting on that time, it’s clear that my best career years—those defined by rewarding assignments, autonomy, increased paid time off, and better work/life balance—all came after I knew I was going to leave. Weird, huh?

How can we explain this paradox, and do we even need the drastic measures of financial independence to improve our work life?

July 5, 2021August 26, 2021

Value Spending: How to Really Save Money

We used to worry about every dollar spent. But then we learned to stop fretting and live well through value spending, putting our efforts where it matters most.

Here’s how we made major and repeatable changes to our spending habits without materially changing our enjoyment of life.

June 7, 2021June 11, 2021

Mid-Year Financial Check & All the Latest

We now find ourselves approaching the mid-year point of 2021. So, how about we check in on those simple, yet highly effective methods for actually saving real money? I’m taking a break from my typical long-form post while we travel, so hopefully you’ll find this one straight and to the point.

May 31, 2021May 29, 2023

Six Important Reasons Not to Retire Early

When I first discovered financial independence, the thought to retire in my 30s warmed my soul like a batch of hot stew on a late February night. If I could rely on the wondrous and fantastic powers of compound growth to build a bitchin’ snowball of money, I’d never need to work again.

And it was never about the money. It was about the life. I yearned for a life spent in pursuit of passion, surrounded by a vibrant and meaningful community, with copious time to immerse in nature, climb, travel, and most importantly…sleep. The rigid and mechanical pipeline of school to work was cracked and beginning to leak.

So, what’s not to love?

April 12, 2021March 19, 2023

The Bold And Beautiful Roth Conversion Ladder

Hi. Good morning. How are you? I’m excited this week to bring you a much more in-depth analysis of the Roth Conversion Ladder, a method used to spend retirement money early without penalty and with little to no tax burden. I’ve already talked about this method here, here, and here, but I decided this very important topic needed its own special post.

Changing subjects momentarily, I get a real kick out of directly translating ridiculous American expressions in other languages. For instance, when in a German grocery store in 2018, I suddenly wondered if German lovers addressed each other as honig, the German word for honey.

Honig! I’m home!

See, isn’t that fun?

This week we will investigate the intricate web of methods designed to spend the money you’ve saved. It’s not all milch und honig.

March 8, 2021March 8, 2021

Eliza Marsh: We Can Make This Happen

Good morning. My ankle is doing much better. Sorry to alarm some of you with last week’s post. The photo was bad, but I’m fairly certain it’s only a sprain. Much more importantly, this week I want to welcome Eliza Marsh.

In this week’s interview, we discuss how Eliza has balanced a career with extended travel, and some of her unexpected surprises of life on the road. We examine how she manages full-time remote work, and how she recently stumbled on a new and exciting path towards saving for financial independence, which she rightfully recognizes as a great privilege. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll see how Eliza has completely reframed her mindset around money, her future, and how she plans to use this great gift of financial freedom.

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021

Interview with Mr. Clipping Chains at the Frugal Professor

Howdy folks, after last week’s interview with the Frugal Professor, we decided to exchange stories. He sent me some great questions, and I wrote a whole bunch of words in return.

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021

The Frugal Professor: Let’s Get Deep in the Weeds

Alrighty, folks. This week I’m pleased to bring you a low-down-and-dirty financial deep dive with climber, writer, father of five, and lover of personal finance: The Frugal Professor. In this interview, we hold our breath and plunge into complex issues surrounding actually spending all this money we save for periods of no traditional income, meanwhile navigating the treacherous, shark-infested waters of the US healthcare system.

I’ve always said that saving and generating wealth is shockingly simple once some key concepts are understood, implemented, and doggedly followed, through thick and thin. And I’m sticking to my story.

What is not so straight-forward, however, is threading a very fine needle on living off the money we’ve saved. In a period of no traditional income⏤call it “retirement” if you want⏤we shouldn’t be just selling shares and calling it a day. We have to optimize healthcare spending, minimize taxes, and avoid early withdrawal fees and penalties meant for a much more traditional retirement.

But with a little planning, it ain’t no thang.

Let’s roll up our sleeves with the Frugal Professor and get a little dirty, shall we?

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020

Contentment: The Greenest Grass of the Them All

I’ll admit. I thought that quitting my job would lead to hours of newfound productivity. I will write for hours. Now I’ll double down on web design skills. I’ll climb more, and I’ll rest more. I’ll dust off my 15-year-old gear and start writing and recording music again. Once I don’t have a job I’ll truly find contentment.

The truth is, I’m largely the same guy I was in January, weeks before I walked away from my job.

Is that a bad thing?