Eskies.   Hieleras.  Coolers.  Iceboxes.  It’s all the same really.

If you want to cut your budget so you can save and invest more in order to retire as early as possible, you may need to make some improvements in your diet, food prep, and shopping habits.  If you’re already rolling your eyes about this, make sure to go back and wrap your head around the mindset I described here.

I’ll share some recipes and tips and tricks I learn along the way relating to all things food, but for today let’s talk about keeping yourself fueled with good food, affordably, when you’re not at your house.  Let’s talk about Coolers.

Continue reading “Freedom Notes: “You pack a mean cooler”” →

Hi folks!

I just wanted to take a minute to check in.  How are you doing?  Are you finding success in keeping to your budget by tracking your spending more deliberately?  Or are you failing to meet your goals?  I was just reviewing my situation at Mint.com and noticed that, for the first time in the last 12 months (but likely ever since the last 12 months is all that is displayed by the App), I am on track to meet my budgeting goals and to have my little icon for the month remain green instead of the plaguing red of the previous year.

Continue reading “Check-in: Mid-Month” →

Why are the things that are on your bucket list actually there?  To say you have done them?  So you can tell others about that?  I think this is an important question.

Recently, my parents went on a trip to Germany along with a coach tour of eastern Europe.  It culminated in Munich at Oktoberfest, and all my Dad really had to say about it to me was “ya, lots of rides and beer halls, drunk people passed out at noon on grass…one notch off bucket list”.  Now, they had a great time overall, there’s no doubt about that, and I’m glad they went.

Continue reading “Rethinking Bucket Lists” →

Now that we’re a month or so into this relationship of ours, you may be wondering more about me.  Not in the ‘oh he must be so interesting’ kind of way, but more in the ‘why the heck should I listen to this guy’ way.

And maybe you’re right. Who do I think I am to talk about money?  I am, after all, just a regular guy.  But if you ask me, that’s exactly why I may be qualified to help you with your retirement planning.  You see, I’m doing it.  I am retiring before I turn 34 and the earlier the better.  All you have to do is watch me do it and you will have gained value from this.  Not that my way is the only way to do it, but surely there will be lessons learned along the way that will be of use to you and help you reach your own goals.

So then, how did I get here?

Continue reading “Who Am I?” →

Ok.  Here we are.  Our first full month under our belt since committing to doing what it takes to reach financial freedom on our terms and in our timeline.  I started the month with a few days of refining my budget, and trying to be as real about it as I could.  Since then, we’ve been trying to get ourselves to think of our finances differently and to reverse-brainwash ourselves into savings and investing wizardry.  But with all that diversion from the real numbers, the real goals can fade from focus.  So I’d like to take this chance to check in and see how things are going and to make sure we’re practicing what we preach, or at least learning from our shortcomings.

Continue reading “Financial Report: One Month” →