A few financial bloggers that I read regularly have mentioned how in retirement you will most likely accidentally earn money. As an early retiree you’ll have 30+ years of health and energy ahead of you instead of 5 or less. I never quite believed it, but I did just accidentally stumbled onto a side hustle while I am still working, which makes me think they might be onto something. Continue reading “I Accidentally Became a Financial Advisor”
Year: 2017
How I Navigated My Finances
I’ve always been fairly good with money, but I never realized the power of investing and compound interest until I was well into adulthood.
My Prototype
I was more of a “hide it under your mattress” hoarder of money –which I now know is a surefire way to deplete money’s buying power through inflation — but as a young kid I had no idea. At age 7, I tried my luck at money lending to my step-siblings. That didn’t go too well, since I didn’t have debt collectors at my disposal and they had a hard time taking their youngest sibling seriously. Growing up my parents paid us for chores done around the house. When we received the money (usually $1 per chore) we were shocked to discover that we only received $0.33 for every dollar. “Taxes and Social Security” my Mom said.
Continue reading “How I Navigated My Finances”
Funemployment Helped Me Find What’s Important
My 4 months of funemployment in 2016 was the longest I have been funemployed in my career. In previous years I had only been without a job for about a month at a time, which was exactly enough time to network, find another job and do little else. This longer stint originally frustrated me. One company claimed to want to hire me before I even left my previous job, but was then put on hold. Then I went traveling. Despite my schedule rarely having me in Seattle for more than 24 hours another company a few weeks later said they wanted to hire me, but it fell through. I kept traveling. Another company inexplicably worked around my busy travel schedule and let me do several interviews over the phone claimed they wanted to hire me. And this too fell through in the end. There were several less serious disappointments along the way. Continue reading “Funemployment Helped Me Find What’s Important”
Day In The Life Of A Worker Bee
As a reminder to my future-retired-in-her-30s-self, I wanted to catalog a typical day in my life while working. This is an example of a not stressful day where I didn’t work late. And you still don’t want to do it do you 🙂 Continue reading “Day In The Life Of A Worker Bee”
Good Bank Review: Navy Federal Credit Union
I wasn’t aware that I was a part of Navy Federal until my mom told me. Since my grandfather was in the military our family is able to join their bank. After becoming annoyed at the annual fee that’s tacked on TD Bank credit cards I explored Navy Federal’s options and found a wonderful 1.5% Cash Back credit card that I’ve been using for a few years. Continue reading “Good Bank Review: Navy Federal Credit Union”
I’m Lucky: I’ve Always Been This Way
When I read about the paths of other financial independence seekers I’ve noticed something about myself. I’ve always been this way. When others were looking to fill their lives with things I’ve mostly always loved hoarding my money. When I was young – maybe 7 – I was even a bank to my step-siblings. I’d lend them money and collect repayments. One of them still owes me $50. With interest :). I doubt I’ll ever see it though. Such is the life of a bank of a 7 year old. Continue reading “I’m Lucky: I’ve Always Been This Way”
I Love My New Job
It’s that simple. I love my new job. Each job I have seems to get better and better. Thank you universe. I’ve been trying to put my finger on why it’s so amazing.
Is it because of my client? Not really – she’s nice, but demands a lot and is difficult to read.
Is it because of the work I’m doing? Kind of – it’s not creating ads or adding to the gross manipulation of the marketing industry. Instead I’m thinking of ways to get people to work better together and helping advance my client’s career. I’m basically a ghost employee for a tech giant.
So what is it about? Continue reading “I Love My New Job”
Extending My Timeline to 2022: I Don’t Hate My Job
In my 2016 State of the Union post I mentioned that I’ve changed my FIRE timeline twice in the past year. Last January I ran the numbers and decided that no matter what I was retiring on the eve on my 30th birthday in October of 2019. To accomplish this I decided that I would live on $14,000 a year, which is $4,000 less than my projected annual spend based on my current living situation ($18,000). I discovered and researched a large list of side hustles that could bring this minimal amount of income to make up the difference and discovered that that same $4,000 is what I usually spend on opulent vacations – which I assume I’ll need less of when my entire life is a vacation. Continue reading “Extending My Timeline to 2022: I Don’t Hate My Job”