Oops 🙂 . My spending goal for 2025 was $24,000 and I spent $35,950.70. As you can see – I went over budget. Way over budget, but that’s for a very good reason. So let’s get into it!
Category: Spending
Review: TIDAL – A Better Spotify Alternative
For years I’ve paid for Spotify Premium and used their service for hours every day. I’ve mentioned in my Annual Accomplishments posts how part of my weekly routine was to listen to the 1.5 hours of personalized music Spotify put out for me every Monday in Discover Weekly, and the 1.5 hour Release Radar they released every Friday. No longer 🙂 – and I’m better for it.
I left Spotify Premium this year and am now a happy customer of TIDAL. So let’s get into why I felt the need to change my music service and how it’s going. Continue reading “Review: TIDAL – A Better Spotify Alternative”
How I Made $7,553 While Retired In 2025
Let’s talk about something wild: the surprising amount of money I made in retirement this year. It’s surprising because I expected this amount to be $0 after I quit my job in October 2020, but like a lot of things in life, I was wrong 🙂 . So let’s get into it! Continue reading “How I Made $7,553 While Retired In 2025”
Slow Travel Review: Auckland, New Zealand – The Land Of Nature And Cafes
When I first visited Auckland, New Zealand with my Mom in 2023 I thought, “My Partner would love this city”. It’s gorgeous, close to nature and filled with unique Mom and Pop coffee shops.
In 2025 after my Partner asked that we “meet in the middle” while I was in Japan and he was in New York, we met in Auckland and stayed for 6 weeks. I’m happy to report that he loved it for the reasons I suspected he would.
Continue reading “Slow Travel Review: Auckland, New Zealand – The Land Of Nature And Cafes”
How I Furnished My Apartment For Under $2,000
I’m not sure if I’ve said this explicitly on this blog before, but I have a small family that is not at all close to each other geographically. As a result, I’ve always assumed that you have to do everything yourself – there’s no safety net or ‘community’ to fall back on. I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and a city that large isn’t known for its camaraderie.
Continue reading “How I Furnished My Apartment For Under $2,000”
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Library Card: Sister Libraries, Free Passes And Apps
A few months ago in the post below, I asked if anyone wanted me to elaborate on what I learned about all the benefits of library cards and I was pleasantly surprised that a lot of people did! So this is me fulfilling that promise.
5 Years Of Early Retirement: Finances, What’s Changed And What’s Next?
How have I now been retired longer than I held my longest job? Longer than I was in college? Literally how 🙂 ? I have no idea, but it’s true. Time is flying and I’m celebrating completing Year 5 of my early retirement!
So to commemorate the end of my 5th retired year and get pumped for the 6th, I wanted to go over where I’ve been, what I’ve spent, any revelations I’ve had, and what’s next in retirement 🙂 . Let’s get into it!
Continue reading “5 Years Of Early Retirement: Finances, What’s Changed And What’s Next?”
Review: Singapore Air Economy Class – Tokyo, Japan to LAX for $44
We’ve finally reached the end of my “flying around Asia and Oceania on points” saga. This is the last flight I took in that batch that I booked with Singapore KrisFlyer points, which all together allowed me to spend the first quarter of 2025 galavanting around Japan and New Zealand while spending a total of $160.06 USD on international flights. Madness 🙂 .
Continue reading “Review: Singapore Air Economy Class – Tokyo, Japan to LAX for $44”