How is 2018 75% done?! I am both skeptical and surprised. Above is a snapshot of my Q3 spending from YNAB. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty: Continue reading “Q3 Budget Check-In 2018”
2 Years Until Retirement: The Master Plan
So you might have noticed that I like planning. It’s literally one of my favorite things. Even when I know that something could change or become moot, such as tax laws, just creating a plan for how I’m going to not pay taxes in retirement for example (since I’ll have no income) is super satisfying to me.
Knowing that, I doubt it will come as a surprise to you that I have a plan for basically every month until the day I retire in 2 years. Creating this kind of schedule has not only made the final year seem filled with things to do so it will feel like it’s going faster, but it also has the benefit of stretching out all the life changes I will make and things I need to do so they feel less overwhelming.
So what’s happening? Here’s a breakdown of what I plan to do before reaching retirement: Continue reading “2 Years Until Retirement: The Master Plan”
How My Mom Retired At 55
Today I’m happy to introduce the first guest post on this site with a very special guest: My Mom! As I’ve mentioned a few times on the blog, she was my main inspiration in starting my journey to financial independence. She actually retired the same month I started writing this blog. Hopefully her story can help inspire others and show that it’s never too late to begin your journey. She didn’t start investing in stocks until she was 40 and still retired at 55 with 3 kids and 2 paid off houses. If she can still retire early basically anyone can. Let’s see what she has to say. Continue reading “How My Mom Retired At 55”
My Longest Job Ever: 1 Year, 11 Months
It’s time to celebrate!
Don’t laugh – this is a big deal for me! Quitting and getting laid off is basically a hobby of mine. I’ve had 6 jobs in 7 years. I quit twice and have been laid off 3 times. My shortest stint was 3 weeks. Oh ad agency life! This milestone snuck up on me and I’m a bit shocked it happened. My current job is now officially my longest ever: 1 year, 11 months at the same company! Continue reading “My Longest Job Ever: 1 Year, 11 Months”
That Time I Laughed In A Financial Advisor’s Face
It was an accident, I swear! As I mentioned in my post detailing my work history in advertising, I had a mentor that I was introduced to through my cousin. Despite us originally meeting to discuss if I should try a new career after the hell that was my first job, she referred me to two other positions later in my career – both of which I was offered and accepted. In the first position I didn’t work directly with this mentor (let’s call her Grace). In the second I did. It was during this job that I had the fateful encounter…And how this happened is also strange and convoluted. Buckle up.
Continue reading “That Time I Laughed In A Financial Advisor’s Face”
How Have I Changed After 1 Month of Public Blogging?
As some of you know, I’ve been writing this blog privately for 3.5 years. It was on the internet, but couldn’t be found or read by others. It served as a way to catalog my journey to financial independence: to show what I was thinking, feeling and what steps I took to accelerate my journey. For those years I found it really helpful to see what Past Me was thinking and feeling in different situations. It’s been great to see how I’ve changed as a person while approaching this goal. Continue reading “How Have I Changed After 1 Month of Public Blogging?”
Another Retirement Prequel
Our living room view in Ecuador
My trip to Ecuador allowed me to explore more of my possible early retired life and try to discover who Retired Me might be. There are a few goals I have for retirement that I tried to accomplish during this trip, such as:
- Go to sleep soon after sunset and rise with the sun
- Watch the sunrise and sunset as much as possible
Half A Million Together and Keeping Finances Separate
We finally did it! After saving intentionally for almost 4 years we reached a new milestone: my partner and I have amassed half a million dollars together. I can hardly believe it. This is a special number for me because it’s the amount I need to retire. Now I know what you’re thinking: Why doesn’t he just give you his portion so you can retire now? I’ve wondered the same thing! 🙂 Continue reading “Half A Million Together and Keeping Finances Separate”