8 Reasons To Be Confident In Your Retirement “The Number”

The one question most readers have been sending me has to do with The Number.  I write those words with capital letters in homage to the financial planning book by Lee Eisenberg of the same name and out of respect for the importance of making sure you have enough before walking away.  The Number is the amount you have in retirement savings divided by the … Continue reading 8 Reasons To Be Confident In Your Retirement “The Number”

Reminiscing On The Water

We are at sea today on our summer vacation cruise of Scandinavia. Yesterday we were in Copenhagen, and today we are sailing toward Tallinn, Estonia.  We are on a Royal Caribbean ship, although we have cruised on different ones in the past.  As we were pulling out of the harbor yesterday, there were several other cruise ships also departing, including ships from MSC, Holland America, … Continue reading Reminiscing On The Water

Cruising Toward Early Retirement

I’m writing this post from a cruise ship crossing into the Baltic Sea. We are on summer vacation and taking a cruise to the Scandinavian countries (and a two-day stop in Russia). As a family, we have taken about a half dozen cruises to all different places – Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Mediterranean (twice), and now this one. As I’ve written before, I love to travel … Continue reading Cruising Toward Early Retirement

FIRE Countdown Obsession – As Presented

I’ve written about my “count down obsession” before – thinking about good ways to count down my final year at MegaCorp.  I’ve also showed you pictures of my hidden countdown Post-it Flag system that is in the credenza above my desk at work.  Like a kid counting down the days to next Christmas, I find my mind wandering several times a day to “how many … Continue reading FIRE Countdown Obsession – As Presented

Amazon Echo – Great Gadget

Have you seen the Amazon Echo device yet?  Mr. Fire Station is definitely a gadget guy and this gadget is a keeper. If you’ve used Siri on your Apple iPhone or other “digital assistants” you’ll definitely understand the appeal of Amazon Echo. Think of it as Siri for your home.  It’s a cylindrical device that sits on your kitchen counter and awaits your commands.  You … Continue reading Amazon Echo – Great Gadget

Introverts & Extroverts – Impact In Retirement?

Are you an introvert or an extravert?   How does it impact your work and desire to retire early? I find this dimension of one’s personality very interesting.  There is a long article on Wikipedia that defines the two, and also includes a term called “ambiversion”.  I think that last term might best describe me.  I tend to fall a little to the “E” side … Continue reading Introverts & Extroverts – Impact In Retirement?