Do you remember when the winning contestants on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ used to have to spend their winnings at the end of the show in a Shopper’s Bazaar? “I’ll take the dining room table for $400, and the projector TV for $850!” a woman would gush – looking at a huge showcase of merchandise. We had a similar experience two weeks ago. We went to … Continue reading Shopper’s Bazaar
Now that we bought a vacation place in Florida, will we fly off to any other adventures? We have one group of friends that bought a second home in Florida and said that it consumed the entirety of their future travel budget. Another snowbirding couple we know still plans an overseas trip every fall. Travel has been a big part of our early retirement. We’ve … Continue reading Richest History Destinations
Last year, I wrote a post on the rising cost of home insurance premiums. In the post (LINK), I included a link to the cost of insurance across the 50 states. No surprise, the state that we are buying a condominium in – Florida – is the highest in the country. As we prepare for closing next week, I’ve learned a lot about Florida’s unique … Continue reading Florida Home Insurance
When I was working at MegaCorp, we would do an exercise called “Sharks & Nets” to assess the risks of a big decision. “Sharks” were the big risks that could take the bite out of a big decision. “Nets” were the mitigation strategies that we would need to prepare ahead of time to stop each “Shark”. With that in mind, I used an AI tool … Continue reading Sharks & Nets – Vacation Home
We did it. In probably the biggest milestone we’ve had since retirement – we found and are buying a condominium in Celebration, Florida, outside of Walt Disney World. We had expressly agreed before we left Minnesota in January that we would NOT to look at real estate this year, but this place just clicked. The next thing you know – we’re signing an offer. Why … Continue reading Celebrating
Our neighbor at Margaritaville this month is leaving for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas today. He’s from Kansas City and he’s never been to the big game before, despite their recent, frequent appearance. We went to the Super Bowl a few years ago when it was hosted in Minnesota, where we live. We made a full-week of entertainment out of it. The game and … Continue reading Super Ticket Prices
This past Saturday marked an amazing 8 years since I told my boss I was quitting for a life of early retirement. As my wife often says, “the days & weeks are sometimes slow, but the months and years fly by.” Related: FIRE Milestones – Formal Resignation Notice This weekend, as I contemplated where those 8 years went, I thought about the many blessings that … Continue reading Eight Years Doubled
Our home state of Minnesota regularly shows up at the top of the list of states with the highest taxes in the USA. A few years ago, Kiplinger’s named Minnesota – not California or New York – as the country’s “Least Tax Friendly State”. As many Minnesotans have left the state for low taxes & warm weather in Florida, many have suggested we join them. … Continue reading Department of Residency
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