When it comes to trips, I agree with the saying that the journey is as much fun as arriving at the destination. Likewise, there is something fun about thinking about your future and imagining how you might want it to look. The visioning part of any effort is where we fall in love with our goals and are free to imagine anything we want to … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Up Your Imagination
I often tell people that my decision to retire before I turned 50 is either the smartest or stupidest decision I ever made. I am not sure which it is yet. The fact is, there often is a razor thin line between absolute brilliance and utter foolishness. Only time will tell which side of the line you are falling on and by then it is … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Taking Life’s Risks
Today is the last day of my son’s Senior year in high school. School ends at noon on Friday, and he is off for the summer before leaving for college in the fall. He is a terrific kid and it has been a great joy to watch him grow up. Last night, we had a wonderful time attending a an event in the park to open … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Aging Richly
I am always paranoid about recurring, subscription fees that are like the little leaks that Ben Franklin warned us about. These kinds of fees are certainly much more common today than they were in Ben’s time. Some are big and easy to understand – utilities, internet access, or a boat club with monthly dues. Others are quite insidious in their nature. They hide in our … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – The Little Things
Like many people on the journey to early retirement, I spent a lot of time tracking the performance of our investments and growth of our nest egg. I was anxious to see the numbers grow and ultimately tested our financial wherewithal through eight different lenses to ensure we were ready to take the leap into early retirement. Many times I would check my phone or … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Enjoy Every Day
Yes – Mr & Mrs. FIRE Station have been very blessed to be able to retire more than a decade earlier than the average person, but it does come with an opportunity cost of 10+ years of income. While we are not living a “frugal” lifestyle, we are still making a choice to forgo the material benefits of working. Why do so? At this point … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Happiness Is Made, Not Bought
They say you should make sure to enjoy the ‘little things’ in life and I am learning (in my fourth week of early retirement) just how enjoyable the little things are. This week, I have had very little scheduled. I had a few nice lunches and breakfasts with people, we went to the afternoon movie as a family ($5 Tuesdays), and I had a couple … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – The Little Things
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today 2 get through this thing called LIFE.” Living in the Twin Cities since high school and through college in the 1980s, it is easy to say that Prince wrote a huge part of the musical soundtrack of my life. An amazingly prolific musician, unstoppably entertaining showman, and thoughtful but respectful activist, Prince was a true musical innovator for … Continue reading Friday Inspiration – Prince’s Independence
Most people are on their way to financial independence and retirement in one way or another, but we can all redouble our efforts to plan and save more. Kicking things into high gear can require getting started on NEW things that will produce even bigger results. Here is a link to a post with 12 quotes to help drive ACTION! Image Credit: MrFireStation.com / Pixabay Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Just Do It
As much as anything, “lifestyle inflation” drives many people to forgo the opportunity for early retirement. In the 1950s, the productivity of the information age promised less work and more leisure. Yet, people seem to be working the same or MORE hours rather than less. I expect we could quite easily have a 20-hour work week today – or all retire in our 40s – … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Time Is The Ultimate Luxury
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