Wow. I cannot believe how high inflation has soared over the past few years. High inflation has been my biggest concern since we early retired. I’ve probably written 15 posts worrying about what may happen to our FIRE plans if high inflation came as a result of the economic Pol-idiots in Washington DC. A few favorites: Cut Those Prices In Half! IRS Changes Don’t Keep … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of Inflation?
A quick post on April Fool’s Day today. I saw this post in a FIRE group recently and thought I’d share the person’s question and my response … POST: I am very close to retiring. I am 56, married, and have four kids. Three are adults and one nearly out of high school. I have planned well and can retire and seek freedom and flexibility … Continue reading Feeling Guilty? Nah.
File this under “Things I’m Thankful For, But Have No Control Over”. The S&P 500 is off to a blazing start in 2024. Q1 is ending, and the index is already up double-digits (10.1%). It’s the U.S. equity market’s best start since 2019! I know, a quarter isn’t much to be excited for, but the U.S. market has really been rocking for a full decade … Continue reading Two Different Worlds
One aspect of buying a vacation place in Florida that I haven’t discussed yet is the importance understanding nearby traffic. It’s a real consideration. Many of the most popular spots in Florida (or California) are jammed with traffic during snowbird season or in the summer. I was shocked to learn what a big consideration it is back in 2014. We stayed in Cape Coral, Florida, … Continue reading Traffic Kingdom
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
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
When I was a corporate officer at MegaCorp, you were expected to maintain a certain % of your annual salary in company stock. I forget the exact amount, but I think it was 2-3x your annual total compensation. It wasn’t too hard, given the company had been doing well and we all had stock grants and stock options. Still, as personal finance matriarch, Jane Bryant … Continue reading Looking At Returns Over Time
What’s the temperature down to just 10° F the other morning, I decided to try out mall walking. It seemed like the quintessential retiree activity on a cold winter morning. A friend was supposed to join me, but he texted me that morning to say that 9:30a was “too early” for him. 🙂 When I arrived at 9:30, the mall was still closed. It was … Continue reading Deck The Malls …
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