Irreplaceable MegaPerks from MegaCorp?

What MegaCorp Perks will you miss when you stop working and which ones will you seek to replace on your own dime? The forum early-retirement.org had a thread recently where people were listing some of the corporate perks and benefits they used to enjoy. They were fun to read through, running that gamut from typical perks like airline miles, sports tickets, fitness club memberships, and … Continue reading Irreplaceable MegaPerks from MegaCorp?

Daily Schedule in Early Retirement?

A common question I get in early retirement is “what do you do all day?” or “what is your daily schedule?” People wonder how much of regular routine I have – especially what time I get up. I have to admit that after two years on this FIRE lifestyle adventure, I still really haven’t developed much of a daily routine. SLEEP SCHEDULE – I try … Continue reading Daily Schedule in Early Retirement?

Graduation & Life Advice “Wear Sunscreen”

My friend Russ posted this profound and entertaining mock graduation speech on LinkedIn last week. I hadn’t seen it before – although it has appeared it many popular forms over the last twenty years. Originally a Chicago Tribune column by Mary Schmich from June 1, 1997, the advice to new graduates quickly became a sensation. First shared virally through email, the column was made into … Continue reading Graduation & Life Advice “Wear Sunscreen”

MegaCorp Stock – Trading on the Familiar

I met a friend of my wife’s at the garden center this past Monday morning who retired a few years ago after 30+ years at a local MegaCorp.  We were talking about the negative fortunes both our former employers have shown in their stock price.  Both companies have seen much better days – down 25-40% from their peak a few years ago. He knew a … Continue reading MegaCorp Stock – Trading on the Familiar

‘Unfortunate Work Week’ – For Who?

We had a chilly and wet weekend here in Minnesota. Since our seasons are so extreme, we count on nice summer weather June through August before weather slides into fall and winter. With rain almost all day yesterday and temperatures in the 50s when we went to the garden center today, quite a few people were grumbling. Last night, the ‘weather elf’ on our local … Continue reading ‘Unfortunate Work Week’ – For Who?

FIRE Advice for New Graduates

This past week, I had the chance to host a table at a ‘New Alumni Breakfast’ with 170 graduating seniors at the same high school I graduated from back in the 1980s. My son also graduated from there a couple years ago and I got asked to be involved in the Alumni Association when I stopped working. One of the ‘table questions’ the students were … Continue reading FIRE Advice for New Graduates

Summer Travel – Rudy Maxa Thoughts

With Memorial Day over, we are now officially into summer travel season. We have a couple of fun trips planned for this summer – to the Holy Land & Petra in July and Toronto, Canada in August. We generally plan our trips out 3-9 months in advance depending on how adventurous the trip is. Like last summer, I’ll post some additional destination guides to places … Continue reading Summer Travel – Rudy Maxa Thoughts