Cheers to 10 Years of Good Fortune

When I left the office 10 years ago this month, I never could have imagined the incredible good fortune our equity investments would benefit from over the full decade of our early retirement. As you can see below, S&P 500 returns over that period of time have average a hefty 14.1% with dividends reinvested! Our portfolio also includes bonds, real estate, and cash – but … Continue reading Cheers to 10 Years of Good Fortune

Hero or Villain?

As Batman learned in the Dark Knight, “You either die the Hero, or you live long enough to become the Villain.”  I think that famous movie line now has some relevance to those of us who played by the rules, worked smart, saved prodigiously, and invested effectively.  At first, one’s journey to FIRE (Financial Independence & Retired Early) is hailed by society as successful & … Continue reading Hero or Villain?

Savings Rate Game Revisited

It’s been about three years since we started playing the “Savings Rate Game” (LINK) with Bank CDs and Treasury Bonds. That is, having to manage the savings rate of our cash holdings closely. The 3-Year Treasury rate is now at about 3.5%, down -0.6 pts from one year ago today. When Biden took office in 2021, the 3-Year Treasury was just 0.3%. We didn’t even … Continue reading Savings Rate Game Revisited