Tag: personal finance

Lifestyle Change

First Year of Early Retirement (2) – Health/Sports & Love/Romance

This is the second chapter in four posts about how we’ve spent our first year of early retirement, which started on April Fool’s Day last year. Click here for last week’s update on Travel/Play & Arts/Creative.  This week, I’m reporting in on two more segments of the Life Wheel: Health/Sports and Love/Romance. I established 13 goals in these two areas and so far, I’ve made … Continue reading First Year of Early Retirement (2) – Health/Sports & Love/Romance

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation13 Comments
Lifestyle Change

First Year of Early Retirement (1) – Travel/Play & Arts/Creativity

It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a year since I made my FIRE escape from corporate life!  More than anything, people ask me “what are you doing with your time in early retirement”.  Several people have asked me to provide an update on my post last year, when I introduced my “Life Wheel” and talked about the activities I am hoping to … Continue reading First Year of Early Retirement (1) – Travel/Play & Arts/Creativity

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation31 Comments
FIRE Station Fun

FIRE Station Fun – Possibilities

I am now closing in on my first full YEAR of early retirement.  I will hit the anniversary mark on April Fool’s Day this year.  It has been a terrific rotation around the sun and I haven’t regretted it at all. Not surprisingly, everyone is asking me “are you doing all of those things that you thought you would?”  I wrote this post last March … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Possibilities

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation9 Comments
Lifestyle Change

Introvert or Extrovert?

More than a year ago, I wrote this article contemplating whether or not I was more of an introvert or extrovert.  Some people think that being an extrovert helps you in the business world and being an introvert helps you in retirement.  The difference comes down to your need to be with other people to ‘find your energy’. Here is a link to that article: INtroverts … Continue reading Introvert or Extrovert?

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation20 Comments
Spend Less Than You Make

Over 75 Years, Consumer Spending Starts At Home

Recently a good ‘friend-in-law’ posted this interesting chart on where Americans spend their money.  The chart is not just for this year, but for the past 75 years (all numbers adjusted for inflation) using a single data source.  Take a look at how amazing this chart (from howmuch.net – a cost information web site.  It really causes me to reflect on our lifestyle today.  How the way … Continue reading Over 75 Years, Consumer Spending Starts At Home

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation3 Comments
FIRE Station Fun

FIRE Station Fun – Passing Time

I have had a couple of friends in the last week try to explain to me how ‘exciting’ their jobs are and how they ‘wouldn’t ever think of retiring’.  Their explanations often come with an amazing picture of some far-flung location that they traveled to. Beyond the travel, they work hard to explain how the projects they are leading new breakthrough in their company or … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Passing Time

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation14 Comments
Overall Philosophy

US Government’s Wasteful Spending Problem

I find that regardless of your political leanings, people continually frustrated by wasted government spending and what it means for the national debt.  The debt, which was a trillion dollars in Reagan’s time, is now about $20T (it has risen at a shocking 8.4% annual clip). Despite today’s quote, Reagan himself substantially overspent during his 8 years in office.  Fast forward to today and our … Continue reading US Government’s Wasteful Spending Problem

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation14 Comments
FIRE Station Fun

FIRE Station Fun – Love Of Money

Many people are familiar with the 2010 Princeton study that reported that there is a diminishing return to the impact of money on one’s happiness that tops out at about $75K a year.  People were surprised that the threshold was very in line with the average household income in the USA at $73K.  It is often cited as evidence that money doesn’t buy happiness.  I … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Love Of Money

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation2 Comments
FIRE Station Fun

FIRE Station Fun -Don’t Know, Don’t Buy

I had lunch with a good friend this week who is just six weeks from her retirement date.  I am very excited for her.  She planned on retiring in a few more months, but moved up her date because she has “had enough”.  Unfortunately, she is a little concerned about her retirement nest egg – which could probably benefit from the extra few months pay. … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun -Don’t Know, Don’t Buy

Unknown's avatarMrFireStation12 Comments