Financial Independence Is All Relative
Last week while lifting weights I had 70 pounds on a barbell. If you have weights at home, go and pick up 70 pounds. It’s a lot of weight. I have some female friends who barely weigh 25 pounds more...
Category: financial independence
Three Years Of Early Semi-Retirement, Is It What’s It’s Cracked Up To Be?
If you’re a new reader and not familiar with my backstory, I became financially independent “accidentally” in my mid-40’s from smart living and smarter spending. It wasn’t something I deliberately pursued, it just came as a byproduct of the lifestyle...
It’s What You Can’t See That Rewards
I was listening to a podcast recently and the guest was a pretty famous climber who started an organization for disabled climbers. The conversation quickly turned to Erik Weihenmayer, as it should have. Weihenmayer is famous in the climbing community...
A Few Overlooked Gems That Helped Launch The FIRE Movement
For those not familiar with my story I discovered I was financially independent in my mid 40’s even though I didn’t purposely pursue it. Thus the name Accidental FIRE. I did of course live a frugal life as compared to...
Now Is Not The Time To Be Smug
In the past week I’ve seen some financial independence folks being a bit smug about this economic crisis that COVID-19 has caused. At one level I get it, for those who have saved money, invested wisely, lived frugally, and avoided...
To Achieve Financial Independence, Callus The Mind
I’m going to paint a picture for you. Think of a 12 year old who’s already 6 feet tall and about 200 pounds. Sure, he’s tall but he has no muscle yet, so that 200lbs is all fat. He’s very...
You Are The Weak Link
Proper knot on my harness loop? – check. Rope threaded through the belay device correctly? – check. Autoblock set up correctly? – check. Knots at the end of the rope just in case? – check. Ready to step over the...
Millionaires In America And The Richest Person In Each State
Millionaire. Being one still has a certain aura about it. A million of anything is a lot for sure, but it’s not what it used to be. I vividly remember my science teacher in middle school running a simple...
Financial Independence Is A False Summit
We had been climbing for almost 4 hours and the most dangerous parts were done. Those dangerous parts were why we came in the first place – 3 beautiful pitches of vertical ice attached to the mountain and glistening in...
Just Wing Your Way To Financial Independence
We were lost. Well, not entirely lost. We were trying to get to the rental car return and departure gates at Luxembourg airport, and failing. I say we weren’t entirely lost because we could see the airport. “Dude”, I said...
Why Financial Independence Is More Valuable To A Blue Collar Worker
Jobs are traditionally grouped into two main categories, white collar and blue collar. White collar work is generally defined as work being performed in an office setting that does not require manual labor. For all my post-college life I’ve done...
Milestones Matter On The Path To Financial Independence
“Do you want cookies, or bananas and Nutella?”, she asked me. “Yes”, I replied. “Which one?”, she replied quizzically. “All of the above!” We were in a nondescript parking lot off the side of a major thoroughfare in Maryland. Two...
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