On the night I thought of this blog post topic, I had some ideas about what I’d write. I know that other content producers have covered the topic. But I compartmentalized that, thinking that I still could add my two cents. And then the next morning, I got an email from Paula Pant as a…
Tweakle, Tweakle, Whittle Star
The Dear Readers of this blog may have gotten the sense that I have been transformed by discovering FIRE. Maybe it’s because just about every post on this blog focuses on that. Maybe. All aboard? Anyway, if you’re a reader of FIRE blogs generally, you may have read a post (or a million of them)…
My Secret FIREpower: The Missus
Since discovering FIRE, I’ve determined that what I’m really interested in is FI. RE? Meh. Or, maybe to me RE means that I can take miniretirements when I want. In the old days we’d refer to “miniretirements” by its technical term: “taking some time off.” I think that’s Latin. But I never learned Latin, so…
We’ll Never Make It! We’re Doomed!
As a new FIRE blogger, I don’t have any readers many haters. Astute readers will note the qualifier: “new FIRE blogger.” Outside of the blogosphere, I have plenty of haters: my wife, my kids, most of my other family members (blood-related and in-laws), the cat, the country of Tuvalu (Don’t ask. Please . . ….
It’s OK to Be Dumb. Just Don’t Be Stupid.
My maternal grandfather died when I was an infant. So you could say that while he knew me, I really never knew him. But one of the things he is alleged to have said is, “It’s OK to be dumb. Just don’t be stupid.” Put another way, “Ignorance is excusable, but consciously hurting yourself and/or…
Wee We Wins: Sponge, Worthy
Welcome to the second post in the wee we wins series. Haivng covered a pretty significant wee we win in the last post, today we’ll focus on just about the most wee smallest win. It surely probably wouldn’t be worth mentioning but for the fact that I stumbled upon this one accidentally and it’s sort…
Wee We Wins: The Rent Is Too Damn High!
Today I’m starting a new and wholly intermittently published series called “wee we wins.” We’ll highlight ways we’ve increased the spread between income and expenses — whether by making or saving money — that on their own don’t amount to much, but in the aggregate still don’t do. Oh, who am I kidding. I just…
$80 Electric Monkeys and $100 Drones, Oh My!
As Thing Two, The Younger closed in on his ninth birthday, he caught wind of the existence of a remote-control toy monkey that stood about 18” tall and for the most part just tumbled around a little upon automated command. Thing Two was smitten. As many an eight-year old boy would be by such a…
We Bought a Viola to Save Money on a Viola
Thing Two, The Younger, entered middle school last fall. A few months before he started, the new school sent us a package that included information about electives Thing Two could take. Thing Two had neither played an instrument, nor shown any interest in doing so. But wouldn’t you know it, he selected “orchestra” as one…
Forgeative Experiences: Child Hood
Today, I’m starting a new and entirely sporadically-posted series called Forgeative Experiences. These posts will focus on events that forged my mindset toward earning and spending money. I admit up front that some of my feelings and approaches toward money are wholly partially irrational, if not a bit unhealthy. But they’re hardwired and hard to…
