Category: F.I. Mindset
Don’t Gamble with Retirement 13: Serious Lives Lead to Extraordinary Retirements
Why is being serious considered a bad thing? I was always a serious person, and it has served me well. I joined the Marines 10 days after high school in 1999. In the Marines, I never got passed over for promotion because I always took my job seriously. I retired at 42 and never have…
How to Save Money: My Journey from -$77,000 to +$340,000
Can people save money today? I understand that times are tough and there are not enough resources. However, times are always tough. In 2019, I earned $100,000+ a year, and my wife earned $35,000; we lived in Florida. For all intents and purposes, we should have been doing very well. However, we were in $77,000…
Nobody Owes You Anything 2: Build Your Own Financial Success
We have become a “society of entitlement.” We want things for free or that we can receive with little effort. But the true path to financial freedom is treacherous and difficult. To free ourselves, we must not expect anything from anyone. That’s not to say we become independent warriors; we simply take matters into our…
Build Wealth Slowly 2: Make Sound Financial Decisions Over a Long Time
What’s the rush? Why does everyone want to become rich overnight? Americans seem to have a love affair with the dream of becoming a millionaire in their 20s. But the truth is we can do so much better if we build wealth slowly. By creating a wealthy lifestyle from the ground up, we ensure our…
Don’t Work Hard for Money 2; Work for Income-Producing Assets
Why do you go to work? Is it to pay bills or provide for your family? Do you go to fund your kid’s college tuition or purchase a home? These things are noble but may not get you the desired results. In fact, there is truly only one reason to work—at least at first. Why…
No Freakin’ Way Am I Working Another 25 Years part 4
I vividly remember my 40th birthday. I was in Okinawa, Japan, on a two-year unaccompanied tour away from my family. I was working hard to establish my writing and book publishing business. I had been in the Marine Corps for 22 years at the time. The last three years were the hardest because stress levels…
The Biggest Book on Passive Income Ever 4!
How do some people get to live the life of their dreams? They get to travel where they want and buy whatever they desire. Their lives seem impossible to obtain, especially if you are in the nine-to-five daily grind. But I am here to tell you that you can remove yourself from the rat race…
Don’t Gamble with Retirement 12
What does retirement mean to you? After being retired for six months, I can tell you what it means to me. It means I don’t get anxious when I go to bed on Sunday night. It means that my most important meetings of the day are with my wife and kids. It means I prioritize…
I Love Being Bored; It Means I’m Becoming Wealthier
When did we become a nation of people seeking to dine out daily, entertain our children with expensive trips, and redecorate our homes monthly? It seems that every time I turn on Facebook, someone is on a fancy trip, buying something new, or eating somewhere with five stars. This is not the America I remember…
Why Do Men Date Outside of Their League? From a Financial Perspective
Who you decide to marry is the most significant financial decision in your life. If you get it right, you’ll both retire early and live happily ever after. If you get it wrong, it’ll be quite the opposite. I am gearing this article to men between 25 and 30, instead of dreaming of the perfect…
The In-Debt-ured Servant 2: Avoid the Trap of Independence
I wrote “The In-Debt-ured Servant” on January 6, 2022, when the world was a much different place. I felt that the powers that be were at least TRYING to hide their true intentions then. Flash forward exactly two years, and there is no doubt about what they want for the average person—to become servants to…
New Year’s Passive Income Resolution 2024
2023 was a record-breaking year for our passive income streams; however, we will make 2024 even more lucrative and exciting. The magic of passive income is that it compounds itself every year. Once you get the income source going, it snowballs into a powerful stream that can change your life. How did my individual passive…
5 Takeaways from “Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens”
“Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens” by Robert Kiyosaki is more of the same Kiyoaski goodness, but this time focused on a younger generation. Robert Kiyosaki is my favorite author by a long shot, and you don’t have to twist my arm to read more of his books. This book further expands on the lessons…
What is Financial Awareness? And How It Can Make You Rich
Most people don’t understand they can’t afford the lifestyle they lead. Our lives involve more than having enough cash to cover expenses. To build our dream lives, we must navigate through a plethora of financial options, all dealing with the past (debt), present (savings), and future (investing). Financial Awareness is the ability to visualize multiple…
How to Raise Financially Intelligent Kids: Staying Debt-Free or Becoming Capitalists?
We all want to raise children who understand how to give, save, and invest; however, this is more challenging than it sounds. The world wants our children to become horrible money managers; many entities (banks, companies, lenders) can take advantage of adults with no financial intelligence. As we raise our kids, there are two predominant…
Thanksgiving: A Time for Grace and Passive Income
What a wonderful time to be alive and enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday season. What are you thankful for this year? I am blessed to have retired from the Marine Corps this year—24 years later. After many years of being away, I finally came home for good. I am also thankful to have learned the ways…
5 Takeaways from “Rich Kid Smart Kid”
“Rich Kid Smart Kid” by Robert Kiyosaki is a masterclass on how parents can raise financially literate kids who can thrive in the information age. It’s no secret that Robert Kiyosaki is my favorite author, so it was my destiny to love this book from the start. It also happens that my kids are presently…
Tired of Being Broke, Behind, and Bullied? It’s Time to Become a Capitalist
I remember when I first made $100,000 in a year. I believed all my financial problems would disappear after hitting that magical number. However, in reality, my financial issues were worse than ever. I had $70,000+ in credit card and automobile debt, and I couldn’t take my family out to eat without using my credit…
Building Generational Wealth: Via Real Estate
Everyone knows real estate is a powerful way to build generational wealth. Not everyone knows exactly how to do it. Real estate investing can be more difficult yet simpler than you can imagine. One thing is clear: the more responsibility we take on as parents, the further ahead our kids will start. Let me explain.…
Building Generational Wealth: Via Dividends
Should our kids have to start from scratch? People say how wonderful it is to become a self-made individual, but is that what we want from our kids? My parents didn’t give me a head start financially, so I spent years treading water. I could have spent these years building upon what they created—if they…
