Tag: Financial Independence
Home Maintenance Budget vs. Emergency Fund
Owning a home is very expensive. I should know because I own three homes (along with my wife). As a homeowner, you must always prepare for the worst. It is also essential to plan for the unknown as an average person. We can achieve some form of security by building an emergency fund. Along the…
Home Equity Loans vs. Interest Rates
It seems every day I am talking about interest rates increasing. Unfortunately, this is the story of our generation. Most of us have not seen 8-10% inflation and 6-10% mortgage rates. But we are here now and need to take these developments seriously. If we continue to consume and enjoy life at face value, we…
Are You Ready to Become a Landlord?
Everyone wants to earn that sweet rental income, but no one wants to be a landlord. There are many ways to achieve this, like Real Estate Investment Trusts, but why not become a landlord? Becoming a landlord has its own challenges; however, you will learn a lot about people and human nature. If you stick…
How We Plan to Retire on Dividends 4
Wow, the fourth time’s a charm. There has never been a more critical time to understand who you are as an investor. The bond and stock markets are in turmoil, and your only saving grace is your knowledge and education. We don’t know what the future holds for our economy, but we must still allocate…
Self-Storage vs. A Recession
Have you noticed how many self-storage buildings there are in your immediate area? Why is self-storage so popular all of a sudden? The simple truth is that people love stuff. As homeownership becomes more challenging, people hold onto their things while renting. We are entering a recession, which brings up a great question. Can you…
Bond Growth Investing: Bonds to the Rescue
Why should dividends have all of the fun inside of your growth investing portfolios? Is there a way to mirror dividend growth in our bond portfolios? The answer is yes and no. However, bonds can be a great addition to anyone’s passive income and growth portfolios, but they take a little more education than DGI…
Trade School vs. College vs. The Military
This article brings me back many years to when I was in high school. I graduated high school in 1999 and went directly into the military. I am still in the Marines Corps, and now my son is in high school. The roles of these different education opportunities have changed considerably. Before, a college education…
5 Takeaways from “The Independent Homeschool”
“The Independent Homeschool” by Fred Ray Lybrand is a journey of learning “how to learn.” Specifically, it teaches us how to create independent learners that can teach themselves. My life goal is to homeschool my grandkids throughout their lives. I am preparing myself now for how to run a homeschool successfully. This is my first book…
Saving for a House Down Payment #4: Couple, Big City
Double the people, double the fun. I’ll admit upfront that this process isn’t going to be fun. For a couple to buy a home in a big city, it will take lots of hard work and dedication. But, as a couple, you have a few things going in your favor, mainly twice as many people…
High-Yield Savings vs CD Ladders vs Series I Bonds
We know saving AND investing are vital to our family’s and finances’ long-term health. However, most of us will start on the savings side. As savers, we have more tools at our disposal than ever, and navigating the sea of options may be challenging. Luckily, I am here to put three solid strategies to the…
How to Become a Thought Leader
The term “thought leader” gets tossed around a lot in certain circles. People use it in business, education, and content creation. But what is a thought leader, and how do you become one? I am just starting my journey into thought leadership, and I have been writing for over two years. Yes, it takes a…
Just Rewards: Credit Cards vs. Debit Cards
Today I am going to discuss the ultimate grudge match between credit cards and debit cards. Many people are out to get the best rewards; however, this is a comparison between two mindsets at its core. The credit card camp likes to talk about points for travel and cashback rewards. There are truly some great…
Inflation Ate My Paycheck 108: What is Your Recession Budget?
The Federal Reserve needs to send America into a recession. Why? Because a recession is the best way to combat high inflation quickly. What does a recession mean for the average person? It means we will struggle with our livelihoods if we do not adjust our mindsets. Today, I want to review our budgets to…
Rental Properties vs. Rental Rooms: Rental Income for the Average Person
If you follow my content, you will know that I am a massive fan of renting rooms. Sharing your living space is the single greatest wealth generator for the average person. However, the average person doesn’t want to live with someone else (even family) or want to take the risk of owning rental properties. To…
Forever Valuable: The Magic of Evergreen Content
So you want to be a content creator, right? Creating content is one of the best ways to push your brain to its limit. But you don’t have to throw things at the wall to see what sticks. You can create content that you can slowly build upon over time. The more content you make,…
Saving for a House Down Payment #3: Couple, Small City
A couple (in a small city) working together to save for a down payment could be the best-case scenario for homeownership. Two heads are better than one, and this situation proves this. The only things that can get in your way are yourselves. I want to review some of the downfalls you may face if…
Private School vs. Real Estate
I think it’s safe to say that we all want the best for our children. We will move to different zip codes to change school districts or hire tutors to assist with coursework. In some communities, putting your kids in a private school is a golden rule. However, private school costs money—lots of money. Real…
FIRE Writer: Retire & Write
I never dreamed of becoming a writer. I planned to retire from the military and work another government job. Along the way, I realized that working for someone isn’t always the best solution. One magical day, I read “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing,” where Robert Kiyosaki said that you could create income-producing assets from your…
5 Takeaways from “60 Days to LinkedIn Mastery”
“60 Days to LinkedIn Mastery” by Josh Steimle is a masterpiece on how to build an audience. He focuses on LinkedIn mastery in his book, but the general concepts you can use anywhere. Growing an audience is tough, especially if you don’t know the particulars of each platform. I have a small number of followers…
Dividend Investing in Your 70s
Is it too late to start dividend investing in your 70s? Of course not. Plus, you will have to find a way to keep your 401K and Roth IRA growing throughout retirement and beyond. Welcome back to the Dividend Investing at Any Age Series (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s), where we build investment strategies for…
