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Happy At Work – Does it Exist?
For the first time in my life, I’m genuinely appreciating being at work. I know that being laid off at my previous job shook me, and it’s shaken up my perception of early retirement along with it. Before, I saw my job as a means to an end; something I was forced to do, without […]
How Much Do You REALLY Need To Retire?
Almost no one believes me when I tell them I plan to retire in a few years. To those of us who know of the FIRE movement, to “retire” means to have enough money saved up to never have to work again—whether or not we continue to do so. I don’t know why so many […]
Why Aren’t You Using Ally Bank???
I recently revealed that I was laid off. With all of the reorganization going on at my previous company, I had a feeling it might have been coming. Luckily, this gave me some time to prepare, which I realize I was fortunate to be able to do. I did this by stopping my contributions to my Vanguard […]
Why I’m So Frustrated: Interviews, Failure, and Bias
It’s time to reveal the elephant in the room: I was laid off. As soon as it happened, the first thought that went through my mind was, I can’t believe I have to start over AGAIN. When leaving a job and knowing you still need a next one (aka: not yet ‘retired’), the biggest hurdle […]
Should I Cancel My Amazon Prime Membership?
I’ve been looking for a new credit card lately, and have been debating the pros and cons of getting a card that has an annual fee. On one hand, the benefits of some such cards can be better than similar cards with no annual fees. But as a relatively frugal person, it’s hard to justify […]
Darn my 401k!
I’ve just had a recent revelation that is a little embarrassing to admit. As someone who prides oneself on mathematics, planning, and accuracy, I’ve found a large flaw in my early retirement plan. Let me share it with you, it’s called my 401k. I’m sure you’re surprised to hear this, especially since I give out advice […]
Is Your Job A Status Symbol?
Do you depend on your job to give you an appearance of importance when interacting with other people? Do you experience pressure from friends, relatives, asking what it is you do, and do you feel the need to give them a justifiable response? Do you fantasize about entrepreneurship, but worry it could go nowhere and lead to […]
Staying Motivated
I will admit, I’ve been a bit addicted to my couch lately. Work has been crazy with so much going on, the days are getting shorter, and I recently sustained a foot injury due to excessive walking, so I’ve been inclined to laze around on the couch for my usual pastime. It’s even finally starting […]
Today Was a Bad Day
Today was a Bad day in the working world. If you’ve been following my financial progress on this blog, you’ll know that I am currently at my third full-time job since 2014. I have also only been working at company #3 for a short while. Being the planner and numbers-lover that I am, I have […]
Early Retirement in Two Steps
From my calculations, I should be able to retire somewhere between the ages of 29-31. I’ve thought about this a lot, and been questioned about it a lot. To “retire” that young doesn’t sound realistic to a lot of people. Even my friends who are knee-deep in student loans are incredulous at how this could be […]