Financial independence is a goal that most people have for their retirement years, typically though of as one’s 50s or 60s.  For me, financial independence must come sooner.  In this article, I will lay out my goals and my strategies to achieve financial independence.  Also, I will talk about other areas of independence that can contribute to the ultimate goal of complete independence.
Financial Independence
I define financial independence as having the savings and income available to live a chosen lifestyle without depending on any other entity, including an employer or government.
I’m …

If you pay attention to the economic headlines these days, you will notice that despite the focus on “green shoots” and “recovery”, many if not most of the stories are indeed negative.  By negative I mean indicative of continued weakness of the economy.
For example, I still see continuous news breaks about company X doing more layoffs.  Companies of every type are still laying off workers (AOL, Aetna, J&J, etc.).  It is interesting that layoffs are continuing in such large numbers and only the larger companies are getting the headlines.  I …

There are some things that really just tend to be huge rip-offs.  In some cases, you don’t have any other choice and in some you do.  Let’s look at some that really drive me nuts.
HOA Dues
Home Owners Associations have risen in power and in cost.  A big part of this was the recent housing boom, but unfortunately, these organizations haven’t gone bust like most home values.  Since I live in a suburban neighborhood, I’m stuck with an HOA and dues of over $100 / month.  Even more exciting was the …

You can’t go a day without reading in the news about a U.S. government official such as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke or Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner talking about their support of a strong dollar.  Do they mean it?  Or are they full of crap?  I definitely have an opinion but thankfully, you don’t have to listen to what I think.  You can just check the B.S. meter known as the price of gold.
What has the reaction been regarding these recent strong dollar comments… that’s right… higher gold prices.  I think …

Successful money management starts with planning for expenses. There are multiple areas of expenses that are necessary to consider. Planned expenses and unplanned expenses. The great thing is that you can plan for unplanned expenses.
On a monthly basis, you should start by mapping out your planned expenses.  This includes fixed expenses like rent and utilities and also “lifestyle” expenses such as food, entertainment, etc.  Add up these numbers and call it P.
Next, determine a budget for unexpected expenses.  These are expenses like home maintenance, auto maintenance, medical …

I’m a 20-something with a baby.  I want a strong and safe country for my children.  I say this so that you don’t think I’m criticizing America for some stupid idea of worldly appeasement.  After doing much research and giving much thought to this, I’m going to lay out a case for why I think America is very weak right now.  The purpose of this is to identify reality and hope that others see the same so that Americans can change the course that we’re currently on.  With that said, …

I’ve put some ads on Craigslist looking for individuals looking to write posts for this blog.  It’s a part time gig that I’m willing to pay $10 per article.  Interestingly, I’ve received two emails from individuals looking for work as a freelance writer yelling at me for offering such a low rate.
Now, I’m not here to say that my rate is great.  It is fairly low and others pay more.  I realize that but due to the economics of running this blog, it’s the best that I can do.  It’s …

Great  interview from Meredith Whitney.  It is about 10 minutes long but provides fantastic insight into stocks, banking and the broad economic recovery.  Definitely worth a watch.