Tag: freedom

Combating Option Overload and Getting Back to Living

I’m often jealous of previous generations.  Not just because they got to eat bread without feeling guilty, but for the lack of options they enjoyed.  Don’t get me wrong, having no options isn’t fun, but having so many options your circuits get overloaded isn’t much fun either.

No matter what we’re doing, we have so many options that we can’t possibly try them all.  How do we know we’re choosing the right entertainment?  Blizzard flavor? Nigerian prince to send our money to? How do we know we’re not missing out?!

The fear of missing out makes having too many options stressful, rather than freeing, because we’re continually worried we’ll choose wrong.  From little decisions like What if I pick the wrong Netflix movie, to huge decisions like What if I pick the wrong Netflix series, we’re overloaded and stressed out with too many options at every turn in our lives. Continue reading “Combating Option Overload and Getting Back to Living”

Life is Short- Spend for Today vs. Save for Tomorrow

Life is Short- Spend for Today vs. Save for Tomorrow

Can you believe how much of your life has already passed?  F-word, man. Summer has for sure faded and we’re smack dab in the middle of fall.  This time of year always gets me thinking, usually about random stuff like the eternal expanse of space or wondering what the ancient Egyptians were really like but sometimes I think about money questions.  Questions like should we be in camp spend for today or camp save for tomorrow?  Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and life passes us by at breakneck speeds, even if we are lucky enough to make it to this mythical tomorrow. Continue reading “Life is Short- Spend for Today vs. Save for Tomorrow”

Purchasing Financial Independence $11.57 at a Time

Hey, Kid. I’m looking to sell some perpetual freedom.  You interested?  

I like you. You know why?  You’re not basic.  One thing about you is, you like to visualize your path to FI differently than most.  Those satisfied with the 4% rule are basic.  You aren’t basic, Starbucks and Uggs notwithstanding, you’re an individual.  You’re the type of individual that’s interested in perpetual freedom.

It’s hard to quantify how far you’ve come and how far you have left to go using the standard 4% rule.  Your head knows how many more dollars you need to reach the mythical summit of Mount Freedom but your heart longs to know what your hard work has bought, so far. Continue reading “Purchasing Financial Independence $11.57 at a Time”

What if Everyone Ate Rice and Beans?- The Hedonic Treadmill and Pursuing Happiness

"You know, if you could learn to cater to the king you wouldn't have to live on rice and beans.' To which the monk replies: 'If you could learn to live on rice and beans, you wouldn't have to cater to the king." - The Simple Path to Wealth

Woooo girl.  Rice and beans.  That little parable is straight fire, as the kids say.  Red, hot fire.  At least they used to say stuff was fire, until adults started to say it on their financial blogs.  Now kids no longer feel the need to say it.   If you’re wondering, yes, I did high-five myself when I read that story.  It’s called a clap, it’s trendy.

If you would only spend your days working your life away you wouldn’t have to live so frugally.

OR

If you would only learn to live more frugally you wouldn’t have to spend all your precious days working. Continue reading “What if Everyone Ate Rice and Beans?- The Hedonic Treadmill and Pursuing Happiness”

Local Minimalists Give up Dresser/Ceiling in Bid to Find Freedom

Portland, ORE. -Local aspiring minimalists, Jane and Fred Teeples, made headlines this week by taking their minimalism to new levels and getting rid of their dresser.

“We want to become minimalists,” Fred said as he proudly stood in a pile of loose clothes inside their Multnomah County home.

Continue reading “Local Minimalists Give up Dresser/Ceiling in Bid to Find Freedom”

Why Pursue Fi- The Pros and Cons of the Frugal Lifestyle

We are pursuing financial independence.  It’s nice to have the type of income where that is even remotely feasible.  We don’t take that for granted.  It’s not all roses and ramen though.  There are a lot of pros to pursuing financial independence and a lot of cons.  It’s important to keep a healthy frame of mind in both because it’s a long journey.  You have to keep a centered mind for a long time. Continue reading “Why Pursue Fi- The Pros and Cons of the Frugal Lifestyle”