You might have heard recently that an unemployed architect by the name of Mark Epple found a whopping 12 carat, yellow diamond ring when he and his family was skiing in Vail. The first thing that came to mind was who wears a 12 carat diamond ring? That must be so gaudy! My second thought […]
Would You Return A Lost 12 Carat, $200,000+ Diamond Ring? Read More »
My first car was pretty crappy. How about yours? I firmly believing owning a cheap car is one of the best decisions you can ever make to achieve financial freedom. And I’m saying this as someone who helped start the FIRE movement in 2009. After getting my driver’s license at 17, I talked to my
My First Car Was A Heap Of Junk How About Yours? Read More »
Dear Financial Samurai, I wonder if a sort of money dysmorphia is once again permeating the land with so much wealth being created in the stock market and AI companies. Personally, I feel very blessed the S&P 500 is up 100% since mid-2022, or about 60% more than the historical average. But I’ve talked to
Newsletter for May 24, 2026: The Haves and The Have Mores Read More »
One of the issues we frugal people despise is going through buyer’s remorse. We don’t want to feel stupid or ripped off, so we tend to buy fewer things and experiences. Minimalism and early retirement go hand in hand. We’re always looking for a deal, partly to minimize disappointment. And if we can get something
Time Fixes Most Financial Mistakes Because You Grow Richer Read More »
In my post, “How You’ll Feel Achieving Various Millionaire Milestones,” a commenter named Joseph shared these thoughts: “I’m fascinated by someone worth $10M or $20M not feeling wealthy. Are they hanging out with nothing but billionaires? The only other explanation is a scarcity mindset. But I suppose that mindset got them to where they are. They need
When Investing Is More Alluring Than Spending, Fight Back Hard! Read More »
On July 3, the House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) with a 218–214 vote. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will add an estimated $3.3 trillion to the budget deficit over the next 10 years. Trump signed the bill the next day on July 4. To help pay for it, OBBBA
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s (OBBBA) Impact On FIRE Seekers Read More »
When you reach financial independence or retirement you may eventually experience a sense of emptiness. After years of hard work, aggressive saving, and smart investing, you might feel a letdown because the toughest financial challenges are behind you. Based on feedback from readers since 2009 and my own experience after leaving work in 2012, I’ve
Earn Active Income For Wants, Use Passive Income For Needs Read More »
As an investor, understanding financial ratios is important to help assess the current state of a company. For example, we have P/E ratios, debt/equity ratios, EV/EBITDA ratios, interest coverage ratios, and so many more. We then compare each ratio to another company’s financial ratio to make a more informed investment decision. As someone who worked
The Most Important Personal Finance Ratios To Build Wealth Read More »
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth paying more for branded gas, also known as Top Tier gas, from places like Chevron or Shell, the answer is no. The gas quality is similar enough where you won’t notice a decline in performance. Your engine will run just fine whether you run 87 octane Chevron gas versus
Paying For Branded Gas Or High Octane Gas Is A Waste Of Money Read More »
With negative cash flow, I’ve embarked on a mission to trim unnecessary expenses from my budget. In times of surplus cash before my home purchase, I hadn’t scrutinized my expenses for years. It’s not that I was lazy about budgeting; instead, I’ve always embraced the “pay myself first and spend the rest” strategy. Each month,
Three Sneaky Expenses That Are Ruining Your Budget Read More »
