Freedom to Wander / Time to Wonder
Last week I covered how we built the foundation for a platform to get to the FI train – we stopped borrowing from our future selves by ensuring money inflow (income) > money outflow (spending). Once we got our finances in the black, we then moved to the next step: how to make that difference … Read more Building a platform to FI (part 2)
We have had a few requests asking us to discuss how we were able to retire earlier than the traditional retirement age and to share any tips that might help others. I will be honest; initially, we didn’t have a long-term plan to retire early. We were pretty typical: two jobs, spending (or trying to … Read more Building a platform to FI
A continuation of the feline saga from Part 1. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Looking back, it was a sign that things were going our way when our biggest concern in moving overseas was how to transport our two cats, Benjour (15 years old) and Sangria (6 months). … Read more A tale of Two Kitties, part 2: Cat-apulting overseas
We are self-admitted cat-crazed people. When our sons were young, we made a family plan in case of fire. We laid out exit routes with the plan to rally at the mailbox to make sure everyone was safe. Our boys asked about the cats, to which we assured them Jiab and I would make sure … Read more A Tale of Two Kitties, part 1: Cats love chasing paper; humans, not so much.
Jim’s article as published in Commentary section in Dallas Morning News – June 9, 2018.
There’s bad news and good news about retirement. The bad news: It can be one step forward, two steps back. As many people are aware, America is having a retirement crisis: Americans need to save more than ever before in order to retire, yet a large percentage of people have very little saved. Due to … Read more Making Cents of Spain
When one is considering a major move, such as we were with moving to a new country, there is often a fierce debate, not between husband and wife, but between head and heart. Some places make sense for all the rational, budgetary reasons, but they don’t fill one’s heart with a sense of “this is … Read more Heart of Spain
Palmer, Ennis, Alma, Rice. “Huh,” I think, “Their first letters spell PEAR.” Such are the kind of inane musings one has looking at the names of small Texas towns between Dallas and Houston…at 5:00 am…for the third time in 2 days (and with one more trip back to go). Jiab and I are tired, … Read more Of consulates, visas, and bureaucracy (a first encounter)
“Life’s is just OK, but …” Are you in this situation? You are in your second life (career, kids) and….. Your job is no longer meaningful. It isn’t bringing you the fulfillment you used to have. You go through your days on autopilot. You’re not psyched about the new “reorganization” your company just announced. You … Read more Mind the Gap
Is just looking enough before taking the proverbial leap? How do you know if you want to buy something? How do you know if something is right for you? Smart consumers, before they commit to spending money on a product, “check it out,” which for most of us means looking at it, “kicking the tires” … Read more Now you see it…