A beautiful array of wildlife passes through our backyard. We’ve seen foxes, coyotes, skunks, quail and other birds, lynx, javelina and, of course, plenty of deer. A while back we had a lone deer visit us several times over a couple of days. He settled in for a few hours during each visit. I named […]
Financial Independence
Step 1: Budget for Financial Independence
In books on personal finance, the chapters are typically organized in a fashion that takes an overarching, holistic approach to the financial aspects of your life. The authors describe how each concept—determining your net worth, creating a budget, having insurance, planning for taxes, creating a will, and the hundred other things we should be doing—relates […]
Should you rent or buy your home?
Lately, I have been reading a lot of articles online about the virtues of renting versus owning your home. The posts and feedback from readers have been quite informative and interesting to read. Should you rent or buy your home? I enjoy exploring how other people approach their location and lifestyle. Maybe this is my […]
A Tale of Two Employees’ Finances – “Billy”
In another post I compared the difference between my situation and that of a co-worker. If you have not already read that post, check it out here. Over 30 years ago, I met a great friend of mine when we worked for a large wholesale bakery operation. Let’s call him “Mr. Billy” or “Billy” for short. […]
Ask “Why” 5 Times
Why Ask “Why?” – And why ask it five times? It’s good to have some clarity in life: a clear vision about the future and a well-articulated plan on how we’ll get there. I know that, for me, sometimes my day-to-day routine forms such a rut that it’s easy to forget what is truly important. Today […]