Over the last couple weeks I’ve run through a lot of my philosophy behind saving and investing. I discussed that I invest at least as much as I spend every month because I want to buy options for my life, because I see the value of labor declining over time, and because I don’t want to need to start a new career path if mine gets automated out of existence.
The big question for most people at this point is: “Is it worth it?” Continue reading “Is It Worth It? (Why I Save So Much, Part 4)”
Today we’re back talking about why I save such a high percentage of my income.
Last week we talked about buying options and how hard work is paying less and less over time.
One of the reasons that we are being paid less for our labor is the increasing reliance by companies on automation. This increased automation is a serious enough concern that it gets its own article today. Continue reading “The Onslaught of Automation (Why I Save So Much, Part 3)”
On Tuesday I started trying to explain why I save and invest such a high percentage of my income at such a (relatively) young age.
In that post, we spent some time exploring how a high savings rate can buy you options and can free up how you spend your time in the future. It was an optimistic pitch for saving.
Today will be a bit less optimistic. It will be about a sad truth of our modern economy. (And, more positively, what you can do about it.)
Hard work doesn’t pay.
At least, not as much as it used to. Continue reading “Hard Work Doesn’t Pay (Why I Save So Much, Part 2)”
I save and invest a lot. I track my spending and investing and have a goal of investing (between retirement accounts, health savings accounts, and taxable accounts) more each month than I spend. I have successfully hit this goal every month for the last three and a half years.
I recognize that this is unusual.
I have spent a good deal of time preparing taxes for folks in a pretty well-off area, and I am aware that most people don’t save like this. It is especially unusual for young people. Continue reading “Why I Save So Much”
You may have noticed that I have a strong interest in politics. Because of this I listen to a lot of political and policy-related podcasts.
One of those podcasts recently covered a topic that I found quite relevant to the personal finance and financial independence space. Continue reading “Platinum Cards and Status Symbols”
I debated quitting this blog recently.
When I started writing last summer, I put some rules in place. I assumed that there would be some valleys, and I didn’t want to give up when things got tough.
First, I agreed that I would write for at least a year before I reassessed. That year isn’t up until July.
A few months in, I also signed up to attend FinCon (the annual financial writer/blogger/podcaster convention) in 2017. FinCon isn’t until the end of October, so I figured I would push through until at least then to meet and learn from some of the great people that I’ve connected with in this community.
I took both of those steps before the election. Continue reading “On Quitting and Time Management”
You always have a choice.
This is not an empty maxim. Not an inspirational quote.
It is a fact of life. And recognizing this fact will make you happier and allow you to live a better life.
There are times when things happen to us that are outside of our control. But it is always our choice how we respond (or react) to them. Continue reading “You Always Have a Choice”
Usually when I think about articles to write, I start with the research.
My articles on happiness stem from research in positive psychology or from reading different philosophies of life.
When I write about money it is based in studies and statistics and calculation.
Today, I want to talk about something that I don’t have research on. Instead, this is something that I have used in my life for years and have found very helpful.
It’s a sort of mantra. A reminder to myself when things get stressful.
Respond. Don’t react. Continue reading “Respond. Don’t React.”