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Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

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Savings

Our Money Missteps: The Lost Decade

October 11, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

Pawel Janiak
As a personal finance blogger, specifically an advocate of the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement, you might assume that the Heartland on FIRE family has a spotless past when it comes to money decisions.  You might think we’ve rarely, if ever, paid interest on credit cards, purchased only used cars, and made flawless house purchasing decisions.  I mean, if you look at our net worth progress, we are in better shape than many (most?) families in their early- to mid thirties.

You would be sorely mistaken

In this post, I am going to air out our dirty money laundry.  To come clean, as it were.  To demonstrate how, even after stacking poor decision on top of poor decision (FOR OVER A DECADE!!) you can still find yourself on the path to FIRE.

[Read more…] about Our Money Missteps: The Lost Decade

Filed Under: Debt Reduction, Savings, Smart Spending Tagged With: Bad Money Decisions; Financial Mistakes; Financial Mismanagement; Dumb Money Decisions, Financial Independence

Net Worth Update 10: Fender Bender Edition

October 4, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

September is done.  As far as I am concerned: Good riddance!  It’s been an adventure to say the least and I am happy to welcome Fall!  Grumpy commentary aside, how did we do last month?

[Read more…] about Net Worth Update 10: Fender Bender Edition

Filed Under: FI Progress, Savings, Uncategorized Tagged With: FI progress, Financial Independence, Net Worth, Portfolio Growth

Decision Point: What to Do with the Rental Property?

September 27, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

Rental property:  It’s a popular path to develop passive cash flow for many in the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) community.  When a property is purchased at the right location and for the right price it can certainly be a lucrative investment.  But when that rental property is your former primary residence… and was not purchased with long-term rental in mind, the numbers can be a bit more dodgy.  This is the predicament we here in the Heartland on FIRE household are in.  We just renewed our tenant for 6 months and the clock is ticking on whether to keep renting or to try and sell the house.  We can’t be the only folks who have faced this dilemma, so I figured posting our thought process and analysis may be a useful exercise for others.

[Read more…] about Decision Point: What to Do with the Rental Property?

Filed Under: Annual Planning, FI Progress, Savings Tagged With: rental property cash flow analysis, Sell or Keep a rental property, Selling Rental Property, typical costs during a home sale

Net Worth Update 9: Paul Bunyan Edition

September 6, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

August came and August went.  And with it, I now have a child in Kindergarten!  What a mind job!  While I begin to adjust to yet another reminder that I am getting old, let’s take a step back and dissect the month that was.

[Read more…] about Net Worth Update 9: Paul Bunyan Edition

Filed Under: FI Progress, Savings, Smart Spending Tagged With: 401k contibutions, cash flow budget, first time school parent, short term savings strategies

How to Compare Short Term Savings Strategies

August 23, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

We have a potentially lucrative investment opportunity on the horizon.  It will take an aggressive savings strategy to be able to jump on it.  So, I wanted to walk through our thought process on how we plan to attack this ambitious short term savings goal.

[Read more…] about How to Compare Short Term Savings Strategies

Filed Under: Savings Tagged With: bonds, certificates of deposits, how to invest for the short term, pros and cons of short term investment options, savings accounts, short term savings strategies, stocks

Progress Update 7: Back to Zero

July 5, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

Just like that, half the year is gone!  Triple digit heat indices are once again the norm and the garden is bursting with veggies.  So, how did things shake out for the Heartland on FIRE household in June?

[Read more…] about Progress Update 7: Back to Zero

Filed Under: Debt Reduction, FI Progress, Savings Tagged With: FI progress, Financial Independence, Investment Strategy, Net Worth, Paying off car, Portfolio Growth, Switching insurance companies, Vanguard ETF Commissions. Edward Jones

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