Heartland on FIRE

Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

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Which Rewards Credit Card is Right for Me?

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Napa vines courtesy of travel rewards!

Credit card rewards are a great way to travel the world at a discount or earn cash back from your normal spending habits. While it’s nice to earn points or miles as you spend, the largest benefit comes from card sign up bonuses. My wife and I both met our bonuses on our Chase Sapphire cards earlier this year and now I am on the hunt for a new card. Read along if you are interested in getting inside my head while I evaluate the options.

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Pay Off Low Interest Debt? Why We Defy Common Wisdom

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We just refinanced our house into a 15-year mortgage. We will be paying off our car loan early. The mortgage was 4% (now 3%) and the car is 2% interest. The math says that it’s usually better to invest your money than to pay off low interest loans. So what the hell are we doing?

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Net Worth Update 20: Duck on a Pond Edition

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Just like that July is out the window and August has rolled in. Our oldest is headed to school next week and I could have sworn she just got out of school. Time truly flies. While the month was sprinting on by, how did our finances fare?

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4 Places to Stash Your Cash That Aren’t Stocks

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With summer at its peak, Mrs. Heartland on FIRE and I are stepping out for a few days for a little travel. In the meantime, the folks over at Club Thrifty offered to help with a post while we are out and about.

Don’t know much about Club Thrifty? Swing by their site and see for yourself, but in their own words: Stop spending. Start living. ClubThrifty.com helps you afford travel through sound money management, lifestyle hacks, and credit card rewards. Design the life of your dreams, travel without guilt, and have cash to spare.

Sounds good to me. Anyways, without further adieu, take it away Kate!

via GIPHY

For kids, dropping coins into a piggy bank is a good way to start saving money. As adults, however, we need to find places where we can keep a serious stash of cash!

Sure, investing in a company retirement plan or your Roth IRA is an important piece of your financial puzzle. But maybe you’ve already maxed those out and it’s time to explore other options.

Unfortunately, stowing your money under a mattress until you’re old and gray isn’t the answer. It won’t grow, which – because of inflation – means you’re actually losing money by keeping it “safe”.

If you’re looking for a short-term investment, however, the stock market may not be your best choice, either. Because stocks are susceptible to wild short-term swings, they are usually a better long-term play.

So, what’s the happy medium between those extremes? Whether you need quick and easy access to your money or you plan to leave it invested for the long haul, here are some great stock market alternatives to consider.

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Case Study: Why We Refinanced Our House

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The big news around the Heartland on FIRE household is that we closed this week on refinancing for our house. I wanted to take a moment and run through the process for the benefit of those that are considering refinancing. And for you personal finance voyeurs out there, stick around for the end where I will dissect our specific numbers.

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