Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence
Between the start of school and two vacations, August was a whirlwind month. The moving and shaking also carried over into our finances. So what happened?
[Read more…] about Net Worth Update 21: Debt Eraser Edition
A few weeks ago, my wife and I were on vacation in San Francisco. We had an ambitious schedule so we arrived to pick up our rental car for the trip early in the morning. The lady working the counter tossed us the keys and proclaimed: “You’re in luck… this is our last car.” She went on to tell us that several groups were due in shortly and they wouldn’t behave cars available for 3 to 4 hours!
Yikes! A delay that long would have nuked our vacation plans. How lucky were we?
Upon reflection; however, it seems this wasn’t an isolated incident. The common thread between this “lucky” event and several others was a supremely simple hack…
Being Early
[Read more…] about Being Early: The Simplest Success Hack
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?
[Read more…] about Pay Off Low Interest Debt? Why We Defy Common Wisdom
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?
[Read more…] about Net Worth Update 20: Duck on a Pond Edition
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!
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.
[Read more…] about 4 Places to Stash Your Cash That Aren’t Stocks
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.
[Read more…] about Case Study: Why We Refinanced Our House