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Heartland on FIRE

Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence

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Financial Independence

5 Keys to Making Restaurant Quality BBQ at Home

August 16, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

I love Barbecue.  I can’t get enough of it.  The heat of the coals, the wisp of thin white smoke lazily rising from the smoker, the hint of smoke wood-tinged air, and of course the mahogany-colored meat itself! A great a plate of ribs makes Daddy happy!

The problem is, a plate of good “Que”, can stick you with a sizable tab if you always get it at a restaurant.  But it doesn’t have to be that way!

[Read more…] about 5 Keys to Making Restaurant Quality BBQ at Home

Filed Under: Cost Cutting, DIY, Lifestyle Improvement, Smart Spending Tagged With: Amazing Ribs, BBQ on a budget, Bogart's BBQ, Cheap BBQ, Financial Independence, Great BBQ at home, how to make great ribs, lifestyle optimization, Pappy's BBQ, Sugarfire, The Virtual Weber Bullet

Keeping Up With the Anti-Joneses

August 9, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

We’ve all heard the phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses”.  That is the arms race of measuring one’s worth by comparing one’s possessions and status with one’s peers.  It means acquiring the biggest, the best, the newest, and the most expensive things.  You look down the street and see the family with the new car and you set your sights to figuring out how you can buy one yourself.   A friend gets a new job or promotion and you feel the pressure to improve your own career standing.  You have to be the first among your friends to buy the newest iPhone model.  It is an insatiable pursuit of more and better.  If you look around, it appears that we are surrounded by the Joneses.  Do we have to keep up with the Joneses?  Is there another way?

[Read more…] about Keeping Up With the Anti-Joneses

Filed Under: Lifestyle Improvement Tagged With: Financial Independence, FIRE, Keeping up with the Joneses, lifestyle optimization, Rockstar Finance, The Anti-Joneses

2018 Spending – Mid Year Checkup

July 19, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

We’ve reached the halfway point of 2018 and I thought it would informative to check in on our monthly spending thus far. [Read more…] about 2018 Spending – Mid Year Checkup

Filed Under: Annual Planning, Cost Cutting, Smart Spending Tagged With: Budget, Efficient Transportation, Financial Independence, How much to retire, Monthly spending, Weather Stripping Savings

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

Progress Update 6: 529 Shuffling and Crazy Tenants

June 1, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

Welp, it seems like Spring lasted about 2 days.  In last month’s post Spring was just arriving, now we’ve gone straight to Summer in no time flat.  It’s time for the monthly net worth update.  Did our net worth number grow as fast in May as Spring changed to Summer?

[Read more…] about Progress Update 6: 529 Shuffling and Crazy Tenants

Filed Under: FI Progress, Retirement, Savings Tagged With: Car Payment, Edward Jones, FI progress, Financial Independence, Net Worth, Portfolio Growth, Rental Property, Vanguard

Less than Twice My Salary Saved by 35? Am I doomed?

May 25, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

By 30, you should have a decent chunk of change saved for your future self, experts say — in fact, ideally your account would look like a year’s worth of salary, according to Boston-based investment firm Fidelity Investments, so if you make $50,000 a year, you’d have $50,000 saved already. By 35, you should have twice your salary, the firm said. – Marketwatch article citing Fidelity Investments advice

There’s been quite a bit said and written in response to this article.  Let’s take a closer look… [Read more…] about Less than Twice My Salary Saved by 35? Am I doomed?

Filed Under: FI Progress, Retirement, Savings Tagged With: #by35, 401k match, by 35, Financial Independence, how long until retirement, How much to retire, Marketwatch, Savings rate

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