Blazing a Trail Towards Financial Independence
The smell of the grill, the sounds of kids playing and birds chirping. Who doesn’t love a good backyard BBQ? If you stop and take a moment to think about the financial aspect of a BBQ you just might love them even more. In fact, a BBQ can help you and your friends save a boatload of money!
[Read more…] about The Economics of a Backyard BBQ
***Extremely Mickey Mouse voice*** – Hi Kids! Today’s Mousekatool is Paid Vacation
I am fresh off of our first full week vacation in 2 years. While we’ve taken a few long weekend trips, we haven’t had a full week off during this time. We took our daughters to Disney World (geez… could you tell?) and we all had a great time and created many memories that won’t soon be forgotten.
My wife and I have already started discussing our next vacation! I think we can all get behind more vacation, right?
Well, the answer is apparently a big fat NO.
As I have been reflecting on the week gone by, I recalled an article I had read that stated that roughly 52% of Americans don’t use their paid vacation.
Let that sink in.
Your boss is willing to pay you money… to not show up for work. And we say, “No Thanks” more than half the time!
[Read more…] about Over 50% of Americans Don’t Use Their Vacation. Don’t be one of them!
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
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?
“I love yard work!” – said almost nobody ever.
You come home from work, beat from the day, then you gotta run right back out and tackle the yard. It’s hot, sweaty, dusty, and tiring. And then you gotta do it every week for months on end. Who the hell likes that?
***slowly raises my hand*** [Read more…] about Yard Work: 5 Reasons I Do My Own
A key to living a great life and reaching Financial Independence (FI) is to find the activities that truly make you happy and make them priorities. The purpose of this article to to focus on one activity that I am passionate about: