My Ever Changing Pursuit of Happiness
“Happiness Matters” is one of my core beliefs I mentioned early on. This might sound simple, but for me happiness isn’t just following what sounds…
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Goals And Plans For 2026
Although everyone is now aware of how bad we are with accomplishing goals, here is a new list of items for 2026. Hopefully we can…
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Recap Of Our Goals From 2025
At the beginning of the year each of us set ambitious goals for ourselves that were a mix of personal & professional, as well as…
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What We’re Thankful For in 2025
Another year, another bunch of things that we’re both so thankful for. Similar to last year, it may surprise some people that what we’re thankful…
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Summer Break Through the Lens of Financial Independence
As the school year starts to draw towards a close with only a few weeks left, I’m getting excited. My wife and kids are about…
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Family Series Part 6 – Travel & Other Fun Activities
While Parts 1-5 of this Family Series have focused on finances and other meaningful topics such as career paths & learning, we aren’t 100% serious…
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Family Series Part 5 – Thoughts on Life After High School
The first 18 years of most children’s lives are fairly well mapped out and uniform, at least here in the United States, from the progression…
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Family Series Part 4 – Allowance
Allowance is another one of those highly debated topics when it comes to kids & money, with a wide array of thoughts & opinions amongst…
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Family Series Part 3 – Teaching Kids About Money
Much the same way that different teachers can use different methods to educate their students, parents can use a variety of methods to educate their…
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Family Series Part 2 – Joint or Separate Finances
Probably the number one most asked question in personal finance is whether or not to pay off a mortgage early vs. investing the money instead. …
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Family Series Part 1 – Our Partners’ Thoughts About Personal Finance & Financial Independence
Both of us are married and in each of our households we are the ones that are most interested in personal finance & Financial Independence. …
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My Current Status on 8 Habits for a Happy Retirement (found on Kiplinger)
I know I’m several years away from Financial Independence. I can calculate my investments, and will eventually get to a point where work will be…
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Recap of EconoMe 2025
Chaos. Absolute chaos. But in the best way. That’s how I would describe this past weekend at the EconoMe Conference. I guess that’s what’s to…
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What Draws Me To Financial Independence
The ability to support myself without relying on a paycheck has become a goal of mine for more than 5 years now… But why? Do…
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Keeping The Topic of “Work” Out of Conversations
I don’t care what your job is. I don’t care what your job title is. I really don’t care to know much about your day-to-day…
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What Might Life Be Like At Sixty Five?
I’m not a great planner, but I do find it helpful to think about my future self. This kind of helps me take a snapshot…
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Goals And Plans For 2025
Per tradition (at least in American culture), here is a list of goals and/or plans that each of us have made for the upcoming year. …
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Top Things We Learned in 2024
Each year that passes is full of numerous experiences that we can learn from and 2024 is no exception. Sometimes these lessons are obvious, but…
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Planning For A Joyful Journey To FI
As fun as it sounds to be financially independent, I’ve got a ways to go. I like my job, and like where I live, and…
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Ode to My Car
As I was driving home recently I looked down at my car’s odometer and noticed a very cool milestone (perhaps some would merely call it…
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Buying Into The Gaming World
“No, we’re not going to get you video games” was a comment that my wife and I have repeated hundreds of times over the last…
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What We’re Thankful For in 2024
Both of us have many things to be thankful for this year. While this blog is focused on personal finance & Financial Independence, it may…
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A Decade Until Financial Independence
So I’m closing in on forty four years old and by the looks of it, I probably won’t hit Financial Independence for another decade or…
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Musings on the First 1.25 Years of Early Retirement (Part 2)
CONTINUATION OF MUSINGS FROM PART 1… As I mentioned in my first set of musings, there was no huge transition for me into retirement. Because…
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Spending Series Part 4: Spending Extravagantly On Things We Love
While frugality is an enduring pillar of Financial Independence, recently there have been some changing attitudes in the community towards spending money. Frivolous or unintentional …
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Learning To Listen to Others: The Squire’s Influence
Although this website is only a few months old, I already feel its impact and how it’s leading to positive change in my life. Case-in-point:…
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How I Spent My Summer: The Influence of “Die With Zero”
Spoiler Alert: It was spent with friends & family. Busy, Busy, Busy As a family we traveled to 10 different states, attended 9 concerts (4…
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The Squire’s Core Belief #1 – Happiness Matters
When we read the United States Declaration Of Independence in school, I found it so interesting that it mentions the right to pursue happiness. In…
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My Origin Story & Financial Journey – The Squire
I grew up in a loving family. As a kid, I enjoyed life and took school seriously. I played sports and stayed busy, and as…
