2017 was an exciting year for me as an investor, blogger, and professional nine-to-fiver. The year started off as expected. But in the last quarter, I was let go from my job putting a halt to most new investments. The extra time has provided the opportunity to focus on my family and to work on […]
Around friends and neighbors, I’m using the phrase “in between jobs” to describe my current employment situation. That’s a convenient euphemism to make it sound less bad. Most people aren’t familiar with my business so they only see a jobless Dad of three kids married to a non-working Mom, dealing with a mortgage and the same […]
This article is about learning to protect yourself from a future job loss by creating sustainable income streams that will continue to pay you even if you’re not working. If you’re unemployed today, use this article to frame your strategy once the income is back. Of all the financial advice I read and practice, the one […]
In the intro to a recently published blog post, I mentioned that there’s been some turbulence at my nine-to-five workplace. Funding was tight, but it looked as though I’d survive any downsizing. Well, things got worse. My project was hit hard, and the surrounding projects were hit even harder. I found out two weeks ago […]
Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual. – Ernest Hemingway This Hemingway quote came up in one of my social media feeds recently (keep reading to learn the origin of the quote). Most of the time I roll my eyes at the quotes so […]
Recent contractual turbulence at my 9-5 job has people nervous. Funding is uncertain. Job cuts are likely. Thanks to my expertise and training, I should be OK. But the situation reminds me that the pursuit of financial independence prepares us for corporate layoffs and recessions, even if we’re not 100% financially free yet. A potential […]
A few months before the summer of 1996, I committed to a lifeguarding job at a local pool. It was supposed to be my fifth consecutive summer as a guard. Lifeguarding was an easy and stable summer job in my youth, but it never paid well. This new gig was at a private club with […]
As a kid, I always thought I’d start a side business someday. I wanted filthy wealth, a big fancy house, and to be the boss. Filthy wealth takes A LOT of work. I’m not that motivated. A big house isn’t practical. And I don’t want to be the boss of people. People are a pain […]
Have you ever declined a work opportunity because you didn’t want the hassle of learning something new? Maybe it was a chance to enhance your skills or get promoted, but it required leaving your cushy job. You declined because the job would have taken more effort and initiative on your part. Or it might have cut […]
Nobody likes a rent increase. Except for the landlord. For too long, my rental property has been squeaking by on meager cash flow. Check out my monthly investment income updates and you’ll see the regular income it generates is about $70 per month. That’s a positive number so I can’t complain too much. But in the […]
My retirement goal is still 15 years away. That may seem like a long time if you’re young. But ask any parent of teenagers and they’ll tell you it goes by in a flash. Retirement is closing in on me. I think about it with urgency. I Wanna Tell You, Ooh-Oh-Oh! Many readers have asked me […]
Late last year, upper management at my client was feeling the heat. The boss’s boss’s boss needed to show the CIO that his division would not falter in a climate of adversity. To allay the perceived fears that the IT project would fail, the second highest executive on the totem pole made a decision. When that […]
