I Dream of FIRE

In pursuit of financial independence and personal fulfillment

Category: Budgeting (Page 1 of 5)

Our slightly less ridiculous 2018 spending recap

February 6, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Last year we spent nearly $100,000 in non-investment purchases. This year wasn’t quite that bad, but it wasn’t the $80,000 I was ballparking back in January 2017.

The plan for a mini-retirement wasn’t fully formed at that point, and I hadn’t considered how taking that break would affect the numbers when I came back around this year. Not that I didn’t plan for the year’s expenses before leaving my job — of course I ran the numbers several ways to make sure we would be OK. I mean I didn’t get too far into the categorical weeds of what would go up and what would go down. Continue reading

The huge difference between being in debt and having debt

January 8, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Who do you picture in your mind when you think of “people in debt”?

Is it someone struggling to pay the bills, not sure where next month’s housing payment is going to come from or how to put gas in the car because the credit card is topped off?

Do you think of people with lots of expensive clothes, pricey cars, and lavish furnishings throughout their picturesque home, knowing full well they’re leveraged up to their kids’ eyeballs when she’s riding on daddy’s shoulders?

Or maybe you think of a new college graduate just finding out what all those years of schooling are really going to cost over the next decade as they begin to make their way in the world.

But how often do you think of someone who has their financial house in order, plenty of money to cover expenses, and a good balance between enjoying life now and delaying gratification for the future? Because maybe you should. Continue reading

How to find the best credit card for you

November 7, 2018 / / 1 Comment

There are hundreds of credit card options out there, and deciding which one to choose can be a tough task. There is no one best card. It’s all about picking the right credit card for your financial situation.

With that in mind, here’s a guide to what you should look for based on your goals, habits and finances. Continue reading

Self-care is not an optional expense

October 23, 2018 / / 3 Comments

I’ve spent thousands of dollars I hadn’t planned to spend this calendar year.

I’ve broken out the credit card for several mastermind groups, purchased nutritional supplements, gotten extra massages, booked more travel, and begrudgingly bought shoes faster than I would like.

Why? Well, I’m starting to better recognize when not paying for something actually costs more than the sticker price. Continue reading

9 things I wish I’d done differently in my financial past

October 17, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Many of us have made financial mistakes. I’m certainly no exception.

Mistakes are the currency of experience, and experience is the fertile ground in which better future decisions are based. So while I won’t say it’s all bad … I could have done these things better.

I wish I would have: Continue reading

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