Category: money
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Most people in the developed world have no idea how wealthy we are when compared to the sweep of human history. Even when people know this, it’s easy to take what we have for granted, and to forget to be thankful for the lives we are able to lead. I oscillated between feeling deep gratitude…
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The cost of housing in the US has been rising faster than inflation since the 1960s. For an investor who either owns real estate, or has enough money to invest, this is good news. For someone needing housing, this is bad news. Contents1 Homelessness2 Regulations (and Unintended Affects)2.1 Homes are a Principal Investment Vehicle2.2 Improved…
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I have been fortunate to have several people in my life who exemplify generosity and inspire me to follow in their footsteps. In the last year I have been challenged and encouraged by Glen Van Peski’s Take Less, Do More, a class on The Practice of Generosity at Bridgetown, and the book Giving is the…
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I am forever thankful to my friend Craig and an unnamed housemate who helped me to understand that I had to choose whether I loved people or things more. I purchased my first car on a Thursday afternoon and proceeded to drive it to where my house church was meeting. Right after the meeting ended…
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Retirement: A stage of life when you are able to invest time without being constrained by the need to earn a salary. It becomes easier to pursue things that you think are truly worthwhile without having to make compromises. It’s possible to be “retired” and be working a job that pays you a salary if…
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TL;DR My three rethinking posts (part 1, part 2, and this one) were written at the end of December 2021, but I delayed posting until plans for my retirement had been settled. I think anyone reading this would realize I was transitioning and didn’t want to send that signal before my boss and company were…
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In part I shared several of the changes that had a high impact on my mid-life reset in 2011 after my wife passed. Ten years later I am even more confident that those were were worthwhile. In this post I am going to reflect on several decisions I made ten years ago. This is a…
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I strive to be grateful for my material possessions and not fall into the trap of consistent consumption. For the last several years I limit my purchases to consumables and replacing items that wore out for most of the year, aka a shopping diet. Think of this as intermittent fasting applied to purchasing. When I…
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We live an an era which encourage us to consume ever more products, always looking for what would be better than what we have. I strive to be content with adequate shelter, clothing, and food and grateful for the material possessions which grace my life. One of the ways I fight against the drum beat of…
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A number of my younger friends have asked for advice regarding personal finance. This is an attempt to summarize what I know. If you want more in-depth information I would suggest checking out my goodreads “personal finance” shelf. UPDATED in 2024 to reflect some changing thoughts about real estate, the under performance of bonds as…