If you're new here, this blog will give you the tools to become financially independent in 5 years. The wiki page gives a good summary of the principles of the strategy. The key to success is to run your personal finances much like a business, thinking about assets and inventory and focusing on efficiency and value for money. Not just any business but a business that's flexible, agile, and adaptable. Conversely most consumers run their personal finances like an inflexible money-losing anti-business always in danger on losing their jobs to the next wave of downsizing.
Here's more than a hundred online journals from people, who are following the ERE strategy tailored to their particular situation (age, children, location, education, goals, ...). Increasing their savings from the usual 5-15% of their income to tens of thousands of dollars each year or typically 40-80% of their income, many accumulate six-figure net-worths within a few years.
Since everybody's situation is different (age, education, location, children, goals, ...) I suggest only spending a brief moment on this blog, which can be thought of as my personal journal, before delving into the forum journals and looking for the crowd's wisdom for your particular situation.
Due to popular request, I have installed some forum software. You can get to the forums by clicking on “Forum” in the top navigator bar.
Now, I have no experience running a forum and I don’t even use them that much, so let me know about any issue you may encounter. Problems registering, suggestions for categories, …
Keep in mind that this is in the early early beta stage. I’ll change the theme, add some plugins, etc. I’m opening it [prematurely] simply to see if it works.
You can send them to jacob at earlyre… (you know, the usual address).
Update: Well, it seems to be working, so head over to the forums and ask some questions.