If you're new here, this blog will give you the tools to become financially independent in 5 years. Here is how I did it and here is how I currently do it. The method is robust and replicable (no need to win the lottery, start a blogging business, or win at real estate), but not easy; much in the same way that a diet results in weight loss but is hard to follow persistently unless you set your mind to it. The key is to save 75%+ of your net income and invest it in income producing assets (bonds and dividend stocks). There is a "21 day" step-by-step plan for how to get to 75% in the left side bar. I try not to be too trite, so if I cover a topic, you will probably not see it again for a very long time, thus you may want to read the older posts here and here. Also, check out my answers to frequently asked questions and while you're at it, don't forget to subscribe to the blog via google or RSS.

I would like to thank my commenters for harassing me about getting a library card every time I have been ranting about swapping books or otherwise buying them used as a way of saving money. While this does indeed save money, it does not beat free. The same goes for DVDs. While the library or even interlibrary does not have the same selection as amazon or netflix they do have most of it. I can order and renew loans online and walk over to the local branch in less than 10 minutes, so I have been a frequent customer over at the local branch. Actually, they now know me by name over there and greet me like a Tokyo restaurant (“Hellooooo Mr. #####, so how many books are you picking up today?”) which is getting kind of embarrassing along with the 15-20 checked out books I continuously carry. Oh well

So if you haven’t gotten a library card yet due to general procrastination, try it out.