If you're new here, this blog will give you the tools to become financially independent in 5 years on a median salary. 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 of losing their jobs.
Here's almost a thousand 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 looking for the crowd's wisdom for your particular situation in the forum journals.
If you enjoy the blog, also consider the book which is much better organized and more complete. You can read the first chapter for free, listen to the preamble, or see the reviews (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,Z). Subscribe to the blog via email or RSS. Get updates on the facebook page, join the forums, and look for tactics on the ERE wiki. Here's a list of all the ERE blog posts.
DW wanted a rake to get the cuttings off of the lawn, whereas I just wanted to let them be… So I built a rake.
The rake is made out of a $2 8 foot long 2×4 which I ripped [lengthwise] with a handsaw. I used one part for the handle and the other part for the rake (crossbar) itself. The 19 teeth came from two $0.99 3/8″ dowels which are cut to 2.5″. They are spaced 5/4″ apart in 1/2″ deep holes I drilled with a brace and auger. These are glued in. The handle is fitted onto the rake with a thru-tenon which is pulled in by an offset dowel which also makes the middle tooth; this is not glued in allowing me to take the rake apart again. The mortise was made with a chisel. This joint is quite solid without any give thus I didn’t have to put in diagonal supports which would have complicated the matter.
The rake works very well. The grass doesn’t stick to the teeth. This always seems to be the case for metal rakes which annoys me. However, the rake is a bit on the heavy side, probably thanks to the massive handle. I didn’t want to spend too much time planing it down. Maybe if I get tired of the weight, I’ll plane it down some more and make a supremely perfectly balanced rake.
In conclusion, I believe I now have a better rake for 3-5 times less than it would cost to buy one.
PS: It is conceivable that one could pick up a $1 rake at a yard sale or get one at freecycle. However, as per the first paragraph, this was an urgent matter.
Originally posted 2011-04-18 16:19:26.
