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.
Welcome to Lazy Man and Money readers,
Lazy Man and Money was the first personal finance blog I found and started reading and which inspired me to start this blog. In case you haven’t heard I have a slightly unorthodox take on personal finance: very high savings rates, little use of retirement accounts and index funds, a DIY attitude, and car-free living. This allowed me to leave my full time job after a handful of years and “pursue other interests” as they say. You can find more on my philosophy here and if you want to step up your own retirement plans, you can read my makeover series, which is summarized here. In particular, read the post on finding a place to live and the post about going car-free. I think those are the key determinants to retiring early.
Regular readers might have surmised that I have a guest post over at Lazy Man and Money today. Go check it out.
