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.
Today I went riding on a 20M loop. I passed 10-12 riders heading in the opposite direction. First the was the solo riders in team wear, then a couple of riders wheel sucking following by other couples (husband & wife). These were followed by the hoi polloi, people riding three or four abreast chatting, a bunch of wavering adolescents on cruisers blocking the cars behind them (argh, you give the rest of us a bad name). Finally there was a lone straggler. It must have been a club ride or something. About a third waved back 🙂
It was the plan to pick up DW and go for an out and back ride in the opposite direction to get to 50M. That didn’t work. So we went fishing instead. Tomorrow we’re going fishing again. After that I’m skyping with my parents; followed by hockey. We’ll be leading the play-offs, if we win tomorrow.
Now, I have to figure out a way to put in some more miles on the bike. If I skip weekday hockey, I can add miles after work without overtraining.
This is necessary. There is no way back. I signed up for the 100M in 2 weeks.
Originally posted 2008-04-19 21:13:15.
