MB

[mb]

Hi I'm MB,

I registered about a month ago so I decided it was about time to introduce myself.

About myself:* Age 48.* Have a DW, DD in HS and DS in MS.* Live in the SF Bay area and work for a mega-corp.

Regarding investing:* I basically dollar cost average into funds in both my before and after tax accounts (mostly index funds).* Simple and easy and even if you are smart enough to beat the market I doubt you can beat the return to work ratio.

Current allocation is about:

- 12% Small Cap
- 32% Large Cap
- 14% Int'l (Dev Markets)
- 5% Emerging Markets
- 29% Bonds
- 5% REITS
- 3% Cash

I generally keep it pretty steady.* Maybe move it +-5% or so depending on what I think is going to happen.

On ER:* I have been fairly good at LBYM and investing over the last 15 years or so (at least compared to the overall population) but ER wasn't really "on the radar" until I came across this forum.* I think I found it from intercst's site but don't remember how I stumbled on that site.* But I will admit that there are a lot of days when I would rather hop on my bike than go to work so maybe there is some RE hope for me.* I give Dory and the rest of you credit for "planting the seed."* I did mention RE to DW the other day but she thought that it was a joke.* Have to work on that.

Although my initial interests on this forum were mostly asset accumulation and FI, I have actually found the various RE lifestyles to be at least as interesting:

- Nords surfer life and ward-robe
- Kat's (sorry if I have the name wrong) farm in KY
- One poster (forgot the name) that lived and traveled in a van for most of the year
- The various other RV and PT lifestyles

About 5 years ago I told DW that when the kids were gone I wanted to quit work, throw my mountain bike on top of a camper van and not worry about coming back (I did assume that she would come with) and that futhermore since we had a pretty frugal lifestyle it wouldn't take much money to do it for a couple of years.

I think that this is the first place that I have found a group of like minded people.

Hope I didn't bore you with the long post.* I have truely enjoyed the forum so far and expect to continue to do so in the future.

Thanks,

MB

[kat]

Welcome MB! I'll take a pass on commenting on the financials (many people here have more expertise on that!)

Just want to say your plans sound great to me. And I want to let you know Kitty is the one with the terrific lifestyle in Kentucky. As for me, formerly Kat on this board --- I have a fondness for the mountains in New York and I'll likely spend the rest of my days here, at least as a home base.

Again, welcome!

kate

[Nords]

Thanks, MB, welcome to the board.

[mb]

I recall the comment on buying a couple of t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops and that being your yearly clothing budget. I thought that was pretty cool.