Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-06-2014, 10:28 PM   #21
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
haha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
Goodness people, don't we know by now that anything means whatever it's author intends it to mean, ie. if it gets the effect he is after, that is all that matters. I am a superhero, I am retired, I am a master of the universe. If I say so, it must be true, and if you see it differently and express that, you must be one of those new fangled haters. Itself a newfangled term that intends to shut up anyone who still has the outdated habit of using external, historically accepted definitions.

Naughty, naughty!

Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
haha is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-06-2014, 10:46 PM   #22
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
Quote:
Originally Posted by aim-high View Post
Hey FUEGO. I was reading your blog comments and you wrote the following...



If you're not in it for the money, can I make a few suggestions?

It would be more helpful if the blog didn't look like a NASCAR. Remove the 15+ ads on your April Financial Update. It detracts from your content and message.

Also, the image links that most people would click on to expand a large view of the charts and graphs, goes through another page on your site and redirects to the Personal Capital website. There were 5 of them in that article. I clicked on one thinking I'd see a larger image of the chart. When it redirected me to the Personal Capital site (which I assume you get affiliate credit for) I felt like it was a bait and switch. It makes me not want to read the site.

Focus on supplying great content. Let those who are in it for the money do all the link bait, psychic hotline, ads galore type sites. You'll get a lot more readers that way and help a lot more people.
Yes, there are a lot of ads and a disclaimer that he "may receive a commission" when you click on a link he recommends.
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 12:06 AM   #23
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 9,358
Quote:
Originally Posted by aja8888 View Post
Now I KNOW some of you are way more frugal than I, as I have read the exploits of buying a case of white soap from the manufacturer to save a few bucks rather than buy store-bought soap with a manufacturers wrapper at retail. I like that.
I think the case of soap was mine. I suspect no one else here does that. I found out the warehouse for the soap I buy was a few blocks from where we buy our groceries. It actually saves $1 a bar or about $24 a case to go 10 minutes out of our way, so the soap actually has a high ROI on my time, much more than clipping coupons, which I have not found to be time effective for me.

But I do buy in bulk and stockpile. I just bought a years supply of dish detergent that was on sale for 1/3 off, plus I had a store coupon for another 50% off the total order, free shipping, a 1% cash back credit card, a 5% store loyalty program and bought through 5% cash back portal.

Two cases of soap a year = $48 year savings X 50 years = $2.5K. If we find 100 items like that to cut annually it comes out to $250K less in total retirement funding needed. It all adds up, but I try to only do things that have a high ROI on my time. I don't grow my own food or anything like that because that would take a lot of work.
daylatedollarshort is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 04:14 AM   #24
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 349
Quote:
Originally Posted by haha View Post
Goodness people, don't we know by now that anything means whatever it's author intends it to mean, ie. if it gets the effect he is after, that is all that matters. I am a superhero, I am retired, I am a master of the universe. If I say so, it must be true, and if you see it differently and express that, you must be one of those new fangled haters. Itself a newfangled term that intends to shut up anyone who still has the outdated habit of using external, historically accepted definitions.

Naughty, naughty!

Ha
+1 Old School

I should have learned that when I got that big chocolate easter bunny when I was 5. I thought I hit the motherlode -- bit into it and it was hollow!
aim-high is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 06:46 AM   #25
Moderator
Walt34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,299
Quote:
Originally Posted by aim-high View Post
I should have learned that when I got that big chocolate easter bunny when I was 5. I thought I hit the motherlode -- bit into it and it was hollow!
I still remember that disappointment! Life Reality Lesson #1.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
Walt34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 07:56 AM   #26
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrabbler1 View Post
(Emphasis mine.) I agree with you. Sorry, but I do not consider living off the work of one's spouse something which fits my definition of FI or retirement. A SAHD is no more retired than a SAHM if the spouse is working.
What do say about someone whose entire household spends 2.5% of their investment portfolio each year and has the paychecks from his wife piling up (unspent) in a money market account? What if that number was 1% and the working spouse worked 1 day per week because she likes what she does?

This comment is directed more generally beyond you, Scrabbler:

I'm starting to think some of your definitions of retirement aren't very fun any more. I can't spend time with my kids, piddle around in my yard with my garden and landscaping, or cook awesome meals (that's "being a SAHD" apparently). I can't do something I enjoy (and do for free at forums like this) and make a buck off of it with very occasional effort. You guys sure do put a lot of constraints on what someone can fill their day with.

Maybe because I'm 33 and not 20+ years older like the typical early retiree here. As much as I love laying in my hammock on my back deck cozied up with an engaging book, I can't do that all day every day.
__________________
Retired in 2013 at age 33. Keeping busy reading, blogging, relaxing, gaming, and enjoying the outdoors with my wife and 3 kids (8, 13, and 15).
FUEGO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:15 AM   #27
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Ready's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,995
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUEGO View Post
Maybe because I'm 33 and not 20+ years older like the typical early retiree here. As much as I love laying in my hammock on my back deck cozied up with an engaging book, I can't do that all day every day.
It sounds like you have the perfect scenario for yourself. I see no need to put a perfectly defined label on it. Retirement means doing anything you feel like doing. Sounds like you're doing just that.
Ready is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:22 AM   #28
Recycles dryer sheets
thefinancebuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUEGO View Post
What do say about someone whose entire household spends 2.5% of their investment portfolio each year and has the paychecks from his wife piling up (unspent) in a money market account?
Still not FI/retired because when her paychecks pile up, they increase the 2.5% you can spend in the future. Money is fungible. You can spend her paychecks and let the portfolio grow. Or you can spend from the portfolio and let her paychecks grow the portfolio. Same thing.
thefinancebuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:24 AM   #29
Moderator Emeritus
aja8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,642
Quote:
Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort View Post
I think the case of soap was mine. I suspect no one else here does that. I found out the warehouse for the soap I buy was a few blocks from where we buy our groceries. It actually saves $1 a bar or about $24 a case to go 10 minutes out of our way, so the soap actually has a high ROI on my time, much more than clipping coupons, which I have not found to be time effective for me.

But I do buy in bulk and stockpile. I just bought a years supply of dish detergent that was on sale for 1/3 off, plus I had a store coupon for another 50% off the total order, free shipping, a 1% cash back credit card, a 5% store loyalty program and bought through 5% cash back portal.

Two cases of soap a year = $48 year savings X 50 years = $2.5K. If we find 100 items like that to cut annually it comes out to $250K less in total retirement funding needed. It all adds up, but I try to only do things that have a high ROI on my time. I don't grow my own food or anything like that because that would take a lot of work.
You are turning out to be my hero. I wish you could spend a week with my DW and show her your tenacity on how to hunt down the best deal. Seems like I am the one in the family that thinks about the low cost/high value proposition. Nice job!!
aja8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:36 AM   #30
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by thefinancebuff View Post
Still not FI/retired because when her paychecks pile up, they increase the 2.5% you can spend in the future. Money is fungible. You can spend her paychecks and let the portfolio grow. Or you can spend from the portfolio and let her paychecks grow the portfolio. Same thing.
Warren Buffet: the latest guy to find himself not FI because he's still working. True, his 0.01% SWR is now closer to 0.009% given his productive efforts.

I've given up all hope of reaching "true" FI.
__________________
Retired in 2013 at age 33. Keeping busy reading, blogging, relaxing, gaming, and enjoying the outdoors with my wife and 3 kids (8, 13, and 15).
FUEGO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:37 AM   #31
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ready View Post
It sounds like you have the perfect scenario for yourself. I see no need to put a perfectly defined label on it. Retirement means doing anything you feel like doing. Sounds like you're doing just that.
I think I'm going to give that hammock a try right now. That stack of novels by my bedside isn't going to read itself after all.
__________________
Retired in 2013 at age 33. Keeping busy reading, blogging, relaxing, gaming, and enjoying the outdoors with my wife and 3 kids (8, 13, and 15).
FUEGO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:45 AM   #32
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 349
Living on 2.5% of your investment portfolio is about $34K per year. The federal poverty level for a family of 5 is $28K per year. I'd say you live very, very frugally. Good for you.

My parents are retired by definition but are reliant on the government also in terms of medicaid. They aren't FI.

To me you've chosen a different path for earning a living. How it looks 10 years from now when you have 3 kids driving and going to college or 25 years from now is anyone's guess.

My big pet peeve is truth in advertising. Unfortunately our country accepts little of it. I personally find hitting all the buzzwords for personal finance and early retirement on a blog, loading it up with paid affiliate advertising links all over the place, and then saying you're not doing it for money is disingenuous - especially when that amounts to 25% - 40% of what you say you're living expenses are (based on current annual blog earnings from your posts.)

I don't have a problem with blogging, earning money, running personal finance sites, etc. I just personally find the way you (and some others) are going about it distasteful - but I guess that's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors.
aim-high is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 08:49 AM   #33
Recycles dryer sheets
thefinancebuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUEGO View Post
Warren Buffet: the latest guy to find himself not FI because he's still working. True, his 0.01% SWR is now closer to 0.009% given his productive efforts.

I've given up all hope of reaching "true" FI.
You are not Warren Buffet. When your income from working makes up a small percentage of your expenses you reach true FI. Otherwise you are dependent on the work income just like others.
thefinancebuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:23 AM   #34
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 417
Wife bought a can of 'Manwich' the other day just for the heck of it-----after mixing with hamburger and consuming it, kind of wish I'd had cat food instead.
Payin-the-Toll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:26 AM   #35
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Crownsville
Posts: 3,709
Just out of curiosity, would you all have considered my Granddad to have been retired, in this scenario...

Granddad took ER from the federal government in 1971 at age 55, to care for an ailing aunt. She passed away within about a year, but Granddad decided to not go back to work. As a result, he took up most of the chores around the house, did gardening, cooking, worked on cars on the side, occasionally watched me when I was a little kid, etc.

Grandmom kept working full time until the end of 1980, when she retired from the federal gov't, but then went back to work on a part time/on-call basis, varying hours, until she finally reached 70.

I don't know if Grandmom HAD to work, but she definitely CHOSE to work. And she was a bit of a workaholic. In fact, when she finally quit working at 70, she went downhill fast, although she's still holding on at 90.

Anyway, would you all consider Granddad to have been retired? He was drawing a pension, so he was contributing to the household, and not being a kept man/househusband. And while he did the mechanic work and did make some money, it was more of a hobby.
Andre1969 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:27 AM   #36
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 26,819
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUEGO View Post
... I can't spend time with my kids, piddle around in my yard with my garden and landscaping, or cook awesome meals (that's "being a SAHD" apparently). I can't do something I enjoy (and do for free at forums like this) and make a buck off of it with very occasional effort. You guys sure do put a lot of constraints on what someone can fill their day with.
Wow, twisting words much?

I didn't see anyone 'complaining' about what you decide to do with your time. Where did that come from? Sounds like a straw man. But if you come out in public and call it something, expect some questions on whether that is an accurate description.

No one cares much what I call my 'retirement', because I'm not throwing it out there in public making money or attracting attention to it. If I needed to be accurate, I'd say I'm retired from my job/career. DW still works because she wants to, and I can say that her modest income isn't really a factor in my retirement decision, or our lifestyle, but I'd probably be lying if having another income stream during the last meltdown didn't provide a calming effect. Between divs and her income, there was very little selling in a down market (and that was selling fixed and re-balancing at what turned out to be pretty good timing).

But if I wanted to claim I was retired and FI, while DW still works, I'd expect some push-back - just like the chain smoker who claims he doesn't have a habit because he could quit any time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by aim-high View Post
...

To me you've chosen a different path for earning a living. How it looks 10 years from now when you have 3 kids driving and going to college or 25 years from now is anyone's guess.

My big pet peeve is truth in advertising. Unfortunately our country accepts little of it. I personally find hitting all the buzzwords for personal finance and early retirement on a blog, loading it up with paid affiliate advertising links all over the place, and then saying you're not doing it for money is disingenuous - especially when that amounts to 25% - 40% of what you say you're living expenses are (based on current annual blog earnings from your posts.)

I don't have a problem with blogging, earning money, running personal finance sites, etc. I just personally find the way you (and some others) are going about it distasteful - but I guess that's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors.
+1.

-ERD50
ERD50 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:35 AM   #37
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
NW-Bound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35,712
Quote:
Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort View Post
I think the case of soap was mine. I suspect no one else here does that. I found out the warehouse for the soap I buy was a few blocks from where we buy our groceries. It actually saves $1 a bar or about $24 a case to go 10 minutes out of our way, so the soap actually has a high ROI on my time, much more than clipping coupons, which I have not found to be time effective for me.

But I do buy in bulk and stockpile. I just bought a years supply of dish detergent that was on sale for 1/3 off, plus I had a store coupon for another 50% off the total order, free shipping, a 1% cash back credit card, a 5% store loyalty program and bought through 5% cash back portal.
...
My wife also likes to buy in bulk (and me too). For example, when finding that a store has tomato sauce or chicken broth on an excellent sale, she would buy two cases.

The problem with that is that one can never downsize the house. We do not intend to, but man, one must be careful not to turn the home into a warehouse. By the way, we stopped using soap bars long ago, as we found that liquid soap caused less waste.
__________________
"Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man" -- Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)

"Those Who Can Make You Believe Absurdities Can Make You Commit Atrocities" - Voltaire (1694-1778)
NW-Bound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:41 AM   #38
Moderator Emeritus
aja8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,642
Quote:
Originally Posted by Payin-the-Toll View Post
Wife bought a can of 'Manwich' the other day just for the heck of it-----after mixing with hamburger and consuming it, kind of wish I'd had cat food instead.
I have done engineering projects in tuna processing facilities in Puerto Rico (Bumble Bee, etc) and NOTHING is wasted from processing raw tuna fish. The stuff that actually goes into cat food (at those plants) consists of the "parts" that don't go into retail tuna cans. Use your imagination.
aja8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:43 AM   #39
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,894
Since my wife is unlikely to retire entirely anytime soon, perhaps I should change my screen name back to FIREdreamer.
FIREd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 09:43 AM   #40
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
NW-Bound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35,712
Quote:
Originally Posted by aja8888 View Post
I have done engineering projects in tuna processing facilities in Puerto Rico (Bumble Bee, etc) and NOTHING is wasted from processing raw tuna fish. The stuff that actually goes into cat food (at those plants) consists of the "parts" that don't go into retail tuna cans. Use your imagination.
That's of course not at all bad for cats. Out in the wild, animals eat all of their preys, except for bones. It makes them strong.

Now, is it really bad for humans too?
__________________
"Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man" -- Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)

"Those Who Can Make You Believe Absurdities Can Make You Commit Atrocities" - Voltaire (1694-1778)
NW-Bound is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
a thread's subject color - read/not read veremchuka Forum Admin 12 02-19-2011 07:46 PM
Really a good read here. Quite good today Friedman NYtimes. dumpster56 Other topics 86 12-10-2007 04:26 PM
Really, really small towns (villages)? redduck Travel Information 28 09-05-2007 02:20 PM
Really, really deep LBYM cute fuzzy bunny Other topics 19 07-18-2007 07:44 AM
How frugal is too frugal? setab FIRE and Money 36 05-18-2006 12:51 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:14 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.