Cool story about our family's early retirement on the local news

[HFWR]

Why? I'm sure his blog revenue will increase.....

Blog or not, I prefer anonymity! YMMV...

 

[athena53]

The last thing I would want is publicity...

I agree. I'm glad the OP got a good article out of it rather than out-of-context sound bytes, and I KNOW people need to hear about how you can ER if you save, use some simple investment tactics and LBYM.

Having said that- I'd prefer that only a select trusted few know my net worth (Dad, DS and one friend). I'll continue to bop around town in a 6-year old boring sedan in my jeans and freebie T-shirts and let people think I'm just scraping by on SS Survivor benefits.

 

[Franklin]

great story congrats!!

 

[Beer-man]

He has benefitted from a great bull run and some decent blog income. Not retired just changed job to full time blogger and self promoter of said blog. Some good content but heavy affiliate linking and pushing of products.
I’m a big fan of how he scrimped to get his nest egg and it’s fortunate that he hasn’t really had to tap into it

 

[braumeister]

We may not always see eye to eye, but we can always be respectful of each other.

 

[Beer-man]

We may not always see eye to eye, but we can always be respectful of each other.

I’m a fan of his I’m not sure what gave you the impression I was attacking him. Just putting the story into context. Getting media coverage just gets more clicks, more clicks gets more affiliate money.
I’m on Tapatalk so not always sure if I’m on MMM or ER. Honesty and openness is allowed on MMM however the skin is much thinner in these parts

 

[braumeister]

Yes, now that you have edited your post to add so much more to it, no problem.

 

[travelover]

Your cover is blown. Nice job!

 

[Another Reader]

He has benefitted from a great bull run and some decent blog income. Not retired just changed job to full time blogger and self promoter of said blog. Some good content but heavy affiliate linking and pushing of products.
I’m a big fan of how he scrimped to get his nest egg and it’s fortunate that he hasn’t really had to tap into it

I don't agree. There are some links to things he uses. He gets a commission if you sign up for a good deal at the credit card site and you and he each get $10 I think at e-bates. All that is disclosed. He uses Personal Capital investment tracking, which is free, and not their investment management, which he does not push. There is nothing on the blog site that is pushed.

 

[FUEGO]

I’m a fan of his I’m not sure what gave you the impression I was attacking him. Just putting the story into context. Getting media coverage just gets more clicks, more clicks gets more affiliate money.
I’m on Tapatalk so not always sure if I’m on MMM or ER. Honesty and openness is allowed on MMM however the skin is much thinner in these parts

In terms of effort for amount of exposure, local news stories are horrible. I had to shave and put on a clean shirt just for a market of a mere couple million potential people. National media is where it's at. CNBC booked on Monday.

It's almost like a full time job (just ~7.5 hours less work each day and the commute is zero since they come to me).

Great story! I think it portrayed FIRE well.

Ironic that the ad they stuck at the beginning of the video was for a development called Bella Vista with houses starting in the $900's. Not the path to FIRE.

Someone that saw the video left the same comment on my facebook page re: the irony of million dollar luxury home ads juxtaposed against my story

I agree. I'm glad the OP got a good article out of it rather than out-of-context sound bytes, and I KNOW people need to hear about how you can ER if you save, use some simple investment tactics and LBYM.

Thanks for sharing, FUEGO! I always turn down media requests. I really don't trust interviews with the media due to their habit of chopping up an interview to make a point of view. I'm glad to hear Mandy treated you well.

Always talk in soundbites because they will be chopping things up. I think I've done several dozen media interviews or podcasts by now so I'm developing quite an ability for PR. New encore career possibility? And this particular interview was softball.

Nice feature. I would be have been scared to death to pull the plug at 33 without a fortune. Good for you.

Well I could always go back to work

 

[frank2009]

Good article! It reinforces that are no secrets to early retirement. Many people can do it with proper motivation, discipline and a bit of cooperation with the market.

 

[spncity]

New encore career possibility?

Well I could always go back to work

New Semi-Reality TV Show "Retirement Style" and then a magazine with a photo of you in a different locale on the cover each month. Eventually add a magazine. Name: "Fuego" and subtitle: "Fueling Your FIRE Journey".

After about seven years of this, you re-retire on the royalties with triple your monthly budget LOL.

There is a cable channel (I think) called Retirement TV. It was started about ten years ago by John Erickson but I'm not sure how much he's still involved in it.

 

[athena53]

Good article! It reinforces that are no secrets to early retirement. Many people can do it with proper motivation, discipline and a bit of cooperation with the market.

Yes, I think people need to learn this. It's a boring message- one dollar at a time, don't buy a shiny new car every 3 years, don't eat out 3 times a week, don't carry a balance on your credit card so you can take the kids to Disney World... Of course there's some luck involved (investment results, having marketable skills, staying healthy, no expensive divorce) but most of it is under their control.


Even if his readers/viewers don't do well enough to ER that young, they'll be more resilient when emergencies happen along the way and better prepared to retire decently in their 50s or 60s.

 

[ERD50]

...

Ironic that the ad they stuck at the beginning of the video was for a development called Bella Vista with houses starting in the $900's. Not the path to FIRE.

Why not? Nothing at all contradictory about FIRE and a $900,000 home (or two or three!).

You just need the income and portfolio to support it.

-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

New Semi-Reality TV Show "Retirement Style" and then a magazine with a photo of you in a different locale on the cover each month. Eventually add a magazine. Name: "Fuego" and subtitle: "Fueling Your FIRE Journey".

After about seven years of this, you re-retire on the royalties with triple your monthly budget LOL.

There is a cable channel (I think) called Retirement TV. It was started about ten years ago by John Erickson but I'm not sure how much he's still involved in it.

You've basically just described my blog. Travel overseas, spend a month oceanfront in the Bahamas, go on cruises, etc. And throw the travel pics up on my site.

Profit.

 

[Huston55]

Dude!

Dude! I like you (and your blog) BUT, lose the double plaid.

 

[FUEGO]

Dude! I like you (and your blog) BUT, lose the double plaid.

That's what happens when you get in a hurry, pack 2 pair of shorts and only 3 shirts and spend 9 weeks traveling across Europe with a bookbag.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Dude! I like you (and your blog) BUT, lose the double plaid.

Nah...that's called "stealth wealth"

 

[Chopper]

Fuego, when I get moved in downtown next week, let's have a beer, wife and kids invited, Say, Coopers or Pit.
I do not hold your rellies responsible for the Hope Mills dam collapse. Hint, hint.

 

[Chopper]

Hey, as long as double plaid brings out the wife's "that's my guy" smile go ahead and maybe do triple plaid, Cary NC loves that look.

Oh, and maybe some Argyle knee length socks socks but don't be surprised if your pretty significant other is smirking?

 

[mickeyd]

As Tim Buckley (CEO Vanguard) has recently written, "The prime gateway to investing is saving." These folks have figured it out.