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I'm doing great at that. I visited the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands this year, and I've been knitting up a storm. Good friends, healthy food, great job, and now the carefree single life! Doubling my income has come with significantly increased stress levels, but also a great deal of job...

It's been almost 5 years since my introduction, so I wanted to give you all an update on my progress. If I can't brag anywhere else, at least I can brag here. I paid off my student loans in about 5 years ago in January 2011. I'm still debt free and focused on FIRE. I've doubled my income...

Or maybe they just like their privacy more than snazzy digs. My parents own a place just like that.

It's nice to hear from people who aren't striving for "career advancement". I constantly reevaluate my decision not to climb the ladder, even though I know I'm capable of more than I'm currently doing. Most people I meet don't really get it.

I like your style, Sarah. I've chosen lower paying, lower stress jobs too. Many of my friends just don't get it, but when they're working nights and weekends I'm off having fun.

I appreciate both CantThinkofAUserName and MooreBonds’ perspective here. I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle. The boyfriend is currently clearly financially incompatible with me as a lifemate, but he acknowledges that he’s made some dumb decisions and is making an effort to...

I’m not interested in having children, so I’m keeping my freedom for the long term. I haven’t been motivated toward career advancement yet either. This is a big part of what I want to avoid in life. I’m surrounded by people who have put so much of themselves into their work/kids that they...

My boyfriend asked me a question the other day that's been bouncing around in my head ever since. "You have freedom most people don't - what are you going to do with it?" He's trapped by a house and debt and can think of a dozen dreams to chase after if he wasn't so weighed down. I have no...

I'd really like to go to the beach this summer (there's still time!) but the boyfriend isn't really cooperating with my efforts for low-cost vacations. He doesn't want to go pitch a tent at a campground for a long weekend. The only way to do the beach is renting something air-conditioned for a...

Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I have an old 401k that I've rolled into an IRA with Vanguard, and I plan to open a non-retirement account there too for other savings. I'll look up the 4 Pillars books and keep working toward educating myself. I like the idea of investing with a 2-5 year...

I'm not shopping for a husband, just a partner to enjoy life with. And I'm a very good influence on him, but he's got years of work ahead of him before he can be free of past mistakes.

I’ve got my 6-month emergency fund, my complete next-car fund, no debt, and 15% going into the 401k. The map for that part of the journey was pretty clear. I’m feeling a little adrift now. Keep saving, yes, but how do you maintain focus when the goal is 20 years away? What are the milestones...

It sounds like she's made the first move, as is gracefully giving you the space to decide whether you want to follow up on it. Given that your interactions so far have been on FB, I think it's appropriate to have a few emails worth of conversation before asking her out. As someone who has been...

I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. Even while paying off debt I've been saving 18% of my income. I've got a 6-month emergency fund. I've got money saved up for my next car when I need it, as well as for an adventure this summer. I'm not interested in kids or an endless progression of...

I've got "spend less than you earn" down, it's the investing side that I'm still trying to wrap my head around. I'm hoping that by living modestly and saving a high percentage of my income I'll be able to retire early from low-stress, no overtime positions doing things I actually enjoy. And...

If I get a refund I'll top off my savings for my next used car. My 2000 Corrolla is still going strong, but it'll happen eventually. This is my first year filing taxes on my own after a divorce, so I'm not sure what things are going to look like.

Hi, I'm FireandEarth. I'm 30, a single woman renting in the Washington DC area, and I just paid off my last penny of debt! I've been working for the last 5 years on paying off student loans and building up savings, and it's finally time to start working toward the next big goals - Adventures and...