I’ve long asserted that you can earn a good income in Australia without a degree. As most of you know, I didn’t finish school, let alone go to university. Despite this, I earned a healthy income ($75,000 on average) as a storeman/forklift operator. And this was enough that I could
Continue readingTag: Financial Independence
How to Travel and Enjoy Time Off Without Killing Your Savings
Travelling is something most of us enjoy. But given the current travel restrictions, most of us won’t be able to go far from home for a while. This is frustrating for many people. And depending on where you are in Australia, you may not even be able to take small
Continue readingPodcast: Misconceptions About the FIRE Movement
Listen to the show: (or download the mp3 file) In this episode, we chat about the misconceptions we see people making about the FIRE movement. Both newbies starting out and outsiders unfamiliar with the concept seem to miss some important key points. We’ll clear those up today, so we can
Continue readingPodcast: Recessions, Fear and Market Timing
Listen to the show: (or download the mp3 file here) In this episode we jump into the always-fascinating topic of recessions and market downturns. How should we deal with these disruptions on our FIRE journey? What should we do with our investments? (note: some details regarding the coronavirus have
Continue readingHow We Manage Our Money Each Month, Explained!
Each time I publish a portfolio update, there is often a small amount of confusion in the comments. You might have noticed this too. The question goes: “How are you able to be ‘retired’ if your passive income from investments is less than your spending?” “Doesn’t this mean you’re forced
Continue readingThe Lost Art of Moderation
There is one major hurdle to get past in the quest for financial independence… The idea that you have to miss out on the good life in order to spend less and save more. This is simply not true. You don’t have to become a monk and abstain from all
Continue readingHouse Hacking: Turn Your Housing Costs Into Profits!
Today, we’re going to get a little creative. With me, I have a special guest who will share insights into a strategy that, until now, I knew almost nothing about. Our guest explains how he’s able to turn one of life’s biggest expenses – housing – into something that costs
Continue readingPodcast: Property vs Shares – A Closer Look at the Major Asset Classes
Listen to the show: (or if you prefer, download the mp3 file here) In this podcast, we take a deep dive into the two major asset classes that people turn to for long term returns: property and shares. These investments are best suited to deliver the income and growth
Continue readingPodcast: Inflation and Why We Invest
Listen to the show: In this episode, we talk about how inflation affects our retirement, the overarching purpose behind building a portfolio of assets, and the most sensible investment strategies to fund 50+ years of financial independence! (if you prefer, download the mp3 file here) Topics covered include:
Continue readingMy Latest Thoughts on Dividends and Diversification
Recent events have prompted me to think more deeply about our investments, our personal situation, and how I want to invest going forward. Most of you will know, we’re steadily transitioning from property to shares over time. The strategy is a bit like this. This lets us build our share
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