A while back, I received an email from a reader who is going back to school for an engineering degree. He asked me to write a detailed post on why I gave up my engineering career. Engineering is a great field to get into. These STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) …
Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of the SAHD recipes. Today, I’ll share my yakisoba recipe. This is way better than the typical yakisoba at the zoo or a run of the mill teriyaki shop. However, a good Japanese restaurant can make it much better than this. You’ll have to …
Recently, my son discovered the game – would you rather? It’s a pretty silly game when you play with an 8 year old boy. Usually, he asks something childish like this. Would you rather punch yourself in the face or punch yourself in the penis? Obviously, I don’t like either …
Hey everyone, I hope you are staying safe. 2020 is turning out to be a crazy year. There is one problem after another and we’re not even halfway through yet. Last week, I watched the George Floyd video and it was very upsetting. I support our law enforcement officers, but …
Recently, I received an interesting comment on this post – Save 50% Retire Early. I was saying it might take 20 years to retire early if you save and invest 50% of your income. This is longer than we’d like, but it’s just an estimate. Some people will get there …
Earlier this year, we moved into our investment duplex. We purchased this duplex in 2014 and planned to move into it at some point. In February, one of our tenants moved out so we executed our plan. It was getting more expensive to live in our condo anyway. The property …
Maybe not every landlord hates autumn. But I sure do. Why? There are just too many problems to deal with. I haven’t had to spend much time at the rentals this spring and summer. It was great. Now that it’s autumn, I’m working at least 2 extra hours per week. …
Today, we have a guest post from CrowdStreet, our affiliate partner. I started investing in real estate crowdfunding with them earlier this year and I’ve had a great experience so far. Recently, I noticed some projects are designated as “Opportunity Zone.” I don’t know anything about these so I asked …
Autumn is here! The weather is cooler and the leaves are starting to fall. This is a great time of the year in the Pacific Northwest. We finally get some relief from the hot summer days and forest fires. School has started and the kids are all busy with various …
Today, I’ll answer this question once and for all – “are you really retired?” Most working people view retirement as an abrupt transition. They think you’re either retired or not. It’s on or off for many people. However, things rarely work like that in real life. Even a TV usually …
Have you checked your Social Security statement this year? I’m not counting on Social Security to fund my retirement, but it’s still nice to see the potential income. Of course, lots of things can change before I turn 67. That’s why I’m copying my father in law and designate my …
Last month, we went to visit my parents in Thailand to see how they’re doing. It’s been a tough year for them. My mom used to live with us part-time, but we moved her to Thailand about a year ago. She has dementia (most likely Alzheimer’s disease) and I couldn’t …
Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of SAHD recipes. Today, we’ll make Rad Na noodles, another classic Thai street food recipe! I didn’t like this dish much when I was a kid, but I love it now. Usually, when I get a 2-pound package of rice noodles, I cook Rad …
Hey everyone! Summer is almost over. I told the kids there are only 3 weeks of summer left and they refuse to believe me. Hahaha! I’m so mean, but these last few weeks of summer is tough. We already finished all the summer projects, camps are all done, and it’s …
It’s best to start saving in your 20s if you want to retire early, but life isn’t perfect. Many people didn’t save much in their 20s or 30s due to a variety of reasons. Some have low income. Some spend too much or take on a lot of debt. Stay-at-home …
Hey everyone, we’re off to the races for 2020! January was a good month for us. I made some progress on my New Year goals and our cash flow was good. However, our net worth took a small step back. The stock market dropped a bit at the end of …
Summer vacation 2020 isn’t looking good. My original plan was to visit my parents in Thailand. However, that’s impossible now. Thailand has extended the ban on passenger flights until the end of June. I’m pretty sure the rule will be very stringent when the airport opens back up. Most likely, …
Our family loves pizza. Who doesn’t? I know you can order cheap pizza, but it won’t be this good. Our 8-year-old son ate half of this pizza by himself. It’s awesome and it’s really easy to make. However, you have to plan ahead a bit if you want to do …
Hey everyone, I got a great idea! What if I start a food channel on YouTube and run it under the Retire by 40 brand? That way I can write off restaurant meals and never have to pay full price for eating out again. Wouldn’t that be awesome? First off, …
Hey everyone, we’re back from our Oregon road trip. Actually, it was 2 short road trips with a break at home. It was really nice to get out of town for a few days. This summer is surreal. Like many people, we have been stuck at home since March. My …
