You want to escape the ordinary … But you also want a practical plan. You’re as pragmatic as you are adventurous. You’re a rebel with a retirement plan. How do you start? **** After last week’s post, several Afford Anything Rebels asked me how to prepare for a massive leap into the unknown. Some…
Fear is whispering. It’s in your ear. And it’s getting louder. “You can’t quit your job,” the fear whispers. “You’ll never find another one.” “Don’t invest,” it says. “You’re not smart enough.” “You shouldn’t travel,” it insists. “The world is dangerous and lonely.” Hogwash. Baloney. Pfooey. Fear is wrong. But the vast majority of people…
This has been a big week: I had dinner with my biological sister, whom I haven’t seen in 7 years. (I was adopted.) But this isn’t a blog post about cross-country family reunions. It’s a post about a magical thing called discretionary income, the key to a portal of incredible opportunities. Discretionary money lets me…
How often have you heard people defend flagrant spending with the following words: “Ah, c’mon. It’s only $25!” Hogwash. That’s the wrong way to think. The better mental shift is to think: “That cost one hour of my life.” **** Unless you’re magical, $25 doesn’t appear out of thin air. You get that money in…
Should you pay cash for a car? That question isn’t just a hypothetical anymore. We need to buy a car. And that means we need to make a five-figure decision. It’s been almost two months since Will’s car got stolen, and it’s time to buy a replacement. His last car, as you may recall, was…
Guess what? We did it again. We bought House #4, which represents our 6th rental unit in total! “Whoa, Paula, this is getting ridiculous.” Yeah, I know. Let’s meet the new rental, shall we? NOTE: This article was last updated in 2015 (and all numbers reflect that year). The Rental House First, the stats: It’s…
I’ve endured 18 years of bad vision. I’ve worn glasses or contacts since elementary/middle school. In prehistoric days, bad eyesight might have been a death sentence. I couldn’t hunt prey, forage for berries or spot predators. In 21st century America, though, blurry vision is a minor inconvenience. It’s also an expense that adds up faster…
One of the things I love most about travel is stepping into an environment that shatters your assumptions and norms, forcing you to re-consider your life. Here are five things I’ve learned during the last 3 weeks in Paris: #1: Own REAL Things. Last week I walked past an umbrella repair shop. Let’s think about…
I’ve been in Paris for more than a week, and I’m reminded of how little money you need to have an amazing experience. This morning I ate a fresh baguette (88 cents) with cheese and olives, and sipped a homemade cappuccino in my living room. This afternoon I’m taking a long walk to a local…
My 72-year-old dad just announced that he’s learning to drive a stick-shift. Why? Because he wants to drive – instead of relying on taxis or buses – when he travels to countries that only have manual transmissions. And he goes to a lot of other countries. Last year he and my 72-year-old mom flew to…