Category: A Head Start

I originally wrote this post in 2014. We were doing well financially then, but we are much more comfortable now. Did I change over the last 8 years? Am I still frugal and what do I splurge on these days? Today, I’ll give you an update.  Frugal lifestyle All right, …

Does ethics have a place in your investing strategy? This is a difficult topic, but it is more relevant than ever with the current conflict in Ukraine. Since the invasion of Ukraine, over 400 companies pulled out of Russia. This is to help support the sanctions and to show solidarity …

Wow, what a great 40th birthday cake! Yes, I know the title of the blog is Retire By 40. However, many of our readers are in their 40s and 50s and they are planning to retire soon. You don’t have to be under 40 to read this blog. Maybe I …

Hey, everyone! I’m in Chiang Mai to help out my parents for 3 months. I’m living quite well, but I’m not spending much money at all. That’s mainly because I’m staying with my parents for now. I go out to eat every day and it isn’t too expensive. However, the …

Hey, everyone! I’m in Chiang Mai, Thailand for 3 months. The food here is awesome and super affordable. Today, I’ll share the top 3 grilled chicken places in Chiang Mai. In my experience, the grilled chickens in Thailand are way better than in the US. The chickens here are smaller …

Whew, we made it back to Portland! That was a long road trip to California. We decided to drive from Portland instead of flying because the price of flight tickets for the three of us was so high. Gasoline was expensive too, but it was still a lot cheaper than …

Hey everyone, we are back in Thailand! Mrs. RB40’s sabbatical continues. We had a short rest after our California road trip, then flew to Thailand. There are so many flight problems in the US and Europe, but Asia is still functioning pretty well. Our flight to Thailand was trouble-free. It …

Oh wow, it’s been 10 years since I retired from my engineering career! I’m happy to report that I’m still retired and life is awesome. Some people said it can’t be done, but I’m doing it. Don’t listen to the critics. You have to live your own life and find your …

Come on everyone, be honest and complete this sentence with me. Oh man, inflation is crazy. I know it’s been high since 2021, but the numbers have been off the charts lately. In case you’ve been stuck in a Shanghai-style lockdown, check it out.    Recently, inflation has been over …

Hey Everyone! I need a little help. Last week, I received a question about inflation spending. Basically, the reader asked if there is anything we should buy ahead of time to head off future inflation. I did some research and only came up with a few things. Okay, here is …

Have you seen this article in the NY Times? Congratulation! You’ve Been Fired! Dan Lyons shared some of his experience working at HubSpot, a tech company. Here is a little excerpt. ..when you got fired, it was called “graduation.” We all would get a cheery email from the boss saying, …

Hey Everyone! We are island hopping in the Maldives and I want to tell you – Don’t do it! Why not? Read on and see why I suggest picking an island and sticking with it. Okay, this is a long story. In 2020, the hospitality industry experienced a big downturn …

Hey everyone! We are back in Portland after 8 weeks of traveling. Whew, I am worn out. I think we are done with backpacking. Packing up and moving every few days isn’t as fun as it used to be. We had fun, but this trip just took a lot out …

Hey everyone! Today, we have a guest post from Sam Dogen aka. Financial Samurai. I am chilling in the Maldives and I can’t get any work done. Fortunately, Sam offered to write a guest post for Retire by 40 and sent me his new book to review. I’m about halfway …

Hey everyone! I’m home after 3 months in Thailand. I had a great time there, but wow, it is so nice to be back. There really is no place like home. Unfortunately, Japan Airlines’ “Chewing” millet pasta gave me food poisoning (stomach cramps and diarrhea). I was in pain for …

I know, I know. You’re probably thinking – Joe has gone too far this time. However, this isn’t as uncommon as you’d think. According to a Pew Research survey, about a third of Americans like or even love doing their taxes. Most of these people said they like doing taxes …

Hey, everyone. Q1 is over! Boy, what an exciting year 2022 has been, so far. Well, exciting isn’t quite the right word. The world seems to be spinning out of control, but we have to figure out what we can and can’t control. I can’t do anything about inflation, the …

Did you know that 4 out of 10 wives earn more than their husbands? I had no idea. I thought our family was just a small minority. However, female breadwinners are a growing trend and all of us will have to adjust to the new reality*. Changes can be difficult especially when …

Hey, everyone! Sheesh, what a crazy month. Russia invaded Ukraine and the stock market threw a fit. I’d invest more if I was at home, but it’s very difficult to react that quickly while I’m in Thailand. Vanguard won’t let me log in. I have to call them to make …

Retirement can be a tough transition. People think retirement would be easy, but it can be a blessing or a curse. You could really love it or just loath it. It depends on what you do with your newfound freedom. I’m visiting Thailand for 3 months and it became clear …

Last week, I saw a very interesting personal finance story. If you haven’t seen this, then take a guess who this story is about. This person is an entrepreneur, hedge fund manager, and investing guru. Here is their asset allocation. 50% in cash 40% in U.S. index funds 5% in …

Kids grow up so quickly. I originally wrote this post in 2015 when our son was 4 years old. Now, he’s 11! Back then, he didn’t really understand money, but he knew money is nice to have. He always picked up coins whenever he saw one and put them in …