Finance

Finance-Related posts

  • Is Owning a Timeshare a Good Investment?

    When you hear the word timeshare, you probably think: bad investment, can’t sell them, high fees, low flexibility, outdated.  And many more, I’m sure.  They’ve made a few people very rich (the guy behind Westgate Resorts) and also infamous (same Westgate guy, who tried to build the greatest mansion in the world in Orlando and it went so bad Hollywood made a documentary out of it). Is a Timeshare a Good Investment? We recently took advantage of a timeshare offer from SPG’s Vistana Vacations to spend 4 nights in Los Cabos, Mexico at their Westin Los Cabos resort, and attended the obligatory 2-hour presentation by a friendly and charming salesperson. …

  • The After Tax 401k Retirement Strategy

    The Mega Backdoor Roth 401k Retirement Strategy

    I attended a seminar hosted by my employer on the new benefit they are rolling out. They are now allowing Roth 401k contributions as part of our 401k plan. Happy days, right? More options for people who want to have more options. But little did I know that this will open up an entire new retirement strategy for us and will mean more tax-deferred or even tax-free growth on earnings on our money! The Mega Backdoor Roth 401k Retirement Strategy Most people will probably not consider putting more money in an after-tax 401k. There’s so many reasons why: Can’t max out pre-tax, so why even put in after-tax money? Living…

  • How Much Are We Spending

    How Much Are We Spending? – January 2016 Edition

    Hello there!   Every month, when I (Peter) do the budget, I take a look at how much we spend as a percentage of our income on all of our expenses, from utility bills to mortgage to dining out to travel. How to read our spend report: For privacy purposes, we don’t actually put in the actual numbers of our earnings. We earn our income through a variety of means: By both having full-time 9-6 type jobs. By side hustling for extra cash: By renting out our spare bedroom on AirBnB (to get $20 off your first booking, let us know so we can email you a referral code). You…

  • Our Rental Property Hunt

    The Search for our Second Rental Property

    After we bought our first rental property in October 2016 in St. Augustine, FL, and successfully rented it out on a one-year lease, we were determined to get a 2nd rental property in 2017.  Jacksonville and St. Augustine both had promising areas, affordable prices, and a wide pool of renters thanks.  We didn’t think it would be easy, but we were confident that we’d get that property and continue to build our net wealth.  It didn’t quite work out and here is a house by house look at how it went wrong and how we should approach the same situations in 2018. The Search for our Second Rental Property  …

  • You are more than your job

    You Are More Than Your Job

    Most people in the FI space have at least a current job that they are doing right now. Some people hate it, some people actually like it. For those who actually hate their job or are just going to work to get that paycheck every two weeks, I have a message for you: You Are More Than Your Job