Category: Life

Work Abroad Before You Retire

Posted by 12Life, Money, Work

If you are well aware of the retirement crisis in the first world or worried about your own retirement, then you have come to the right place.  In an earlier post, we saw how a simple decision to rent, while giving you the opportunity to be globally mobile, can help accelerate your journey towards financial independence.   Once you learn to move and thrive in your new role for work in a new place, you will not worry about doing the same in retirement to enjoy a higher quality of life.

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Nothing more scary than being old and penniless.

What The Retirement Crisis Means for You

Posted by 7Investing, Life, Money
Nothing more scary than being old and penniless.

Being old and penniless – now that’s scary.

Let’s face it.   Americans, and for that matter, most of the western world, are ill-prepared for their retirement.   Reading ER blogs and personal finance websites will not give you the real picture as the authors and commentators are a progressive bunch who, collectively, are better off financially than others.  The real truth, of course, is scary.  In this post, I analyze two charts from a well-researched American study to explain what this means to you and why you should care.

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Invert. Always Invert!

Posted by 19Life
The Jacobi (or is it ibocaj?)

 The (now) famous Mr. Jacobi (or is it ibocaJ?)

The 19th century mathematician Carl Gustav Jacobi is attributed to have said “Invert, Always Invert!”.   His words never had it so good until recently.   His name and work might have forever remained within the cocoon of academic mathematics if not for his quote made famous in recent times by Charlie Munger.  The modern life application of Jacobi’s urging covers all forms of societal, economic and even personal issues where the concept of inversion can be useful.  The concept can be applied at a global level or at an individual level. For example, the question “How do we increase our country’s exports?” can be inverted as “What are all the ways by which we can reduce our exports?”.

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You cannot shrink your way to FI

Posted by 13Life
'Utils' is how an economist defines satisfaction. Quantity can be anything that you have or want (money, time, no. of vacations you take etc.).

‘Utils’ is how an economist defines satisfaction. Quantity can be anything that you have or want (money, time, number of vacations you take etc.).

In the pursuit of financial independence (FI), you will have to deal with frugality. Frugality, like many things in life, is relative.   I always find it curious to read how someone can live under $10,000 a year or under $15,000 a year with family (in a developed country.  This qualifier is important because these figures are a comfortable middle class income in many developing countries).   I read such articles more to understand the full extent of human ability to shrink their expense footprint beyond what many consider as feasible.   

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Entrepreneurship Hype – It Will Cost You

Posted by 3Life, Money, Work
The idea is nice, but the odds don't make it real.

The idea is nice, but the odds don’t make it real.

One of the common themes among self-improvement seminars, self-help gurus and life coach experts is this idea that you are limiting yourself by working in a job and that you must own your own business. The clarion call for entrepreneurship is tempting indeed.  One well-known blogger has built a thriving business telling others to create their own business and not to be the ‘slave’ by working in a job.   Personal development is critical for everyone, but do you have to start a business to develop yourself?  

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What can investors learn from Donald vs. Hillary?

Posted by 2Life, Money
Mr. Emotion vs. Ms. Measured

   Mr. Emotion                    vs.          Ms. Measured

Elections are an exciting time in a democracy – campaign rallies, conventions, debates, allegations,  mud-slinging and fund-raising.  The end objective is to earn the investment (vote) of as many citizens as possible.   Amidst all the hoopla, one only hopes that truth and fair process get a chance to influence voters on the best candidate to lead the country.  This Presidential election season in U.S. has moved up the excitement scale, mainly due to the polar opposite candidates fielded by both major parties.

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Oh, dear latte! You have been crucified. Fear not, Mr. TFR at your service. Always keep me happy with your frothy texture and warm liquid company.

Sensibly Frugal

Posted by 6Life, Money
Oh, dear latte! You have been crucified. Fear not, Mr. TFR at your service. Always keep me happy with your frothy texture and warm liquid company.

Oh, dear latte! You have been crucified.   But don’t worry.  Always keep me happy with your frothy texture and warm liquid company.

Folks, you have all heard this before.  “If you don’t indulge in that Starbucks coffee every day and invest the savings, you will get rich” or something like that.   I have heard this story far too many times from far too many ‘experts’.  It has even found a place in some bestseller books that sold a million copies!  Time to put this overused latte story to test.   Let’s compare the latte math with the real math @ TFR.

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I have my roots in an unshakeable market so I am invincible. Buy me! I am a no-brainer!

Buying vs. Renting: A Capital Tale

Posted by 12Life, Money
I have my roots in an unshakeable market so I am invincible. Buy me! I am a no-brainer!

I have my roots in an unshakable market so I am invincible. Buy me! I am a no-brainer!

This post took 10 years in the making.  It has its origins in 2005 when I moved to the Washington DC area during the peak of the real estate bubble.  Soon after, I have been recommended, advised, urged and sometimes even warned about my foolish decision to rent.
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The Ten Factors

Posted by 5Life, Money, Work

There are 10 factors in my life journey that I see as integral to a meaningful and successful life, and net worth is only one part of it.   Each of these factors directly or indirectly contribute to my financial and well-being goals.   I hope to share my experience (both pains and pleasures) and learn from your comments on each of these areas.  Here we go:
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About TFR

Posted by 2Life

About the Writer Brian Lesko – Writer and Investor Based in the Pittsburgh, PA area, Brian holds full-time employment as a Warehouse Manager for an electronics firm. Brian enjoys wealth building, investing, gardening and the great outdoors. Brian holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Robert Morris […]

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