The title is a line I often use with friends and even in comments I leave on other websites. There is no compulsion that financially independent people must retire early. In math, there is a concept called ‘necessary’ and ‘sufficient’ condition for a given outcome. Without getting into math, a real-life example will make the concept […]
Statistics tell you that you don’t need to be in the 7-figure net worth club to be part of the rarefied segment of top 1% in the world. It certainly doesn’t take much to be in the top 10%. Still, by definition, this means 90% of the world is not there and most are nowhere close. Granted, a […]
Recovered from election fever yet? As I said before, we will be persistent and will progress forward no matter who gets elected. Can we get back to business and personal finance? Good. Everybody wants money. Okay, maybe not these disciplined Buddhist monks going to their prayer hall. But even the slippers they wear cost […]
Don’t miss it!
Opportunities in life are like a train in an impoverished country. You better get on it whenever you see one going in the direction you want. Otherwise, you don’t know when the next one will come!
This post is a confession of my screw up where I passed on a rare chance to retire early….real early. Read this tale and avoid the mistake I made, so you can catch the express train to early retirement. Otherwise, you never know if it will stop by your station again. (more…)
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
Stop paddling through a lousy job. You deserve better!
Most people work in jobs that drain their energy away. Faced with mortgage or rent, car payments, student loans, credit card debt and other IOUs, most of what gets deposited to your bank as your ‘paycheck’ is gone by the first week of the month. You still have 3 more weeks left before the next paycheck comes.
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
Budget setback? Don’t worry.
The following is a guest post from my friend Ethan. Given the retirement crisis, learning how to handle setbacks in personal budgets is relevant to many. I hope you find it useful.
Effective budgeting typically lies at the core of a successful, long-term financial strategy. Whether it is a relatively informal register of income and expenses, or a detailed, categorical log of household cash flow, keeping track of your money increases financial security.
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
Fitness, that is! In the professional world, we spend a lot of effort trying to look good. This ‘looking good’ can happen by dressing, demeanor, dialogue or documentation (the last one is also part of how you are judged). All of this looking good business can leave you tired and chasing the wrong habits. There are coping mechanisms to retain your sanity and stay mentally fit.
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
Boss: Aren’t we supposed to have a meeting now? Where is everyone?
Secretary: Didn’t you read the mails? They have all quit and are blogging about ER.
It’s no surprise your job feels like a prison after reading many personal finance blogs. It has become a rite of passage for many early retirement (ER) bloggers to declare their freedom from the ‘chains’ of corporate life. After all, being free from what 99% of the world’s salaried class are doing every day certainly gives an early retiree the bragging rights. At times, the financially independent ER bloggers seem like the real 1% as we remain part of the 99%.
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
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.
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.
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?
Raman Venkatesh is the founder of Ten Factorial Rocks. Raman is a ‘Gen X’ corporate executive in his mid 40’s. In addition to having a Ph.D. in engineering, he has worked in almost all continents of the world. Ten Factorial Rocks (TFR) was created to chronicle his journey towards retirement while sharing his views on the absurdities and pitfalls along the way. The name was taken from the mathematical function 10! (ten factorial) which is equal to 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 3,628,800.