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This article is about what an underground electronic-dance-music rave was like in the rave hey-deys of the late 1990’s. It is also about how this magical underground music scene — filled with intense creativity, passion, and people —reminds me of the financial-independence blogging community of today. The late 90’s raving community impacted my life inRead more

Do you dream of traveling the world?  Do you feel like traveling is too expensive to realistically do?  I thought so too, until my wife Amanda showed me how to do it.  This article is about how to use the awesome travel-hacking tool:  Skyscanner, and how to find the cheapest flights around the world onRead more

It’s tax time!  Did that sentence about taxes make you cringe?  Does talking about, “How to file your own taxes?” make you dizzy and uncomfortable?  This article is written to give you the information you need to feel confident if you choose to file your own taxes.   This week I was contacted by aRead more

I went for a walk last night as the sun set.  It’s March in Minnesota.  The snow banks were melting, causing cold, icy, and slippery side-walks as I walked.  This is the season in Minnesota where spring and winter mix together.  Warm afternoon air mixes with the sub-zero nights, and an icy mess appears everywhereRead more

Our best investment strategy was inspired by this below Paul Samuelson quote (a 1970 Nobel Prize winner in economics): “Investing should be dull. It shouldn’t be exciting. Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas.” I’ve been reflecting on theRead more

“What is your best money advice?”  My brain flashed with all the ideas, experiences, and memories I’ve had with money as I read this question on social media.  It didn’t take me long to spit out my best money advice:   “My best money advice is easy:  Avoid liabilities like they’re scalp-eating, flying monkeys.  BuyRead more

In 2013, I dreamed of starting my own business and working from home.  I knew what I wanted out of life.  I could see my dreams crystal clear on the dance floor inside of my skull.  But my problem was a common one:  I knew what I wanted.  I just had no idea how toRead more

Our furnace stopped working last week.  It’s starting to be winter in Minnesota.  I found myself in a pickle.  Do I pay a contractor $500 to fix it?  Or do I try to fix it myself for a fraction of the cost?  This is the story of how I handled this potentially expensive situation:  Read more

There are three universal truths that are vital to building wealth.  Do you know them?  Do you practice them?   I’ll get into the three universal truths below.  But once you have saved enough money, and your money-struggles have mostly ended, what are you going to do next?  That’s the question I want to exploreRead more

A year ago, a friend shared this tip about how to spend money wisely, and it stuck with me to this day:   “Spending money wisely is the  trick to improving your financial situation and creating wealth.”  He said, “If you can learn to master your purchases, you can begin to master your finances.”  Read more