For me, the Budgets Are Sexy blog has always been about the community. Sharing cool ideas, sharing lessons learned, and making money a FUN topic to talk about! I believe everyone’s path to financial independence is slightly different, and I’m excited to share more about mine. And learn about yours!

I’m a family guy living in Colorado with my wife and two young children. I studied biology and chemistry in college, but somehow turned into a software developer. From as far back as I can remember, I liked to save and earn money. My goal was to build a portfolio of $1,000,000 by February of 2017; 1500 days from the birth of this blog (January 1, 2013). And hey look, I’ve since retired!

Hello and thanks for checking out my blog! First off, I go by the moniker "Cubert". Early Retirement, powered by Financial Independence, also known as “FIRE” — that’s the real premise of this blog. My career in technology has had its ups and downs, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a nagging itch to take on passion projects. Effectively, I just wanna be my own boss.

Thanks for stopping by. This is a Boomer retirement planning and “wealth” management blog. Whether you’re still working, or are now retired, this blog is for Boomers who want to protect, grow, and manage their nest-egg. It’s for Boomers who’ve ever asked: How do I protect and grow the money I’ve spent a lifetime earning? How do I make sure I don’t outlive my money? What’s the best way to increase the size of my nest-egg while I’m still working? Should I buy long-term care insurance? When should I take Social Security? How can I reinvent myself in retirement? The goal is to provide you with enough information, backed by reputable sources, that you can manage your own financial affairs. I’ll cite and link to these reputable sources.

We are Todd and Wendy Christensen (aka 50+ and 50-), an average couple on an extraordinary journey from mediocre finances to Financial Independence to Retire Early (FI/RE). As a couple, we don’t want to retire on Social Security and a limited IRA. We have committed to eliminating ALL our debt by our late 50s and early 60s while building passive income streams that will permit us to pursue a meaningful life outside the 8-5 workday.

Anthony has married his passions, investing and education. While teaching social studies full-time, he founded a registered investment advisory firm, where he constructed financial plans and oversaw $50 million in client assets. As a CFP, he has a vast knowledge of personal finance strategies; and, as an educator, he has a natural ability to explain complicated economic and financial concepts, put them into an historical context, and make the practical application of these concepts come to life. Prior to starting his teaching career, he worked in the financial industry, trading foreign currencies. He brings to Ritholtz Wealth Management an expertise of the inner workings of the 403b market. His goal is to build awareness of the conflicted advice and poor options in these plans, and ultimately bring about much-needed reform. His blog, A Teachable Moment, helps educate investors on how to protect their interests.