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By Bryan Jepson, Guest Writer
Summer travel costs can rise fast once hotel rates, restaurant meals, gas, and attraction tickets start piling up. Many families want a break without coming home to a credit card bill that feels like a second vacation. The good news is that affordable summer travel still exists if you plan carefully and focus on simple … Read more
Hey everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather. It’s been a while since I posted an update. To be completely honest, blogging became much more difficult once I stopped posting every single week. There are always so many things to do around the house, and writing is much harder when I don’t stick to a strict schedule. Anyway, I promised to update my withdrawal plan, so here it is. This plan isn’t set in stone. We’ll constantly modify it to minimize taxes and respond to unforeseen circumstances. We will likely withdraw more in some years to cover “lumpy” expenses, like buying a new car. Life is full of surprises, and we’ll have to adapt as needed. Our early retirement withdrawal plan is flexible. Right now, we have almost $1 million combined in our taxable brokerage account and Treasury bonds. However, we also have changing family circumstances to navigate. Our parents are getting older and need more assistance. Because of this, we plan to move to California to be closer to Mrs. RB40’s family when our son finishes high school in 2029. As you’ll see below, this move is a massive factor in our financial timeline. (For context, I am 52.5 years old right now.) The Timeline: 2026 to 2049+ 2026 to 2028: The Early Years & Simplifying Real Estate 2026 is our first year of full retirement. Our active income will be minimal—probably around $5,000 from blogging and minor side gigs. Fortunately, Mrs. RB40 has a small pension of about $10,000 annually. More importantly, her retirement plan includes group health insurance coverage. We pay the same premium amount as we did when she was working, and it’s deducted directly from her pension. This is huge. Not having to worry about the ACA marketplace or healthcare costs gives us a lot of breathing room. Estimated Annual Expenses: ~$75,000 Active Income + Pension: ~$15,000 Passive Income (Dividends/Interest): ~$20,000 The Gap: We need to cover a shortfall of about $40,000. The Solution: Since we are moving to California in a few years, I am winding down our Portland rental real estate. We recently put our rental condo on the market. Once sold, it should generate roughly $150,000 after fees and taxes. This cash pool, combined with our other income streams, will fund the next 2 to 3 years of living expenses. Our Housing Adjustments: Currently, we live in a duplex and rent out the upstairs unit. However, I’ve asked our tenant to move out in 2027. RB40Jr is a teenager now and needs more space. One bathroom doesn’t cut it anymore. Mrs. RB40 also wants more room since she is home full-time. We will use the next few years to live comfortably in the whole property while fixing it up to get it ready for sale. It’s a big win that we resisted upsizing for 15 years. Most families expand their housing when they have kids. Note on a lumpy expense: I may purchase a new car
A study from real estate giant Redfin says it takes an annual salary of $115,000 to afford a house in the US. The study proves … Read more
Last year I almost paid $189 for a Dutch oven that was sitting on another site for $112. Same brand, same color, same size. I caught it with 30 seconds to spare because I had the right browser extension open. It wasn’t luck. These days I run through the same short checklist before buying anything […] The post The apps I use before buying anything online to maximize my savings and find the best price […]
A useful pantry does not need fancy jars or a grocery haul that wrecks your budget. It needs the basics that turn into breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and backup meals when the week gets away from you. Walmart’s house-brand staples are doing a lot of the heavy lifting here, especially on rice, pasta, canned goods, […] The post 18 affordable Walmart buys to fill your pantry top to bottom this week appeared first on Wealthysinglemommy.com.
A vibrant assortment of vegetables cooking on a barbecue grill, perfect for summer gatherings.Image Source: Pexels The arrival of warm weather means it is finally time to fire up the grill for neighborhood gatherings. However, high meat prices and food inflation can make hosting a summer party feel very expensive. You do not have to spend a fortune to provide a delicious meal for your friends and family. Strategic planning and smart shopping allow you […]
Most estate planning conversations begin with questions about transferring wealth efficiently. Families want to know who inherits retirement accounts, whether a trust is necessary, how to avoid probate, and whether estate taxes will become a problem. Those are all legitimate concerns, but they are rarely what causes the greatest stress when a crisis actually unfolds. The breakdowns that destabilize families are usually operational. A surviving spouse suddenly cannot access accounts. Bills stop getting paid because everything […]
Old-fashioned frugal living is not about being cheap or missing out on life, but it is about using what you already have in a smarter and more thoughtful way. People in the past did not rely on constant shopping or quick fixes, they learned how to stretch every dollar and penny as far as possible. […]
Looking to revitalize your hair without breaking the bank? DIY hair oils are a fantastic way to nourish your locks naturally, and the best part is, you can whip them up at home with budget-friendly ingredients! In this guide, we’ve rounded up 10 easy and effective recipes that cater to various hair types, so you can customize your own blend and enjoy salon-quality results right in your kitchen. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(609); }); Rosemary Infused […]
How one woman saved $30,000, quit her job, and traveled the world for a year (then never stopped). Quitting your job to travel the world sounds unrealistic to many people. Maybe even irresponsible. But…for long-term traveler and creator Kesi Irvin from Kesi To and Fro, taking a career break to see the world felt necessary. […] The post How To Plan a Round the World Trip Step-by-Step with Kesi Irvin appeared first on The Thought […]
Most financial planning questions don’t start with pricing, but at some point, they tend to land there. If you’re considering working with a financial planner in Seattle, the conversation usually shifts to: What does this actually cost—and what am I paying for? Let’s walk through it together: What you’re paying How pricing works And how to think about the value behind it What Does “Fee-Only Financial Planner” Actually Mean? At its core, fee-only means: Your […]
I used to think that the purpose of budgeting was to get your spending as close as possible to what you predicted you would spend when you set your budget amounts at some earlier point, maybe a month, or even a year, in advance. No wonder so many people hate budgeting! That sounds like an impossible task! Allowing your budget to be flexible is the key to success! It’s okay to pivot mid-month when you […]