A year-long spending moratorium

While walking the dog last weekend, Kim noted that I’ve been getting a lot of packages in the mail lately. “What’s up with that?” she asked. I sighed. “Remember how we shared that bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve?” I said. “Well, that got me buzzed enough that I sat down at my computer …

My 2020 in review: Steps in the right direction

Are you all ready for this? It’s one of my favorite days of the year! I just spent an hour entering data in Quicken, then another thirty minutes analyzing it. It’s time to run some numbers. How well did I do with my financial goals last year? Was I able to cut back on dining …

Start where you are

Ah, a brand new year. Especially after the shitshow that was 2020, it’s good to have the sense that we can begin anew, that we can shed some of those habits and behaviors that have been holding us down while adopting new patterns that lead us to become better humans. I actually enjoyed a fruitful …

Myths and misconceptions about financial independence and early retirement

As the financial independence and early retirement movement (or FIRE movement, for short) has gained popularity, some myths and misconceptions have sprung up about what it entails. Too many people make assumptions about what the FIRE movement is and what it’s made of. A lot of folks think the FIRE movement is cult-ish. Some think …

The GRS Holiday Gift Guide

Every year at about this time, I start getting questions by email and social media — and even in Real Life: “Do you have any personal-finance or money-related gift ideas?” I know how tempting it can be to choose gifts that encourage smart financial choices. You look at the poor decisions your brother or sister …

A vision for the future of Get Rich Slowly

Well, it only took me three years, but I finally have a vision for what I want to do with Get Rich Slowly. When I re-purchased this site in 2017, I did so without any real idea of what I’d do with it. I wanted it back for sentimental reasons. (And so that nobody else …

A list of personal-finance events, conferences, and retreats

Last week, my colleague Patrick from Cash Money Life pinged me on Facebook. “Hey, J.D. What are some of the other personal-finance conferences out there?” he asked. Patrick and I brainstormed a list of money events, and I realized that this might be useful for GRS readers. (Well, this list might be useful eventually. Right …

Essentialism: The mindful pursuit of quality

It’s been quiet around here for the past few months. Generally when things go dormant at Get Rich Slowly, that’s not a good sign. It usually means that I’ve sunk into the depths of depression, the pit of despair. I’m pleased to report that in this case, that’s not the issue. In this case, the …

Finding a millionaire money mentor

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You’ve probably heard that saying before. It’s from motivational speaker Jim Rohn. He used it as a way to encourage people to learn and grow from others’ experiences, habits, attitudes, and so forth. He wanted folks to seek out and spend …

How to prepare for a natural disaster

My world is on fire. As you may have heard, much of Oregon is burning right now. Thanks to a “once in a lifetime” combination of weather and climate variables — a long, dry summer leading to high temps and low humidity, then a freak windstorm from the east — much of the state turned …