FISH | Financial Independence Seeking Happiness: health

Richiitis Life

Contender 2 financial freedom, financial independence, Happiness, health, spending 11:40

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puilaurens Cathare Castle </td></tr>
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<b>I haven't posted for 3 whole months! Tut, Tut, Tut... </b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Response to readers question - what have we been up to.</b></li>
<li><b>Considered selfishness - get our house in order</b></li>
<li><b>Richiitis in the west - wasting wealth</b></li>
<li><b>Ideas to control spending </b></li>
</ul>
<h2>
Whats up?</h2>
In response to a readers question, on what our new lifestyle is like in the Sunny SW of France, here are a few things we have been up to:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>HEALTH </b>- we have changed our diet to Vegan - after watching and reading up on the health benefits we decided to switch. We have only changed to Vegan at home. When we go to a party or eat out we just try to choose a healthy choice on the menu event if it is not Vegan. <br />We are relaxed about this approach and enjoying exploring new recipes: </li>
<ol>
<li>The food is great and our veggie patch and fruit trees have started providing us with loads of tasty meals.</li>
<li>We are definitely healthier. I can fit in to my old jeans \ more energy!</li>
<li>Our monthly shop we believe has dropped from $550 to $440 for our family of 4. Fantastic - more free money for holidays and the house. Dairy and meat is expensive.</li>
</ol>
<li><b>WORK </b>- We have been working hard on our grounds. </li>
<ol>
<li>Cutting and splitting wood</li>
<li>Installing a gravity water feed line from our natural spring to the 
vegetable patch and new poly tunnel. This has reduced our metered water 
consumption dramatically.</li>
<li>We are in the process of hooking up the well to the house as well 
and can then feed one of the toilets and the utilities will well water.</li>
<li>We are installing a solar off grid system. This will feed a few "eco" plug points in the house <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
These reduced our monthly outlays by a modest $80 a month which can go straight to savings \ fun money. <br />
<br />
If we were to save and invest for the equivalent amonunt.... Before tax we would need ~ $94 invested at a return of 4% this would require $28,000 invested. We have spent ~ $2000, time and effort to set this up.  </blockquote>
</li>
</ol>
<li><b>PLAY </b>- holiday time in the SW of France</li>
<ol>
<li>We live in a tourist area full of outdoor swimming lakes and historical castles and market towns.</li>
<li>Our garden is great! Loads of space to entertain and read in the deck chair overlooking the beautiful French countryside. </li>
<li>Each market town has a festival in the summer from Flamenco dancing and Jazz to Pyrotechnic spectacles, wine and local food to name a few.</li>
<li>Holidays are now a short drive to places such as the amazing city of Carcassonne, The mediterranean or Atlantic sea (3hrs in the car) or the Pyreneese Mountains and Spain (2-3 hrs)</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<h2>
Considerate Selfishness</h2>
I recently given a book written by <a href="http://www.randygage.com/blog/" target="_blank">Randy Gage</a> where he talks about a form of considerate selfishness as being a good<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXwXp9ihGUDlRqVuGrPzRMRVxSicry0wSybNWZg-o24gzPjd1Y2mOW6Np2Fk_SKQepLjOjpmrxF_WZvj2LUUJw1UHLioEZ3vXwxZhIOsWXz0ZFML4p-IhrfycNKFkrv375ox02L1g2Be0/s1600/DSC_0186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXwXp9ihGUDlRqVuGrPzRMRVxSicry0wSybNWZg-o24gzPjd1Y2mOW6Np2Fk_SKQepLjOjpmrxF_WZvj2LUUJw1UHLioEZ3vXwxZhIOsWXz0ZFML4p-IhrfycNKFkrv375ox02L1g2Be0/s320/DSC_0186.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collioure" target="_blank">Collioure Fortified Port on the Med </a>- great resturants and beaches</td></tr>
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thing??!! WHAT?<br />
<br />
It's premise from what I could gather is you need to look after yourself first, do not be a burden on others. Once you are sorted then you can make better choices for the people around you, the community and the planet.<br />
<br />
The TRiBe "selfish" approach allows us to be partially self sufficent. We use local resources (wind,sun ,wood and food). Have local holidays. It allows us not to be reliant on others to help us.<br />
<br />
Selfishness allows me to write this blog. We can spend time 
to read, play with the kids, help them with their homework and hopefully
 pass on some real life skills.<br />
<br />
We are free to allocate our time to what is needed from kids, parents, neighbours, garden, house and even start our own business.<br />
<br />
If that is what "considered selfishness", compared to being overly reliant on a pay check, government, banks, debt, local shops and piped in utilities, we consider it to be a good thing.<br />
<h2>
Richiitis</h2>
This brings me to the point of today's post which I started penning around Christmas. The "considerate selfish" topic goes nicely with a look at our living standards in the West. Our large average income, compared to the rest of the world, gives us huge opportunities such as "Early Retirement" or spend it!<br />
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</h2>
One of those spend it moments comes once a year - Crimbo??? It is summer holiday time just bear with me please.....<br />
<br />
Christmas is a great example of how lucky we are. We go to parties, indulge in food and drink and filling our homes with presents. Did you have a good time? Now here we are in summer time and splashing out on air travel holidays.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-201950/Britons-spend-868-Christmas.html" target="_blank">“Britons 'to spend £868 on Christmas </a><br />
<br />
Overall people will spend an average of £178.57 (~$270) on food and drink, £29.59 (~$45) on decorations and accessories and £17.02 (~$25) on Christmas cards and postage. <br />
<br />
Two-thirds of people expect to pay for the cost of Christmas using savings and 9% said they would use a credit card or loan, but 19% of people admitted they failed to budget for the festive season.” </blockquote>
<br />
Now let’s consider our real situation in the west. Stand back and look at us from the eyes of the rest of the planet. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2_bpRlPa4CvASYF01HnuTnKXttJ_4ouhIonQNtpw3-N-pnT3A3N95V3UIoseOsf76cTETQ_B3amIzm-PrimsDaRvwf1q8kDVbnHM0YXJW1pVUvN1scxd_DE_6WeZSYIKq86GeKva6K7r/s1600/WellBeingGraph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2_bpRlPa4CvASYF01HnuTnKXttJ_4ouhIonQNtpw3-N-pnT3A3N95V3UIoseOsf76cTETQ_B3amIzm-PrimsDaRvwf1q8kDVbnHM0YXJW1pVUvN1scxd_DE_6WeZSYIKq86GeKva6K7r/s400/WellBeingGraph.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.givewell.org/international/technical/additional/Standard-of-Living" target="_blank">givewell source  </a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2008/09/16/new-data-show-14-billion-live-less-us125-day-progress-against-poverty-remains-strong" target="_blank">“New Data Show 1.4 Billion Live On Less Than US$1.25 A Day”</a> </blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So that £868 ($1300) spent on Christmas can pay for almost 3 people in the developing world for a whole Year (1300/456 = 2.85)! </blockquote>
<br />
There are 60 million UK residents. Let’s assume half are spending this money. That is <u>90 million people fed clothed and sheltered</u> in the developed world for a year if we gave or Christmas money away…. <br />
<br />
Looking at us through the eyes of all those people living on less than 1$ a day <u>we must seem unreal</u>. I suppose most don’t know but if they did what would they think? <br />
<br />
<br />
Just look at the graph above , the life satisfaction index for the Rich world flattens out at 7. This equates to around $30,000 of income per year for the west. People in countries where income is $10,000 dollars or less are just as happy.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Are we spending and wasting too much?</blockquote>
<h2>
Spoilt TRiBe</h2>
In my previous post I outlined our current spending in the region of $21,600 per year (for 4 of us) a whopping $18,600 more than a working couple from Vietnam! What does that extra income give our TRiBe? <br />
<br />
What we consider important goods and services that make our lives much easier. We have lots of machine workers such as the washing machine, taxes (roads, bins, police etc.), motorised transport, access to good education and health care. (around $10,000)<br />
<br />
We can easly buy food from around the world at a cost of around $6,600 per year. The rest is entertainment, housing decoration and holidays (around $4,800). Hardly necessities. <br />
<br />
We try to be frugal... In perspective even if we cut down some of our discretionary spending it is still +100's percent higher than the majority of the planet. <br />
<h2>
Being thankful for our lifestyle </h2>
Yet being “frugal” in Western speak in this day and age still relates to a much higher standard of living still. <br />
<br />
All of the extras are not really needed, they are indulgences and sugar highs. Losing them would make little to no difference to our Life Satisfaction. <br />
<br />
We need to “Count our Chickens”, “Reflect on how lucky we are” and “understand things could be much, much worse” than worry about trivial things. <br />
<br />
Living simpler from food to entertainment makes a lot of sense to our well being and contentment. Taking away temptations and yearnings are be good for us in the long run. If we stand back and have a good look at ourselves isn’t it obvious eating ourselves to death is just plain stupid? <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPTjtZ31lwk" target="_blank">“I’m looking at the man in the mirror” – Michael Jackson </a></blockquote>
<br />
Work too hard for too long, to pay for more stuff,  stresses ourselves and damages health. <br />
<br />
Why live in a polluted environment. Why consume junk cluttering and over stimulating and polluting yourself. Utimately this impacts everyone around us. It has a resourc, energy, transport and ultimate disposal cost.<br />
<br />
Presents are meant to be an exception to the norm. Treats are treats because they are infrequent. Entertainment is more stimulating when it is new, infrequent and different. <br />
<br />
This is why delayed gratification is MORE SATISFYING and makes you HAPPIER. <br />
<br />
Being healthier = MORE ENERGY to do interesting and fun stuff enriching our lives. <br />
<br />
So if we in the west can stop acting like spoilt brats perhaps we would all be happier and healthier instead of consuming ourselves into debt, unhappiness and early death? <br />
<h2>
Ideas to simplify, be frugal save and be healthy </h2>
<ul>
<li>Track all your spending and keep supermarket receipts</li>
<li>Each month calculate what you have <b>spent </b>on key areas such as food, transport, entertainment then CRITISISE you’re spending.</li>
<ul>
<li>Did the <b>item </b>really make a difference to you happiness? (e.g. could the film be rented instead of bought?)</li>
<li>Was the spending really <b>necessary</b>? (e.g. could you have walked instead of taking the car)</li>
</ul>
<li>Look in detail at what you have spent of food – how much of it is actually <b>healthy</b>?
 – Try to choose the foods that are good for you and go shopping with a 
list. Only go food shopping after you have had a filling meal.Consider a
 whole foods diet as it has been identified as a way to prevent chronic 
diseases (see the Book <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study" target="_blank">The China Study</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZb-35oV_7E" target="_blank">film Forks over Knives</a>) </li>
<li> If you can live on less you can <b>retire </b>on less - be a considerate selfish person and go for early retirement. Living on less means </li>
<ul>
<li>you need less saved money for retirement or </li>
<li>a lower return on more environmental friendly income</li>
<li>It opens the opportunity to work for a much<b> lower income</b>, working from home or less hours. </li>
<li>Perhaps working for yourself on a planet or human friendly business idea </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
Try considered selfishness today??!!:)<br />
<br />
Peace, prosperity and happiness<br />
<br />
CoNTeNDeR<br />
<br />
Welcome New Readers! Please take a look around.<a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html">Click here</a> to find out more about THE.TriBe and the blog is or perhaps browse the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/all-posts-get-in-ring.html">all posts list</a>, Please feel free to play with the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/muff-tools-and-check-lists.html">planning tools and checklists</a>. If you liked this post can you please spare a few seconds to share it?

Richiitis Life

Puilaurens Cathare Castle I haven't posted for 3 whole months! Tut, Tut, Tut... Response to readers question - what have we bee...

20 Positively Stubborn Ways to be FI

Contender 3 Conformity, Critical Thinking, downshifting, financial independence, Freedom, frugality, Habits, Happiness, health, Risk 18:40

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning a new skill</td></tr>
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I love days when I am put in my place. Learning from an expert and proving to me how little I know.<br />
<br />
Today was one of those days - a humbling experience using a chainsaw. One I will reflect upon many years in the future.<br />
<br />
A chainsaw is a powerful and dangerous machine that you must respect. It is a marvel. At the same time cutting the trees is a bit of an art that takes time to perfect.<br />
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Felling old and new trees will provide warmth for Tribe in the winter making way for new growth. <br />
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<b>Looking at THE.PaST I would never have done this if we did not stubbornly believe in our goal of financial independence in a countryside house. Below I have outlined 20 stubborn steps towards FI which will ultimately make you stand out from the crowd. </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our Stubborn Waste of Wisdom</span><br />
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You start out in life knowing nothing and leave this life knowing a lot. Unfortunately, in THE.CoNTeNDeR's humble opinion, western society does not value wisdom. It really does not give a f****.<br />
<br />
Get out of the way, old man, you are hogging the jobs. Retire, you dinosaur.<br />
<br />
Is it me or is there something seriously wrong in the western world where old people are marginalized and their wisdom is not passed on but mainly deemed outdated. What is out-dated anyway? Is "deliver to your door" and "work till you drop" in front of a computer all that matters nowadays or a means of controlling production and distribution in a way that means profits and taxes?<br />
<br />
We are a stubborn bunch and as a result we are not capable or knowledgeable of the basics of living. This may sound harsh but how many people understand how to wire a plug nowadays.<br />
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The wise old men could teach us DIY and grow your own, tax returns, financial decision making. We are too busy, we do not need to know how to do this, we can take out a loan and pay someone else a lot of money to do it so that we can go and have fun playing videogames.<br />
<h2>
Ignore the crowd / society and be a stubborn bastard</h2>
Making a difference generally means being different. Sure, everyone is different, don't get me wrong but going to work for someone else generally reduces your ability to really make a BIG difference for society and yourself.<br />
<br />
Companies need people to do work accurately and quickly. Efficiency and productivity are the buzz words. Make lots of small differences in work and collectively the company does well. At the same time one's ability to make a REAL difference to society as a whole is EXTREMELY limited.<br />
<br />
Working for someone else<br />
<br />
1. Limits your income - the company makes more money from the work you do than they pay you.<br />
2. Takes up the majority of your time, thus limiting the time you can dedicate to thinking and actually making a real world difference.<br />
3. Conditioning - 9-5 is the norm, a monthly paycheck is the norm, a commute is normal.</div>
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I wonder what Plato and Socrates would have thought of modern society. I have a hunch they would marvel and be repulsed at the level of control society has over us. </div>
<h2>
Learn to Be Different</h2>
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Making a difference means breaking free from normal. Valuing risk over percieved safety and <br />
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conformity. Learning to embrace failure instead of fear?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB0x3s3iJQAccXJ_DTqWOHOAdJI5XJIvOF7vQAOJI2SqF_6EhOowIMYWn5rx-5oPfVmADenIs0JWPXdHROUFZdpe53BtxNTxg9h6vf_T6TDTe4zggkwFOrdxzsM3CGjzRebZR2_vUdKbO/s1600/P1040203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Skills for life" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB0x3s3iJQAccXJ_DTqWOHOAdJI5XJIvOF7vQAOJI2SqF_6EhOowIMYWn5rx-5oPfVmADenIs0JWPXdHROUFZdpe53BtxNTxg9h6vf_T6TDTe4zggkwFOrdxzsM3CGjzRebZR2_vUdKbO/s1600/P1040203.JPG" title="Learning something new" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catching tiles at the renovation project</td></tr>
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Before we get to the <b>Stubborn Financial Independent Ba***** List</b> let's start with the difference between knowing
 and believing. They are completely different but both can be right and 
wrong. Always challenge the status quo thinking (ideally in your head and not out loud if you see what I mean).<br />
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Without trying something for yourself, you will never know. As mentioned above the best way to get ahead in life is to go safe my lad, collect
the monthly pay check and off to the pub. Let's break this down as an example and Ask WHY five times<br />
<ol>
<li>Why do I want to work until retirement & who said that we should? </li>
<li>Why don't I retire early?</li>
<li>Why can't I retire early?</li>
<li>Why do I need to save so much to retire early at my CURRENT living standard?</li>
<li>Why can't I save enough to have the living standard I NEED?</li>
</ol>
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The 5 whys is a powerful technique used to simply think. Seek questions and the answers will follow. It can be applied to so many things in life. Why do I need to buy THIS CAR / HOUSE / VACATION. Have this JOB, FRIEND, DESIRE. Perhaps give it a go now on a subject close to your chest.</div>
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</h2>
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<h2 class="MsoTitle">
Be Different</h2>
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Perhaps being a right selfish bastard has some merits…. providing it is in the right context, taken with a pinch of salt and ideally hidden from sight and not talked about.<br />
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A small note of caution, we need to be careful and stealth-full when starting out on a FI journey. Testing the waters with people around you is advisable before "coming out" full on about FI OR just keeping quiet may be in your best interest at first. Unfortunate consequences from being too bold could be to alienate family, friends and colleagues which may ultimately damage your happiness and ability to become financially independent.<br />
<br />
See the post <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/2013/03/downshifting-what-are-you-doing.html" target="_blank">Downshifting are you mad???</a><br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Stubborn Financial Independent B****** List </h2>
<ol>
<li>Be strong minded and know what you want - dedicated to your mission to obtain what you want.</li>
<li>Keep to your goal but allow yourself to change the way to get there.</li>
<li>Refuse silly stressful timelines - pointless, showing off and asking for trouble.</li>
<li>Don't finish anything fully - waste of time and effort. 20% effort 
will produce 80% of the desired result move on and let someone else do 
the rest.</li>
<li>Question the given "truth" - there is always two sides to any "story" and ask what is in it for me.</li>
<li>Avoid all labels and brands and forget what people say - learn to dress well for less and have a signature. Perhaps a hat, tie, scarf or color. People will ultimately remember you more.</li>
<li>Refuse to accept the price you are offered - everything can be bartered or they loose your trade. Worst thing that can happen is you shop around for a better price cannot get it and have to go back to the same store.</li>
<li>Refuse to gossip - pointless, negative and destructive</li>
<li>Refuse un-ethical work / lying: leave it to someone else with no morals - do you really want to live with it?</li>
<li>Throw away the idiot box (TV) and avoid advertising. Always ask they are telling me this because... we want you to buy something</li>
<li>Do not give up private information for something "Free" - you will be marketed by something on a personal targeted note. </li>
<li>Never eat junk food on at least 6 days a week - go to a burger joint with friends once a week but otherwise eat well.</li>
<li>Refuse to "ride" when you can walk.</li>
<li>Pay a fair share of tax but take all the tax breaks you can get. They are there (such as paying into a pension) so you are entitled to them. I will leave up to you what you believe your fair share of tax should be (noting that the rich like capital gains tax as it is only charged at 18% in the UK)</li>
<li>Keep to your principles and habits if someone says come on this will be fun or are you a wimp - just say NO. </li>
<li>Don't buy presents and don't ask for presents - make them. A drawing, a cake, a pot of jam or tomato chutney.</li>
<li>Mothers / Fathers day, Christmas, Easter Bunny and the Halloween pumpkin lantern are all just clever marketing tools to make you waste money, food and resources on an unprecedented scale.</li>
<li>Avoid all expensive hobbies and sports, golf, skiing, wine club, going to watch games and sport, computer gaming with the latest equipment etc... find a cheap or useful hobby instead. Walking with the local ramblers club, playing football in a team.</li>
<li>Refuse to kiss arse, just be the best</li>
</ol>
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Go out and Be Stubborn</h2>
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So what if someone comes back to you and calls you STUBBORN a
MISFIT or a TROUBLE MAKER? Well, rise above that. How do you change the perceptions and how do you really MAKE A DIFFERENCE.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No matter what you do, make a POSITIVE difference. Be POSITIVE.
Have a GO. Stubborn is not bad, it is CONFIDENCE, CONVICTION and willingness to take RESPONSIBILITY. It is making a difference positive or negative. Shake the boat
and see what falls out. If it was you, it was for a reason and you learnt
something from it for a reason.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We only live one life. A sacking is a learning and an
opportunity. Standing up for yourself breads self-esteem, relationships and
confidence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>CoNTeNDeR Stubborn to the Core.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Peace, respect and tranquility to all stubborn b******* out
there :)</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<b>Welcome New Readers!</b> Please take a look around.<a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html" target="_blank">Click here</a><b> </b>to find out more about <b>THE.TriBe</b> and the blog is or perhaps browse the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/all-posts-get-in-ring.html" target="_blank"><u>all posts list</u></a>, Please feel free to play with the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/muff-tools-and-check-lists.html" target="_blank">planning tools and checklists</a>. If you liked this post can you please spare a few seconds to share it?

20 Positively Stubborn Ways to be FI

Learning a new skill I love days when I am put in my place. Learning from an expert and proving to me how little I know. Today w...

Generational Imbalance

Contender 1 Critical Thinking, Debt, downshifting, Finance, financial freedom, financial independence, health, Investing, market analysis, Oil, Risk, stock screen 10:21

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSNKQivWXJ9XBSJftBikJ-2GoefB5r_MvVDDmcVEugrhMGSMhyphenhyphenlNSOvp7on_CCxr3iuKckb_BVxQcLBSykjgo6JCZI6wMwra9QPx06TeUtHb4-W8SeKR8Ro2p_m6Ycw96LrXQnEZD345a/s1600/P1030554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSNKQivWXJ9XBSJftBikJ-2GoefB5r_MvVDDmcVEugrhMGSMhyphenhyphenlNSOvp7on_CCxr3iuKckb_BVxQcLBSykjgo6JCZI6wMwra9QPx06TeUtHb4-W8SeKR8Ro2p_m6Ycw96LrXQnEZD345a/s1600/P1030554.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIc6oSNcKRyE9han0R3j6birEGopTQqwO82B1OiWeeybw__clSkyOexBzAebOTxNuU6FbjvPzV6PvUQ5ZAJU76jeB14oMO43djG0U7Aj6pSe1AOqaZloNgEqWeMTSG5GYFIIZn2UoAUPN/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b>THE.FuTuRe: </b><i>"You are getting old Contender, you need someone to look after you like the government......."</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>CoNTeNDeR</b>: <i>"Promises, promises, promises - all great on paper but they need to be backed up with real deeds and wealth"</i><br />
<br />
In the fields around us the farmers are already bringing in part of the harvest. Most of the farmers we have seen are in their golden years.<br />
<br />
Heirs are no longer interested in the family business. They are attracted to the bright lights of the cities. Is the void going to be filled by bigger machines and robots guide their way. Society is ageing... <br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ul><b>
</b>
<li><b>Does the natural generational cycle (ageing to renewal) pose problems to future investments </b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Where is capital currently being misallocated</b> </li>
</ul>
<ul><b>
</b>
<li><b>What are the likely investment pitfalls in the years ahead</b> </li>
</ul>
<ul><b>
</b>
<li><b>Do we need to change the way we allocate capital</b> </li>
</ul>
<ul><b>
</b>
<li><b>What financial independence opportunities can arise from the boomer retirement and the <u>natural redistribution</u> of wealth to Generation X and Y and Millenials?  </b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Latest Cyclically and Inflation Adjusted Market Analysis Graphs</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Latest Dividend Value and Growth Dividend Stock Screen Results</span> </b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
A Generational Pyramid Gone Awry</h2>
The developed world has gone through dramatic economic and population growth. Vast numbers of jobs have been created to keep the cohort in pocket and spending. <br />
<br />
We thank them for Cheese in Cans, Pink Slime, Asbestos, Nuclear Accidents, Cities in the Desert, Mega bugs such as MRSA, Snout Houses, Dolly the Sheep, SAW films, The Benefit and Entitlement Society..... a benefit to society, get real.<br />
  <br />
This population growth has had huge implications on the age distribution of society. We now have a more mature society due to improvements in life expectancy and lower birth rates.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ScreenHunter_02-Dec.-15-23.47.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ScreenHunter_02-Dec.-15-23.47.gif" width="320" /></a>A smaller group of young people versus retirees  will be paying the benefits older society has bestowed on itself. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/www/external/pubs/issue_papers/IP176/IP176.fig3.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/www/external/pubs/issue_papers/IP176/IP176.fig3.gif" width="320" /></a>The pyramid (see diagram below) now resembles an imbalanced Thai temple, precariously weak in places but never the less still standing...just....one more gold statue on the top and it is game over.<br />
<br />
"Boomers" born after the first world war are now retiring en-mass. They primarily hold the wealth of western nations as well as the important positions in society. They still have the majority of the vote - and they actually use it to their benefit(s)!<br />
<br />
Vast wealth and benefits have skewered in their favour from high property prices, ownership of shares / businesses, and cheap access to health care.<br />
<br />
It was possible to accrue this wealth as they also benefited from low taxes, free / cheap education, a booming economy (that 'paid for' infrastructure that helped to turbocharge the economy) had access to cheap resources such as oil and land.<br />
<br />
20 - 40 year olds are increasingly reliant on the bank of mom and pop to get started in life delaying their true freedom and independence. Their jobs are increasingly demanding, having been <strike>educated</strike> trained to keep the machines running, don't think, just do it in a very productive manner. While you are at it you will have to pay higher taxes for <strike>our</strike> your benefit(s).<br />
<br />
Fortunately there is light at the end of the tunnel with the changing of the guard.<br />
<br />
As the boomers have to draw down their assets and loose their high profile positions in society their influence will naturally wane. This transition will have significant implications on taxes and investments.<br />
<h2>
Boomer Misallocation of Capital</h2>
We have been blessed with the boomer improvement in technologies that have driven higher life expectancies, mass long distance transport and the marvel of the internet to name a few. At the same time huge waste (resources) and lost opportunities (free energy) slipped through our grasp in the last few decades. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result." (Albert Einstein)</blockquote>
A forefront critic of the boomers way of life has been James Howard Kunstler. He correctly in my opinion highlights all of the literally stupid decisions that have been made by the boomer generation. Here are a few decisions that really make you go hummmm....<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Too big houses</b> - to many resources used to make them, too many resources to maintain them and too many resources to run them. Just consider all of the paint and termite protection, heating of empty spaces.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://activerain.trulia.com/image_store/uploads/6/3/1/5/7/ar127547375975136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://activerain.trulia.com/image_store/uploads/6/3/1/5/7/ar127547375975136.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We used to live in much smaller houses in the US</b> <a href="http://activerain.trulia.com/blogsview/1674255/top-5-new-home-trends" target="_blank">Source Activerain</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>Too big heavy, inefficient cars</b> to get to the too big house too far away from work. Literally burning capital (fuel) - what a waste?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-05-20-oil%20production-Oildiscoveryvsproduction19302030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-05-20-oil%20production-Oildiscoveryvsproduction19302030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Peak Oil Production? Something wrong with this picture? </b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-stein/the-perfect-storm-six-tre_b_582779.html" target="_blank">Source Matthew Stein</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixcfMgPKV6-SV0R0tucQWnXKYC0DqyLylRJbZz8NLb5p2ZW7b55Yz9V6rpABTuIQhTbNbdvCiNYvHOmU0p51cgG0g63lCKUvpak9SvfNSkm1ddkuL9NVLY_l2srcjT-xN_ak6r8xokon5/s1600/AEO_fig_44.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixcfMgPKV6-SV0R0tucQWnXKYC0DqyLylRJbZz8NLb5p2ZW7b55Yz9V6rpABTuIQhTbNbdvCiNYvHOmU0p51cgG0g63lCKUvpak9SvfNSkm1ddkuL9NVLY_l2srcjT-xN_ak6r8xokon5/s1600/AEO_fig_44.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gas Production is increasing - Time to Switch to a Natural Gas Car?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>Introduction of the consumer model</b> - buy buy buy, throw away or get a bigger house to fill up!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.algalita.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Annual-World-Plastics-Production-in-tons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://www.algalita.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Annual-World-Plastics-Production-in-tons.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Plastic Fantastic until it breaks, degrades or is obsolete</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>Creation of <b>powerful self interest groups</b> that are able to buy & erode democracy - keeping the status quo has been profitable for politicians and companies alike. </li>
<li> Accumulation of huge amounts of <b>debt and benefits<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ericgarland.co/wp-content/uploads/pix/2012/01/Total-Global-Debt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://www.ericgarland.co/wp-content/uploads/pix/2012/01/Total-Global-Debt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rising faster than GDP - </b><a href="http://www.ericgarland.co/2012/01/16/a-quick-observation-on-total-global-debt/" target="_blank">Source Eric Garland</a><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></li>
<li><b>Health / sick care</b> pillaging from the public purse and health. Yes we treat illnesses instead of preventing them. Advertising of known foods and products that damage our health are allowed Freedom of choice right? Where is the profit in selling good healthy food that you do not need to eat in huge quantities and contain addictive unhealthy ingredients.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://healthcaretrends.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/oecd-spend-trends-gdp1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://healthcaretrends.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/oecd-spend-trends-gdp1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Health Care or Sick Care?</b> <a href="http://healthreformtrends.com/2009/08/22/comparison-of-healthcare-spend-us-vs-world/" target="_blank">Source healthreformtrends</a><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
So What Happens Next?</h2>
What will our ageing societies do with their accrued 'wealth'. Is it going to be sold, spent and squandered. Vegas here we come, exhausting trips to far away lands, Face lifts, Sports cars, Golf, Fishing, Bridge club pointless really.<br />
<br />
Perhaps wealth and knowledge (retirement is a terrible thing really - all that know how and wisdom consigned to the past) is going to be passed down, invested or given?<br />
<h2>
</h2>
Unfortunately I believe the former will happen. Party time for the old timers! You can't begrudge them some of their time in the sun we can just hope it leaves something left over of value for the future.<br />
<br />
Do consumption stocks do OK? They will be indiscriminately sold to 'pay' for the boomers retirement along with every other stock but their goods will still be required.<br />
<br />
Does the selling have a detrimental effect to the entire market and drive down the retirement income resulting in a death spiral with ultra low interest rates, ultra low bond rates, ultra low dividend returns and lower retirement payouts? <br />
<h2>
Boomers Change their Consumption Habits</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Increases in consumption</h3>
<ol>
<li>More health care</li>
<li>More eating out</li>
<li>Continue to work longer to maintain current lifestyle</li>
<li>More luxury goods</li>
<li>Holidays</li>
<li>Retirement entertainment activities (golf, spar, tennis etc.) </li>
</ol>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
 Decreases in consumption</h3>
<ol>
<li>No commute to work</li>
<li>Move to a smaller house</li>
<li>Selling investments to pay for retirement</li>
</ol>
<ol></ol>
<h2>
Younger Generations Deal with the Fall Out</h2>
So how will the boomer benefits be paid for in the mean time, unfortunately through higher taxes. Younger generations will be spending / saving / investing <i>less</i> not a good equation in anyone's book? <br />
<br />
<b>Entertainment </b>- less eating out / cinema<br />
<b>Clothing </b>- wearing out clothes before buying new / less designer brands<br />
<b>Smaller, more fuel efficient cars</b><br />
<b>Holidays closer to home </b><br />
<b>Less investments</b> / money to save in stocks / bonds etc.<br />
<br />
Does this cause a feedback loop into the ultimate middle class source of wealth - <b>housing</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Boomers want to downshift</li>
<li>Gen X / Y cannot afford to buy a house / apartment and have to rent</li>
<li>Larger sized properties drop in value - boomer that are late to the downsize party are loosing out</li>
<li>Boomers en mass stampede to sell their larger properties making the housing crash worse.</li>
<li>All housing starts to drop in value and finally finds an equilibrium at a fair price for society</li>
<li>Unfortunately this re rating of housing has the possibility to leave devastation in its wake destroying huge swathes of paper wealth.</li>
<li>What inheritance will be left? At least the housing is cheaper!</li>
<b><u>
</u></b></ul>
Perhaps this is why the financial system is being propped up with easy QE money to maintain the myth of asset wealth and the massive misallocation of capital that has taken place.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
The Likely Winners in the Inevitable Reallocation of Capital?</h2>
We are going to redistribute capital whether we like it or not. The forceful destruction of debt and serfdom will cause a repricing of assets to their real world price / value.<br />
<br />
By this I mean the price of everyday needs (food, shelter and energy) over wants and desires (designer goods, gizmo's, luxury holidays).<br />
<br />
Knowing what we do where will the "<a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/2013/10/stuck-generation.html" target="_blank">Hero Generation</a>" look to re-deploy this wasted capital creating a new boom in the global economy? A good starting point is to revert back to Maslow's pyramid of needs to get the basics right before wasting capital on silly items and activities.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPzhnQZKdXjs55FOa1tXDqnVAn0uoerYHiP_nkK6TnLLrAQrhb0UPQk4pJ9Vp7Jza3QkXwPo9_-bBvV7P6tbCT0MmzcdHHS3oNCGPMbpDqC6HfcR5ohiHv9hb3Yymxg8NGndjx_dOmIYd/s1600/Maslow.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPzhnQZKdXjs55FOa1tXDqnVAn0uoerYHiP_nkK6TnLLrAQrhb0UPQk4pJ9Vp7Jza3QkXwPo9_-bBvV7P6tbCT0MmzcdHHS3oNCGPMbpDqC6HfcR5ohiHv9hb3Yymxg8NGndjx_dOmIYd/s1600/Maslow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Maslows Pyramid of Needs</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li><b>Energy efficiency</b> -  there are very simple energy efficiency steps that can be taken. Smaller house, well insulated, smaller car, collect rain water, turn off unused electrical goods etc.</li>
<li>All new building needs <b>new planning guidelines</b> based on a community self sustaining design</li>
<li>All products should be <b>built to last</b> - laws can drive this change.</li>
<li><b>Working from home</b> should be actively encouraged and rewarded</li>
<li><b>Consumption must be reduced</b> - anything that could go digital should (books, magazines, newspapers, bills, certificates and the like.) </li>
<li>More food needs to be <b>grown locally</b> and exotic food should be taxed very highly to reflect the energy it consumes in transport.</li>
<li><b>Education needs to change focus</b> to help develop the industrious, autonomous, gregarious, go getting individuals needed in for the rapid re-design of the broken system.</li>
</ol>
All this buys us time to correctly allocate capital into robust 
(Anti Fragile) living arrangements. This would have the following 
benefits<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Healthy living</b>- reducing our need for health care</li>
<li><b>Cheap energy security</b> - compressed air / electric cars run of solar arrays</li>
<li><b>Reduction</b> <b>in pollution</b> - less packaging = less plastics =
 less toxins = less persistent waste that takes years to degrade = less 
landfill waste.</li>
<li><b>More biodiversity</b> - just read about the die off of the bees - a very
 bad problem for our food security highly likely related to mono culture
 crops and pesticides.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Choosing Prosperous Financial Independence Investments</h2>
Perhaps the ever grinding higher stock market indexes will hit a plateau or gradually decline for a prolonged period of time while a readjustment is made. By a re-adjustment I mean a re-allocation of generational wealth from the boomers to us youngsters.<br />
<br />
Once this adjustment has taken place a new freer and prosperous time is likely to appear with the rules of the game rewritten in a fairer economic system.<br />
<br />
In this is the case a stagnant / declining index is not viable for the 4% draw down rule, which has been fuelled by consistent growth in the world economy, may hit a wall for a period of years through the great reallocation of capital and generational wealth. <br />
<br />
Here are some inflation adjusted and <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/market-analysis.html" target="_blank">cyclically smoothed market and commodity data graphs</a><br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="500" scrolling="yes" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jVkZHm4bo-_dCoKwvayag7Sb-z8ZGpG3AV1uQoN-Tj0/pubhtml?widget=true&headers=false" width="750"></iframe>

In this period of time perhaps stock picking wins over index tracking. Perhaps due to the destruction of wealth of industries that rely on huge profit margins from brand loyalty, cheap resource inputs and frivolous spending - avoiding these sectors could be the difference between true financial independence or back to work.   <br />
<br />
Going defensive by choosing dividend value growth stocks with lower yields in industries with goods and services people NEED may be the better approach to take. Have a look at this blogs <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/stock-screen.html" target="_blank">stock screen</a>*:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="yes" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rk_3w8cmIsy_vkeiH1W6AHpFpzXXMRnWwsq7HJPb1jE/pubhtml?widget=true&headers=false" width="750"> </iframe>

<br />
<br />
These companies could be bought at a current high price to the future as boomers indiscriminately sell off their stocks. The peace of mind is that you can live off the dividends alone that should be safe as the companies profits are derived from people's NEEDS.<br />
<br />
<b>Cash equivalents</b> can be kept on hand to wait for the inevitable stock pullback / crash to take advantage of opportunities.<br />
<br />
<b>Trailing sell stops</b> can be applied to your current portfolio (on non core holdings) to help preserve capital in the case of a crash.<br />
<br />
Peace, prosperity and happiness<br />
<br />
<b>CoNTeNDeR</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* The stock screen and market analysis information is provided for entertainment purposes only. I have never worked in the financial industry and am self taught. Always do your own research and seek professional advice as required and refer to the big fat disclaimer that comes with this site.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Welcome New Readers!</b> Please take a look around.<a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html" target="_blank">Click here</a><b> </b>to find out more about <b>THE.TriBe</b> and the blog is or perhaps browse the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/all-posts-get-in-ring.html" target="_blank"><u>all posts list</u></a>, Please feel free to play with the <a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.com/p/muff-tools-and-check-lists.html" target="_blank">planning tools and checklists</a>. If you liked this post can you please spare a few seconds to share it?

Generational Imbalance

THE.FuTuRe: "You are getting old Contender, you need someone to look after you like the government......." CoNTeNDeR : "...

8 Downshifting Learning's

Contender 0 downshifting, financial independence, health, stress, Work 08:43

<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4o-XIEq2mUcen4QQNrYIALjp9GUKXB7jff0bBIqjKjGTAc4RCiBiTPS7TDJyIpJD8e6l5kceYw5J9E-Y5WC0t56jbGIVS3mUuxsJOUJs1w_B85fnpDiJ2IM34iap_cLGcbgje0W1fufO/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4o-XIEq2mUcen4QQNrYIALjp9GUKXB7jff0bBIqjKjGTAc4RCiBiTPS7TDJyIpJD8e6l5kceYw5J9E-Y5WC0t56jbGIVS3mUuxsJOUJs1w_B85fnpDiJ2IM34iap_cLGcbgje0W1fufO/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting closer to nature in the garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>THE.PReSeNT: </b>"Hey Contender you have been out of the ring a while, you must be rusty. Time to ship your a*** off to the scrapheap."<br>
<br>
<b>THE.FuTuRe: </b>"Look at you rotting away, doing nothing, easy life, lazy life, go back to your hidie hole, looser" <b> </b><br>
<br>
<b>So we have downshifted and stopped working so what have we learnt about the change in lifestyle so far? </b><b><b>Below are 8 major changes and considerations due to the change from 
Town to Country, Jobs to Idleness. <br><br>Following this are 15 points /</b> questions one can ask before taking the downshifting plunge. </b><br>
<br>
<br>
Ah life! Bright lights, sensuous smells, searing pains, sadness, elation.<br>
<br>
Here the TRiBe is in South of France and we have been through most of these emotions already. These emotions have been amplified with the big change in lifestyle we have just made.<br>
<br>
Perhaps we should have just gone with the flow, kept the stimulation of the city and work? - Not on your nelly, our new life suits us so far! <br>
<br>
After massive changes to lifestyle in such a short period of time, doubts inevitably enter your mind.<br>
<br>
Have we done the right thing? Have we affected our children, friends and family too much? What is our meaning in life?<br>
<br>
Unfortunately these negative thoughts arise, driven by past habits. Speed, productivity, getting things done, appointments, meetings, schedules, deadlines, playdates...were the norm. Hectic and exhausting. These hangovers from our past life still linger and nag in our subconscious.<br>
<br>
So how mentally and socially do we need to adapt and change to downshift?<br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. On living together FULL TIME</span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br>
<b>Key Learning: Go solo, do things in smaller groups within family and keep some personal space </b><br>
<br>
Being on top of each other full time is a new challenge. Thankfully we have a big garden, a spare room / study, and a walking path by the house. All places where we can take time out on our own.<br>
<br>
Winter is more difficult. The countryside does not have all the indoor distractions available on your doorstep like a city.<br>
<br>
We still have a cinema but no entertainment centres full of laser quest, ten pin bowling, toddlers soft play areas etc. The outdoor swimming pools are closed and the carting tracks hibernate. Town centre shops take a several <strike>months</strike> weeks off.<br>
<br>
So being at home with two young kids in the dark, wet and cold poses its own challenges. We have to find simple ways to entertain ourselves and friends. Isn't that what real living is about?<br>
<br>
Distracting the kids can be too easy in the modern world - <strike>idiot box</strike> TV and <strike>kill machines</strike> Video games do them no good. Thankfully we do not have a TV set or a tablet computer avoiding the easy access the kids desire. Setting up and cleaning up a messy play session, such as painting and cooking is worth the effort as the little ones are so excited and proud with their doodles, flour cakes and paint prints.<br>
<br>
We have bought desks for their rooms. They are covered in pens, paper, glue, glitter, stickers which keep them amused for hours. They can then build something in Lego or with the wooden Kapla blocks.<br>
<br>
Time Out is needed for us Adults as well. Mr C spends time chopping wood, gardening, reading, a bit of blogging and investing. while Mrs.C has taken up knitting (can you believe it), gardening, swimming for miles and putting her linguistic and law skills to good use.<br>
<br>
Together we cook, garden, walk and talk (we still do!). We watch the occasional film, discuss books and politics and like to entertain our new friends.<br>
<br>
Time will tell if we strike the right balance between personal needs, those of husband and wife, father and mother, friend and relation. <br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. On Health </span><br>
<br>
<b>Key Learning: Review your health and your diet, do you need fewer stimulants and calories, do you need to exercise more and dedicate a specific time to exercise?</b><br>
<br>
Idling and re-charging our batteries have become very important for us. It has taken us aback how much the hectic life of London and corporate work took its toll on our health. Stress and pollution needs to be purged from our systems, the go-and-do- quick habit needs to be vanquished. This will all take time to remedy.<br>
<br>
Admittedly we have always been a bit health conscious, from using <b>colloidal silver</b>, <b>oxygen treatment</b>, relaxation techniques and some good meals. Unfortunately we never tackled the real big health issue of overwork which drove bad habits resulting in stress, exhaustion, lack of exercise and supplemental snacking. <br>
<br>
We were stressed out, caffeined out nutters - jumping from one activity to another seeing how productive we could be. I hope we did not come across that way! No wonder a two week vacation never really 'fixed us', leaving us relaxed and genial.<br>
<br>
Now we are focusing on slow un-processed food. Less meat and lots of fresh vegetables, salads. Less alcohol...and more gardening, walking and swimming. <br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: large;">3. On Finding a Home </span><br>
<br>
<b>Key Learning: Renting is a good approach in a completely new place. It gives you time to find the right place and not make a snap decision which could be the wrong choice financially or for example too isolated / far from amenities than you were used to having.</b><br>
<br>
Bugger, this finding the "perfect" home is a bit of a pain. We really should consider the 80:20 rule if 80% of our needs are catered for, the other 20% is not worth the hassle. This is damn difficult when you have a picture in you mind.<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AbUZsiaK0m58lQElK4m89uN2acFRQ43P4Cav6PjIo5KRM16HD1wkCa1ydE87rfDHTRvY0ebu9rR2-stKRIEzrayuKoxUAr2it11h_wKIKCr3oVEYduEpTAvELTIUBqnHgdGjJDCJeMyI/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AbUZsiaK0m58lQElK4m89uN2acFRQ43P4Cav6PjIo5KRM16HD1wkCa1ydE87rfDHTRvY0ebu9rR2-stKRIEzrayuKoxUAr2it11h_wKIKCr3oVEYduEpTAvELTIUBqnHgdGjJDCJeMyI/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gascony countryside by our house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
All we want is blue skies as far as the eye can see over green fields, snow capped mountains and......  a little plot of land with a modest building. It would be nice if it looked like a Constable painting.<br>
<br>
REALITY CHECK time - TOO much house in the wrong location / costing too much / too far from civilisation and friends = unhappiness to THE.TRIBE.<br>
<br>
A house is a consumer good which many people treat it as a status symbol. At the same time is it somewhere where you will spend a considerable amount of time. It needs to be a good size, comfortable and easy on the eye. A cosy home.<br>
<br>
At the same time we will not settle for a messy ugly place surrounded by sculptured concrete as is not conducive to a positive mental state. We are animals at heart and our hearts lighten up when we are surrounded by the chaos of  nature.<br>

8 Downshifting Learning's

Getting closer to nature in the garden THE.PReSeNT: "Hey Contender you have been out of the ring a while, you must be rusty. Time ...

The Joy of Gardening

Contender 0 downshifting, Early Retirement, financial freedom, financial independence, Happiness, health 19:07

The Joy of Gardening

A garden with a view One key aspect of our downshifting plan has always been to have a nice garden. A garden is hard work, right? It is ...

Learning from THE.PaST

Contender 0 Black Swan, Critical Thinking, Dividends, downshifting, Early Retirement, frugality, Gold, health, Oil, Silver, stock screen, Wheat 19:37

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsMOmYGDqb5s3zfNm9SdXkJ8axcEshFs4nv-qJjKlSNuqFpSugGmGmMOfsjnYNraQEwN7Xgn0kEVrUVmv4YI4mKFbFgp7zL1Pjh0xVolOwJtEynPU2mrbuLVSqgnfBgxrdAhx_oM7ODoa/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsMOmYGDqb5s3zfNm9SdXkJ8axcEshFs4nv-qJjKlSNuqFpSugGmGmMOfsjnYNraQEwN7Xgn0kEVrUVmv4YI4mKFbFgp7zL1Pjh0xVolOwJtEynPU2mrbuLVSqgnfBgxrdAhx_oM7ODoa/s320/DSC_0037.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cold start to the year?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>THE.FuTuRe</b>: <i>"CHUMP you still there? Learn from me and <b>THE.NoW</b> forget<b> THE.PaST</b> he is a has been, now look forward he can't teach you anything. <b>THE.FuTuRe</b> is mine all mine and it WILL be different than <b>THE.PaST</b>"</i><br>
<br>
<b>CoNTeNDeR: </b><i>"You are preaching to the converted, mate, but you forget one thing <b>THE.FuTuRE</b> may be different but it rhymes with <b>THE.PaST</b> and.....we are not having you mess up our enjoyment in <b>THE.NoW</b><b>"<br></b></i><br>
<span style="color: red; font-size: xx-small;"><b>*CHUMP - Fool, loser, muppet, victim of THE.FuTuRe, loner, weirdo, odd, strange, picked on OR WINNER - Happy, healthy and challenged.</b></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: large;">TRiBe 2013 - Happiness and Investing...!</span><br>
<br>
We understand that money isn't everything but it alows us to do things that we want that give us..... happiness. It is damn nice but what is it how do we know? 
To help appreciate it (happiness) don't you need to experience its opposite as well? Can being rich in money mask real happiness by shielding you from real life
 experiences.<br>
<br>
So did the TRiBE have a rounded year.....with rich experiences both good and bad - even if we did not set out on that course - lets take a look:  <br>
<br>
We really did have a roller coaster of a year. The sadness of a bereavement in the family. Lots of family illness 
in the form of all kinds of nasty bugs. Scarlet Fever, Schingles, 
Bronchitis, Chicken Pox and topped off with a nice bout of Gastro. That sure made us un-happy. Can we just mark that one down as couldn't do anything about due to the joys of having young kids and living in a large city.<br>
<br>
MRS.C
 left work followed with the normal withdrawal symptoms. From personal 
experience I actually think it is nicer to be sacked / made redundant than resign. It 
gets rid of the what in the hell am I resigning for / doing question.<br>
<br>
Bang! Suddenly the lack of work 
(job) = an empty void that you feel the need to fill back up OR was it too filled in the first place?<br>
<br>
We 
were very fortunate to be able to make these choices. At least our 
actions left a job behind for someone else to take up the financial 
independence mantra.<br>
<br>
So we packed up our belongings and 
gave away the rest then moved to another country. Fun, exciting and 
exhausting.<br>
<br>
This place is so different. How do you settle into a completely different culture as well as adapting to a complete change to family life (both parents at home and we have managed not to divorce yet).<br>
<br>
Yes family life. No more "shift 
family member from A to B refill on the way then into bed to recharge the 
batteries". <b>THE.FuTuRe</b>: "<i>Fill the void! Do it now you must be busy all that free time together would drive you mad</i>"<br>
<br>
<b>Is he right what are we doing to fill the void - please read on for an investment review and some key learning's around our downshifting move to France from the year that was 2013</b><br>

Learning from THE.PaST

A cold start to the year? THE.FuTuRe : "CHUMP you still there? Learn from me and THE.NoW forget THE.PaST he is a has been, now l...

Fighting Fear - Part 2

Contender 0 Black Swan, community, Critical Thinking, fear, financial independence, Freedom, health, stress, survival 14:51

<br>
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmc1_nBDd9JFeBRs31GT_XCS8KniWcJRWk_QN8nIuj0WREcsqxBvURpOR_ucI5SMkxRCPRTs2RoZvNhn0M9epqrLxFObct4MxCvNlcNY_mirxr2Josc14Uj-Z5H-0__pwN4wGuwHjjos0/s1600/FeaR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmc1_nBDd9JFeBRs31GT_XCS8KniWcJRWk_QN8nIuj0WREcsqxBvURpOR_ucI5SMkxRCPRTs2RoZvNhn0M9epqrLxFObct4MxCvNlcNY_mirxr2Josc14Uj-Z5H-0__pwN4wGuwHjjos0/s1600/FeaR.jpg"></a>THE.PasT</b>: <i>"</i><i><b>FeaR</b></i><i>! I gave <b>THE.CoNTeNDeR</b> a few cure balls in THE.PasT for you. I told him what to do and where to do it. Since then he has gone off the rails a bit. He is not with the system. His choice to stop working - how dare he! </i><br>
<br>
<i><i>He needs a bit of re-educating don't you think? I need to re-introduce him to </i><b>THE.FuTuRe</b>. He has lots of ideas on how to mess things up, surprise and misdirect this misfit.</i><br>
<br>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>THE.FeaR</b>: <i>"He sure can't cross <b>THE.FuTuRe</b>. It is about time <b>THE.CoNTeNDeR</b> realised this and feels <b>THE.FeaR</b>. He needs reminding of what is on the road in front of him. I will rough him up a bit, I like doing that, I am just the man for the job! "</i></div>
<br>
<br>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>This is the follow up post post to</b><a href="http://getintheringwithme.blogspot.fr/2013/10/feeling-fear-part-1.html"><b> </b>Feeling Fear - Part 1</a><b> which covered FeaR's rampage in THE.CoNTeNDeRs past. Now it is is all about THE.CoNTeNDeRS top 3 FEAR's in THE.FuTuRe and 
what the TRiBe is doing about them on our road to <i>financial independence</i>
 and hopefully a contented life.</b></div>
<br>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fear 1 - fear of lack of purpose </b></span><br>
<br>
What is the point in gaining very early retirement? Just look at Jacob from ERE (Early Retirement Extreme) he went back to work for a challenge, not because he needed the money. Our TRiBE want to be useful to society not just sit in the sun in the French countryside - how sad.<br>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41z1VU67aAL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX385_SY500_CR,0,0,385,500_SH20_OU02_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41z1VU67aAL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX385_SY500_CR,0,0,385,500_SH20_OU02_.jpg" width="153"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Praise-Slow-Worldwide-Movement-Challenging/dp/0752864149/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381995073&sr=1-1&keywords=in+praise+of+slow" target="_blank">Go Slow</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First off sometimes some idleness /
a sabbatical / being bored / having time for reflection and to think is a REALLY GOOD THING.<br>
<br>
We are still de-toxing from the city, its noise, bright lights, pollution and overall speed of everyday life. Time is a great healer and in the last four weeks we needed the time to slow down. </div>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br>
We only used to get 5 weeks
holiday a year. Typically this would be split into one two week
holiday preferably abroad followed by two one week holidays somewhere in
the UK. Our spare five days were taken as odd days off. NONE of these
holidays was long enough to completely recuperate / switch off / relax. Is that the point on only allowing five weeks holiday a year?<br>
<br>
What really speaks volumes is that in the UK if you are ill whilst on holiday you can
actually claim the time back from work. Perhaps it has become so common
for people to get ill in the first week off as the body
tries to let down the stress defences the government had to do do something about it?</div>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br>
In the CoNTeNDeRs opinion we
should all have the ability to have 3 months + off each and every
year. Time to reflect, think, re-charge our batteries and de-stress ourselves.<br>
<br>
Will this ever be allowed - all that time to actually think deeply about want is going on around us. It is 
well documented how the mainstream media and education system is dumbing
 us down. Forbid us free time to think and read as adults in case we don't get with the system right? Would literacy 
rates jump and the system change because the public at large would demand it?<br>
<br>
Fortunately for the TRiBe we have time no what are we going to do with it.  Here are some current activities:<br>
<ul>
<li>Thinking and reading time is still be very important for us</li>
<li>This blog and the tools associated with it can be very time consuming and very enjoyable. </li>
<li>The children are getting lots of attention. We are able to be idle outside walking and playing with them in the garden, fields, hedgerows and local play dates and groups.</li>
<li>We are making lots of new friends. Such a diverse group all working hard to get ahead in their own little ways. The number of people with practical skills around us has multiplied ten fold. although they have similar problems with making ends meet they seem un-stressed and have time to talk. Going <i>slow</i>.</li>
<li>We are looking for somewhere to call home. Something ours to do with as we wish. We are finding that the housing market here is expensive as the area is highly desirable due to the local picturesque town and its facilities. </li>
</ul>
<b>FeaR</b>: "<i>Ah but <b>CoNTeNDeR </b>you will soon be bored! What a waste of your training, your conditioning, you are a corporate greyhound - fast, nimble and loyal. Don't waste it! If you stay out of the workforce too long and you will be toast. Won't it be a shame <b>R.I.P CoNTeNDeR </b>that guy who really didn't do much.</i>"<br>
<br>
<b>CoNTeNDeR</b>: "<i>What a lack of imagination old bloke! Yes we have skills to be put to use but on other pursuits. Corporate skills are transferable don't you know. Look at this blog would it ever have existed if it it was not for my work?"  </i><br>
<br>
So should this <b>FeaR </b>- a lack of purpose put us off? We have been given the gift of time to find our real passion, our contribution to society, we must not waste it. It may take some time to land on our feet but we believe it will happen.<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div data-canvas-width="517.7965686054229" data-font-name="g_font_90_0" dir="ltr" style="left: 156px; top: 836px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.13598, 1);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little - death that <br>brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass <br>over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the <br>inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. <br>Only I will remain." - Frank Herbert</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><b>THE.FeaR wins this round with a clip around the ear - what are you doing CoNTeNDeR </b></b><br>
<b>FeaR 1 TRiBe 0</b> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><b>Fear 2 - fear of lack of income / high</b> inflation destroying our savings</b></span> </div>
<div lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br>
<span class="style">“The outcome (of all of this) will be more
 debt, more printed money, and more misery for the masses.  Remember 
that US debt was $10 trillion in 2008 when the crisis began and now it’s
 $17 trillion.  And the Fed’s balance sheet was $900 billion in 2008 -- 
it’s now at $3.6 trillion....</span><span class="style_2" style="line-height: 22px;">On top of that, 
personal credit (in the form of) car loans and student loans is growing 
exponentially.  Every year now the US debt is going up by at least $1 
trillion.  In addition to that the Fed is expanding its balance sheet by
 another $1 trillion each year.  This means that the US government is 
currently printing $2 trillion per year. " - </span><a href="http://kingworldnews.com/kingworldnews/KWN_DailyWeb/Entries/2013/10/9_Governments_Will_Start_Panicking_As_Chaos_%26_Crisis_Accelerates.html" target="_blank">Egon von Greyerz - KWN Oct 2013</a><br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/gallery/random-information/1trillion.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/gallery/random-information/1trillion.png" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://atomictoasters.com/2012/04/trillion/" target="_blank">AtomicToasters</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Incredible debt numbers are being talked about almost daily. Whether it be company, personal or government the numbers are hard to comprehend as the above graphic tries to portray.<br>
<br>
What is debt? Just paper promises, electrons on a computer. The problem is that governments and central banks are very good at creating it (currency) and paying for it by typing some numbers into a computer. The result is more inflation in everyday goods. Here is a video on the process from Mike Maloney:<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iFDe5kUUyT0?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br>
In the past money used to be tied to a hard asset such as a tradeable commodity. What we do know is that paper money has been <a href="http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/hanke-krus-hyperinflation-table-may-2013.pdf" target="_blank">destroyed several times in the past</a> due to the abuse of the ruling class.<br>
<br>
In the current era debt has generally been serviced and living standards have risen but <a href="http://srsroccoreport.com/guest-post-bad-advice-why-the-future-will-be-like-the-past/guest-post-bad-advice-why-the-future-will-be-like-the-past/" target="_blank">what if THE.FuTuRe is not like THE.PAST</a> what if the can cannot be kicked any further any longer? What may hold its real value in <b>THE.FuTuRe</b>?<br>
</div>

Fighting Fear - Part 2

THE.PasT : " FeaR ! I gave THE.CoNTeNDeR a few cure balls in THE.PasT for you. I told him what to do and where to do it. Since then h...

Welcome to FISH !
You have come here looking for answers. How to get out of debt? How to save and invest? How to retire early and how you want to live in retirement.

Well this is the right place for you as out tribe has been through all of these steps. We no longer work for a corporate employer and have saved enough to retire early. How we did this is shared here on this site for you.

Our little tribe found out these secrets to financial independence in our late 20’s. Since then we have taken early retirement, in our late 30's, in just 7 years. We now live in the South West of France with our two young children.

Along the way I decided to share everything I learnt. My articles and tips on aggressive saving and compound investing are there to help you meet your financial goals fast. I discuss ways to help you decide what you want by building a life plan. This helps to work out how to get where you want to be whilst avoiding the pitfalls along the way.

My expertise was built up working in blue chip corporate jobs, extensive reading and putting it into practice. I have condensed this knowledge into simple strategies to help you meet your goals and not those of the bank or the place you work.

There are free planning tools on this site that help you make a life plan. A plan for your future. The tools calculate how to reach your financial goals in a timeline that suits you. The tools help set out your life goals, make them happen and how to exceed them.

There are tips on how to simplifying your life to remove day to day headaches. These include ways to pay off debt fast buy eliminating wasteful spending habits. How to reduce your monthly bills through choices that actually improve your health and wellbeing. Identifying things you don’t need that sap your time and wallet.

There are little sustainability projects to reduce your dependence on shops and utilities whilst saving money to spend on things you want.

All of these little steps will show you how save 50%+ of your salary so you can meet your goal whatever it is. This huge saving rate can be compounded for very early retirement. I am sure you will find something here for you.

Darren Lee (A.K.A the Contender as in my blog)

FISH | Financial Independence Seeking Happiness