10 Tips - Financial Independence / The Good Life
by Mark Gallagher
Note, I am not a financial planner. I am sharing some ideas based on my experience. This advice is offered for free and there is nothing for sale here, no advertising and no sponsorships - just my views that you may consider, accept or reject as you like.
Reader Feedback / Send Feedback
August 2009 Update:
How did your finances hold up during the stock market crash, real estate crash and recession of 2008 and 2009 ?
My savings and investments held up well. I was well positioned for this huge economic slowdown because I followed my own advice below - no debt, no vacation home, no expensive lifestyle to support, no hedge funds, no high-flying stock funds, and no short-term trading of my investments.
Going into the stock market crash of 2008 I owned very little stock. As outlined below I was primarily invested in bonds - Treasuries, GNMA funds and municipal bonds. These performed well in 2008 and into 2009. The cash flow generated by my bond portfolio was unchanged by the recession or stock market crash. I suffered no defaults in my bond portfolio. The total market value of all my savings was unchanged from the beginning of 2008 to the Summer of 2009.
I did have money in three stock mutual funds in my IRA and by March of 2009 these had fallen in price by 50 percent from their highs in 2007. But these funds made up less than 15 percent of my total portfolio and the market value of my bond funds went up so the total value of my portfolio never fell during 2008 and into 2009. But this stock market crash confirms my belief that stocks are not a safe investment if you are in or close to retirement.
In recent months I have not been investing new money in US Treasuries. The yield on Treasuries is just too low. I have been investing in bond funds offered by Vanguard and Fidelity including high-quality municipal bond, GNMA funds and corporate bond funds. If the yield on long-term Treasuries goes back to about 5 percent, I will buy more Treasuries.
1. Keep your life as simple as possible.
How do you do that ? Take a lot of time on the big decisions - who you marry, buying a house, and where you work. The biggest obstacles to the good life are complications from divorce, a house you can't sell or a job you hate. The #1 decision in your life is who you marry. Related Tip - How to avoid the complication of divorce.
2. Learning what is most valuable. What brings happiness?
Most people don't learn this one until they are 65 years old. If you figure this out when you are 30, the good life is guaranteed.
Ok, this is it - the most valuable and enjoyable things in life are your health, time with family and friends, and a job that you enjoy. Buying expensive things brings less and less satisfaction. Buying an expensive car, vacation home, or latest large-screen TV will bring fleeting moments of happiness. Skip the expensive stuff when you are young, build your savings, and later in life you will have the financial freedom to spend time with your friends and family and a job you enjoy.
Related point > > > keep your life and your possessions in balance. Here is how you do it ...
Every time you acquire something new, take the time to give something away. Buy a new car, think about selling your old car (at a below market price) to a relative or neighbor that needs a good used car at a low price. Buy a new TV or computer, give your old one away for free through web sites like freecycle.
3. Buying a home.
One of your biggest decisions. Take a lot of time. Never rush.
Rent and save money until you can afford a nice, new construction home in a new and growing neighborhood. Sell this house in 5 years and buy a home in the best neighborhood you can afford and stay in this house for many years.
Take a lot of time. Look at a lot of houses and when you narrow it down to one house, walk around the neighborhood on a Saturday morning before you make any decision.
4. Buying a car.
Buy a new Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, take care of it, and own it for at least 8 years. Then sell it and buy a new one. Never lease a car.
If you need a second car, buy a new Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla and keep it for 10 years and then buy a new one.
(2009 update - we currently own a 2000 Honda Accord and 2006 Honda Accord. Both are serviced regularly by the Honda dealer and both run like a top. The 2000 is nine years old, but is running so well, we plan to keep it for several more years. No car payments for many, many years).
5. Vacation home.
Never buy a vacation home, but spend money on nice vacations each year. Never buy a time-share of any kind.
Related point - hobbies and sports - take an interest in the low-cost hobbies
Examples:
Low-Cost Hobbies / Sports
- Tennis
- Hiking
- Biking
- Gardening
Expensive Hobbies / Sports
- Golf
- Skiing
- Sports Cars
- Collecting jewelry
6. Monthly Services - cell phones, cable TV, internet access, lawn service.
Never, I repeat never, buy anything from a phone solicitation, someone that knocks at your door, a TV infomercial or a street salesman when on vacation. Be careful buying anything with a monthly service fee. Sweat the details to keep these costs as low as possible. Never sign long term contracts.
7. Debt.
You should never carry a balance on a credit card when you are over 30 years old.
You should have no debt (other than the mortgage on your house) by the time you are 40 years old.
You should have no debt (owe nothing on your mortgage, no car payments) when you are 50 years old.
Related Point - - Cost of Sending Kids to College - It may not be realistic to pay for college and be debt-free by the time you are 50. So if you have big college costs in your late 40's or 50's you should try to be free of all debt by the age of 60. But, the most important thing about paying for college is selecting the college for your children. You can't let your kids decide where they want to go. If you let the kids decide, you may compromise your financial security for your retirement. The parents must select the school they can afford. This is a huge financial decision. Also, attending a community college the first two years of college and a state university for the junior and senior years results in huge savings for the cost of a good college education.
8. Save, save, save.
Save a lot of money in your 30's and 40's. Invest your savings in low-cost stock index mutual funds (about 50 percent) and in US Government bonds / agency bonds or high quality tax-exempt bonds (50 percent).
At about age 50, shift about 80 percent of your savings into safe, income producing bonds including US Treasuries, US agency bonds (ex., GNMA), quality municipal bond funds and investment-grade corporate bond funds.
I suggest the no-load and low-fee bond funds of Vanguard and Fidelity. Vanguard funds I like are: GNMA (VFIIX), Long-Term Investment Grade (VWESX) and Fidelity funds: Municipal Income Fund ( FHIGX) and Strategic Income (FSICX). When I buy US Treasuries, I buy "new issue" bonds directly though my brokerage firm and they charge no fee. Note, the bonds and bond funds I buy are intended to be held for a long time. I don't trade them or sell them. These funds produce good monthly income to support your retirement years.
9. Job downshifting / Fun upshifting.
Now you are in your early 50's, you have no debt, you have a large nest egg that generates good interest income, and you have a lot of flexibility.
Find that job that you really enjoy - something low-pressure and rewarding.
Spend more time with your family and friends. Pick up tennis or swimming.
Continue to work at this fun job into your early 60's. Retire if you like and continue to live off the interest generated from your nest egg of income producing bonds.
10. How To Avoid the Complications of Divorce
1. Don't rush any decision. Have a long engagement period (at least one year). Many people have a "dating personality" and a "real personality". You need enough time to get to know the "real personality".
2. Related to #1, the real personality is exposed by how someone reacts to something that goes wrong when interacting with a stranger (waiter in a restaurant or driver on the road). If someone is nice to you, but rude to a waiter.... you will be treated like the waiter after you are married. When someone is sick, their true personality is exposed. Observe how they communicate with a care-giver. Also, if someone has a poor long-term relationship with more than one parent or brother or sister, this is a clear warning sign.
by Mark Gallagher
Note, I am not a financial planner. I am sharing some ideas based on my experience. This advice is offered for free and there is nothing for sale here, no advertising and no sponsorships - just my views that you may consider, accept or reject as you like.
Reader Feedback / Send Feedback
August 2009 Update:
How did your finances hold up during the stock market crash, real estate crash and recession of 2008 and 2009 ?
My savings and investments held up well. I was well positioned for this huge economic slowdown because I followed my own advice below - no debt, no vacation home, no expensive lifestyle to support, no hedge funds, no high-flying stock funds, and no short-term trading of my investments.
Going into the stock market crash of 2008 I owned very little stock. As outlined below I was primarily invested in bonds - Treasuries, GNMA funds and municipal bonds. These performed well in 2008 and into 2009. The cash flow generated by my bond portfolio was unchanged by the recession or stock market crash. I suffered no defaults in my bond portfolio. The total market value of all my savings was unchanged from the beginning of 2008 to the Summer of 2009.
I did have money in three stock mutual funds in my IRA and by March of 2009 these had fallen in price by 50 percent from their highs in 2007. But these funds made up less than 15 percent of my total portfolio and the market value of my bond funds went up so the total value of my portfolio never fell during 2008 and into 2009. But this stock market crash confirms my belief that stocks are not a safe investment if you are in or close to retirement.
In recent months I have not been investing new money in US Treasuries. The yield on Treasuries is just too low. I have been investing in bond funds offered by Vanguard and Fidelity including high-quality municipal bond, GNMA funds and corporate bond funds. If the yield on long-term Treasuries goes back to about 5 percent, I will buy more Treasuries.
1. Keep your life as simple as possible.
How do you do that ? Take a lot of time on the big decisions - who you marry, buying a house, and where you work. The biggest obstacles to the good life are complications from divorce, a house you can't sell or a job you hate. The #1 decision in your life is who you marry. Related Tip - How to avoid the complication of divorce.
2. Learning what is most valuable. What brings happiness?
Most people don't learn this one until they are 65 years old. If you figure this out when you are 30, the good life is guaranteed.
Ok, this is it - the most valuable and enjoyable things in life are your health, time with family and friends, and a job that you enjoy. Buying expensive things brings less and less satisfaction. Buying an expensive car, vacation home, or latest large-screen TV will bring fleeting moments of happiness. Skip the expensive stuff when you are young, build your savings, and later in life you will have the financial freedom to spend time with your friends and family and a job you enjoy.
Related point > > > keep your life and your possessions in balance. Here is how you do it ...
Every time you acquire something new, take the time to give something away. Buy a new car, think about selling your old car (at a below market price) to a relative or neighbor that needs a good used car at a low price. Buy a new TV or computer, give your old one away for free through web sites like freecycle.
3. Buying a home.
One of your biggest decisions. Take a lot of time. Never rush.
Rent and save money until you can afford a nice, new construction home in a new and growing neighborhood. Sell this house in 5 years and buy a home in the best neighborhood you can afford and stay in this house for many years.
Take a lot of time. Look at a lot of houses and when you narrow it down to one house, walk around the neighborhood on a Saturday morning before you make any decision.
4. Buying a car.
Buy a new Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, take care of it, and own it for at least 8 years. Then sell it and buy a new one. Never lease a car.
If you need a second car, buy a new Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla and keep it for 10 years and then buy a new one.
(2009 update - we currently own a 2000 Honda Accord and 2006 Honda Accord. Both are serviced regularly by the Honda dealer and both run like a top. The 2000 is nine years old, but is running so well, we plan to keep it for several more years. No car payments for many, many years).
5. Vacation home.
Never buy a vacation home, but spend money on nice vacations each year. Never buy a time-share of any kind.
Related point - hobbies and sports - take an interest in the low-cost hobbies
Examples:
Low-Cost Hobbies / Sports
- Tennis
- Hiking
- Biking
- Gardening
Expensive Hobbies / Sports
- Golf
- Skiing
- Sports Cars
- Collecting jewelry
6. Monthly Services - cell phones, cable TV, internet access, lawn service.
Never, I repeat never, buy anything from a phone solicitation, someone that knocks at your door, a TV infomercial or a street salesman when on vacation. Be careful buying anything with a monthly service fee. Sweat the details to keep these costs as low as possible. Never sign long term contracts.
7. Debt.
You should never carry a balance on a credit card when you are over 30 years old.
You should have no debt (other than the mortgage on your house) by the time you are 40 years old.
You should have no debt (owe nothing on your mortgage, no car payments) when you are 50 years old.
Related Point - - Cost of Sending Kids to College - It may not be realistic to pay for college and be debt-free by the time you are 50. So if you have big college costs in your late 40's or 50's you should try to be free of all debt by the age of 60. But, the most important thing about paying for college is selecting the college for your children. You can't let your kids decide where they want to go. If you let the kids decide, you may compromise your financial security for your retirement. The parents must select the school they can afford. This is a huge financial decision. Also, attending a community college the first two years of college and a state university for the junior and senior years results in huge savings for the cost of a good college education.
8. Save, save, save.
Save a lot of money in your 30's and 40's. Invest your savings in low-cost stock index mutual funds (about 50 percent) and in US Government bonds / agency bonds or high quality tax-exempt bonds (50 percent).
At about age 50, shift about 80 percent of your savings into safe, income producing bonds including US Treasuries, US agency bonds (ex., GNMA), quality municipal bond funds and investment-grade corporate bond funds.
I suggest the no-load and low-fee bond funds of Vanguard and Fidelity. Vanguard funds I like are: GNMA (VFIIX), Long-Term Investment Grade (VWESX) and Fidelity funds: Municipal Income Fund ( FHIGX) and Strategic Income (FSICX). When I buy US Treasuries, I buy "new issue" bonds directly though my brokerage firm and they charge no fee. Note, the bonds and bond funds I buy are intended to be held for a long time. I don't trade them or sell them. These funds produce good monthly income to support your retirement years.
9. Job downshifting / Fun upshifting.
Now you are in your early 50's, you have no debt, you have a large nest egg that generates good interest income, and you have a lot of flexibility.
Find that job that you really enjoy - something low-pressure and rewarding.
Spend more time with your family and friends. Pick up tennis or swimming.
Continue to work at this fun job into your early 60's. Retire if you like and continue to live off the interest generated from your nest egg of income producing bonds.
10. How To Avoid the Complications of Divorce
1. Don't rush any decision. Have a long engagement period (at least one year). Many people have a "dating personality" and a "real personality". You need enough time to get to know the "real personality".
2. Related to #1, the real personality is exposed by how someone reacts to something that goes wrong when interacting with a stranger (waiter in a restaurant or driver on the road). If someone is nice to you, but rude to a waiter.... you will be treated like the waiter after you are married. When someone is sick, their true personality is exposed. Observe how they communicate with a care-giver. Also, if someone has a poor long-term relationship with more than one parent or brother or sister, this is a clear warning sign.
