No matter how you track your finances, you probably wish there was a better way. That is, unless you use the online personal software called Mint.
I’ve been using Mint for almost two years now, and I couldn’t ask for much more. They’ve been rated very highly by Money magazine, Kiplinger, PC magazine, Time magazine and countless others, for good reason.
I’ve discovered and read a lot since starting this blog last month. Back then I described the blog’s purpose as enabling the good life through career flexibility. I’ve updated that purpose slightly and this is why.
There’s a growing movement out there that this blog is part of. I wrote about the movement earlier this week at length. It’s called Lifestyle Design.
Everyone needs an escape now and then. Diversions from life and work are important to renew your creativity and maintain a fresh perspective.
I’ve found amazing transformational power in regularly pursuing various hobbies. I wrote recently about how taking an acting class can help you understand yourself better and even become a catalyst for major life changes. Learning to sail is similarly life-affirming while also being great fun.
What are you planning to do when you retire? Do you hope to travel, spend time with friends and family, take up new hobbies or volunteer to support a cause?
How long will it take you to retire? For average people, it takes about 45 years, if you live that long. Maybe you’re hoping to retire sooner, in 30, or 20 or even 10 years by working hard.
Why does it have to be that way? Why do most of us go to college, find a good job and spend 30-40 years of our lives climbing the corporate ladder only to retire when we’re past our prime?
A lot of people on the Internet these days make it sound like you can live a life of luxury by outsourcing everything you don’t want to do. Tim Ferriss has made himself famous through his book The 4-Hour Workweek, which promotes a number of extreme “lifehacks” including outsourcing to overseas resources.
Outsourcing has been sold as a perfect solution for people who want to start a business, but are too busy or lack the necessary skills to succeed. Just carve out the parts of the business you know and want to work on and have people in Third World countries do the stuff you don’t understand or don’t want to do for you on the cheap.
Does it really work? Does outsourcing your life or your business lead to wild success and happiness?
