FI Numbers Don’t Lie, But They May Mislead (Part 1)

Stop What You’re Doing …

stop sucking

Cuz I’m about to ruin the Grumpus sense and style that you’re used to?

In the now timeless words of Chris Farley, “Holy Schneikes!”.  I saw a lot of negativity on the interwebs this week, which made me regret getting a Book of Face account.  I only got an account in order to run a Financial Independence (FI) blog.  Prior to that I was as anti-FB as they come, and had never had an account.  In fact, I still do not have personal account, just this semi-awesome public persona with his two avid followers (thanks kids!).

I used to simply listen to podcasts about the cognitive dissonance people engaged in on the internet, now I get to see it first hand.  I used to read well thought out news articles that would lay out facts, points, and counter-points forcing me to think about all sides of an issue.  Now I get sucked into the visceral, opinion laden, and nonfactual diarrhea that spews out from peoples’ minds, through their thumbs, and into their comments box.  Is it me, or do people just like to shout “fake news”, strap into their echo chambers, and argue past each other with no intent, or hope, in reaching common ground.  It’s enough to make a grumpy guy like me point out that people suck … I mean REALLY suck.

What does any of that have to do with personal finances, FI,  and retirement planning?  I don’t know, but I felt it needed to be said.  If that loses me an occasional reader, so be it.  As Bob Dole once said, “…the exits, which are clearly marked, are for you…“. Continue reading

An Unintentional Meander Up Grumpy Avenue (Part 2)

Grumpus the Story Teller

Gather round the campfire kids. Did I ever tell you the story of how I lost $766K?

If you are one of my three avid readers, then you may have wondered if I was ever going regale you with more (true) stories about my rather substantial money mistakes.  Well wonder no more, the time has come.  And while this story does not have the “I sold 300 shares of Amazon in 2004 to buy a house in the height of the market in Southern California” hook that An Unintentional Meander Up Grumpy Avenue Part 1 did; it does have an otherwise avoidable $20,000 dollar tax bill waiting at the end of it.  Not as memorable as my $750,000 opportunity cost?  Fair enough, that sum still makes me light-headed.  However, what if I told you I paid someone for the privilege of the $20,000  tax bill?  And it was potentially avoidable?  Stick with me and by the end of the story if you are not busting out the tried and true “Man that Grumpus is an idiot” line, then I promise you a full refund on your time and a beer next time we meet.

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