To Learn to Spend

Learning to save requires delayed gratification. You have money to spend, but you are intentionally choosing to put it aside. This can be very difficult, but once someone establishes the habit, delaying becomes second nature. In my own experience, the gratification part has been more difficult. Month after month, our net worth increases and, by […]

Net Worth Update August 2026

It has been several years since our last net worth update. A lot has changed in our lives, but our strategy for building wealth has remained the same. Here is where we currently stand: Total Net Worth: $756,000 This officially marks another quarter-million-dollar milestone. I’m currently setting aside money for our Roth IRA contributions, but […]

A Thought on Coast FIRE – Creating Your Own Raise

As the announcement of our annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) approaches, I’ve found myself thinking through the possible outcomes. It’ll likely land somewhere between 1% and 3%—already an improvement over last year, when I received 0% as a new hire. Still, with inflation averaging around 4% in recent years, it’s easy to feel like […]