But wait... there's less!

How far would you go for financial freedom? It's the subtitle of Scott Rieckens' book and also his year-long quest featured in his documentary . What is Financial Independence? Basically it's as simple as spending way less than you earn, investing the difference and getting to a point where the investment income supports your lifestyle. For some people, financial independence comes very naturally. And then there's Scott and his wife Taylor (and baby Jovie). Their income is good, but they also lease a BMW, are members of a boat club, frequently spent hundreds on dinner and live in an expensive part of San Diego, California. At least, until now. Why the book? Scott says that the idea of the book (and documentary to come) is to show "a journey with all of the anxieties, disagreements, negotiations and mistakes that I imagine so many others would expect or fear" . He makes good on that promise. He figures that this is an option for many people - and he ba...

I'm reading "Playing with FIRE" by Scott Rieckens. He realised he could save a 6-figure amount just by not having a sandwich and coffee on his way to work each day. Traditionally Scott would buy an coffee and a sandwich on his way to work. It was "only" eight dollars so it seemed like an easy purchase. Even with free coffee at work, eight dollars seemed a small price to pay with a sandwich included. Doing the Math Then Scott crunched the numbers. Eight dollars each workday came to $160 a month. $1,920 per year. Continuing this habit for 30 years of work would cost him $57,600 . If he invested that $160/month instead, he would accumulate $133,161 (invested at 5%). Translating that into Australian dollars it's $194,765.27 (to be precise). How the little things add up It is amazing how even little things add up if we do them a lot. $8 doesn't sound much - until he realises he's buying 7,200 coffees and 7,200 sandwiches. Are we getting...

OK, my headline is an exaggeration. But these seats to a great game were a brilliant Christmas gift. My sister-in-law is a season-member of the Brisbane Lions. She gave my wife and I "guest passes" for Christmas last year . The 'twilight' schedule adds atmosphere as afternoon transforms into evening during the play. Most of the match was excitingly close before the late surge by the home team. It was a great day to share with my sister-in-law and her partner. Afterwards, he took us on a tour of the members' area including a gallery of sports history at the venue. Number 1 tip In my free ebook 10 Great Gift Ideas for People who Don't Want Stuff , the gift of experiences is the first suggestion. They're great gifts. Very enjoyable, clutter-free, and the shopping stress is minimal or none. As a bonus, with the magic of nostalgia the memories get better with time. PS. For readers outside Australia, the Brisbane Lions play Australian Rules footba...