As another year ends, there are a few tasks we should all consider completing. Some of the tasks have penalties assessed if they are not completed on time and others just lead to a lost opportunity if the deadline is missed. I missed a big opportunity the year I retired when I didn’t realize my … Read more
Do you have difficulty spending money you’ve saved? The title of this article was a recent comment from someone who just inherited a lot of money and was afraid to spend any of it. For a lot of people who have been aggressively saving money, spending the money is a hard thing to do. “Never … Read more
When I discuss living on half of one’s income, I’m almost always met with, “that would be impossible for me.” They say it as if it were a fact, that some outside source is preventing them from living on significantly less than they make. This outside source is somehow keeping them from saving a good … Read more
Most people do not like to make a budget. Thus, excuses for why they don’t budget abound. Medical students don’t have an earned income, so they think they don’t need a budget. Residents believe they don’t have time to make a budget. Attendings say they make so much money they don’t need a budget. Each … Read more
Most of the doctors I’ve encountered who are financially secure at a young age have one thing in common, they are frugal. They are not cheap and I think that is a big distinction. Cheap is buying a particle board dresser for $60 that may not last more than a few years. Frugal is buying … Read more
When I was 25 years old and in my third year of medical school, I laid out a plan to make me financially secure and able to retire by age 50. I began by calculating an estimate of the monthly income I would need during my retirement years. I then converted that to how big … Read more
Everyone has an idea of what they want their retirement years to be like. But when we finally pull the trigger and retire, we are traversing a new path for the first time. With no prior experience, we are likely to hit some snags. It’s best to learn about these snags from others and not … Read more
This time of year, many physicians are moving and buying new homes. It will likely be their first home. My oldest son bought his first rental house before he even moved out of our house. Then he bought another one shortly before his wedding. After the wedding, he moved into it with his new bride. … Read more
I have often written about the benefits of becoming debt free. In fact, last month I listed 20 good reasons to pay off your home mortgage. Whenever I write about becoming debt free, I get mail informing me that being debt free is a stupid idea. They say things like “I can invest my money … Read more
Personal debt is a topic that lends itself to many disagreements. There is the argument about “good” debt and “bad” debt, which is ridiculous since every debt is a burden. “Good” debt is akin to wearing your cleanest dirty shirt. If given the choice between inheriting a house that has “good” debt (a mortgage), or … Read more