TravelingTrader´s Journal

Where are you and where are you going?
TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

Last month I´ve moved out of the city apartment and relocated to the town where the new contract is located. This reduced my monthly rent expenses from 1075€ to just 250€ per month including energy.
That´s the lowest amount in this category I´ve spend ever! And It was the third time relocating this year.
It´s some kind of strange to give up your home place with big screen, surround sound and all the other things “accomplished” over all these years working hard.
But now living in a small one room flat just with less, feels much more uncomplicated.
I have an urge to travel, when this contract is over. And that´s easy possible now, because I don´t have the responsibility of a main residence anymore.
I can live where I work and when I don’t work, live where I want. That’s the freedom I asked for.

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

November 2013 update:

Rent: 250€ incl. all
Health insurance: min. rate 150€
Grocery: 195€
Eating out: 70€
Fuel: 185€
Mobile internet & mobile phone: 22,98€
Other: 18€ incl. public transportation
All: 890,98€

Since last update I reviewed every expense and get rid of anything left I don´t need.
My freelancing business is ongoing but very time-consuming, which was the
reason not to update this journal for some time.
I have reduced the possessing’s I do not need for business to a few boxes which are in stock.
Everything is prepared to start a trip as soon as the project is over.

Unfortunately my car faulted sudden with engine damage.
This brought me one week using public transportation and an unexpected expense of 1000€.
Because I switched to a mobile internet connection I am limited to 5GB per month. So big downloads, YouTube and patch days are postponed until I visit someone having a fast WLAN.

Also I bought a Rimowa cabin trolley (280€), which I count as a lifetime investment after my cheap one died again. (Same as the Wenger Synergy Backpack, which I use since about 5 Years on a daily base)

Something else I´ve adopted to is: Watching my series with my laptop connected to a small external screen and a PC 2.1 system isn´t that bad instead of watching a big TV screen with Dolby surround sound. Seems nowadays less is more.
That´s why I started reading minimalistic blogs.

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

Seems this is just bad luck:
My car, which I use to travel to and between my customers, got defective again only two weeks
after the last repair. That´s another 350€ unexpected spending.

But there are good news also:
Another long term project is coming up next year. And this new project is located only an hour drive
away from my parental home where I can stay at least over the weekends and use a fast internet connection for free.

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by DutchGirl »

Hey TravelingTrader, sounds like you're doing well (well, except for your car..., poor you). How are your investments progressing - you should have some savings by now?

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

When I do contract work, the investment topic always gets a raw deal.
The main reason is, I am not able and allowed to use my broker’s software in the office.
Then, after a day of demanding work in front of two screens, I only check a small watch list in the evening.
So my investment is mostly untouched since I started freelancing again earlier this year.

Unfortunately there where two setbacks:
- The contract which terminated early lost much more than it earned. It was huge, in time and money.
- A large additional payment of taxes and health insurance occurred and also will occur next year.

To protect my investment, I used the remaining assets and applied two tasks:
- Put enough cash aside to cover two month of expenses, if anything unexpected happens.
- Set up another account with enough capital to cover 12 month expenses as freelancer.

Withdrawing money from my investment is and never was an option! Until I reach ERE, it´s one way only!

With the earnings of the upcoming long term contract, I start again to deposit a fixed amount monthly into my investment account.
If this went well for two years, I can easy reach 50% and more of my ERE goal until I get 40.

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

Hola Forum.

It´s been a while but i was busy archiving my goal so I decided not to attend to any forums.
Well, after you read from me again now, guess what happened:

A few month ago I finally settled down, stopped searching and retired early in FI.

But it didn´t worked as planned. Got off 100K early. But it is called EXTREME, right?
So I have to make it work somehow.

The time was right already about 3 years ago. I hated my work, the last contract was almost finished and the car broke down. So I decided to pull the trigger almost one year early – short after my 39th birthday.
I´ve sold/gave/throw away everything I owned and kept just a few personal things stored in a self storage box. Than I took of just with a backpack, a suitcase, my cloth and a bus ticket to Barcelona.
Well, this ended in about 1 ½ years of traveling through Spain middle sea coast where I lived in Malaga, Granada, Valencia and Barcelona.
But at the end I´ve travelled back to Barcelona where I bought a small minimalist apartment and are about to build my new home base right now.

With all my expenses, investments and ideas in place this situation should last a long while.
Had a lot of fun all those years but it was hard as hell to get here. Don´t stop!

Happy FI from Barcelona
TravelingTrader is not traveling anymore

thrifty++
Posts: 1171
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 3:46 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by thrifty++ »

Hey TravelingTrader. Great journal.

I really enjoy seeing updates form people who started a journal a long time ago so that I can see the progress over time.

Sounds so nice that you have early retired and travelling around and living in Spain sounds like paradise.

Do you mind sharing what your net worth was when you retired? Has your capital reduced much since retiring? Are you doing any type of consulting at all or completely not working?

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Viktor K
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 9:45 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by Viktor K »

Awesome news! My girlfriend and I have talked about reaching Spain one day. I'd love to hear more about owning an apartment, and traveling in Granada.

And, of course, congratulations and good luck!

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by wolf »

Hi TravelingTrader. Great journal and congrats. I found out that you are from Germany and worked in IT. Same as I do. That made your journal and your story even more interesting.
Was the traveling worth it? What did you do all the time while traveling but not working? I think about longterm traveling as well when FI but I am not sure if I should my homebase un Germany?

Anyway I am also looking forward to read more about your new life in Barcelona.

Enjoy FI and take care!

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

Hello everybody,
here are some more details:

After traveling through Spain for about 1 ½ years I mostly enjoyed staying in Malaga and Granada.
The reason is that the median coast and the ability to ski in Sierra Nevada is nearby by bus. For people who prefer mountain biking and hiking Granada is the place to be. I prefer Malagas beaches – and found a secret love with this city. It is cheap but the economy is worse. If you can, travel as much as possible. It will open your mind for new/other things of more importance.

Here are the old numbers from Malaga 04/2015 – lowest ever:

- rent: 389€
- WiFi/el./water: 60€
- health insurance: 39€
- self storage: 55€
- eating/drinking: 120€
- everything else: 10€
all 673€ (Just arrived and did nothing for a month)

The poor economy was the later reason to get back to Barcelona – just in case I need work some day. Valencia was nice, but just in the middle. After renting I decided to stay and bought the flat in BCN.

Instead of a car I use public transfer (Bus) and my new e-bike/e-scooter which are charging in my living room right now for almost nothing.

My numbers are very low now without having to pay rent anymore and nothing else excpensive.
Just 30€/month housing and 110€/year for trash and eventually unexpected upcoming things like elevator service etc. I have set up a stock trading dividend strategy to pay those bills. Everything else is optional. (electricity, water and internet)
The flat was chosen wise after seeing a dozen or more. It is located at a park (nice for walking) with sunlight all day. So I have free light or can power a solar panel on my balcony later.
A public well is over there in the park for free water (Just in case) and the pub´s around offer free WiFi. (Just in case too). Even a public WC is located across the street.
The bus to Barcelona City (40 min) is just around the corner and 3 supermarkets are in foot range.
All running bills are paid now – as long as my investment account stay intact. (And the stock market of course) Whatever happens, I don´t need to live on the streets ever because I am a home owner now.

As told I got off with 100K short - at 250K. I spend half for the flat and split the rest for repairs and outfitting the new base. (e.g. air con) Everything else is reserved for investing in dividends or swing trading to found my new business in the near future. Until that day I just enjoy live, work on my base and learning new hobby's. (bought a fishing rod – never done before but the beach is nearby)

Also quit my IT work some time ago as I hated it and will probably never get back.
For security reasons I have acquired a German travel health insurance for 59€ a month valid at a max. of five years. That is the reason I am about to build a new business. At some day I have to apply for Spain´s social system and I don´t want to do this by working half a day in a supermarket.

greetings

thrifty++
Posts: 1171
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 3:46 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by thrifty++ »

Congratulations! And awesome journal. Its so inspiring to hear about such a pleasant early retirement from someone who retired on $250k, rather than an enormous sum of money.

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Viktor K
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 9:45 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by Viktor K »

Yo TravelingTrader! I was hoping you may have some insights with regards to rent. What did that 389€ net you? One bedroom, two bedroom, roommates? Was it furnished? My girlfriend and I have talked a lot about Spain today and a potential future retirement there!

Noedig
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:15 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by Noedig »

Well done TravelingTrader. Many people's journals 'go dark', it was illuminating to see how it has worked out for you. Sounds like, really well.

Fiddle
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:14 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by Fiddle »

Congratulations TravelingTrader. Enjoy your new home in Barcelona!

Jason

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by Jason »

Beautiful city. Well done.

FRx
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 3:29 pm
Location: Santiago de Compostela

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by FRx »

Really enjoyed reading your journal and it's wonderful that you were able to make such incremental positive changes to your budget. I am currently residing in Barcelona as well and trying to figure out certain topics to eventually make a final move here from Portland, Oregon USA.

Condos in the US have ongoing expenses such as HOA, special assessments, property taxes, and insurance. Not only are condos cheaper here in Barna but they seem to have less ongoing expense, as I'm understanding.

frugal
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:35 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by frugal »

Hi,

are you trading stockmarket?

Regards

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by wolf »

Hi TravelingTrader. How is life in Barcelona? Have you expected the political turbulences about the independence will of Catalonia? Does that change your plans about living in Barcelona?

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by wolf »

TravelingTrader wrote:
Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:30 pm
Also quit my IT work some time ago as I hated it and will probably never get back.
For security reasons I have acquired a German travel health insurance for 59€ a month valid at a max. of five years. That is the reason I am about to build a new business. At some day I have to apply for Spain´s social system and I don´t want to do this by working half a day in a supermarket.
Hi TravelingTrader. How are things in Barcelona? You still there?

TravelingTrader
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: TravelingTrader´s Journal

Post by TravelingTrader »

Yes, living near Barcelona. Settled down here for now.

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