Hello from Cascadia

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JWJones
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Hello from Cascadia

Post by JWJones »

I found my way here yesterday, I believe it was via the Mr. Money Mustache website.

I've spent a lot of years trying to get to the point of financial independence. I'm 51 now, intelligent but under-educated, and I've made MANY wrong turns and choices in my life. I'm basically a wage-slave with no savings or retirement plan. What I have had in the past has been frittered away by bad decisions. If left to my own devices, I would do okay, as I make fairly decent money and I'm frugal, but I am married with kids, and I give in to their perceived "needs" way too much. I have no one to blame but myself for that.

Now I'm just trying to reign it all in and get my wife to work with me (she's getting better), so we don't end up eating cat food out of cans when we are 75. :shock:

wolf
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by wolf »

Welcome JWJones to the ERE-Forum! There is a saying I once heard or was it a quote: People overestimate what they are able to achieve in one year and underestimate what is possible within ten years! So...don't despair! Much is possible till you retire.

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JWJones
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by JWJones »

MDFIRE2024 wrote:
Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:23 pm
Welcome JWJones to the ERE-Forum! There is a saying I once heard or was it a quote: People overestimate what they are able to achieve in one year and underestimate what is possible within ten years! So...don't despair! Much is possible till you retire.
Thanks, MDFIRE. What you say is definitely true, and I'm not really the despairing type. I realized after I posted my intro that I sounded pretty harsh on myself. On more positive notes, I have the following going for me:

• I'm really healthy. I've spent most of my life eating well (worked in the natural foods industry for 12 years), whether vegetarian, macrobiotic, vegan, or (currently) paleo.
• My primary mode of transportation is the bicycle. I commute 5 days a week year-round, and often do 50-70 mile rides on the weekend. We are a single-car family.
• When I really set my mind to something, I can achieve great things.
• Aside from my day-job, we have a growing side business, making and selling bar soap, lotions, salves, and such. My wife is educated as a clinical herbalist; she does the product creation, I do all the back-end stuff: labels/packaging, website, etc.
• I eventually learn from my mistakes! :D

wolf
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by wolf »

On more positive notes, I have the following going for me:
Ah...I see.... It sounds much more realistic now. I would have wondered if it wasn't the case. What do you want achieve within in the next years? And how do you think ERE can help you with that? Do you have certain topics on your mind?

BTW: I do follow Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen's diet (maybe you heard of it) and commute also by bike to work. :-)

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JWJones
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by JWJones »

MDFIRE2024 wrote:
Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:19 am
What do you want achieve within in the next years? And how do you think ERE can help you with that? Do you have certain topics on your mind?

BTW: I do follow Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen's diet (maybe you heard of it) and commute also by bike to work. :-)
Within the next 5 years I would like to have paid down all my debt. Within the next 10 years I would like to be FI. I guess the topic that most comes to mind for me is having my money work for me, instead of me working for money. That's the key I haven't figured out yet. Back around 2000 I had started buying physical gold and silver bullion. I did pretty well for many years, buying on the dips and selling when the price went up. Basically blew it all by 2010. But really gold and silver is more about protecting the value of your money; it's not really that great of an investment strategy, on its own.

I am familiar with Dr. Greger. I have "How Not to Die," great book. Smart man. I found for myself, however, that eating vegan long term doesn't work for me. There were certain health issues that persisted when I ate vegetarian, macrobiotic, or vegan: digestive issues, mid-day sluggishness, seasonal allergies (a.k.a. "hayfever"). All these things went away when I went paleo. My body simply can't handle grains and beans. I also eat less frequently now that I am off the "carb rollercoaster." I have come to realize that there is no one diet that fits everyone, although I do believe what Michael Pollan says: "Eat real food, mostly plants, not too much."

Re: Bicycling. I am a life-long bike nut. I first got on a bike when I was 5 years old, and I haven't gotten off yet! I have never been without a bike since that young age, except for a very sad, trying time when I had my bike stolen, and it was A FULL TWO WEEKS :o before I got another one. It was a horrible time, indeed. The most bikes I have owned at one time was five. Now I have just two: my all-road commuter, and a mountain bike.

Jason

Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by Jason »

@JWJones

We are the same age and I also came late to the game.

Good luck.

And what I would do to not own a fuckin car let alone 2.

LoriMeyers
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by LoriMeyers »

It would feel weird to welcome you, since I just joined here myself. But I'm glad you joined, since we are on similar paths (and also in Oregon). I have been despairing, because I am 40 already, and starting out neck deep in a debt hole. But I have been reading these journals, and my new goal is to be debt free in 5 years, and FI 5 years after that. These people have done it, and so can we! Something that really hit home for me was following these steps to FI:

Step 1: Start
Step 2: Keep Going

I’m already on step 2 :)

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JWJones
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by JWJones »

@ Jason - Thanks! I don't know what your personal circumstances are, but what would prevent you from scaling down to only one car?

@ ghjess - You know, Oregon used to be a relatively inexpensive place to live (my first studio apartment in 1987 cost me $150/month), but nowadays prices seem to be through the roof. And don't get me started about the taxes here!

We have debt, but certainly not as much as the average American family. We should be able to pay it down within a year.

And I like the simplicity of your plan.

SandyKaryOke
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Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by SandyKaryOke »

JWJones wrote:
Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:20 am
@ ghjess - You know, Oregon used to be a relatively inexpensive place to live (my first studio apartment in 1987 cost me $150/month), but nowadays prices seem to be through the roof. And don't get me started about the taxes here!
Man, $150/month is a great deal! Such a great thought to go back to the 80's. All prices would be lower then. :o

Jason

Re: Hello from Cascadia

Post by Jason »

@ Jimmie Walker Jones

My wife and I are dualies and public transportation is not available. We live in NJ where people get in their car to go to their own kitchen.

The other day I was shredding previous years bills and saw the past car expenses and just wept like Michael Jordan.

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