REITs vs Rental Property vs Fundrise: Passive Real Estate Compared
Three ways to own real estate without a tenant: public REITs, private platforms like Fundrise, or a managed rental. Honest liquidity, fee, effort tradeoffs.
Money
Should You Consider Leaving the US? A Perspective on Moving Abroad
An honest look at leaving the US — what we gained, what we gave up, and the questions to answer before you consider moving abroad.
January 2024 Financial Freedom Update
January 2024 financial freedom update: our income, investments, and the strategic moves we made this month on the road to independence.
Dividend Investing: The Income That Isn’t What YouTube Told You
Dividends aren’t free money – prices drop on ex-dividend day. Honest math on yield vs total return, tax drag, and who dividend strategies actually fit.
Target Date Funds: The Set-and-Forget Option (Pros and Real Cons)
Target date funds handle rebalancing for near-zero fees, but the glide path is one-size. Honest pros and cons, plus a 10-minute check for your 401(k).
Expense Ratios: The Fee That Quietly Costs Six Figures
A 1% expense ratio vs 0.03% over 30 years is roughly a $181,000 gap on $100k. Verified fee math, how to find your ERs, and when higher fees are worth it.
VOO vs VTI: One Decision, Not a Dilemma
VOO vs VTI: the S&P 500 makes up roughly 80-85% of the total market fund. Real overlap math, honest tradeoffs, and a 90-second decision rule.
Index Funds vs ETFs: What’s Actually Different
Index fund vs ETF is really mutual fund vs ETF share class. The real differences: tax efficiency, trading friction, and when each format wins.
Net Worth Tracking: The Only Number That Tells the Truth
Why net worth beats income as the number to watch: the assets-minus-liabilities math, a worked $209,000 example, tracking cadence, and first-month setup.
The 50/30/20 Budget: Where It Works and Where It Lies to You
An honest audit of the 50/30/20 rule: where it works, its three failure points, the savings-rate table it hides, and the savings-first alternative I’d use.
