Spending Update - March 2018

I'm sad to say I failed to blog last week, but I have a good excuse, which I will get into below. This week I'm back on track with our latest monthly spending update.

Andy's Goals for 2018

With the all-important year-end financial summary out of the way, it's time for a post on my resolutions, or goals for the new year. Before I get into those, I need to review my goals from last year. Let's see how I did and what I have in store for the upcoming year.

Travel Report: Nor-Cal Camping

Our tropical getaway to Puerto Vallarta wasn't our only vacation this year. Our other big trip wasn't nearly as luxurious, but it was just as fun. We ventured on a 10-night camping trip to northern California. Read on to learn all about it.

Why We Bought a Truck and a Camper

I have mentioned previously that we bought a gigantic pickup truck and a camper that fits in the back of it. In this post I will go into a little more detail about what we bought and why.

Travel Report: Puerto Vallarta

Our accommodations. Photo courtesy of Sheraton.

For our big trip this year, we decided to go to Puerto Vallarta. Actually, that location was decided for us, but I'll get to that later. We stayed at a great resort and had a wonderful time, without breaking the bank. Read on to learn more.

How We Came to Own Five Cars at Once

Most people know it costs a lot to purchase, operate, maintain, register, and insure a car. That's why car ownership is one of the biggest targets of early retirement bloggers. It seems we ignored pretty much all of that advice because just a few months ago, we owned five cars. That's right, our family of three had five cars at the same time. However, it's not as bad as it seems. Read on to learn how this happened.

New York on a Budget with a Baby; Part 3--Conclusion

In our last post we described our arrival in New York and the beginning of our adventures in the big city. This post will continue where that one left off and finish this series on New York.

New York on a Budget with a Baby; Part 2--Arriving in the City

In our previous post we described how we planned for our December trip to New York. Today we will tell you how the actual trip began. Unfortunately it didn't get off to a very good start.

New York on a Budget with a Baby; Part 1--Planning

Without much prior notice, I was told by my boss that I would be taking a business trip to New Jersey in mid-December. This was not my idea of a good time. However, it was some of the best news Chrissy ever received. You see, Chrissy had been bugging me to take her to New York for years, but I had no interest in going. This was her shot; with my travel being covered by the company, this was the best chance she had to convince me to see New York together. Of course, she had her way and I was able to extend my trip and spend a surprisingly fun long weekend in frigid Manhattan. Read on to learn about the planning of our frugal adventures in the Big Apple with our Little Nugget.

Andy's Goals for 2017

One of my (random) goals for the year.

I know it's a little late, but I'm finally posting my goals for this year. We've been incredibly busy getting our house ready to sell, so a lot of blogging has had to wait. Fortunately, the house is now on the market and will hopefully sell soon.  Anyway, read on for my goals for 2017.

How to Save Money on a Fabulous European Vacation

Being cute in Lake Como. We got in trouble shortly after this for going in the water.

For many Americans, a European vacation is the ultimate in luxury travel. The “old world” has a mysterious draw that is hard to avoid. Unfortunately, it can also have a price tag that is hard to afford. Fortunately, I have a couple tips that can dramatically reduce the cost of an incredible European adventure.

My Plans for "Retirement"

We all have a vision in our head of what retirement will be like. Most people see a silver haired version of themselves sipping a cocktail on a tropical beach. That sounds nice, but I see a slightly older, much less stressed version of myself doing all the things I don't currently have time for.