2019 Update

Well, it's official. I'm no blogger. :) But I AM all about financial independence, and thought I'd share an update.

A few things people might find interesting about me are that I live in NYC, have an 800 square foot apartment, eat out at restaurants often, travel internationally several times a year, wear nice clothes, and keep my car in an attached garage near the elevator in my air-conditioned building.

And I usually spend less than $40k a year. How? My girlfriend shares the rent, I travel using points or stay with friends, and I drive a fuel-efficient Prius.

I started my financial journey when I was 24, when my net worth was -$125k due to my student loans and credit card debt. I learned to be frugal because I had to be.

I worked my tail off in sales for a few years, starting with a salary of $35k, eventually earning six figures a couple years later, and, by the time I left for business school at 27, my net worth had grown to about $0. I was proud. I was awarded a fellowship to a two-year MBA program, which ultimately cost less than $50k (including tuition, room and board, travel, and books), a fraction of the cost of most other top 20 programs. I qualified for 3% federal student loans, so I left my money in the market and let it grow. When I re-entered the workforce at 29, I pursued consulting, where I knew I would travel often, save money, meet a lot of people, and learn a lot. As my career has grown, so has my income - about 12% a year for 15 years.

Early in 2017 I reached the crossover point, where I could finance my current lifestyle exclusively with passive income, saving 100% of my take home salary. I still work, though - harder than ever. Opportunity is out there, and I won't find it sitting on my couch.

Because I've been less stressed than I used to be, I was able to use my free time to start a business with my wife! In a few years I may transition there full-time. While I may have technically 'retired' from mandatory work, I've found optional work to be rewarding enough to keep doing.