March 2019 update
BY Ms. Vine
Thursday April 4, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Personal Finance, Progress Update
March, like February, was another relatively uneventful month for our finances. This is good. Boring months make for a nice, steady flat graph. March was a decent month in the markets, helping to boost our net worth. Our nest egg size is getting to the point where good market months can make a big difference;... Read More
Desert Dreamscape: Vacation guide for Phoenix
BY Ms. Vine
Monday April 1, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Lifestyle, Travel
It's no secret that we love the beach. Our vacations often find us close to big water, but a decade ago, we explored Phoenix on a weekend getaway. The desert surprised us and we knew Arizona was a place we wanted to revisit. Since that first trip, we've returned to the Phoenix area several times... Read More
Vietnam Vacation Review
BY Ms. Vine
Monday March 25, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Travel
Trip recaps are one of the most difficult posts I write. That is strange for someone who enjoys travel as much as I do. Perhaps it is because I have so many thoughts to share about travel, especially big travel, that it is difficult to collect those thoughts into a single article. Are there any... Read More
What to know before your first runDisney event
BY Ms. Vine
Monday March 18, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Lifestyle, Travel
The first destination race I completed was the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon at Walt Disney World in Orlando. I'd long wanted to participate in a runDisney race, but the timing never seemed quite right and the entry fees are steep. I have a friend who is local to Orlando and she started running... Read More
February 2019 Update
BY Ms. Vine
Monday March 11, 2019 One Comment Blog, Personal Finance, Progress Update
February was a relatively quiet month for our finances. Winter weather kept us fairly close to home for the most part. Work was busy for both of us. Overall, it felt like we settled into a post-holiday routine. We made some plans for travel later this year and resisted the desire to book any pricey... Read More
How to set goals: 101 tasks
BY Ms. Vine
Monday March 4, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Lifestyle
I’ve mentioned this list on several previous occasions, most often in progress updates when setting goals for the month to come. For those who were curious, here’s the post you’ve waited for: an explanation of how it works, what’s currently on my list, and of course the status of those tasks. I first tried a... Read More
Year in Review: 2018
BY Ms. Vine
Tuesday February 19, 2019 0 Comments Blog, Personal Finance
It feels self indulgent to write a recap of the year, but a lot happened in 2018. Our lives and finances changed a lot. We compiled sets of year-end financial numbers. We launched this website in 2018 to chronicle our journey towards financial independence. Putting it out there for posterity was a big step. We’re... Read More
January 2019 Update
BY Ms. Vine
Thursday February 14, 2019 One Comment Blog, Personal Finance, Progress Update
Happy new year! Only a couple of months late. This month we debuted a new budget and took a big international trip. That was fun. We traveled to Asia with a group of friends. It was exciting and challenging and wonderful. We also visited a new to us country -- check out our updated map!... Read More
December 2018 Update
BY Ms. Vine
Monday February 11, 2019 One Comment Blog, Personal Finance, Progress Update
Apologies for the delay in posting this! January was the first month where I didn't manage a single post, not even the monthly update. Of course we continued to track our spending and investment progress, but the holidays, a couple of trips, a pet health issue, and my new job (with its attendant lack of... Read More
November 2018 Update
BY Ms. Vine
Monday December 10, 2018 One Comment Blog, Personal Finance, Progress Update
November was another difficult month in the market. The 4th quarter has wiped out all of our gains for the year. After meeting with our financial planner, we are harvesting some capital losses to help improve our tax situation. It amazes me that our asset portfolio is getting to the point where we can make... Read More