Tips for retiring early with a little less...

Retiring early is hard. Retiring early with little money is really hard. Here are things I've found can help.

1. Live where you want to be.
If you live in Jersey but want to be in Florida you are screwed. Travel is expensive and a second home is out of the question if you aren't rich so live where you want to be OR enjoy living where you are.

2. Find a source of revenue that you love

Doesn't matter if it is a paper route, making some money in retirement is vital. Even a few hundred dollars a month really adds up and it can cover a few essential luxuries like a good beer.

3. Find and enjoy cheap or free luxuries
Open air concerts, shore fishing, long walks. Retirement means time and if you can find cheap ways to enjoy your time then you are half way there.

4. Physical health is essential
If you are smoking then stop. If you are overweight then start losing weight. Health issues will crush any chance of a retirement on a budget.

5. Help your kids lives be better.
Family is where it is at. Have a sister you don't know or grand kids you rarely see? Go see them now. Spending time with family is cheap luxury and one that pays long term benefits for all.

Solo dad adventures with his son

Solo dad story of the day: 

woke up 6:00am by our very friendly guest dog whining to be let out. Car.needs.to be at garage early so no worries. Ben works on getting dressed and I head outside to find summer tires. Moments later one errant tire decided to roll down the d driveway and disappeared into the pond well offshore. Ben is now crying inside because he has forgotten to put on underwear before pants (which happens to me all the time). Now I'm wading into the muck of our pond while ben is crying on the deck and the guest dog is wandering off to parts unknown. While I'm cursing and splashing around in my clothes in the middle of my pond with dogs running wild, Ben crying on the porch, neighbor comes by and gives me the kind of look usually reserved for crazy people you see living on a piece of cardboard in the street.

Solo dad day 2: 

Day started out well. The lady from the state was much nicer that I expected, although the state trooper she brought with her was pretty serious. I understand that it looks like a meth lab in my garage but honestly, I'm just a really crappy home brewer. Today I thought I'd set up a play date - figuring this would make for an easy day and it did. No serious injuries. I did have a few learning opportunities that allowed me to convey some life lessons that I thought I'd share.

1. Yes, we live in the country and you can pee pretty much anywhere you want. This however NEVER involves the inside of the house, especially under mom's bed (seriously - how in the hell is this possible?)
2. The only thing we ever put in the fish tank is fish and fish food. Peanut butter sandwiches are NOT fish food. Neither are raisins.
3. Mooning is kind of funny - but not policeman. Seriously.
4. Snapping turtles can be dangerous. And stinky. Bike helmets are not adequate protection when dealing with snappers.
5. While I'm happy that you both know the proper use of the word "buttocks" this does not mean it has to be used in every sentence.

Tomorrow we'll try the open swim hour at the local gym. What could go wrong?

Benjamin AKA "ladies man"

Overheard today at preschool - Benjamin to the little girl he was playing with:
"Rowan, come see the trucks I'm playing with".

Little girl: "My name isn't Rowan".

Pause.

Benjamin: "Come look at my butt"

Family history Conrad Walser married Alice Kaltenbach

This post will contain the known history of my great great grandparents beginning with Conrad Walser and Alice Kaltenbach who married in Paris May 1886.

Conrad's parents (shown below) were from Germany (?) and owned a successful brewery -
 

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