Wait, what do you mean how you got started with FIRE? Do you mean FIRE as in exothermic combustion? Careful there laddie, explain yourself. No sir, nothing as malicious as that – I meant FIRE as in Financial Independence Retire Early. It’s a pretty novel concept and sort of a movement which originated in the USA. Here in Australia though, I haven’t really heard of anyone achieving FIRE. Mind you, I don’t expect the ones who have “retired early” to sit home and play Call of Duty all day. I’m sure once you reach a level where you can retire young, you don’t. Life’s too short to sit around shooting…
-
-
What I learnt during the Melbourne Cup!
And they’re off! “GALLOP, GALLOP”, “NEIGH, NEIGH” That’s the sound that stops a nation. Here in Australia, every first Tuesday of November, we have the world famous Melbourne Cup – a $6.2 million horse race which is watched all around the globe. It only lasts about 3 minutes, but the amount of money spent betting on this race day amounts to around half a billion. Strewth! Half a billion! What’s more is that you hear stories of the wins and success stories of the successful punters STRAIGHT after. “The big winners were everywhere on Cup day. One lucky punter has come away with $151,255 from a $50 boxed trifecta. Another…
-
Watch out! Here comes $30 million!
A special shout-out this week to my friend Bugzy, he’s fallen on tough times and has commented on this blog a couple of times. “I just want to sail off to find Atlantis and exotic treasures and hot bar maids” he said to me this week. Poor guy “shakes head” – REALLY doing it tough right now. You know what would help him? $30 million. That’s right – $30 million is the megadraw for the Oz Lotto sweepstakes on Tuesday. I remember because a few work colleagues were remarking about it last week and my mum reminded me over the weekend. “Make sure you buy a ticket – you will…
-
What I Know Now That I Wished I Had Known When I was 20
What a catchy title, did I hook you guys in? Of course you did TheFrugalSamurai, now TELL ME ALREADY! Yes of course I will, because I’m good like that. You better, cos I’m committed now you FFFF. 20 years ago, I was aged 10. The world was my oyster and I was in year 4. We learnt about fractions such as half of one half of an apple is not enough apples… wait, I think I went back a decade too far. 10 years ago, ah, that’s better. 10 years ago, I was aged 20 – just coming out of uni into the big bad world. I was bright and…
-
Spot Check On Local Property Market
Evening ladies and gentlemen! Hope everyone had a great weekend – yes yes I agree, it is too short. Yesterday, I attended a few property inspections in my local area of Inner West Sydney – an area which has seen some phenomenal price growth during the latest boom. I wanted to do a spot check to gauge the market right now. The media report either a plateau or fall in price. And you know what? The market is different to a year ago, very different. The first inspection was a fairly standard 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 car spot (2/2/1) apartment. I stayed for the duration of the open because…
