Book Review: "The Automatic Millionaire"

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Book Review: "The Automatic Millionaire"

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about David Bach's book "The Automatic Millionaire"?

I gave the book a 3.5 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

Here are the main points Bach covers in "The Automatic Millionaire":

  1. Want to be a millionaire? Pay yourself first.
  2. Automatic allocation of money helps us meet our goals.
  3. Homeowners are significantly wealthier than renters.
  4. Credit cards are a significant driver of consumer debt.

Despite its patent generalizations in some areas, "The Automatic Millionaire" is a book worth reading for anyone who has not reached their regular saving and/or debt repayment objectives.

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Ten Days in Paradise for Less Than $1000

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Ten Days in Paradise for Less Than $1000

In a little over 100-days’ time, we’re going on a 10-day vacation to Costa Rica, our longest vacation together in over five years.

What prompted my research on the potential for us to go there was an invitation from my girlfriend Michelle (with whom I went on safari in 2014) to join her and her husband there this coming January. Unfortunately, our schedules didn’t align and we had to pass on their invitation, but all is not lost: we’ll be going about a month later.

I bring this trip up for a half-dozen reasons that I think might be worthy of discussion...

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Under the Knife, Ahead of the Game

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Under the Knife, Ahead of the Game

I’ve been away for a week. Want to know why? Life happened while I was busy making other plans.

It started last Tuesday night. I was with some clients when my abdomen started to swell and get tender. Yup, I was hurting. Yet, I dismissed it as “woman troubles”, thinking I just needed to give it a little time. Wednesday morning came around and WOW! my body promptly informed me that it wouldn’t be that easy. By 10:00 am I had to put aside what I was doing and lie down.

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Debt and Drugs - 10 Things Big Banks and Big Pharma Have In Common

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Debt and Drugs - 10 Things Big Banks and Big Pharma Have In Common

The 2008-2009 crisis was shocking to many. Banks were vilified—though not punished—and we’re still recovering to this day. 

The U.S. market may be at an all-time high, but the financial system is still sick and it may possibly suffer another blow because nothing has changed and some aspects of it are getting worse. The U.S., banks that were “too big to fail” are getting bigger, the same powerful people are running the show behind the scenes, important consumer-protection legislation has been eliminated, consumer debt levels are still high, the government’s financial position would make it difficult to weather another financial crisis, and the “fiscal easing” policy may backfire due to the risk of inflation it poses.

If you think the above is frightening, there’s another industry that should worry us just as much, if not more. It’s as big, as bad and as dangerous as the banks, but it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Big Pharma is also out to get us and it has more in common with Big Banks than we might think.

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2014 Update - Million Dollar To Do List

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2014 Update - Million Dollar To Do List

In April 2014, I announced a major financial goal to ensure my husband and I are assured to remain financially independent with no worries about now having "enough". We deeply value the ability to decide what to do in life on a day-to-day basis, whether that includes working or not. It gives us the relief of knowing no one will have dominion over us. Ever.

We currently have enough to life off for decades, but it just doesn't quite feel like enough, so we decided to set a goal.

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