Food for Thought - The Gift of a Gathering

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Food for Thought - The Gift of a Gathering

The F2P clan hasn't exchanged Christmas gifts with each other and with others for many years now. If we’re invited somewhere—which we feel privileged to say is common place for us during the Holidays—we bring something the hosting party needs for the evening, and we ask what that might be ahead of time. It never fails because there’s always something.

And it’s no different when we play host. We prefer not to receive gifts and, when we do, we’re delighted that people bring food stuffs and not consumer goods that adds to the clutter we would prefer not to have in the first place.

How, then, do we celebrate during the Holidays?

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Book Review: "Born for This" by Chris Guillebeau

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Book Review: "Born for This" by Chris Guillebeau

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about Chris Guillebeau's book "Born for This"?

I gave the book a 4 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

Chris helps the reader navigate career success by helping us focus on the following:

  1. Maximizing the joy-money-flow model
  2. Trying new things and eliminating what doesn’t work
  3. How building up our banked savings and goodwill can make all the difference
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Book Review: "The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die" by John Izzo

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Book Review: "The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die" by John Izzo

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about John Izzo's book "The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die"?

I gave the book a 4 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

Here are the five secrets:

  1. Be true to your self
  2. Leave no regrets
  3. Become love
  4. Live in the moment
  5. Give more than you take

I dare you to read this book and not be moved, or at least inspired.

To know more about the book, read my full review here.

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Book Review: "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi

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Book Review: "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about Ramit Sethi's book "I Will Teach You to Be Rich"?

I gave the book a 4 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

Here’s the information and advice that makes this book unique. It:

  1. Helps us navigate service providers… and negotiate with them.
  2. Offers a primer on investing by debunking the myth of financial service expertise.
  3. Compares the benefit of paying down debt to investment returns in a systematic way.

One word of caution, his writing style is an acquired taste. It can be a turn off for readers looking for solid advice and who prefer to avoid sources that include some off-colour humour.

To know more about the book, read my full review here.

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Book Review: "Dear Debt" by Melanie Lockert

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Book Review: "Dear Debt" by Melanie Lockert

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about Melanie Lockert's book "Dear Debt"?

I gave the book a 4 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

The book’s format is straightforward, yet it includes some gems, some unique features you won’t necessarily find in other debt reduction books:

  1. A focus on the individual
  2. The hidden power of side hustles
  3. How reducing debt affects your outlook

Read my full review here.

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How Many Cars Will I Own?

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How Many Cars Will I Own?

There are very different ways of interpreting that question. 

I was rereading the book Your Money Or Your Life recently, and two of its passages brought me back to my mid-twenties:

"Other people’s expectations don’t make you buy stuff. TV does not make you buy stuff. Your thoughts make you buy stuff. Watch those suckers. They’re dangerous to your pocketbook—and to a lot more." - p. 194.

and

"'Quality of life' often goes down as “'standard of living' goes up. There is a peak to the Fulfillment Curve—spending more after you’ve reached the peak will bring less fulfillment." - p. 300.

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Book Review: "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

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Book Review: "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

Want to know what Free to Pursue thinks about Thomas J. Stanley's book "The Millionaire Next Door"?

I gave the book a 4.5 out of 5 Rockstar rating.

Stanley’s findings revolve around three main themes:

  1. Live below your means.
  2. Choose a partner with similar values.
  3. Focus time and energy on wealth accumulation.

To know more about the book, read my full review here.

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