The College Investor

Millennial Personal Finance and Investing Blog

Home » Money » FI/RE

How To Live Comfortably On Just $20,000 Per Year

Last Updated On 36 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Do you want to reach financial freedom faster? Learn how you can live on $20,00 per year and reach your goals faster.

Filed Under: Lean
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

FIRE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) For Non-Frugal People

Last Updated On 31 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

FIRE advocates typically focus on spending less and saving to achieve a target retirement number. But what if you’re not frugal?

Filed Under: Fat
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

How To Retire As Soon As Possible: Make Early Retirement A Reality

Last Updated On Leave a Comment

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Want to retire early? You don’t have to be rich to do it. Here are 5 real ways to make early retirement a reality.

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

How I Save 75% Of My After Tax Income Each Month

Last Updated On 10 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

The following is guest post from Brian. I’m a nerd for personal finance. Since around the age of 13, I’ve been invested in the stock market. I get excited when a new blog post shows up on The College Investor. And I have more fun receiving a paycheck and distributing the money strategically. When I […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Changing The Math On Living On Half Your Income

Last Updated On 3 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Our friend J. Money from Budgets are Sexy talks a lot about living on half your income.  He extols on the financial freedom it can bring, and how much happier you’ll be having money in the bank. Yes, living on half your income will let you keep more money in the bank – since you’re […]

Filed Under: Lean
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

How To Become a Millionaire by 25

Last Updated On 20 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

What do these people all have in common: Catherine Cook Matt Mickiewicz Juliette Brindak Jermaine Griggs Sean Belnick Ok, so maybe you haven’t heard of these 6 people before?  Well, what if I added the names Mark Zuckerberg and Michael Dell to that same list?  Would it make more sense? These are all individuals who’ve […]

Filed Under: Fat
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Why Everyone Needs “Go To Hell Money” (And How It’s Different Than An Emergency Fund)

Last Updated On 2 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

When my husband and I combined our finances, our first goal was to start saving for an emergency fund. At that point, we were planning to quit our jobs, move to Colorado and become self-employed. To do that, we really needed an emergency fund as a safety net…but we would also need a “go to hell” […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

5 Things Your Millionaire Neighbor Isn’t Telling You

Last Updated On 48 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

It’s currently estimated that there are about 3,000,000 millionaires in the United States today.  And given that there are about 300,000,000 Americans according to the latest Census data, that means about 1 in 100 are millionaires. Even more startling is that means that you probably know someone who is a millionaire, and you probably live […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Why Frugal Living Will Only Get You So Far

Last Updated On 17 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Frugal living is a great idea, but it won’t make you rich and wealthy. It can save you money, but to build real wealth you need to earn more money as well.

Filed Under: Lean
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

How I Save By Front Loading My Life And Making My Money Work For Me

Last Updated On 1 Comment

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

This post is part of the TaxACT How I Save blog tour which teaches you ways to keep more money in your pocket. Last year, TaxACT saved America over $240 million on tax preparation. How much can you save? To learn more about tips and strategies on saving, click here.  When it comes to money there are a ton of ways to save and […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Is Early Retirement Even Possible For Millennials?

Last Updated On 5 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

The dream of retiring early – it’s a dream shared by many millennials. Millennials are a generation that don’t really like working for “the man” and want to setup their lives on their own terms. As such, the structured nine to five world is a bit demoralizing and creates a culture of wanting escape. But […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Simple Tricks to Build Momentum in Personal Finance

Last Updated On 14 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Building momentum in personal finance is essential to being able to achieve a financial goal. Learn the simple behavior of building momentum.

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

My Top Financial Hack: Front Loading Your Life

Last Updated On 14 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

I love this quote – it relates exactly to my top financial hack – front loading your life.  I’m a big believer that you need to do as much as you possibly can as early as you possibly can.  It’s so much better to load up on savings and investments in your 20s versus your […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

That Time Someone Asked: “How Much Money Do You Make?”

Last Updated On 13 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

“How much money do you make?” That was the question a complete stranger asked me this weekend. I was shocked. I stumbled over my words, mumbling something along the lines of “enough to get by,” and I politely changed the subject. My wife and I were at a party with some friends this weekend when […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Rethinking My Personal Money Goals

Last Updated On 4 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

“I’m never going to be rich,” my future brother-in-law said, “I’m too lazy.” We were sitting on a blanket, enjoying a picnic on an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon in May. He continued, “I like doing things like this way more than I like having money, so I’m not going to get myself into a situation […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

5 Reasons To Save Half Your Income

Last Updated On 16 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Earn, Save, Invest. Repeat as necessary. I think all three are important, though I’m more comfortable with saving and earning than I am investing. The day will come when I’m better at investing, and that day is just around the corner. I’ve mentioned before that one of my goals for this year is to save […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

The Secret Financial Weapon Nobody Uses (but we should everyday)

Last Updated On 11 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

There’s a secret financial weapon that we all have in our arsenal but very few of us use (alright, none of us use) – but we should be using it daily!  It’s the most powerful weapon in the world.  And since you’re reading this right now, I know you have it. What is it made of?  Financial […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

How to Get Started with Minimalism

Last Updated On 8 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

The top four resolutions for the New Year are: Lose Weight Quit Smoking Get Finances in Order Get Organized. Let’s assume we’re all fit non-smokers, and since we’re all reading The College Investor, obviously we have our finances in order (or we’re on the right track!). So, then, let’s get organized. I’ve recently gotten on […]

Filed Under: Lean
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

When Renting is Better than Buying

Last Updated On 5 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Last week, I wrote about why it’s not always a bad thing to spend more money on some purchases.  When pointing out the benefits of investing in quality products that you’ll use over and over again, it’s easy to see why you should fork over a few extra pennies for purchases such as footwear, cars, […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Beach Bum or Shark Suit Tester?

Last Updated On 4 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

This is a guest post from The Money For College Project as part of the Yakezie blog swap. The Money for College Project was started with one goal in mind: to help people find ways to pay for college. At MfCP you can find easy to understand explanations of financial aid awards, creative ways to […]

Filed Under: FI/RE Tagged With:
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Being Financially Independent – A Charity in Itself?

Last Updated On 12 Comments

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

I had a conversation recently with a friend of mine who threw out a thought that really caught my attention, “Being financially independent is the best thing that anyone could ever do – better than giving to charity. If you are financially independent, you automatically give more to the poor than most Americans, and you […]

Filed Under: FI/RE
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.