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I have a confession to make.
Our spending has gone up. Way up.
Maybe even enough to have my frugality blackbelt revoked for good!
In truth, 2024 was our most expensive year ever. And in this week’s article, I break down exactly where all the money went.
You might think it’s due to the ‘spiraling cost of living’ and ‘record inflation’ we’ve been hearing about for the last few years.
But no. The reality is, it was all by design.
I also reflect on our situation these days and share how I think about lifestyle inflation through this perspective, and how our spending has changed since leaving full-time work in 2017.
Read: 2024 Strong Money Household Spending
STRONG MONEY PODCAST
I think all of us want to be rich and happy.
In my new podcast, I zoom out and take a broad overview of how we can achieve both.
I discuss why they’re interconnected, and surprisingly, how focusing on one can actually help you achieve the other.
Because the ultimate goal is creating a life where you have both, rather than maximising just one.
Listen here on Spotify, Apple, or on the website.
If you’re enjoying these podcasts, it would mean a lot to me if you could share the show with someone. These episodes are a nice gentle way to introduce people to FI, before slowly brainwashing them into changing their entire lives 😉 (insert evil laugh here)
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AUSSIE FIRE PODCAST
In the latest episode of Aussie FIRE, we dive into another case study:
“My partner and I own a home, and we’re thinking of living overseas for a few years before having kids. Before we go, should we focus on saving up cash, buy an investment property, or debt recycling into shares?”
Hayden and I flesh out the various options and offer suggestions on how we might handle the same situation.
We also discuss taking investing advice from ChatGPT, and answer a question about the ideal size of a property deposit.
Listen now on Spotify or Apple.
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THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK
People absolutely love public holidays. “Long weekends are the best!” Imagine if there was some way to make every week a long weekend. You can. I did. And it’s 100% worth the effort.
If you aren’t actively building freedom, you’re passively accepting a lifetime of work.
When we work, we sell our time. When we sell our time, we’re really selling Life Hours – precious time and energy we’ll never get back. Think carefully before working longer than you need to for any work that isn’t fulfilling.
STRONG MONEY MEETUP
It’s about time for another meetup for Perth readers.
By the way, I will do other meetups when I get to the other states. I’ll likely be in Melbourne later this year, but not sure which month yet.
Here’s the details for the upcoming meet:
Date – 24th May
Time – 9am
Place – Koorak Cafe Kings Park
If the weather’s good, we’ll meet outside the cafe on the big open grass area. If it’s raining, we’ll grab a section of tables inside.
Come say hello and chat with like-minded people on the same path as you. Look forward to seeing you there!
