Category Aug-19 Comments Rent $0.00 Nothing this month Internet $0.00 Nothing this month Cell Phone $0.00 Nothing this month Natural Gas $0.00 Nothing this month Electricity $0.00 Nothing this month Water $0.00 Nothing this month Groceries $196.57 About average Car Insurance -$36.68 Small refund of previous coverage Transport $74.36 Slightly below average Car Expenses $8.00 Washed car Health $0.00 Nothing this month Other $33.99 Mail forwarding Necessary $276.24 Below average this month Restaurants $70....

Category Jul-19 Comments Rent $0.00 Nothing this month Internet $0.00 Nothing this month Cell Phone $0.00 Nothing this month Natural Gas $0.00 Nothing this month Electricity $0.00 Nothing this month Water $0.00 Nothing this month Groceries $149.20 About average, due to return to US. Car Insurance $0.00 Nothing this month Transport $242.93 Higher than average, due to travel / tourism Car Expenses $0.00 Nothing this month Health $0.00 Nothing this month Other $33....

Category Jun-19 Comments Rent $0.00 Nothing this month Internet $0.00 Nothing this month Cell Phone $0.00 Nothing this month Natural Gas $0.00 Nothing this month Electricity $0.00 Nothing this month Water $0.00 Nothing this month Groceries $120.98 Fairly low, but mostly due to higher restaurant expenses Car Insurance $0.00 Nothing this month Transport $256.26 Higher than average, due to travel / tourism Car Expenses $0.00 Nothing this month Health $12....

Category May-19 Comments Rent $2,234.78 Rent for short-term apartment for June and July Internet $0.00 Nada Cell Phone $27.61 Next 30 days of cell phone in Japan Natural Gas $33.37 Last payments for my old apartment Electricity $28.92 Last payments for my old apartment Water $33.11 Last payments for my old apartment Groceries $165.56 My non-restaurant food spending in Japan. Kind of high, but will go down now that I have a fridge and longer-term lodging....

Category Apr-19 Comments Rent $0.00 No more rent! Internet $56.92 Last internet payment Cell Phone $31.11 3 weeks of cell phone while I’m in Japan Natural Gas $49.54 Second-to-last nat gas payment. Not sure why it spiked so high. Electricity $23.93 Second-to-last electricity payment Water $34.18 Second-to-last water payment Groceries $118.47 Lower than average. Spent my final weeks using up leftover food. Car Insurance $120.89 Car is in storage for the indefinite future, so half-price insurance!...

Category Mar-19 Comments Rent $768.75 $750 for rent, paid via Plastiq Internet $56.92 Internet is kind of expensive. Cell Phone $0.00 Nothing this month. Natural Gas $29.35 Above average Electricity $25.05 Slightly below average Water $37.39 Slightly above average Groceries $161.42 Slightly above average Car Insurance $0.00 I pay every 6 months in April and October. Gasoline $83.68 Above average, due to travel Car Expenses $0.00 Nothing this month. Health $42....

Category Feb-19 Comments Rent $768.75 $750 for rent, paid via Plastiq Internet $55.92 Internet is kind of expensive. Cell Phone $0.00 Nothing this month. Natural Gas $27.82 Slightly above average Electricity $24.97 Slightly below average Water $35.25 Slightly above average Groceries $162.41 Slightly above average Car Insurance $0.00 I pay every 6 months in April and October. Gasoline $63.07 Slightly below average Car Expenses $0.00 Nothing this month. Health $42....

In the Financial Independence community, there’s a lot of talk about one’s savings rate (SR). People argue about how to calculate it, how to compare it, and the best ways to improve it. But, I don’t think there’s enough attention given to one of the best consequences of having a high SR: market independence. In other words, a high savings rate reduces market risk. I’ll say that again: as your savings rate goes up, your ability to reach your financial goals in your desired timeframe depends less and less on the market’s performance....

Ah, tax season. It’s my favorite time of the year as it’s a great opportunity to assess my financial standing from the previous year, as well as plan ahead for the year ahead. Plus, it usually brings a cash infusion in the form of a tax refund! Who doesn’t like getting money, right? As I’ve progressed in my financial education, I’ve had changing views about the nature of the tax refund, and thus different behaviors as a result....

This was an interesting month.The stock markets seem to have regained their confidence this month and have rewarded investors accordingly. In January alone, the total US market returned about 8.7%, and the non-US market returned about 7.5%. Meanwhile, between October and December of last year, the total US market declined by 14.8% and the non-US market declined 12.6%. I believe that the last 4 months present a teachable moment for many novice (and/or not-so-novice) investors....