10 Questions with YouCanBeFree123

Today is the 32nd edition of our periodic guest post series called 10 Questions. We have a list of 17 questions we pose to fellow financial bloggers, and they are free to pick and choose 10 or answer all of them. Let us know if you would like to be featured in a future edition of 10 Questions.

This week, we hear from Mike, who blogs at YouCanBeFree123.wordpress.com. Mike is passionate about helping people find and keep financial freedom. His site is new, but he’s been helping people figure out their finances for about 15 years.

He’s hoping to start an online training course to help people realize their financial dreams.

Tell me about your blog and why it’s great.
Youcanbefree123 is about helping people obtain and maintain financial freedom. Freedom from worry and freedom to pursue your passions in life, including the retirement that you always dreamed of. Financial freedom is not easy but it definitely is worth it.

Samples of my work include:
What Does Financial Freedom Look Like?
Top Ten Leaks In Your Discretionary Budget
The Working Backwards Series: How Much Car Can I Afford?

Tell me how you’re going to change the world with your blog (dream big or don’t dream at all!).
Money, when used properly, is a tool to help us realize our purpose and dreams. But sadly, too many people use money inappropriately and end up not reaching their dreams. And while there are many resources available to tell people how to manage their money, Youcanbefree123 is uniquely focused to help people in two areas:

1. Detailed “how-to” actionable instruction to realize actual financial freedom

2. Specific life-stage instruction that proactively focuses on the challenges and opportunities at each stage in life

So, to answer your question, Youcanbefree123 focuses on helping people take financial information/education and fully implement it in their lives so they experience actual freedom.

1500 Days is about early retirement. Do you have early retirement dreams? At what age do you think you will retire?
Retirement means different things to different people. In the traditional sense, retirement usually means stopping work after a full career and enjoying the later years in life away from work. My definition is somewhat different. I am defining retirement as being financial free to pursue the goals and dreams in my heart. In terms of work, it means I work because I want to, not because I have to. It means I live where I want and when I want. In this sense I definitely plan to retire early!

What is the worst personal finance mistake you see people making?
Seeing people live paycheck to paycheck, not knowing any better, spending every dollar and not being prepared for inevitable expenses: cars, house, family, children, etc. Only to be saddled with debt and disillusionment.

What’s your favorite tip for saving money?
Have your savings taken out of your paycheck automatically (emergency fund, retirement savings, short term savings for future purchases) before you even see your check and let the power of compound interest build those savings/investments into something really powerful. Think about it, saving just $100/month turns into over $100,000 after 25 years! The value of $100K in retirement is far greater than the $100/month sacrifice.

What is the best money management or investment tool you have come across?
I’m going with automated banking that allows you to: automatically deposit money into your savings accounts, pays your bills on time and gives you real-time feedback on the status of your accounts. Automated banking allows us to save, pay our bills and stay informed with little to no effort.

What did your parents teach you about money as a kid? How so?
My parents taught me very early that money does not buy you happiness, money only provides options. They taught me to have a great work ethic and earn my money. They taught me to live within my means, whatever they are, and they taught me to save money for emergencies because eventually they will come. Both of my parents were teachers on a meager salary and yet they lived the richest life I ever saw because they followed these principles.

What is the best thing you’ve read lately?
I read many books, concurrently, and the last one I finished and really enjoyed was “The Way Of The Seal” by Mark Divine. It is a wonderful book that encourages us to know who we are, what we stand for and the standards by which we will live. Very powerful.

What do you do for exercise?
Crossfit is my thing. High intensity interval training. An hour of extreme exercise for a full day of feeling fantastic. Worth the sacrifice!

If blogging isn’t your full time gig, what is?
For more than fifteen years I have helped people with their personal finances as a Finance Pastor at a large church in Austin Texas. What started out as a way to serve people with something I know very well, turned into a way to help marriages, families and communities reach their goals and dreams. From that point on I was hooked on helping people obtain and maintain financial freedom.

Thanks again, Mike for answering our 10 Questions today. You can read more of his work at youcanbefree123.wordpress.com, or keep up with him on Twitter and Facebook.