Hi there, Mrs. 1500 today.
Well, I will join you after Mr. 1500 recaps last week…
So last week, I thought my boss had discovered my plans to retire early, so I straight up asked in the post:
Well, my boss didn’t mention it. She is outspoken, so I think she would have if she had seen the post. I am relieved:
- Retiring in your 40s is a very odd concept to most and I’ve found that either people get confused or angry (jealousy?) when you mention it. I have no desire to discuss future plans that don’t include my job with my boss.
- Did you see those crazy pictures I included of myself modeling the new bra I invented? Had my co-workers seen those, there would have been no end to the ridicule.
Here is what some of the Commentors had to say about my post:
Cashville Skyline Kate loved my bra idea:
That bra (and pictures) are amazing
I really appreciate the support Kate. As a thank you, I’ll be sending you a complimentary Double Duty Budget Boobie from the first production run!
Mr. and Mrs PoP were actually discovered:
We were discovered once – by a coworker of Mr PoP’s who at the time happened to sit a couple of cubes away from him. Luckily he’s been the only person so far (that we know of) to put 2 and 2 together and figure out who we are, and seemed pretty amenable to keeping our little secret.
Yikes, scary. This is what I fear.
Maggie from Northern Exposure had this to say about my bra pictures:
YIKES! MY EYES!
I think I know what Maggie meant by this. She was so astounded by the incredible pictures of me wearing my incredible invention, she was at a loss for words. Kind of like seeing your firstborn or a stunning waterfall for the first time. For your support Maggie, you too will receive a complimentary Double Duty Budget Boobie.
OK, so back to me, Mrs. 1500. Let’s talk contests…
We recently attended FinCon, a financial media conference. We learned a lot, met a ton of people, and just in general had an awesome time. While we were there, we received several books from the various keynote speakers.
Leap from Tess Vigelund, describes her experience of “Leaving a job with no Plan B to find the career and life you really want.”
Jeff Goins shared The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do. This book talks about not getting stuck in a career path you don’t really want to be in, to find what you are passionate about.
But my favorite was The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to be Smart About Your Money by Carl Richards.
Carl Richards – a Certified Financial Planner – is also know as The Sketch Guy in The New York Times.
He writes with painful honesty, telling you how he lost his house to short sale in the housing crash of 2008. But he also talks to you like your friend. He doesn’t judge. He lays it out for you.
If you pick up just one book this year – and I sincerely hope you pick up more than one book this year – make it this book.
If you have any deductive reasoning at all, you will have decoded this message and figured out that we are giving away a copy of the Carl Richards book.
Free Stuff!
Sort of copying J. Money’s post from last week, we have two copies of this book. Not only are we giving away a copy of this book, but it is a SIGNED copy of the book.
So in order to be eligible to win this book, you must leave a comment below. I want to know what you are reading lately. What books are really revving your engine recently. Bonus points to money-related books, double bonus for money-related books including dinosaurs.
So, what are you reading?
I’ve been reading Leap. I like it, although it’s a little repetitive so it’s taking me longer to get through.
I heard her speak, and am just starting my career again after an 8-year hiatus so her message isn’t really for me right now. I put that toward the bottom of the pile, I just have so many to read right now. Mr. 1500 needs it at the top of his list…
The Outsiders by Thorndike. It’s absolutely the best book I’ve read in the last few years!
-Bryan
Income Surfer recently posted…An Update and a NEW BUY
I thought you meant The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. You know, from 8th grade?
The Outsiders by Thorndike looks really interesting. Thanks for the suggestion! Although Thorndike should have done some research on titles before deciding on that one…
I actually just started reading, Leap from Tess Vigelund. It’s quite interesting and even though my leap has a “plan”, not set in STONE, I kind of relate.
Mrs. Budgets was talking about bras the other day and I might have to put in an order for the Double Duty Budget Boobie as a xmas stocking stuffer.
Mr. Budgets @MrandMrsBudgets recently posted…Life Isn’t All About The Money
I’ll keep the secret from Mrs. Budgets. Boy won’t she be, uh, surprised.
I’m reading A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) in prep for my PMP exam. Once done I’m moving on to the FinCon swag.
Brian @DebtDiscipline recently posted…Net Worth Update: September 2015
Thank you for sharing. I might not actually get to this one for a while… And you already have a copy of the book, so I’m not going to include you in the drawing…
Do Over by Jon Acuff in an effort to be courageous and leave my current job for one that matters. Thank you!
Shannon, you could benefit from the Jeff Goins book above. I’ll email you…
Thank you!
My book isn’t money related, but my brother generously bought me Sh*tty Mom. It is a compilation of stories from four moms. It is a hilarious parenting guide. Funny stuff.
I’ve read that one. It’s really funny.
I’m reading The Affluent Investor by Phil DeMuth right now. Pretty interesting book and I’m learning a lot. Next up is probably some self-help books by Dr. Wayne Dyer that my wife’s reading. Mrs. T is raving about Dyer’s books.
Tawcan recently posted…The endless chase
Does The Affluent Investor talk about investing in stocks or investing in general?
I’m reading The Big Short by Michael Lewis. Highly recommended!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Huge thumbs up to The Big Short, especially if you have an interest in learning about the last recession, how real estate and these complex securities played into it, etc. Wonderful read!
Brad @ RichmondSavers.com recently posted…So we went to Europe and Africa…
I’m reading “The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After Fifty”. I was a late starter to early retirement but still hoping to retire by 56.
Everyone has to start somewhere. You’re still leaps and bounds ahead of many of your peers.
I’m currently reading Adulting. There’s a section on personal finance, so that kinda counts, right?
I love that it’s something that I can easily pick up and jump to whatever section I need a little advice and/or motivation with
Amanda @ My Life, I Guess recently posted…Becoming Self Employed and In Control
I like the title. Sometimes I feel like an imposter-adult…
YES! I feel like I just totally won something awesome! Can’t wait for my budget boobie. I think my husband will really love it. Seems very flattering. As for books, I recently just finished all of Malcolm Gladwell’s books. While they are not strictly money related, I’m a behavioral economist geek so I thoroughly enjoyed them and learned a ton along the way. The one-page financial plan looks fabulous. I feel like I haven’t read a *good* money book in a long time… so I just started avoid them.
Maggie @ Northern Expenditure recently posted…Want to Save More? Plan for Regret.
Yay, another Malcolm Gladwell fan! I love his books, too and they always have something interesting to learn in them.
I think Malcolm Gladwell has been recommended before… Time I added him to the list. (Side note, welcome to the world, baby Malcom!)
I just finished “Saved: How I quit worrying about money and became the richest guy in the world” by Ben Hewitt. Interesting take on our relationship to money…kind of like “Your Money or Your Life” but with some money supply history sprinkled in. A great read.
Thanks for the suggestion, Nate!
“The Opposite of Spoiled” by Ron Lieber. We just started my newly-5-years-old son with an allowance, following much of the wisdom provided in the book. Excited to see what choices he will make now that he has his own money.
Not sure how it goes with boys, but my little girls are constantly asking for this or that thing. They aren’t spoiled, but cleaning the house tonight makes me think they are…
Starting a reread of “The Intelligent Investor”. Figure a second read will let me pick up more from it than the first time I read it.
Fingers crossed. I like to read books multiple times because I skim, and don’t get the whole story in one reading. That method doesn’t work so hot with these type books, though…
I read the Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. It’s not about personal finance but you can get a lot of money lessons from it. I just posted up my review. I plan to do more reviews from a money perspective on non-fiction or non-money related books.
middle class recently posted…5 Money-Related Lessons From “The Good Earth”
That sounds interesting. I know my mom had this book in the shelf growing up.
We are looking to purchase our first investment house so we borrowed, “The New Rules of Real Estate” from the library this weekend. It is written by the top guys at Zillow. They talked a lot about Zillow but it also made some interesting points.
I think we got that book at FinCon, too.
In the past 90 days I have read the following books:
1 – The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
2 – The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be – Jack Canfield
3 – The Rich Employee – James Altucher
4 – The One Thing – Gary Keller
5 – The End of Jobs – Taylor Pearson
6 – DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online – Russell Brunson
7 – Reviving the American Dream in Southern California: How to Purchase a Home & Pay It Off in 5 Years – Lloyd Mize
8 – The Bulletproof Diet: Lose up to a Pound a Day, Reclaim Energy and Focus, Upgrade Your Life – Dave Asprey
Cheers!
Dominic @ Gen Y Finance Guy recently posted…September 2015 – Detailed Financial Report #9 – Net Worth $248,578 [+37.1% YTD]
One of the guys I work with raves about The One Thing. I’m on the list at the library…
CultureShocked Thailand and Italy (first stops on our post retirement world tour)
The Dune series, I’m a nerd but missed these growing up?? Catching up.
Every Jack Reacher book, and yes I’m embarrassed. But I read them.
Entire Marvel Avengers from #001 with my 4-year old. Good stuff.
Between the World and Me from Ta-Nehisi Coates. OMG tough but wonderful.
Still going through Early Retirement Extreme and Nerds Eye View blogs – they are good at early post retirement info
How old will you be when you retire early?
Early Retirement Extreme is pretty hardcore. I couldn’t do quite that much…
One book I just finished a couple weeks ago was called “Running Away,” by a guy who moved from Miami to Boulder to basically try to turn his life around while trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Robert Andrew Powell is his name and he is a really excellent writer.
Also, I’m slowly making my way through “The Brothers Karamazov”
That running book sounds interesting.
I won’t get bonus points because the book that I am reading (literally beside me now) is Tom Clancy’s Full Force & Effect. BUT I did get it for $9 vs. $29.95 retail 🙂
Tom Clancy is a quality read.
“Essentialism” and “The One Thing” were my 2 books of 2015!
Highly recommend them!
Someone has recommended Essentialism – isn’t that about getting rid of things you don’t use? I need that book in my life. The One Thing is on the library wait list.
I recently started reading Leap. The first 100 pages or so aren’t too bad.
Yeah, for certain people (ahem, Mr. 1500) it would be a good read. It just isn’t where I am in life, so I put it on the bottom of the pile.
Books! Who has time for books? Do you have any idea how many retire early and investing blogs and podcast I follow? Though, I promise I will find time to read this one if I am the winner.
My new job has me in the car about 4 hours a week. Solo. No kids music. No kids fighting. I learned how to load podcasts on my phone and now look forward to my commute.
What are you listening to?
“Three Guineas” by Virginia Wolf
I’m reading The Intelligent Investor and Capital in the 21st Century.
Nothing at all to do with investing, but I’m reading The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Pretty darn good! I have Leap on my list…does that count?
Nothing $$ related, at the moment. I’m currently reading Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood. So far, so good! Atwood can do no wrong.
Just looked at my Goodreads account and realized of the 31 books I’ve read in 2015, exactly zero were PF. The One-Page Financial Plan is definitely on my to read list though 🙂
Hmmm, a hint?
I just finished Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Fisker and Cashing in on the American Dream: How to Retire at 35 by Paul Terhorst. I think the past half dozen books I read were either finance or financial independence related, so I just picked up Catch-22 to try something different.
Fervent Finance recently posted…Financial Independence Stealth Mode
I picked up Your Money or Your Life at the library over the weekend. I’ve made it through the introduction. Time to get into the meat!
Kate@GoodnightDebt recently posted…Purge and Declutter
I luv YMYL! Good for you. It is a top 3 money book for me. I hope you get a lot out of it.
I found myself quoting their fulfillment curve and “enough” concept in at least 3 conversations and a blog post this week. It is in my beds after reading it 3-4 times.
Currently in progress on the following books:
*Quiet by Susan Cain – Learning about the dynamics (strengths/weaknesses) of introverts – of which I am one. Quite interesting thus far to listen to (audio book from library).
*Give them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus – This has been challenging my perspectives on parenting my two small boys in a number of ways. Great content so far (obviously only applicable to those of you who follow Christ).
*Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus – Reading this for a Sunday School class at my church. Again, this is challenging my perspectives on some things.
*Bible – I’m always in progress on this book. 🙂
*One or two fiction books I started on but got stalled out on (I enjoy a lot of the SF / Fantasy genre).
I do read some personal finance stuff also; just not at the moment! It’s neat hearing what different folks are reading. Giving me a few ideas for books to look into…
I’ve mostly been reading blogs such as yours which I recently discovered. I will give you my favourite financial reads….You’re Money or Your Life, which I loved but the sequel I loved even more called Getting a Life, I’m an example oriented person and this is full of them. It is dated but the messages are timeless. I’m not into the investing part of each book but the message, very much so. Another book called Lost and Found by Geneen Roth dealt with the emotional issues behind your money, very helpful read. There are 2 Frugal Luxuries books by Tracey McBride that show you how to live luxurious without spending money (or very little).
The last book I read was Little Princes by Conor Grennan. Not a PF subject, but has the spirit of FI in that the author quit his job to travel the world for a year – can’t do that if you don’t save your money! Feeling guilty about the self-indulgence of taking a year off, he volunteered 3 months in an orphanage in Nepal, which wound up changing his life. An excellent read!
I am reading “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris. It takes are rather unique approach toward finding happiness and dealing with adversity.
Bryan @ Just One More Year recently posted…Financial Considerations for downsizing our home
Been on a reading kick recently and kind of all over the place 🙂
Walden by Thoreau
The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management: Reinventing the Workplace for the 21st Century by Stephen Denning
Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S.Lewis – to my kids
Their Name is Today by Johann Arnold
A Managers Guide to Coaching by Emerson & Loehr
About to pick up Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradberry and Greaves
I really like the Narnia books – we read them in 3rd grade I think. I also love that you can pick up the whole lot at thrift stores for less than what one would cost new.
I’m not much of a book reader, usually just blogs and magazines, but the last book I was reading was Your Money or Your Life. Finally put it down as it was telling me a lot of what I already knew. Maybe I just need to find the right books to read?
I usually like to read non fiction, but I’m a farmer, and get so busy in the summer I won’t pick up a book for months at a time. That makes me sad, so this year I decided to just pick easy and engaging things to read, and it’s been great! I especially enjoyed “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” “The Language of Flowers,” and “The Sleepwalker’s Guide To Dancing.” I’d really like to get back into non fiction with an engaging of book like this one!
I’ve been reading John Bogle on Investing – The First 50 Years. A good compilation of his speeches throughout the years. I’ve also been intrigued by Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow”. It’s blowing me away and has a lot of good advice that can be used in a financial sense, as well. It has a great discussion on stock picking.
-DP
DP @ Someday Extraordinary recently posted…Deliberate Practice in Pursuit of Goals
I just finished Richest Man in Babylon – can’t believe it took me so long to check it out! I’m in the middle of 1776 by McCullough – fascinating!
Love love love this book!
I really, really need a good finance book to read. My latest literary pursuits have been Fox in Socks, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Goodnight Moon. They were good reads, but didn’t contain too much practical advice . . . except maybe not to eat a piece of chocolate cake, one ice cream cone, a pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, and one slice of watermelon all at once.
Harmony @ CreatingMyKaleidoscope recently posted…The Things We Did Right, In Spite of Our Debt
I found Green Eggs and Ham in French at a Thrift Store. My littlest one loves to hear it. Ce Sam c’est moi, ce Sam c’est moi! Je n’aime pas ce Sam c’est moi!!!
Different languages changes it up a bit. I’m glad we are exiting the Sandra Boynton phase, personally.
I’m currently rereading how to engineering your layoff , I’m hoping I missed a lot on my first read. .
Crossing my fingers I did or else my expectations were too high
The Roamer recently posted…Weekly Pain & Gain: FinCon +
That would be awesome if you could engineer that! I’m not at that stage right now, but Mr. 1500 could be… Good luck!
Your Money or Your Life. I’ve read it several times now, and each time I find it inspiring.
So many recommendations for this one. I’m moving it up the list!
You can leave me out of contest since I have one page financial plan too;) I always have a few books by my bed to read, but here is what is at top of the stack:
1. Coined by Kabir Sehgal. I got it from FinCon. So far it is interesting. Basically a history of money, but not just the economic story. Also money as symbolic art, part of social fabric, and even had an impact on religions.
2. Walden by Thoreau … I like to take him in doses. The impact is deep and rolls around your brain for a while.
3. Rereading Your Money or Your Life for some ideas on a Money-Life Manifesto I am writing. Love this book.
4. Tony Robbins, master money game. Was a gift for Christmas last year. I love Tony, but I would not recommend book. Index investing and rants against mutual fund fees better told by JL Collins. Also gets into annuities, which don’t interest me as income real estate investor. Chapter that gives Ray Dalio’s recommended asset allocation was interesting. Might be worth library checkout for that.
That’s all for now. I plan to do 10 (17) questions for you soon.
Chad recently posted…Service: A Simple Strategy to Make More Money (and Become Happier)
Walden! You go deep! This is something I’ve always wanted to read, but I’m saving it for post-work.
I’ve never read Your Money or Your Life. Ironic, because that is probably the foundation for my journey.
Can’t wait for your 10 Questions! Don’t hold back!!
I just finished Flash Boys by Michael Lewis (audio book) and reading One Year Off about a family that spent a year traveling around the world. I have Early Retirement Extreme and Your Money or Your Life on hold at the library. I’m looking forward to both of those.