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Friday Gratitude: Frugal Travel with Friends (and The Jim Collins Lounge Lizard Tour!)

July 14, 2017 by Mr. 1500 Days 38 Comments

The best (and most unexpected) part of blogging is all of the great friends that we’ve made from interesting parts of the world. Some are fellow bloggers while others are just nice people I’ve run into at meetups or chatted with over email.

I recently mentioned that we’re going on a big trip to Maine, Vermont, NYC and Scotland. However, I didn’t mention that this trip mostly revolves around people. Instead of running around to see stuff, our priority this time will be hanging out with friends.

On our last trip, we spent time with the Physician on FIRE family and found that we enjoyed visiting with friends more than the site-seeing. And who am I kidding, I don’t like blowing money, so free room and board doesn’t hurt!

 

Frugal Travel with Frugal Friends

On this trip, we’ll be going to a bunch of places we’ve never been before including Maine, Vermont, New York City and Scotland.

In Maine, we’re visiting my friend who goes by A. Noonan Moose and blogs over at Frugal Fringe. Moose is a local friend from Colorado who spends his summers in the Northeast. Jim Collins, New Hampshire’s most famous resident, may also join us:

Bonus fact: Not many know that Jim was a Vegas lounge singer before his career as a professional blogger took off. He recently came out of retirement for a brief tour of the Northeastern seaboard that coincides with our travels. We plan to catch every performance during our time there:

 

Next up is Vermont where we’ll be spending time in the woods with the Frugalwoods. My children know that the Ben and Jerry’s factory is nearby and coincidentally, they have been asking this question every 3 seconds:

Dad, can we have some ice cream?

My reply is this:

If you can beat Frugal Hound in a foot/paw race, you may have ice cream every night for dinner for the rest of the year. Frugal Hound, you better not blow this one.

 

NYC will be a little different. It will be just the family, NY pizza, Shake Shack and the Charging Bull:

And don’t make me pick one! If we’re on the Staten Island Ferry and the family, a pizza and a shake all fall into the water and I can only rescue one…

DON”T MAKE ME CHOOSE!!!

I hope to meet some of you readers on Wednesday evening (8/2). We’ll be staying close to Columbus Circle in the Upper West Side and our hotel has a rooftop deck:

 

Finally, Mrs. 1500 and I go to Scotland where we’ll have Mad times with the Mad FIentist! That is, if Mrs. 1500 doesn’t fall into the ocean along with my shake. Then, it may just be me…

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Filed Under: gratitude Tagged With: frugal fringe, frugalwoods, jim collins, mad fientist

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Physician on FIRE says

    July 14, 2017 at 5:07 am

    We look forward to pictures of dinosaurs riding a frugalhound, dinosaurs taking on the brass bull, and dinosaurs peeking under kilts.

    Have a wonderful trip!
    -PoF

    Reply
  2. Mrs. Adventure Rich says

    July 14, 2017 at 5:55 am

    What a trip! Hearing your story make me more “FIRE-ed” up 😉 Thank you for sharing!

    ps- Please tell me PoF introduced you to some tasty Michigan microbrews while you were in the area…
    Mrs. Adventure Rich recently posted…We Found Our House on CraigslistMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Mrs. Picky Pincher says

    July 14, 2017 at 6:40 am

    Bahaha! I love this! Can’t wait to hear about all the frugal fun that will be had. 🙂 I can’t imagine winning a race against Frugalhound, so hopefully you’re in the clear there. 😉

    Reply
  4. Jeff from Jersey says

    July 14, 2017 at 6:41 am

    August the 2nd…NYC – locked and loaded.
    Have a great time though New England and make sure the “Chairman of the Board” takes you for a Lobster roll or two while in NH/Maine. Visiting Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury won’t be a massive inconvenience. It is only a wee 10 miles from the Alchemist. I am sure you will plan accordingly. Enjoy.

    Reply
  5. Mr. PIE says

    July 14, 2017 at 6:41 am

    Haha! A fun, warming read on an unseasonably cold day here in New England.

    When in my home country. Scotland, do as the they do. Fish and chips or haggis and chips. Aka fish or haggis supper, as they call it over there. And chips are fries. Confusing? Yes. That’s if you can understand the actual dialect. Its a little easier to understand over Edinburgh way but head to Glasgow or further north and you will be quickly perplexed….all good – especially conversation over a pint or a dram or two.

    Speaking of a dram, a visit to a distillery never hurts either. Unfortunately they don’t sell ice cream flavored varieties of whisky. If you are near Glasgow, Auchentoshan is a fine one. If you venture over to the stunning West Coast and the Isle of Skye or Islay, you will not go wrong with Talisker or Lagavulin. Two favorites of Mr. and Mrs. PIE.

    Safe travels and enjoy!
    Mr. PIE recently posted…Planning for Succcess: Drawdown versus Wealth Preservation in Early RetirementMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      July 14, 2017 at 10:25 am

      The haggis scares me, but I’m game for the fish!

      And I’m not afraid of distilleries even one bit!

      Reply
      • Mad Fientist says

        July 14, 2017 at 11:48 am

        We will definitely help you overcome your fear of haggis
        Mad Fientist recently posted…The Complete History of the Mad FientistMy Profile

        Reply
        • Mr. 1500 Days says

          July 14, 2017 at 1:28 pm

          I feel it coming on… Can’t stop it… Haggis Haiku time!!!!

          Haggis in my mouth?
          Stomach heart liver and lungs,
          Don’t make me eat it!

          Reply
          • Mad Fientist says

            July 14, 2017 at 4:47 pm

            Haha, this is why you’re the best financial blogger in the business…I can barely keep up with my comments but here you are busting out haggis haikus

          • Bonnie says

            July 16, 2017 at 2:20 pm

            Went to Kirkcudbright
            What a delightful surprise
            Haggis is delish!

  6. Team CF says

    July 14, 2017 at 6:42 am

    Gosh, life is good eh? Have fun you guys!
    Team CF recently posted…Blog Traffic UpdateMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Danny says

    July 14, 2017 at 7:17 am

    That photo of Jim and Sinatra….hahaha! Now I have Jim’s voice in my head singing My Way…

    Have a great time on your travels through the Northeast. As with Jeff from Jersey, I’m also in on the 2nd. Looking forward to meeting everyone who comes to the NYC meetup!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      July 14, 2017 at 10:23 am

      If you ever meet him, ask him to sing for you. It may take some prodding, but once he gets going…

      Reply
      • Danny says

        July 14, 2017 at 11:41 am

        Hahaha! I’ll keep that in mind

        Reply
      • jlcollinsnh says

        July 15, 2017 at 9:25 pm

        He never gets going, prodding or no.

        This is just a product of Mr. 1500’s fevered imagination and too many bad drugs over too many years.

        Reply
        • Mr. 1500 Days says

          July 16, 2017 at 5:49 am

          Don’t be modest Jim.

          Reply
  8. Church says

    July 14, 2017 at 7:57 am

    NYC!

    How YOU Doin!!!

    Fuhgettaboutit!
    Church recently posted…Money Challenge: Unlink Your Checking and SavingsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      July 14, 2017 at 10:23 am

      Please translate.

      Now I fear communication problems with the locals…

      Reply
      • Church says

        July 14, 2017 at 11:13 am

        “NYC” – translation: New York City, aka The Big Apple, Gotham, Metropolis, The City that Never Sleeps (Frank Sinatra)

        “How YOU Doin’! – translation: Hello, Sir, and good day to you. What fine weather we are having today and a great day for a stroll in the park, wouldn’t you agree?

        “Fuhgettaboutit!” – if you hear that, you don’t want to be sticking around to find out it’s meaning. Just turn and run…
        Church recently posted…Money Challenge: Unlink Your Checking and SavingsMy Profile

        Reply
  9. Kevin@39months.com says

    July 14, 2017 at 7:59 am

    Hope you have a good time. If you end up in Northern VT anytime during the trip, close to Jay Peak and Montgomery center, stop into the Phineas Swan B&B and say hi to my brother & sister in law.

    Great place to stay, especially during SKI season. Very Pet friendly for Mr Frugalhound

    http://phineasswann.com/

    Reply
  10. Mrs PoP says

    July 14, 2017 at 8:33 am

    Ha! Sadly, our NYC trip will be about a month too late to overlap with you there. Hope you guys have a wonderful time! =)
    Mrs PoP recently posted…Happy Friday – Bunny Not MouseMy Profile

    Reply
  11. MrWow says

    July 14, 2017 at 8:52 am

    Enjoy your trip! Can’t wait to hear all about it! And remember the shortbread in Edinburgh!!! Unfortunately, we’ll miss you guys in CO next week. But, if you end up with SoCal, be sure to hit us up, especially with the 919.

    It’s funny, with all the traveling we have done, the part we enjoy the most is meeting the people. We just sit in a coffee shop or bar and people watch and talk to folks that happen to be there. The sites are nice, but it’s really the people and the culture that make it interesting.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      July 14, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Oh yeah, I’ve already started planning for the 919 trip. I need to install some kind of luggage, cruise control and possibly a wind screen. It probably won’t happen until Spring of 2018, but it’s never to early to start dreaming.

      And I have the shortbread place bookmarked!

      Reply
  12. Todd Weitzman says

    July 14, 2017 at 9:43 am

    Wow good to see you guys teaming up in real life. Great to see! -TW

    Reply
  13. TinaP says

    July 14, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Sounds like a great trip! I think you have a safe bet on Frugal Hound as long as he gets to wear his hound horn for the head dip at the finish line.

    I just got back from my first visit to NYC and through many touristy sights, I would recommend to anyone to look up a little diner called Stardust. It’s on Broadway and 50th-ish area. The food isn’t great and it isn’t cheap (I paid about $25 including tip for coffee and a dry omelet) but the wait staff are all aspiring Broadway singer/actors and they take turns performing little show tunes while you eat throughout the diner. Many of them also interact with customers as it fits the song (think – a male singer wooing a female customer while singing “Sandy” from Grease) so it can be quite entertain The wonderful part of all this is you are witnessing these kids (ok, adults, but “kids” still) going after their dreams – it is really seeing them live out the beginning of “I’m going to move to New York and be famous.”

    Reply
  14. Divnomics says

    July 14, 2017 at 10:22 am

    Sounds like some real quality time. It’s great to have such good friends you can call it a holiday when you are around them 😉

    Have fun!

    Reply
  15. Fulltimefinance says

    July 14, 2017 at 10:55 am

    When is the Maine trip? I’m flying up there via Boston in a few weeks.

    Reply
  16. Mrs. BITA says

    July 14, 2017 at 11:10 am

    For your sake I hope you’ve closed all possible loopholes in the race challenge. With what is on the line your daughters are going to be inspired to be….ahem…enterprising.

    Sounds like a good time is going to be had by all.
    Mrs. BITA recently posted…Ten FIRE Games to Pass the TimeMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Duncan's Dividends says

    July 14, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    Awesome vacation planned, even a random trip across the pond! Way to enjoy your well earned freedoms. Hopefully you won’t be serving ice cream the rest of the year. Happy vacationing!

    Reply
  18. Mr. Tako says

    July 14, 2017 at 8:02 pm

    Sounds like a wonderful summer trip schedule. We simply NEED to see pictures of dinosaurs on top of the Wall Street bull! 🙂

    Enjoy your travels!
    Mr. Tako recently posted…Farmers, Hunters, And Investing For Financial IndependenceMy Profile

    Reply
  19. Mrs. Kiwi says

    July 14, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    I definitely agree that visiting friends leads to a more fun vacation than just looking for the “sights.” And hey, the free room and board is a nice perk.

    Reply
  20. BeSmartRich says

    July 16, 2017 at 6:19 am

    Have a great time!
    BeSmartRich recently posted…Mr. Badass Jeff Bezos and how we should approach when investing in stocksMy Profile

    Reply
  21. No Nonsense Landlord says

    July 16, 2017 at 11:22 am

    There is nothing the matter with frugal travel. I am all about the discounts and staying where it is free too.

    If you can get your friends to buy dinner, a bonus!!

    Reply
  22. theFIREstarter says

    July 17, 2017 at 12:31 am

    We recently went to France for 2 weeks and stayed at a friends for 3 nights. That was definitely the best part of the trip!
    It’s very good to have friends all over the world, apart from making the trips cheaper,
    you get to live more like a local than a tourist, and obviously catching up with friends as well is the main thing.

    Remember to try the deep fried Mars bars in Scotland, not very healthy but sure one won’t hurt too much 🙂

    Looking forward to seeing you on the London part of the trip!

    Reply
  23. Jennifer myka says

    July 19, 2017 at 7:05 am

    I’m a follower of you, Frugal, and MMM, living in central Vt. I’d love a chance to meet you and share ideas. If you have time while you’re here, let me know!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      July 19, 2017 at 1:06 pm

      Email incoming!

      Reply
  24. Len Bron says

    August 1, 2017 at 7:19 pm

    So what time and where exactly is the NYC meetup happening tomorrow evening? Would love to stop by and say hi!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      August 2, 2017 at 6:00 am

      Email sent!

      Reply

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Freedom!

My goal was to build a portfolio of $1,000,000 by February of 2017; 1500 days from the birth of this blog (January 1, 2013). And hey look, I’ve since retired!

Investments only (primary home excluded)
1/1/13 (The Start): $586,043
1/1/14 (1 Yr Later): $869,635
1/1/15 (2 Yrs Later): $987,351
1/1/16 (3 Yrs Later): $1,057,961
1/1/17 (4 Yrs Later): $1,257,128
1/1/18 (5 Yrs Later): $1,527,701
1/1/19 (6 Yrs Later): $1,549,440
1/1/20 (7 Yrs Later): $2,035,040*
1/1/21 (8 Yrs Later): $3,379,746**
1/1/22 (9 Yrs Later): $4,762,642
1/1/23 (10 Yrs Later): $3,112,821

2023: Investments only
1/1: $3,112,821

Overall
2023 investment gains: $0
Investment gains since 1/1/2013: $2,526,778
Net worth***: $3,342,821

* The big jump between 2019 and 2020 was partly because we bought another home, but kept the previous (much more expensive) one as a rental. We have since sold it.

** Tesla.

*** Includes our primary home equity in addition to our investment portfolio.

Finally, we still have about $290,000 in mortgage debt (which I love!). No regrets about the debts!

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