Author Archives: The Escape Artist
One Year To Change Your Life
Most people over-estimate what’s possible in the short term and under-estimate what’s possible over the long term. Having said that, it is possible to change your life within one year. This post is not about me (it’s about what’s possible)… …but my life has changed drastically in the last 6 months…and I expect it to change again […]
Work Bitch
First published February 2019, Updated December 2022 There’s an unwritten rule that stuff about money has to be written so blandly that none of the children in the sandpit can possibly get offended. This is a widely followed convention in personal finance that we will NOT be following today. So, if you are a cry-baby […]
How it works
Welcome! If you are interested in financial freedom, then you are in the right place. The blog This website is my shop window. It’s free and in full view on the internet where anyone can find it and learn from it. On this website I explain the basic concepts of financial independence as simply as […]
Your % savings rate is the most important number
Originally published 2020, updated September 2022 In personal finance, The Good Old Days were actually The Bad Old Days. In the Bad Old Days, before people knew about financial independence, there were financial advisers who acted as The Gatekeepers to investing. People did not know how to invest themselves (sadly, many still don’t) and you […]
Treats and rewards
I’ve just gone 3 months without alcohol. It’s strange. Alcohol was a big part of my life but now I’ve fallen out of the habit and now seem to be one of those weird “I can take it or leave it” people. The moral of the story seems to be that you can break just about […]
Geographic arbitrage and the beauty of having a Plan B
I once helped cure the financial anxiety of a French fund manager. He was stressed out by his job (he was worried – with some justification – that the robots were coming for him) and his London lifestyle. Perhaps you too would like to feel less anxious (and get better with money)? If so, please continue and I […]
Get Rich Slowly, Get Started Quickly
Getting rich slowly is the safest way. Getting rich slowly is the most reliable way. It may be the only realistic way. Waiting to win the lottery is waiting to be chosen by a universe that’s indifferent to our existence. Day trading only makes the banks and brokers rich. Working at a startup is much better […]
The more runway you have, the safer you are
My Dad once learned how to fly a microlight, a flying contraption that looks like a bit like a hang glider attached to a lawnmower. It’s probably not the safest hobby you could choose. He learned to fly this thing at a rustic airstrip which, by all accounts, was just a grass field with a hedge […]
What if never working again was just The Hook?
I think of quitting work and never working again as “The Hook” of financial independence. It’s the thing that first captures people’s attention. How do we know this? Well, it’s always the thing that the mainstream media focus on when they feature financial independence. The Media know they have to lead with something that catches people’s […]
The Essential Importance of Getting Your Stake Money Together
Not buying stuff is easy. It became my default mode years ago. I don’t identify as frugal…if I want something, I’ll buy it…it’s just that I don’t want more stuff. Generally, I don’t want the extra hassle involved. Everyone has a different view of what “enough” looks like. It’s all relative. Is Bill Gates being […]
The Escape Artist 