The Frugal Siblings

We are all trying to survive, everyone is just trying to do the best they can. I don’t want to only survive though, I want to thrive. I want to live a life of passion and purpose. I want to have more good days than bad. Simple changes and one’s mindset can help promote a life of thriving. Thankful Happiness Reactive Ingenuitive Value Educated … like what I did there!  Thankful : I wake up every morning trying to be thankful. Some mornings are harder than others but before I get out of bed I try to think of one thing I am thankful for. It helps set my mindset positively and shows gratitude to the things around me. To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone. -Reba McEntire Happiness: Turn that frown upside down. You alone can only create your own happiness. Choose a life filled with joys, as small or big as they may be. Learn to deal with and conquer challenges and find happiness in all areas of life. My mission

It all started with a red light. My wife was stopped at a red left turn arrow when all of the sudden crunch! The truck behind my wife was stuck by a car going 45 MPH (remember the light is red). Like a game of pinball the truck behind my wife was pushed into her. Our rear bumper was damaged, the tailgate was mushed, and the rear windshield was broken (but thankfully nobody was hurt). This was just the start of the fun. When all was said and done the driver that caused this whole mess was arrested for suspected drunk driving. Who was at fault was very clear. The problem is the drunk driver was driving someone else’s car. Due to this small detail there is a very good chance she will not be covered by insurance (still pending). All the sudden something that should have been no big deal for our family has become a real pain. You can never protect yourself from everything but here are a few factors that make this accident a little bit less stressful for my family. -Having a gene

I love to shop online. I can sit there on my phone for hours, fill a cart up, and feel oh so good. Then like most people, I wait excitedly for the package to arrive. Once it's here, well half the stuff does not work or is not what I thought it was going to be. Most the time I usually don't end up returning what we don’t want or need. It's a horrible cycle that I just had to break myself free from. Well hold the phone! Until now I was stuck in the online shopping rut. I have found a solution for my online browsing and shopping rush. It’s called, FREE in “my town”. People post all sorts of things that they no longer need or want on this Facebook page for free. Then people respond if they would like the item. Next, the winner goes and picks it up from the givers porch. You never have to talk or see to the person and the person giving the stuff away just has to set it outside. So far I have got, kids golf clubs, stride rite toddler bike, cowboy costume, stuffed an

My wife and I were out with some friends when the topic of FIRE came up. We are open with these friends and we informed them that we hope to be FI in 5 years or less. You could almost see their minds blow. They simply could not wrap their head around the fact it was possible much less why you would want to be FI. (It did not help matters that I referred to it as retiring early instead of financially independent) After this conversation it got me thinking about why I want to be FI. The first and foremost reason for FI is the security. My job is our family’s only source of income. If for some reason I lose my job then my family needs something they can fall back on. As our investments grow they become the equivalent of someone working full time at Colorado’s minimum wage*. Instead of being a one income family we are now a two income family with the second income is continually growing. The second reason for FI is optionality. Having a large amount of savings simply allows us to

A thermometer measures or reflects what the current temperature is. It has one sole purpose, and that is to report what the temperature is. It does not affect its surroundings, it just reports back data. A thermostat regulates the environment. It works actively to regulate the temperature in a set area. It is able to monitor and react to the readings accordingly. Which are you when it comes to your finances? A thermometer household is one that simply reads its surroundings. This family spends money on things they think are essential mindlessly. They keep up with the neighbors and shop at the big box stores. They are influenced by media ads and others influences in the environment. Most of society's households are thermometers. A thermostat household regulates the environment. They will collect data and adjust finances accordingly. They will remove unnecessary spendings and strategize ways to save even more. These households are not only reactive, but proactive as we

I get joy when I am able to use something up completely. I am not talking about getting the last little bit of toothpaste out of the tube. I am talking about wearing a pair of jeans until they turn into nothing but tatters. Loving an object until it has totally and completely served its purpose is divine. I don't buy cheap stuff. It makes me angry when I buy a new toy and it falls apart after my kids have played with it for an hour. That is just a waste. Quality is important. If something is well built it is a pleasure to use. If things are not built well it is a waste. Nothing is better than falling in love with an object and knowing it stand up to long use. Using quality things is all the more important when traveling. When packing I only have limited space. The things I bring with me need to be durable and be able to be used over and over. I have a pair of travel pants (aka not jeans) that I probably have worn for the equivalent a year straight. They are showing signs o