Once in a while, Angie finds herself wondering, “Is this really the best way to spend my time? Is this how I want to live day-to-day? If not, what would be better?”
And then she’s realized, time and again, that there’s no right or wrong answer. Angie finds that as long as there’s an underlying sense of peace, 😌 any time spent is time well spent.
Freedom brings a sense of calm and mindfulness.
That’s why we prioritize freedom—whether it means passing up business opportunities that are too taxing ✋ or enduring long flights to be with loved ones (even if we arrive looking like we’ve been through a battle). 🫠
After many detours and dead ends, we’re finally on the path to freedom. ✨ We hope you’re finding your own version of freedom too, whatever that means for you. 🩵
We’re proud Bogleheads! 😎 What’s that, you ask?
John Bogle, the genius behind Vanguard and the first-ever index mutual fund, had a wild idea: instead of trying to beat the market, why not just match it? When you buy shares of an index fund like the Vanguard 500, you’re buying tiny pieces of the top 500 U.S. companies.
Unlike mutual funds managed by high-cost experts, Bogle’s innovation was to automate the process. No fancy fund managers, just low fees and market-wide exposure. Pretty awesome right? 🫦
Here’s a secret, 🤫 retirement accounts that are left alone perform the best. Fidelity found that the accounts with the best returns were the ones where investors made the fewest changes.
So, be a financial couch potato 🥔 That’s the Boglehead way. ✨
How to become a Boglehead fellow? In this letter, we’ll share:
We love Vanguard (we’re Bogleheads, after all), but Fidelity has some great options too. Step-by-step How to open an account at Vanguard
Focus on maxing out your tax-advantaged accounts (Roll over IRA, Roth IRA or Traditional IRA). Remember Rule #1 in Letter #2?
Once you’ve done that, move onto a Brokerage account which will have capital gains taxed at a normal rate whenever you sell your investments.
Not all index funds are created equal. Look for funds with low expense ratios and broad market exposure. Aim for an expense ratio of 0.2% or lower.
Remember, “Time in the market beats timing the market.” and Dollar cost averaging is key (Rule #2 in Letter #2) Even if you invest right before a crash or right after it, over a 20-year stretch, the difference in returns isn’t huge (9-10% vs. 7-8% annualized returns).
It’s a marathon, not a sprint—so relax and let your money do the heavy lifting. Compound interest is like magic, and it needs time to work its wonders. Don’t mess with the magic!!! 🧞♂️
⏰ We’ve got auto investments rolling every two weeks.
Unless you’re planning to sell within a year, you’re better off forgetting about your investment. Check in no more than once a year. In the world of investing, doing less actually gets you more.
Depending on our platform, here’s the core foundation:
And don’t stress about the differences between mutual funds, ETFs, or dividends. Angie was confused about them for the longest time 😵💫 As long as they track the same index, their long-term returns are usually very similar.
And there you have it—the Boglehead way to smart, simple, and stress-free investing! 🌟
That's it for today. Hope it's helpful for your journey to Freedom 🙏
Love you to freedom and back, 🫰
Angie & Tyler
Tyler finally gave this book a chance, despite initially being put off by its corny cover and title. 🙄 He’s a sucker for good graphic design. Turns out, he missed out BIG time. This book has a killer take on mindfulness. It’s not a substitute for meditation, but it’s a fantastic guide to enhance his practice.
“Become aware of a silent but powerful sense of presence. There is one certain criterion by which you can measure your success in this practice: the degree of peace that you feel within.”
🧳 Angie often caught Tyler giving her personal traveling bag the jealousy eyes 👁️👁️ . He used to carry a Baggu reusable bag haphazardly packed with his plane essentials, which puzzled Angie SO much. 🤨 During our trip to Japan, he upgraded to a packable duffel.
But Angie found the perfect bag: thoughtfully designed, high-quality, Bluesign-approved materials, and reasonably priced. 🫢 It’s no wonder Tyler keeps eyeing it with envy. We’re huge fans of this brand; although we try to stay minimal, we find ourselves carrying quite a few items from them. 💖
Personal Finance 💵
Airbnb & VRBO hosting 🏘️
Travel 🧳✈️
Free. Every Tuesday. 5-min read.
Our hard-earned lessons on financial freedom, Airbnb hosting, and living your best life. 🐶⚾️
The tea is ready to spill. 💦
Let’s stroll to Freedom together!
No fluff. Good vibes and honesty Only 🙏🏼
