All Posts

If you want all the goodness of Root of Good, you found it!

Here are all the posts since the beginning of time.  The most recent post is at the top of the list.

To start at the beginning of the blog, go to the bottom of the list.

Enjoy!

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  • April 2024 Early Retirement Update – Cruising the Caribbean Edition
  • March 2024 Early Retirement Update – Busy Springtime Edition
  • February 2024 Early Retirement Update – Spring Blooms Edition
  • January 2024 Early Retirement Update – Winter Frost Edition
  • December 2023 Early Retirement Update – Happy New Years Edition
  • November 2023 Early Retirement Update – Fall Color Explosion
  • October 2023 Early Retirement Update
  • September 2023 Early Retirement Update
  • August 2023 Early Retirement Update – Back to School Edition
  • July 2023 Early Retirement Update – Back in America Edition
  • June 2023 Early Retirement Update – From Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • May 2023 Early Retirement Update – School’s Out Edition
  • April 2023 Early Retirement Update – Party Edition
  • March 2023 Early Retirement Update – Springtime Edition
  • February 2023 Early Retirement Update
  • January 2023 Early Retirement Update
  • Portugal Trip Recap Plus December 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • Simplest Way to Manage Investments, Spending, And Income: Empower Personal Dashboard
  • November 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • October 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • September 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • August 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • July 2022 Early Retirement Update – Alpine Rivers, Lakes, and Mountains Edition
  • June 2022 Early Retirement Update – Cheers from Europe Edition
  • May 2022 Early Retirement Update – See Ya Later, America! Edition
  • Mount Rushmore, Badlands , and Air Force Museum – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 13)
  • April 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • Yellowstone National Park – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 12)
  • Salt Lake City, Utah and Idaho Falls, Idaho – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 11)
  • March 2022 Early Retirement Update
  • February 2022 Early Retirement Update – Early Spring Edition
  • Hawthorne, Nevada and Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 10)
  • Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 9)
  • January 2022 Early Retirement Update – Snowy Winter Edition
  • A City Trip to Los Angeles, California – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 8)
  • December 2021 Early Retirement Update – New Year’s Edition
  • A Week in Las Vegas, Nevada – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 7)
  • November 2021 Early Retirement Update – Turkey Time Edition
  • Arizona: Glen Canyon Dam, the Grand Canyon, and Hoover Dam – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 6)
  • Utah: Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 5)
  • October 2021 Early Retirement Update – Spooky Time Edition
  • Utah: Arches National Park and Capitol Reef National Park – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 4)
  • September 2021 Early Retirement Update – Back to Traveling Edition
  • Colorado: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Ouray, and Mesa Verde – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 3)
  • Colorado: Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, Frisco – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 2)
  • North Carolina to Kansas – Cross Country USA Road Trip (Part 1)
  • August 2021 Early Retirement Update – Back to School (and College!) Edition
  • July 2021 Early Retirement Update – Back Home in Raleigh!
  • June 2021 Early Retirement Update – USA Road Trip Edition
  • May 2021 Early Retirement Update
  • April 2021 Early Retirement Update
  • March 2021 Early Retirement Update
  • Confessions Of A Frugal Millionaire
  • February 2021 Early Retirement Update
  • January 2021 Early Retirement Update
  • December 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • November 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • October 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • September 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • August 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • July 2020 Early Retirement Update
  • June 2020 Financial Update
  • May 2020 Financial Update
  • April 2020 Financial Update
  • March 2020 Financial Update – Rollercoaster Edition
  • February 2020 Financial Update and thoughts on the Coronavirus
  • January 2020 Financial Update
  • December 2019 Financial Update
  • 11 Tips to Finish the Year Strong
  • November 2019 Financial Update
  • How to Visit Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia
  • October 2019 Financial Update
  • Phnom Penh, Cambodia: The Killing Fields and A Royal Palace
  • September 2019 Financial Update
  • August 2019 Financial Update – Back to School Edition
  • Vietnam: From Saigon High Rises to the Mekong Delta
  • July 2019 Financial Update – Exploring Cambodia and Thailand Edition
  • June 2019 Financial Update – Exploring Vietnam Edition
  • Quit Like a Millionaire
  • May 2019 Financial Update – Lazy May Daze Edition
  • April 2019 Financial Update – Cuba Cruise Edition
  • March 2019 Financial Update – Springtime Pollen Edition
  • Mexico City: Not Just Tacos and Tequila
  • February 2019 Financial Update – Mexico City Edition
  • January 2019 Financial Update
  • Doing Nothing is Okay – No Apology Required
  • December 2018 Financial Update and 2018 Spending Summary
  • November 2018 Financial Update – Winter is Coming!
  • October 2018 Financial Update – Cruising the Caribbean
  • September 2018 Financial Update – Fall is Here at Last!
  • Our Cost of Raising a Child: $3,200 Per Year Including World Travel
  • August 2018 Financial Update – Back to School Edition
  • 5 Lessons Learned in 5 Years of Early Retirement
  • Caribbean Castaways: One Month in Freeport, Bahamas
  • July 2018 Financial Update – Home Again!
  • I Retired at 33 By Tracking Every Dollar I Spent
  • June 2018 Financial Update – Bahamas Edition
  • Amsterdam’s Cheese Museum and Bike Parking Garages
  • May 2018 Financial Update – Animals Everywhere!
  • Loneliness – An Unfounded Fear in Early Retirement?
  • Koblenz, Germany, Eltz Castle, and the Mosel and Rhine Rivers
  • The Wall and The War: Exploring Berlin, Germany
  • April 2018 Financial Update – Busy Times!
  • Czech it out: Exploring Prague in a Week
  • March 2018 Financial Update – Spring is Here!
  • A Week in Munich, Germany plus Neuschwanstein and Dachau
  • Explore Austria: Salzburg, Hallstatt and the Dachstein Ice Cave
  • Should you retire early if you only have five years to live?
  • February 2018 Financial Update – Weathering Big Losses
  • The Hidden Gems of the Julian Alps and Soča Valley in Slovenia
  • Exploring Caves and Castles in Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • January 2018 Financial Update
  • Is Hygge, or “Social Coziness”, Denmark’s Best Export?
  • The Meandering Canals and Bridges of Venice, Italy
  • December 2017 Financial Update
  • Castles, Skyscrapers, and Prosciutto in Milan, Italy
  • Cracking $2 Million: November 2017 Financial Update
  • Costco Costs More: A Cautionary Tale of Bulk Buying Gone Wrong
  • Cruising through Fall – October 2017 Financial Update
  • Enjoying The Alcazar and Jamon Iberico in Seville, Spain
  • Exploring La Alhambra and the Narrow Alleyways of Granada, Spain
  • September 2017 Financial Update
  • From the Alcazaba to Sea in Malaga, Spain
  • August 2017 Financial Update
  • July 2017 Financial Update
  • Surprising Finds in Lisbon, Portugal
  • June 2017 Financial Update
  • May 2017 Financial Update
  • Our Early Retirement Didn’t Go As Planned… Our Net Worth Went UP Half a Million Dollars!
  • April 2017 Financial Update
  • When is Enough Enough?
  • March 2017 Financial Update
  • Summer Vacation for 5 in Europe: 9 Weeks, 8 Countries, 14 Cities, $10,000
  • February 2017 Financial Update
  • January 2017 Financial Update
  • Living a $100,000 lifestyle on $40,000 per year – 2016 Expenses in Review
  • Cruising the Caribbean aboard the MSC Divina
  • December 2016 Financial Update
  • November 2016 Financial Update
  • The Role of Luck in Early Retirement
  • October 2016 Financial Update
  • My first person view of gentrification
  • September 2016 Financial Update
  • How to Pay for College while Early Retired
  • August 2016 Financial Update
  • Trip Report: Toronto, Mammoth Cave, and Niagara Falls Road Trip
  • July 2016 Financial Update
  • June 2016 Financial Update
  • A Night at the Focus Group
  • May 2016 Financial Update
  • One Thousand Days of Early Retirement
  • April 2016 Financial Update
  • The Great American Canadian Road Trip – Summer 2016 Edition
  • March 2016 Financial Update
  • How To Score a $50 Car Payment For Life
  • The Many Faces of the Four Percent Rule
  • February 2016 Financial Update
  • Pitfalls and Subsidies While Signing Up for Affordable Care Act Coverage
  • Mrs. Root of Good Jumps Into Early Retirement!
  • January 2016 Financial Update
  • Book Review and Interview – Job Free: Four Ways to Quit the Rat Race
  • Budgeting in Retirement – 2016 Edition
  • Living on Dividends in Early Retirement
  • The Deception of a Billion Dollar Jackpot
  • December 2015 Financial Update
  • Looking in the Rearview Mirror
  • November 2015 Financial Update
  • How We Reached Financial Independence In Our 30’s
  • Tis the Season of Thankfulness
  • How Early Retirement Affects Social Security
  • Zero To Millionaire in Ten Years
  • October 2015 Financial Update
  • Going on a Cruise Part 4 – The Food!
  • Going on a Cruise Part 3 – Save on Board and on Transportation
  • Going on a Cruise Part 2 – Getting the Best Deal
  • September 2015 Financial Update
  • Going on a Cruise Part 1 – Overview
  • Mrs. RoG’s First Attempt at Early Retirement
  • How To Save $375 On Air Conditioner Repair in Two Hours
  • August 2015 Financial Update
  • The Mini Flash Crash of 2015, or, How I Made $5,000 in 30 Minutes
  • Celebrating Two Years of Early Retirement
  • Should Our Family Drop From Two Cars To One?
  • Why Dropping Out Of School Was A Great Choice For Me
  • July 2015 Financial Update
  • The Gear Post: What We Packed For A Seven Week Trip With Kids
  • Eating Our Way Across Mexico
  • My Semi-Retired Summer
  • June 2015 Financial Update
  • Retiring Abroad – Could We Do It?
  • Exploring Guanajuato, Mexico
  • The Start Of Our Adventures in Mexico
  • What Will We Miss About Home While On The Road
  • May 2015 Financial Update
  • The Early Retiree’s Weekly Schedule
  • The Sabbatical – A Mini-Retirement
  • Don’t Fall Off The Affordable Care Act Subsidy Cliffs
  • April 2015 Financial Update
  • Climbing The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder To Fund Early Retirement
  • Safety and Security in Mexico
  • March 2015 Financial Update
  • The Cost of Seven Weeks in Mexico (And How to Minimize it)
  • Summer In Mexico: The Next Big Adventure
  • A Day Of Early Retirement – Going on a Walkabout
  • My Version Of Financial Independence As A 17 Year Old
  • February 2015 Financial Update
  • Cost Effective Investing With Motif
  • From Paper Boy to Engineering Manager to Early Retiree
  • 10 Largest Purchases of 2014
  • January 2015 Financial Update
  • Why We Chose The Worst School In The District
  • Should We Conceal Our Wealth?
  • December 2014 Financial Update
  • Crazy Things Made Possible By Early Retirement
  • Starve The Army Of Hungry Money Managers
  • November 2014 Financial Update
  • Black Friday / Cyber Monday $20 Amazon.com Giveaway
  • This Year I’m Thankful for…
  • Workplace Nostalgia For Construction Trailer Coffee
  • Why Your Two Cents Matter….Literally!
  • October 2014 Financial Update
  • The Ultimate Gift: Your Paycheck
  • Root of Good on Radical Personal Finance Podcast
  • Case Study: High Earning Attorneys Shun High Spending Lifestyle
  • September 2014 Financial Update
  • Our Bad Experience With AirBnB Rental Had A Happy Ending
  • Canada Trip Part 6: Trip Wrap Up
  • August 2014 Financial Update
  • Canada Trip Part 5: Quebec City, Canada
  • Canada Trip Part 4: Sightseeing in Montreal, Canada
  • Root of Good Interview On The Voluntary Life Podcast
  • Canada Trip Part 3: Getting Settled in Montreal, Canada
  • July 2014 Financial Update
  • Canada Trip Part 2: New York City to Montreal, Canada
  • Canada Trip Part 1: Raleigh NC to Philadelphia
  • June 2014 Financial Update
  • 17 Ways To Have Cheap Family Fun
  • The Art of Slow Travel
  • Road Tripping To Canada For a Month
  • May 2014 Financial Update
  • Loving Nine Months Of Early Retirement
  • Extreme Grocery Shopping Without Coupons
  • Eavesdropping On Economic Lessons From a Tradesman
  • One Month of Groceries
  • April 2014 Financial Update
  • When It Pays To Be Cheap
  • March 2014 Financial Update
  • Carnival of Money March Madness Edition
  • High Adventure Early Retirement – Part 1
  • Advantages of Early Retirement With Kids
  • Will My Kids Be Okay If I Retire Early?
  • Six Months of Early Retirement – Still Loving It!
  • February 2014 Financial Update
  • February 2014 Blog Update
  • Smart Travel Through Geographic Arbitrage
  • January 2014 Financial Update
  • Summer Plans – Travel The World?
  • Five Blissful Months of Early Retirement
  • Repairing Things Around The House
  • January 2014 Blog Update
  • Reaching the Summit of Financial Independence
  • Bill Gates Debunks 3 Myths That Block Progress For Poor Countries
  • Budgeting For Home Repairs: Lessons Learned Running A Billion Dollar Project
  • Carnival of Money MLK Three Day Weekend Edition
  • Dividend Investing
  • Enjoying Four Months of Early Retirement
  • December 2013 Blog Update
  • Life Beyond the Ordinary
  • Running Out Of Money In Early Retirement
  • Argentina and Uruguay Trip Part 1 – Montevideo
  • I Have a Luck Making Machine
  • The Fun Part of Trying to Hit Financial Freedom
  • Three Months of Early Retirement
  • November 2013 Blog Update
  • Early Retirement Interview with AOL Daily Finance
  • Carnival of Money Turkey Day Edition
  • Investment Management Using Asset Allocation Targets
  • Snapshot of Root of Good’s Diversification and Asset Allocation
  • I Can Do It When I Try
  • Join the Military to Retire Early?
  • October 2013 Update
  • Developing A Retirement Budget
  • Be Your Own Insurance Company
  • Rethinking Retirement
  • $150,000 Income, $150 Income Tax
  • Auto Costs On The Cheap
  • Government Shutdown: Why It Doesn’t Matter
  • Root of Good One Month Update
  • The Cost of Being a Hoarder
  • RootofGood Household Spending
  • Charge Everything on the Credit Card! Most Bizarre Financial Advice Ever?
  • A Simple Way to Retire 15 Years Earlier
  • Low Expenses Lead To Early Retirement While Still Young
  • One Month Into My Early Retirement Adventure!
  • Early Retirement at 33: An Overview
  • Sabbatical, Mid Career Break, or Retired?
  • Obamacare Makes Early Retirement Easier and More Secure
  • Zen and the Art of Yard Maintenance
  • 5 Ways Living Near Family Saves You Money
  • Crappy 401k Plans
  • There is Such a Thing as a Free Lunch – 401k Matches
  • What would you do with one million dollars?
  • Welcome to Root of Good!

    • 17 comments

      1. Hey! If you want to subscribe to new blog posts, check out the facebook, twitter and email subscription links on the right hand side of each page.

        Reply

    8. Great Job! Please keep with the blog! I’ll be always see and learnig with you!

      Hug from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

      Reply

    9. Just finished all the posts! Can’t wait to read about all your upcoming adventures…Thanks for sharing so much awesome info. You guys rock!!

      Reply

    10. We are fellow North Carolinians, your site has changed our lives forever. We don’t quite understand everything yet but your site helps to break down difficult subjects & help us to see that life can be as simple as you want it or as difficult as you want it. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

      Reply

    11. I just discovered your blog about an hour or two ago and I see you pumped a lot of savings into 401k’s. What strategies are you using to access those funds at your young age?
      If you’ve already covered this in a post, would you mind referencing which and I’ll check it out.
      Thanks so much for sharing your journey!

      Reply

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