203 comments

A 4-Minute Video: Inside the MMM Household

backyard_interviewIf you ever look at my Twitter feed, you might know that we spent a day in June hosting the fun little video crew that makes Yahoo’s Financially Fit series.

Host Farnoosh Torabi and her fine producer, camera dude, and a Denver-based sound guy and production assistant all came to Longmont to hang out, eat fine brewpub meals on the company expense account, and also shoot a bunch of video to create the latest episode of this ongoing series.

One of my conditions before agreeing to this, as you might expect, was that Farnoosh MUST ride a bike around Longmont with me as part of the interview, just as we all must ride bikes. She gladly agreed, and we had a lot of fun with it.

I think the video came out great – even with the constraints of the prescribed 4-minute format. I was hoping it would come out as an advertisement for a frugal lifestyle in general, so the big Yahoo audience can see that life can be fine indeed even if you don’t spend all your money.

If you’ve got a minute when the boss isn’t looking, take a quick look with the link below.

There’s also a secret ulterior motive with this: when a feature on a subcategory of Yahoo gets a lot of views, it might get promoted to the front page (just as we saw in the Washington Post). With our considerable numbers, we Mustachians can tweak the system whenever we like to make front page news ;-) — Update: we made it to the front page on July 23!

http://finance.yahoo.com/video/retired-30-144216321.html

 

  • City Girl Country Bloke July 23, 2013, 6:09 pm

    Screw those complainy pants, internet retirement police and helmet police! I love the video and all the naysayers need to quit drinking their haterade. We all make choices in life. You chose to go to college and learn about the very lucrative career of software engineering and made a ton of money in your 20’s doing it. You retired by 30. I chose to not go to college, join the military through my 20’s, earn my degree with no debt, get out of the military at 30 and start a wonderful career. I used to get paid peanuts, now I get paid comfortably. And I’m set to be able to “retire” when I’m 40. So all these folks complaining about not making enough money, I got paid less than 30k a year until I hit about 24 then it doubled because I moved to Japan and never saw my family. We all make choices and people need to start taking responsibility for theirs. And your boy had his helmet on. That’s all I am concerned about. You and your wife are grown ass adults and can make your own decisions. Love the video!

    Reply
  • Lynn July 23, 2013, 6:54 pm

    You live in Longmont! My god your blog makes sense now. No wonder you ride your bike everywhere. I’ve lived in Denver and Fort Collins and I miss the biking community. There kind of is one here in Seattle but it’s just different. And your high end house you rent, probably in mountains! Neat deal. Anyways, just started reading your blog per recommendation from Erica @ NW Edible Life. Thank you!

    Reply
  • oscar July 23, 2013, 7:13 pm

    does it get cold where you live during the winter? And if so, are you still biking during the winter?

    Reply
  • Almost Retired July 23, 2013, 8:09 pm

    Great fun reading the Yahoo comments. I couldn’t put it down. I can hear them saying “why did you climb that mountain” and when MMM answers “because it is there” the Yahoo crowd – and 90% of the population – will scratch their head and give you a dazed look. They have no imagination. Can’t think on their own so they invest in “group think.”

    Reply
  • Matt July 23, 2013, 8:18 pm

    Your website and story are awesome and inspiring. I hope to do something similar with my life. I made the mistake of going to grad school for 5 years, which delayed me from making much income for a while and thus slowing down my early retirement… though at least now I have a well paying job, which may accelerate it a bit.

    I was wondering if you could give some car advice?
    Currently I have a 2001 camry, approaching 80000 miles. My wife has a 2006 honda civic, maybe 40000 miles. My wife wants us to get a car that can handle snowy weather a little better, and has 4 wheel drive. We live in mid-michigan…. the snow isn’t terrible, but the winters are long and snow often just sits on the ground for weeks or months at a time. Myself, I’d probably just try to keep my current car but my wife would feel more comfortable if we had something that can handle snow a little better.

    Can you make any recommendations? I’m assuming you’d vote for a used car? My upbringing was such that I was always taught to get a new car so that you ‘know what you’re getting’, and I’m not much of a car guy so I wouldn’t be the best at inspecting a used car (before buying) looking for problems.

    In terms of practicality, we could use a car with a bit more storage space, so maybe a subaru hatch back or something like that.

    Keeping the old civic is something I’ve considered, though i’d rather not divide my household over it. Also, it is about at the point where repairs are starting to become an issue. Window motor had to be replace which was costly, rear struts had to be replaced, door handle broke off.

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache July 24, 2013, 8:23 am

      Snow tires, baby! 4wd is a giant marketing myth.. Doesn’t help your safety in the snow at all. It only helps keep you from getting stuck, on something like a steep unplowed driveway or road..

      Reply
      • M July 24, 2013, 11:10 am

        Couldn’t agree more! I had a Subaru for years and wiped it out a couple of time on snowy roads. And my husband says I drive like Grandma. Tires, not AWD is the answer! Unless you want a car that demands tender lovin’ most of the time (and wants upkeep like “Kim Kardashian”) save your money, buy used and spend on a set of good tires.

        Reply
      • jlcollinsnh July 24, 2013, 11:48 am

        +1.

        I own a Subaru and it’s a great car. But 4-wheel drive does nothing to help stopping or turning on snow and ice. Snow tires do that and we put them on each winter.

        The 4WD did help get us up the steep driveway when it was ice/snow covered. But now that we don’t have that anymore, 2WD and snow tires would do just as well, and far better than 4WD without snow tires.

        As much as I love the Subie, the next car will be 2WD. Better mileage and less weight to cart around.

        There’s a reason 4WD SUVs are what litter the ditches around here when the snow flies. People listen to ads rather than physics.

        Reply
        • durangostash94 July 24, 2013, 5:32 pm

          I live in an area of Colorado that gets a fair amount of snow. A friend of mine who was a State Trooper here (until his recent retirement) told me that Subarus were the cars most often involved in weather-related accidents. His theory was that since they had AWD, the Sub drivers thought they were invincible, didn’t have to slow down in ice and snow, etc. I have a Toyota Tacoma 4WD (paid off!) and am well aware of the limitations of its 4WD.

          Reply
  • Chris July 23, 2013, 10:02 pm

    Well done MMM family, cool to see you guys in your natural habitat.

    I’m still amazed at the spears thrown in the comments below the video. You’d think there would be a ton of high-fives and congratulatory comments, but intstead, there’s flat out anger and disgust that you would even propose such a concept. HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE WHAT PEOPLE SEE ON TV!!!:)

    “It’s difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.”
    -Voltaire

    Reply
  • Grant July 23, 2013, 10:07 pm

    Check out that awesome fence!

    Reply
  • Paula July 23, 2013, 10:13 pm

    Did anybody catch the irony of the BofA Visa card commercial that came on right after the video?

    I’m still laughing…

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache July 24, 2013, 8:18 am

      I got a hypermiling commercial featuring Wayne Gerdes, which I thought was perfect..

      Reply
  • Dee July 23, 2013, 11:08 pm

    I really enjoyed the video. I hope TLC or Discovery would offer you and your family a show to help inspire and motivate more people.
    I’ve been wanting a new car for a while now, mine is a 2001 but it gets me from point a to point b and hasn’t needed any major repairs yet so you got me thinking… What’s the rush? Thank you :)

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache July 24, 2013, 8:17 am

      Thanks Dee.. Regarding the TV idea, I was working on something earlier this year, but decided the traditional TV model is not fun enough work to make it worth doing. Too repetitive and focused on making money from advertising, etc.

      So instead, I hope to find a creative, easygoing, slightly insane filmmaker who wants to do some roadtrips with me, solving consumer crimes and publishing classy artsy videos if it on YouTube.

      Reply
      • MissStache July 25, 2013, 10:54 am

        I would watch the beejezus out of that!

        Reply
  • tenbaht July 23, 2013, 11:45 pm

    Very nice to see the whole family in the movie! To see, that they are real persons, an not only something in the background of some written articles.

    You all looked very happy sitting together on that mat in the garden. It would be great to see more pictures of you here in the blog.

    Reply
  • mottainai July 23, 2013, 11:46 pm

    Amazing. Staying focused for only four minutes does make a difference. Most commercials are way shorter. The make up with repetition though.

    A report by a former german news magazine evoked mostly negative comments, too. So much hate and suffering, so little understanding.

    Reply
  • stagleton July 24, 2013, 12:02 am

    Haha, “If you’ve got a minute when the boss isn’t looking”…..I read that after I sneaked away into a quiet room!

    Reply
  • pzo July 24, 2013, 1:25 am

    The video is great for sparkling interest… sadly it’s a bit short to really explain mustachian principles.
    However, the comments are horrible. You should really write an article about how you stay motivated to keep going mainstream after so much negative feedback. It would be helpful for us non-retired people who are trying to stay motivated to keep stashing even when early retirement sometimes seems unattainable. Because I have NEVER gotten positive feedback on my early retirement plans from ANYONE.

    Reply
  • Robert July 24, 2013, 3:29 am

    I saw the yahoo write up and thought I would stop by and say cheers. Without even knowing there was one I am a member of the mustache club too. I was born this way.
    One thing i do want to point out is that this is not a life of deprivation. I live well really and have all of my needs met, own my home and travel. I am doing all of this on about $14,000 a year. This isn’t really my budget so much as it is what i spend. There just doesn’t seem to be any place to spend more.
    Really, I have a full life and have lots of fun. What more I have time for everything. Something I didn’t have when I worked.

    Reply
  • Kevin W July 24, 2013, 5:15 am

    Great post. I just caught the interview on Yahoo’s front page. It’s hard for me to picture that lifestyle. I am a person who likes to travel and see the country, eat great food, and have fun. Agreed, that you don’t have to spend money to have fun, but it sure helps when you want to go all out! I commend you for living that way and have a great retirement.

    Reply
  • Fugawe July 24, 2013, 5:15 am

    Dude, Nice Drum Kit! I made $360 this month playing drums. I used to use that cash as WAM (Walking around Money). Until one day when I was bragging to my very frugal Mom about how her sacrifice in getting me lessons early on translated into cash. She asked me “What are you doing with the Money? Uhhhh…I wish I could have told her I was saving it before she passed away in January.

    Now those $’s go to work.

    Reply
  • The Despondent Millionaire July 24, 2013, 6:00 am

    Well Sir, you did it again. Watching this video made me feel good.

    Folks this gentleman has his head on straight. I would bet my entire nest egg that if we all lived in this fashion and had these values the USA would be a happier, healthier place to live.

    Thanks MMM. You are the supreme BADASS!!

    Reply
  • FatChance July 24, 2013, 7:26 am

    MMM,

    Glad to see your excellent advice is getting more and more attention. Your wisdom has made such a huge impact on my life (annual spending down >60% since I started adopting your philosophies) and it is great to see your message getting to a larger and larger audience. Keep up the good (and important) work sir!

    Reply
  • Phil July 24, 2013, 7:29 am

    Where do you get 4%? I don’t suppose the nitwits on Yahoo have ever heard of the Trinity study. I think 30s is very early for retirement and probably not attainiable for most, but 40s is reasonable for many in a wealthy country with such high wages. And what to do with your time? Another famously frugal chap, Ben Franklin, retired at 42. Instead of toiling for another 20 years as a reasonably successful printer, he went on to more interesting pursuits like starting a new country, revolutionizing heating systems, founding the first library, and seducing French women (you have to have some fun in retirement too). Early retirement is the American Way! Unfortunately, history records that old Ben was unable to enjoy a widescreen plasma TV with NFL Sunday ticket or a new SUV every 5 years.

    Reply
    • Giovanni July 24, 2013, 10:08 am

      +1 on Ben Franklin!

      Reply
    • jlcollinsnh July 24, 2013, 11:40 am

      Hy Phil….

      you get my vote for best comment on this post! :)

      Reply
  • Denise July 24, 2013, 7:30 am

    I loved the video too. You don’t speak about anything impossible- and thanks to you I’ve started biking to the library (most recent check out was No impact man) to give my car even less use! I’m normally a rides-the-bus-to-university girl anyway, but now I bike for errands, cut my cereal with oats, and hit the farmers market on the way home. My hair is unfortunately still on fire (undergrad student loans) but I’m hitting them hard even on a grad student salary. Keep up the face punching inspiration!

    Reply
  • AJDZee July 24, 2013, 8:10 am

    Your post was probably the most I’ve enjoyed reading – awesome to read someone who’s not quite on the same side of the fence as MMM, but can still appreciate his message. I’m sure MMM enjoyed it too haha

    I came across this blog a month ago and I am bought in and aligned to the vast majority of the ‘MMM-way’.
    Now I’m setting new goals and an action plan for myself – on my way to a 50% savings rate.

    This is a great site. Even if you only agree with/implement 1 out of every 10 things you learn on here, you’ll be way ahead in the long run.

    Great video MMM! (*cough* podcast *cough*)

    Reply
    • Mike Long July 26, 2013, 1:28 pm

      This is a great point. You don’t have to accept every single thing hook, line and sinker. You can improve your situation immeasurably even by just taking on 10% of what’s on offer here.

      For example, I start a new job next week. I have some debts to handle, and instead of pushing them off or dealing with them a bit at a time, ALL of my extra income will go toward eliminating them.

      After that, I’ve worked out a reasonable budget that will allow me save right at 30% of my income. No, it’s not 70%, or even 50%, but considering I’m 43 years old and I haven’t saved ONE SINGLE PENNY in my life, this is quite a first step forward for me.

      Not sure I would have gotten to this point without this blog.

      No, I won’t be able to retire early, but the odds are now MUCH higher than I at least won’t retire destitute.

      Reply
  • Sarahswhere July 24, 2013, 8:28 am

    It would be cool to see a full documentary on mustachianism. Maybe Morgan Spurlock could take on a challenge to live mustachian for six months and film it!

    Reply
    • szq July 24, 2013, 7:43 pm

      Oh yeah! I would LOVE to watch a show on Mustachians!! People just aren’t getting that they have CHOICES about money. How to spend it. How to save/invest it. And it’s causing them a LOT of trouble/headaches/stress. Because they have debt up to their eyeballs!

      I hate watching reality TV, but would definitely go for a FRUGAL/Mustachian-type of show. I could be to pair a “frugal” person/family up with an opposite person/family and try to teach/help them with finances/money management. Cause Lord knows so many people REALLY REALLY need this kind of help!

      Reply
      • TripWest July 25, 2013, 9:00 am

        The people most inclined to watch a show about Mustachians are Mustachians….ironically, these are the same people most likely to have gotten rid of their TV’s.

        Reply
  • Dan July 24, 2013, 9:19 am

    I am glad this blog is getting attention. I really like it and it makes me think about these important issues. One thing I always come back to, and I’m not sure it’s been discussed here, is the concept of the desire to provide for future generations, and not just your own kids. For example, my great-grandparents provided for college for my parents, my parents paid for my college, and now this has been established going back generations I personally feel it would be irresponsible to do any less for my kids’ kids. Since this is a big unknown (how many? how much? when?), it introduces a whole bunch of variables which makes the whole early-retirement question more tricky.

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache July 24, 2013, 11:50 am

      I think providing for your offspring is a nice sentiment – but only if it’s actually necessary and they can’t do it themselves. Most of the time, if you raise ’em well, they CAN earn their own money, and thus inter-generational gifts are just increasing their luxury or displacing healthy work they would have otherwise gotten to do for themselves.

      I still like the idea of giving most of what you earn over a lifetime – but why not give it to those who need it most, other than concentrating on people closely related to you (who are probably already very privileged because of the great genes you passed down?)

      http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/03/28/the-incomparable-advantage-of-having-to-work-for-what-you-get/

      Reply
  • Giovanni July 24, 2013, 10:02 am

    Great video! The most important thing that comes across in the 4 minute format is that you’re a normal family with a nice house living a nice life; not hermits living in a cave. The image of your mostly normal lifestyle that the video captured will go a long way to convincing people that it’s possible.

    Keep on rocking in the free world!

    Reply
  • Jimbo July 24, 2013, 12:29 pm

    152nd comment and first to point this out, I think :

    Am I the only one who has a problem with the fact that she flew 4 people around to do a single interview, which turned into a 3 minute video plus one page article?

    Talk about waste of resources!

    I love this blog and all, but sheesh, this is so, so wrong!

    Ugh, sometimes I hate capitalism.

    Reply
    • Freeyourchains July 25, 2013, 9:16 am

      It makes you wonder how they still make a profit from it. Probably from views, then from Ad revenue over time as it is permanent and available for clicks, forever more.

      (4 people, 4x flights, + 4x 3 meals per day or per diem, + rental van + equipment hauling + Labor per hour(say $30/hr) for 2 days time = estimated $6,000 for this video!)

      So 2,000,000 views on Youtube = roughly $2,000 (I don’t know cpv). So they need 6,000,000 views to break even, total. And they probably got 100 Million views the first 4 hours of Air from their online viewing marketplace.

      Umm MMM, you know this could ignite your own Youtube subscription channel, and encourage your celebrity fame for more flying and dining to you from now on. But all in good fun of branding and marketing, right?

      What would you do if the site, and subscription channel, started making $100,000 per month? I hear philanthropy soon becomes it’s own full time job! AHHH! But that’s probably a 95% fun job!

      Reply
      • MandyM July 25, 2013, 9:31 am

        Small note – MMM said above that the sound guy and production assistant was out of Denver. So its 2 flights and probably less equipment to haul. They may even had a van.

        Reply
    • Paris Parsa July 25, 2013, 4:59 pm

      Haha. They spend a lot more sometimes to make an article about one kind of exotic frog, in an island that no one ever heard about.

      At least this one opens so many people’s eyes and helps them. In my opinion, it is a money well spent.

      I love Farnoosh and have been watching her videos for the longest time. She is great.

      Reply
  • MandyM July 24, 2013, 1:51 pm

    I don’t exactly know why, but I really liked that you were barefoot through a lot of the video. Maybe you just embody the phrase “foot loose and fancy free” . Plus, being on (perpetual) vacation and going barefoot seem to go hand and hand.

    Reply
  • Eric (emg03063) July 24, 2013, 3:14 pm

    Nice work on the video. Very cool to see it come to fruition. Thanks again for showing me around the neighborhood after a long day of filming!

    Eric

    Reply
  • Jane Aloha July 24, 2013, 4:40 pm

    So good to see the Mustache Family in action on their own turf! Summer in Longmont looks lovely. It won’t be long until I hang up the car keys for good and take our little Baby Aloha everywhere on my bike. Can’t wait to have my little co-pilot on board!

    Reply
  • MoneyOCD July 24, 2013, 6:38 pm

    Just saw Yahoo! posted second video !!!!

    http://finance.yahoo.com/video/biking-saves-10-000-211129893.html
    Not sure if anyone already mentioned it or not

    Reply
  • Giddings Plaza FI July 24, 2013, 8:44 pm

    Farnoosh and team did a pretty good edit job to get all that info into 4 mins. Not enough for newbies, but enough to pique their interest if they want to explore early financial independence. Lots of negative Nellie comments–basically, a bunch of jackassery. At least those who critique the lifestyle consume enough to make my stock investments increase in value. http://giddingsplaza.com/2013/07/24/my-financial-independence-goal-dec-31-of-2016/

    Reply
  • Jane Savers @ Solving The Money Puzzle July 24, 2013, 8:44 pm

    I will have to watch the video again to listen to what you actually said. I was so busy watching what you looked like and how you sounded that I missed the point.

    Seems strange to see you walking and talking and riding your bike. Sometimes when I read your posts I think of you as more of a financial super hero and less like a real person.

    Reply
  • CB July 24, 2013, 10:48 pm

    Great videos!
    Any chance we’re going to see more from Mrs MMM? I see her here in the comments a lot and often think it’d be cool to hear more from her.

    Reply
  • lentilman July 25, 2013, 5:23 am

    A second video (also MMM) about how biking saves 10K/yr is up on yahoo now too.

    Reply
  • Alexandria July 25, 2013, 8:49 am

    Good Video.

    I like the (yahoo) comment about how with gas at $4/gallon that you couldn’t possibly save $10k per year on auto expenses. Well, this is what is wrong with our culture. Because the only expense to run and own and maintain a car is the gas!?!?!

    To some of the comments about lack of income and so on. If anyone at any income level read this blog and took it to heart, they would do well. I saw one of the comments on yahoo refer to “MMM lite.” I have often said we were 50% MM. Maybe I should refer to myself as “MMM lite.” We’ve always managed to “live twice as well on half as much.” My spouse retired 11 years ago, at age 25. IT was a more temporary “home with kids” thing, but then we experienced a lot of what MMM has experienced in retirement.

    We were just looking at some very part-time jobs yesterday (we have no debts; which is the most of it, but do have a mortgage and would like to utilize a second income to get that paid off, at some point). We determined the job my spouse can maybe get (in this atrocious economy) would equate to a take-home pay of $5,000-ish for 700 hours of work. Except, I made $5,000 last year churning credit card rewards and that took an hour or two of my time, last year. The perception versus reality that we get is amazing. My spouse is not lazy and unemployable. We just have become masters of efficiency. But we kind of realized all this way back when, when he first stayed home with our kids. We determined his well-paying full-time job would get us $10k per year after taxes, daycare, commute, etc. Screw that. If we needed the $10k, we’d come up with it in a matter of a lot less effort. This kind of thought process can stretch your dollars pretty far.

    I also have little patience for those who can not do anything to improve their finances. Bull crap. By any account all of our friends would probably classify us as extreme black belts at savings. We are *always* learning and improving. I Feel like we decrease our expenses every single year and have plenty more to learn. Everything is always changing, so it’s hard for me to imagine a world where there is nothing else I can do to improve on my finances. When MMM reaches that point (nothing he can do to earn more or save more with little effort), I would like to know. ;)

    Reply
  • Sister X July 25, 2013, 10:57 am

    I have to say, MMM, you sound so much more mild-mannered in person than I expected. Of course, it made me realize that the voice I hear when I read about face punches and whatnot sounds a lot more like one of those fakey TV wrestlers. “You WILL stop being an idiot, or I will FACE PUNCH YOU. RAWR!” If you don’t mind, I think I’ll keep that voice going since I get so much entertainment value out of it.

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache July 25, 2013, 11:05 am

      You and many other people have a good point, Sister X. I realize I used my “nerdy engineering guy” voice in a lot of that interview, instead of speaking the way they teach you to when working for radio and TV. Slower and lower. I can do much better and next time I will!

      Reply
  • Sid Zorbo July 25, 2013, 2:47 pm

    Been following the depraved life model of this site since December. Won’t try to wax too poetic about my own transformation from zero to hero since I am still rubbing for stubble. Challenge accepted MMM!

    Anyway, wanted to drop this little link in for some amusement, which happens to be a somewhat subtle yet scornful mocking of complainypants syndrome in our society that may pertain to this latest post. Enjoy! http://www.theonion.com/articles/unambitious-loser-with-happy-fulfilling-life-still,33233/

    Reply
  • MacGyverIt July 25, 2013, 6:33 pm

    Hey MMM Brother,

    A lot of remarks about getting your major points into a 4-minute video. We have a lot of new folks who take the time to read all of your posts, certainly the BEST way to go. For those that are more point-and-click in nature, have you considered a youtube channel? A way to expound upon such posts as the Hawaii construction+vacation project, how to get the most of out your local library, bikes are safest and most cost effective, etc.? Understand the paint would be video/audio but it’s also a way to reach a broader audience. In the same way I’ve done most of the electrical work in my place from “how to” youtube videos; ER could be another awesome “how to” series.

    After all this time, still super appreciative of your efforts and example. Keep up the kick assed-ness!

    – Mac

    Reply
  • Dee July 26, 2013, 7:07 am

    The road trip videos would be amazing, I enjoyed the Yahoo video so much I hope they consider making it into a series of segments also. I’m tired of the greed and gluttony of reality television, you and your family are living a life of simple abundance and life experiences that is so refreshing that I found myself saying this is what we all should be watching.

    Reply
  • Becky July 29, 2013, 10:04 pm

    Mrs. MM is 39??? She looks younger than me and I am 26.

    Reply
  • Jason Ellis July 31, 2013, 1:03 pm

    Hey there MMM, with the kind of exposure and traffic that this blog is now getting (particularly after this yahoo spot), what kind of weekly income numbers are you generating from the web?

    Reply
  • Joe September 9, 2013, 9:07 am

    The comments on your yahoo piece are a priceless snapshot of stupidity. Just people who spend too much of their money bitching about it. First rule of the internet: never read the comments.

    Reply
    • Three Wolf Moon April 6, 2014, 6:34 pm

      Except on this blog – the comments here are a fucking gold mine!

      Reply
  • Chris November 8, 2013, 8:34 am

    Just wanted to say that this is the article on Yahoo that got me to your site MMM, i have read every article from the beginning up to this so far since finding the site in July, and wow has it changed my perspective.

    since then the only credit card debt i now have are two cards @ 0% apr which is good for more than a year. paying them off a little slower than the cards that had interest.

    Reply
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  • Lil September 5, 2014, 8:13 pm

    Yahoo actually lost a reader! Instead of mindlessly reading Yahoo articles that I then wonder “what the crap was I reading!”, I mindlessly hit “random article” on MMM or get lost in the forums. I now go around the house unplugging electronics, nagging the hubby to cut the cable (can’t because soccer + dvr is his passion…), riding my bike twice a week to work (i only work part-time), breaking out into hives if I’m forced to go to the mall, throw out crap out of my house, reduced cell bill, and just enjoying not having to compete with the Joneses! All this and more in a year!! Thanks MMM!

    Reply
  • Mr. Self Reliance January 20, 2015, 3:46 am

    Great to see a short video on your lifestyle! Thanks for inspiring!

    Reply
  • Mike August 15, 2016, 11:10 am

    The link in this article doesn’t work anymore. I believe that this is the same one? Thanks for sharing!

    http://finance.yahoo.com/video/retired-30-144216321.html

    Reply
    • Amy December 11, 2016, 8:55 am

      Thank you! Great video, glad to see it’s still available all these years later.

      Reply
  • Joe March 16, 2017, 12:56 pm

    Hi, the video link is dead, but I was able to find this one if you would like to update it.
    http://finance.yahoo.com/video/retired-30-144216321.html

    Thank you for sharing your journey. You’ve helped me a lot!

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