{"id":93534,"date":"2026-04-06T17:56:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/?p=93534"},"modified":"2026-04-06T17:56:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:56:32","slug":"july-2022-fire-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html","title":{"rendered":"July 2022 FIRE Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-update-350.jpg?resize=350%2C525&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26940\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Hey everyone! We are back in Portland after 8 weeks of traveling. Whew, I am worn out. I think we are done with <a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/maldives-island-hopping-dont-do-it\/\">backpacking<\/a>. Packing up and moving every few days isn\u2019t as fun as it used to be. We had fun, but this trip just took a lot out of us. Next time, we\u2019ll go to one location and stay there for the whole trip. But we\u2019ll probably stay home for the next few years. RB40Jr especially had a hard time being away for so long. He is ecstatic to be home.<\/p>\n<p>On the personal finance side, July was okay. Our income was much lower than usual because Mrs. RB40 didn\u2019t work. I also didn\u2019t work much because I couldn\u2019t focus while on vacation. Additionally, our monthly expense was also high due to travel. So we had to draw down some savings to fund this summer vacation. That\u2019s okay, though. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll get back on track in the fall. We\u2019re comfortable enough to splurge a bit.<\/p>\n<p>First, I\u2019ll share how I\u2019m doing on my New Year goals. Then, I\u2019ll show you our monthly cash flow. Here are the details.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#2022_Goals\" >2022 Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Financial_Goals\" >Financial Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Health_Goals\" >Health Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Fun_Goals\" >Fun Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Net_Worth_-13_YTD\" >Net Worth (-13%&nbsp;YTD)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#2022_Passive_Income_46668_YTD\" >2022 Passive Income ($46,668 YTD)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#July_2022_Cash_Flow\" >July 2022 Cash Flow<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Gross_Income_3683\" >Gross Income: $3,683<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#Monthly_Spending_4413\" >Monthly Spending: $4,413<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/july-2022-fire-update.html\/#July_2022_wrap_up\" >July 2022 wrap up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022_Goals\"><\/span><strong>2022 Goals<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here is my 2022 goal spreadsheet. It works really well. Try it out if you can\u2019t keep up with your New Year goals. The key is to go over the spreadsheet at least once a month to track your progress. That way, you can see which goals need extra attention.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"667\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-NY.jpg?resize=667%2C352&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26928\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>I\u2019m not doing so well on my goals this year. I already failed 3 of them. See the reason below.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Financial_Goals\"><\/span><strong>Financial Goals<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Real Estate Crowdfunding $200,000.<\/strong>&nbsp;I\u2019m not doing well on this goal. In May, one project was completed and we got our investment + profit back. That\u2019s great, but now I need to reinvest the money. Also, we have an unexpected expense. We are building a beach cabin in Thailand. So, I\u2019m not sure how much we can increase our investment in RE crowdfunding this year. Anyway, the projects on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CrowdStreet<\/a>&nbsp;finish their funding phase very quickly. Investors are taking money off the stock market to diversify. It\u2019s a great way to invest in real estate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>FI Ratio &gt; 110%.&nbsp;<\/strong>This is my main goal for 2022. The&nbsp;<strong>FI ratio&nbsp;<\/strong>is passive income divided by expense. So far, our FI ratio is 128%. Our big payout from the real estate crowdfunding project helped a lot.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sell rental condo.<\/strong>&nbsp;Our tenant decided to stay for another year. He\u2019s a great tenant so I\u2019m okay with it. The price isn\u2019t great in that area anyway. Portland is still struggling with a lot of issues. Hopefully, the city will improve soon. Anyway, I failed this goal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Speculate crypto $10,000.<\/strong>&nbsp;Occasionally procrastination is a good thing. Crypto is going through a shakeout in 2022. My crypto account lost a large percentage this year, but it might be a good time to buy\u2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Health_Goals\"><\/span><strong>Health Goals<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Unfortunately, I lost my fitness tracker in Bangkok. I have no idea how it happened. It probably just popped off my wrist. Oh well, I\u2019ll see if I can pick up another tracker when I get home.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fun_Goals\"><\/span><strong>Fun Goals<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Travel 180 days<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 I was away from home for 123 days since the beginning of 2022. We are traveling more this summer while Mrs. RB40 is on a sabbatical.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/can-wife-early-retire-yet\/\">She could retire if she wants<\/a>, but she chooses to work this year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel.<\/strong>&nbsp;Currently, we have 1,333 subscribers on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCH8PcOiAjrzR3Td6lyvclrw?view_as=subscriber\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our YouTube channel<\/a>. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m cut out to be a YouTuber. I just don\u2019t have the personality for it. But we gained some subscribers this year so I met my goal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hot air balloon ride, zipline, and Disneyland.<\/strong>&nbsp;This isn\u2019t looking good. I haven\u2019t been able to schedule these fun things into the schedule. We\u2019ll probably put it off until next year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Happiness level &gt; 8.<\/strong>&nbsp;Everything is awesome on vacation. I give it a 9.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"371\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-happiness.jpg?resize=580%2C371&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26930\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Net_Worth_-13_YTD\"><\/span><strong>Net Worth (-13%&nbsp;YTD)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019ve been&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/personal-capital-track-finances-free\/\">tracking our net worth<\/a>&nbsp;since 2006. It is very motivating to see the progress. The power of compounding is unbelievable. Our net worth increases more than we earn almost every year. However, 2022 is turning out to be an exception. The stock market dropped over 20% and we are in a bear market. Our net worth followed the market down and dropped 13% so far. We diversified with real estate and other holdings so our portfolio is a bit more stable than the stock market. It still hurt, though. But!<\/p>\n<p><strong>***Important***<\/strong>&nbsp;Don\u2019t stop investing. You need to keep investing when the stock market is down. Eventually, the stock market will recover and you will do very well as long as you keep investing through the downturn.<\/p>\n<p>Here is a chart of our net worth from Personal Capital.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/pcap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sign up for a free account at Personal Capital<\/a>&nbsp;to help manage your net worth and investment accounts. I log in almost every day to check on our accounts. It\u2019s a great site for DIY investors.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"857\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-networth.jpg?resize=857%2C429&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26932\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022_Passive_Income_46668_YTD\"><\/span><strong>2022 Passive Income ($46,668 YTD)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here is a quick summary of our passive income. You can see all the details on my\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/passive-income\/\"><strong>Passive Income page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"567\" height=\"247\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-passive-income-1.jpg?resize=567%2C247&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26938\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>July was a slow month for passive income<\/p>\n<p>*FI ratio = passive income\/expense<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"July_2022_Cash_Flow\"><\/span><strong>July 2022 Cash Flow<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Our cash flow was great last month. Our income was much higher than usual due to Mrs. RB40\u2019s income and real estate crowdfunding income. That\u2019s fortunate because our expenses hit an all-time high. We spent over $11,000 in May. That\u2019s way higher than normal. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here is the Sankey diagram of our cash flow. You can get a quick overview from the diagram and see the details below.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/retireby40.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-Sankey.jpg?resize=700%2C500&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26934\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gross_Income_3683\"><\/span><strong>Gross Income: $3,683<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Our gross income is way lower than usual because Mrs. RB40 is taking a sabbatical. Also, we are traveling and I\u2019m not working much. Like many families, we are drawing from our savings to travel. We saved quite a bit earlier this year so I\u2019m okay with it. After this summer, we\u2019ll be home for a long time.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mrs. RB40\u2019s job<\/strong>: Mrs. RB40 is on a sabbatical. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blog income:<\/strong>&nbsp;$1,488. My blog income was down last month. Blogging is 50% passive, at best. If I post less, I make less money.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Real estate crowdfunding<\/strong>:&nbsp;$638. A small payment from real estate crowdfunding last month. You can read more on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/passive-income\/real-estate-crowdfunding\/\">RE Crowdfunding Passive Income page<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rental income<\/strong>:&nbsp;$770. We had a nice month at the rental. I think we\u2019ll have a good year with rental income. Things are much smoother than the previous year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dividend Income<\/strong>:&nbsp;$788. See more details on my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/passive-income\/dividend-stocks\/\"><strong>Dividend Passive Income page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interest Income:&nbsp;<\/strong>$9<\/li>\n<li><strong>Side hustle &amp; Misc:&nbsp;<\/strong>$0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Monthly_Spending_4413\"><\/span><strong>Monthly Spending: $4,413<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This year, I plan to spend about $50,000. So our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/a-simple-easy-budget-plan-for-people-who-hate-budgeting\/\">monthly spending budget<\/a>&nbsp;is $4,166. In July, we went over that budget due to travel. We were in Thailand to visit families and see the sights.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the details.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Housing<\/strong>: $1,160. This category includes mortgage, home insurance, HOA fees, property taxes, utilities, home improvement, repair, and furnishing. The price of utilities increased a little this year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parents<\/strong>: $250. My brothers and I each sent $250\/month to my parents. They don\u2019t have much retirement savings. Fortunately, they live in Thailand so their cost of living is pretty low. &nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Groceries<\/strong>: $19. Usually, we spend about $500\/month on groceries. This month, we didn\u2019t buy much grocery because we weren\u2019t home.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bills<\/strong>: $23. (This is just life insurance. Water, gas, and electric bills are included in the housing category.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Transportation<\/strong>: $87. This category includes gasoline, insurance, public transportation, and car maintenance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Entertainment<\/strong>: $0.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kid<\/strong>: $0.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Travel<\/strong>: $2,873.&nbsp;Thailand is cheaper than the US, but it is still expensive to travel around. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Health<\/strong>: $0. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clothing<\/strong>: $0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Misc:&nbsp;<\/strong>$0.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Others<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t count these as personal spending.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Taxes and deductions<\/strong>: $450&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"July_2022_wrap_up\"><\/span><strong>July 2022 wrap up<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>July was another month that we needed to draw from our savings. We have enough savings so I\u2019m not too worried. We\u2019ll get back on track in September.<\/p>\n<p><strong>All right, that\u2019s it today. It\u2019s time to go back to school shopping for us. Did you have a good summer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Disclosure: We may receive a referral fee if you purchase or signup for a service through the links on this page.<\/p>\n<p>Passive income is the key to early retirement. This year, Joe is investing in commercial real estate with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/crowdstreet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CrowdStreet<\/a>. They have many projects across the United States. Go check them out!<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\/july-2022-fire-update\/\">July 2022 FIRE Update<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/retireby40.org\">Retire by 40<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Source: Retire By 40<\/p>\n<p id=\"kc_opp\"><small>Republished by  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blogtrafficexchange.com\/\">Blog Post Promoter<\/a><\/small><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hey everyone! We are back in Portland after 8 weeks of traveling. Whew, I am worn out. I think we are done with &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93535,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[105],"class_list":["post-93534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-head-start","tag-strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/July-update-350.jpg?fit=350%2C525&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3k0YU-okC","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":93271,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/june-2022-fire-update.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":0},"title":"June 2022 FIRE Update","author":"admin","date":"April 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy Independence Day! Did you have a good month? June was a fun month for us. RB40Jr finished school and we went on a road trip to see friends and families. This road trip was put off twice due to Covid so we were all looking forward to it. We\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A Head Start&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A Head Start","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/a-head-start"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/June-22-FIRE-Update-350.jpg?fit=350%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":93029,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/get-ready-for-summer-2022.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":1},"title":"Get Ready for Summer 2022!","author":"admin","date":"April 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you ready for the summer! It\u2019s Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of summer. Oh man, I am so ready for warmer weather and travel. As usual, spring was cold and wet in Portland. It finally started to warm up this week, but our heater is still kicking in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A Head Start&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A Head Start","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/a-head-start"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Summer-2022-350.jpg?fit=350%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":93183,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/05\/taking-a-frugal-road-trip.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":2},"title":"Taking A Frugal Road Trip","author":"admin","date":"May 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Hey everyone! Things are looking a bit grim in the U.S. and the rest of the world. Inflation is high, the stock market is crashing, and a recession is looming. We are all feeling a bit poorer these days. Even with these problems, many of us are splurging on travel.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A Head Start&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A Head Start","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/a-head-start"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Taking-A-Frugal-Road-Trip-350.jpg?fit=350%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":93363,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/05\/2022-california-road-trip.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":3},"title":"2022 California Road Trip","author":"admin","date":"May 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Whew, we made it back to Portland! That was a long road trip to California. We decided to drive from Portland instead of flying because the price of flight tickets for the three of us was so high. Gasoline was expensive too, but it was still a lot cheaper than\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A Head Start&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A Head Start","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/a-head-start"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/2022-California-Road-Trip-350.jpg?fit=350%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92733,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/is-spending-on-experience-overrated.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":4},"title":"Is Spending On Experience Overrated?","author":"admin","date":"April 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Whew! I finished our taxes and sent them in on time. Unfortunately, we owed the government over $3,000 because I didn\u2019t pay enough estimated taxes. I also contributed $5,000 to my i401k for 2021. That reduced our tax liability a bit. Unfortunately, these big payments reduced our cash savings to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A Head Start&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A Head Start","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/a-head-start"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Experience400.jpg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":93385,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/05\/thailand-reopening-hat-yai-koh-lipe-excursion.html","url_meta":{"origin":93534,"position":5},"title":"Thailand Reopening! Hat Yai &amp; Koh Lipe Excursion","author":"admin","date":"May 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Hey everyone, we are back in Thailand! Mrs. RB40\u2019s sabbatical continues. We had a short rest after our California road trip, then flew to Thailand. There are so many flight problems in the US and Europe, but Asia is still functioning pretty well. 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