It's really quite a number of topics...
From when I first started til now... and how things have changed...
When I first started, I think I was more mathematical...
Really about the numbers. The returns, how much to earn, how much to save, etc etc...
Then somewhere in between, people started asking me about how it was like to quit my job, how I discussed all this with my wife and what I do in the day, pretty much about the usual challenges of not working early in life.
As I was not working, no real active income, it then became how to manage the finances and get other forms of income, like credit card rebates and taking advantage of discounts and promos. To get a little bit of extra whilst maintaining the same amount of spending.
Then now, I'm pretty focused on the freegan mentality, which some people might think is boring, cos I've been on this topic for quite some time.
So I think about it... how does it all gel together? What are all these themes about?
Personally, I think I'm getting close to a lifestyle blogger.
Not the usual kind of lifestyle blogger we are used to who post all their flashy stuff...
but a different type of lifestyle.
A lifestyle blog is best defined as a digital content representation of its author's everyday life and interests. A lifestyle blogger creates content inspired and curated by their personal interests and daily activities.
--http://mediakix.com/2015/06/what-is-a-lifestyle-blogger/#gs.I=K7emM
Pretty much I think I'm writing about the different aspects of an early retired life, some people say early retired, some say semi-retired, some say karung guni man, etc... whatever...
But some people say, what I'm doing isn't considered retired... which... I don't know... I thought retired was pretty much to just follow interests...
Maybe retired requires some form of this...
I do know how to play golf by the way. I just never really enjoyed it.
My topics will consistently change as I learn new things, for me, my current hot topic is about the freegan mentality. (I use the term freegan mentality, cos I'm not freegan and I do not intend to be.)
Rather, I try to keep the mentality of how to try to obtain things for free.
When I go out with my wife, we continue to buy stuff like usual, and if we really want or need something, we pay good money for it. *GASP* THE HORROR!!!
Sometime back, after buying the item, I would ask myself. Do I need the item again? If so, is there a more efficient way to obtain the item, like buy it in bulk, or buy more during promotions. So that I do not need to pay full price for it.
For example a toothbrush... Maybe my old toothbrush got spoilt and I desperately needed a new one, so maybe I would go out and buy one at full price... then after paying for it, I would have thought, ok that was stupid, maybe I should stock up a few toothbrushes when it's on discount. So I wait for it to have a discount and stock up a couple of toothbrushes so that next time I wouldn't need to pay full price for it.
I think many of us do this...
Now, this mentality has evolved. I might still pay for the toothbrush at first cos I'm desperate, but instead of thinking that I should stock up when it's on discount, I now think... where can I get them free?
(I'm not talking about re-using someone else's toothbrush... *Ewwww* That's just gross...)
IF I cannot get them free, then I move on to the next step of thinking about buying it at a discount.
For me, I'm pretty fussy with my toothbrush, certain softness, certain bristle thickness, etc... I still can use the hotel toothbrushes which I can get for free, but I'd prefer if I could use those which are to my requirements.
So previously, I stocked up 8 of these specific toothbrushes which I bought at $0.50 each on discount.
If you asked me now, would I buy those 8 toothbrushes again, even with my new mentality?
Without a doubt, I would say "YES" in a heartbeat.
$0.50 to obtain something exactly what I want is a cheap price to pay. That's not going to be easily attainable even using the freegan mentality.
(There's the option of sitting by the factory of those toothbrushes and waiting for them to throw away the rejected products, but that's just a waste of time.)
Whereas for other items which I'm not so fussy about, I would be more inclined to stick to getting them for free.
Like maybe a bowling ball... I could use a house ball cos I hardly bowl and if I bowl it's just going into the gutter anyway... but hey if I find a fingertip grip bowling ball, I could learn how to curl the ball!!!
So for instances like this, I'm definitely NOT willing to pay even $1 for a bowling ball, cos I don't care very much for it.
Ok back to my topic... lifestyle blogging.
For a short while, I thought I was considered a financial blogger, then I realized that I don't talk much about finance and investments, but rather about living a frugal life in general in a state of semi-retirement.
Like what interesting things to do, how I reduced my expenses, cheaper alternatives to restaurant food, etc etc. How the relationship with my wife or family works, stuff like that.
Like other retired people might talk about their jet setting lives or their daily golf, or their grand kids, etc.
Or other lifestyle bloggers would talk about their make up for the day or the events they go to or their OOTD and stuff like that.
So I'm really amazed at how this blog as evolved through the years. Cos I had intended to create this as a financial kind of blog, but instead it turned out to be a lifestyle blog with finance management topics.
I suppose my topics will continue to evolve throughout the years in future about what I do and what it entails to be frugal and semi-retired...
Although I find it very hard to be more frugal than not spending money...
So I'll continue to talk about my life, money management, how to save money via discounts, how to save even more money via free stuff if possible, some stuff just isn't possible to obtain for free so I'll have to settle for discounts.
And I hope you all will continue following me on my journey.
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