About
Planting Dollars is a blog that documents my own journey while discussing personal finance, living a mobile lifestyle and starting small businesses.
Who’s behind Planting Dollars?
A recent college graduate interested in no B.S. personal finance, starting businesses, and a mobile lifestyle. I’ve always been interested in personal finance, because it determines how one lives their life. That’s powerful stuff. If you have enough money to do the things you want to do you can lead a completely different life than those who do not. I simply see money as a means of freedom and the ability to do the things I enjoy most in life, I believe you should too.
What’s my background?
Being raised by entrepreneurs who clipped coupons and built a substantial real estate portfolio I’ve been raised in a frugal manor and have seen, first hand, what it takes to become successful the old fashioned way. Hard work, persistence, and no excuses.
The month I was born my family bought a no-money down 16 unit apartment complex and I grew up helping my parents flip apartments, cut lawns, and do an assortment of other tasks. My dad worked night shift at a mill and didn’t have a college degree, but the guy worked his ass off. Fast forward 16 years and he was able to quit his job. The more I meet other families and individuals the more I realize I was blessed to be given an financial education early in life.
Apartment Investing - Not Glamorous!
I started working at a young age and was the type of guy who always had his life planned out. I’d simply work hard, save, go to college, build a real estate portfolio, and retire by 40. Life has a funny way of changing your plans. I sold real estate my senior year of college, but after studying abroad in Australia my heart wasn’t truly in it. I got bit by the travel bug, and couldn’t stop thinking about seeing the world.
I graduated in 2008 with a degree in finance from a private university and over $30,000 in debt. I wasn’t really practicing what I’d learned from my parents or in the college textbooks. So what did I do for the next year? You guessed it – bartender. I actually learned a lot from bartending because I worked in an upscale lounged attached to a hotel. I gained advice from business travelers in many industries and stages of their career.
Most of them gave me the same advice:
1. See the world while you’re young.
2. Don’t get married too soon.
3. Invest young.
I think it’s all pretty solid advice.
So after a year of bartending I saved up and bought a one way plane ticket to
Honolulu, Hawaii because I knew I wanted to pursue my passion of scuba diving.
I’m the type of person who doesn’t believe in retirement, likes hard work, and
realizes there’s no easy way, just work and passion. From that angle, I’m very
passionate about personal finance and money. Call me a geek, but that’s what I like.
Since I’m fairly young I have a lot of mistakes to make, but I plan on failing forward and documenting what I learn. My ideal lifestyle is one in which I’m able to be financially free so that I can live a mobile lifestyle and be a global citizen.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by!
To your success,
P.S. If you’d like to learn more…
Check out my goals or a post with 8 Random Things About Me.
Diving with Ragged Tooth Sharks in Australia - Dream job = Shark Photographer
Ryan (79)
Financial Samurai (12)
Jeremy Johnson (10)
Search Engine Viking (8)
Daniel (6)
Monevator (6)
LeanLifeCoach (5)
Money Funk (5)
Moon Hussain (5)
Paul (5)
Investing Newbie (4)
Kristine (4)
Little House (4)
Boris (3)
Credit Card Chaser (3)
Evolution Of Wealth (3)
FinEngr (3)
Jeff (3)
Aaron @ Clarifinancial (2)
Arlene (2)
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like you got a great head start on figuring out your financial life thanks to some really great parents. I am jealous!
As one of those frequent business travelers, I am not sure I would put to much weight in our advice though. At the very least change the sequence; start with investing and end with seeing the world. As for the wife, when she shows up, don’t miss the opportunity. A great wife is also a great friend and business partner.
I’ll be back to check on your progress!
[Reply]
Life Coach,
Thank you for the advice! I did luck out with my parents, but at the same time growing up with them entailed not going on family vacations (being landlords ties you down) and spending a lot of time at apartment buildings in undesireable locations. I think the best thing they taught me was to work hard by not giving me a lot and making me pay my way starting at a young age.
I agree with you on the importance of #3, and that list isn’t in any particular order. At the moment I’m trying to have my cake and eat it too, which is kind of working. What I’d like to do is fairly location specific (scuba), which was the main motivator for moving. I intend to live way below my means and work hard wherever I live to capture the time value of money, while seeing the world at the same time.
The best way to do this is having the ability to work remotely, via a laptop, which is something I’m working towards as well. Until I have that ability I’ll be stateside working at “real jobs” and exploring the good ol US of A.
If you were 23 again what would you be doing?
Ryan
[Reply]
Ah… if I was 23 again…. *dream* I plan on implementing that dream probably in about 5 – 7 years – living where I want and working remotely doing what I love. Thinks to self, “what do I love?”
Love the pic by the way and am happy to have found your blog via your guest post on Financial Samurai. Gonna blogroll you!
[Reply]
Hi,
I think articles about your parents would be interesting, at least for someone like me to read. I did not grow up with parents who where entrepreneurs so it would be interesting to hear what words of wisdom they offered. Also discussing their rental ownership.
[Reply]
Hey Investor Junkie,
I think that’s a great idea and I’ll probably do a series in the upcoming months to illustrate this. I think it’d be good because other people would understand my perspective and also learn what it took for them to become successful, definitely not a glamorous road, but they taught a lot of good lessons along the way.
[Reply]
Very cool story and glad that I came across your site via the Yakezie Group!
[Reply]