Our Financial Philosophy

Our mission at the Dollar Debrief is to empower individuals to take control of their finances and make smarter financial decisions. Through our weekly personal finance letters, we aim to provide clear and actionable advice that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial background or current situation. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve financial independence, and we are committed to helping our readers achieve their goals.

We believe financial independence (FI) is accessible and realistic for all. That’s right, even you. Armed with the right knowledge and a dose of hunger to change, anyone can improve their financial future. FI is not reserved for those with Einstein’s brain or those born with a silver spoon.

Financial independence is best pursued with your desired end state in mind. Too often, we worry about investment approaches, tax-reduction strategies, and the minutiae of personal finance before we even identify what we want out of life. Think first about what financial success and a well-designed life look like to you, and then align your financial decisions with your end state to get you there. Don’t put the cart before the horse.

The foundation of sound money management is simple: spend less than you earn and invest the difference. The sooner you want to achieve FI, the larger the gap between your income and expenses will need to be. We believe that index funds and cash-flowing rental properties are the two best possible investment options available to all. Above all else, we believe a simple financial plan is often the most effective. The more complex, the less likely you are to stick to it.

Managing your money doesn’t have to be painful. You don’t have to live like a pauper to build wealth. Identify the expenses that are meaningful to you, spend reasonably on those things, and cut mercilessly on the expenses that aren’t important to you. Life is about balance, and your financial journey should be too. Enjoy the peace of mind and autonomy you’ll gain as you progress toward FI.

Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Ignore what the naysayers have to say. If you want to live differently, you’ll need to think and act differently than the norm.

Above all, take action. Having the financial savvy of Warren Buffett means nothing if you aren’t actively taking steps toward your financial goals. Fight analysis paralysis by focusing on the fundamentals, keeping your end state in mind, and course-correcting as needed. Don’t worry, you can make mistakes and still reach your financial goals. Dollar Debrief exists to help prevent some of those mistakes before they happen.

Dollar Debrief will help you identify your financial goals (not your mom’s or your boss’) and make smarter money decisions to achieve those goals. Everyone’s financial journey will and should look different, but lessons learned along the path to FI are universal.

If you have a specific question for us, please reach out! You can reply directly to this email or engage with us on social media (Twitter & Instagram). If you have the question, so do many other people.

Debrief on Deck:

Next week, we will talk about how credit card companies make money (and boy, do they make a lot of it).

Until then, stay the course.

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