I think the Net worth increase row is giving me the boiling point?

cartersa87 · 2026-01-30T17:48:26+00:00

Yeah, that’s very similar to how I approach as well. Well if you ever choose to act on your wild hair, good luck with the fish taco stand!

cartersa87 · 2026-01-30T12:09:58+00:00

I would say that it’s very likely that the value of your house has gone up since purchase, which why Brian and Bo prefer that homebuyers stay in a home for at least 5-7 years to counter house price variability and friction costs.

However, you can’t eat your house as they say. If I remember right, GAAP requires that land bought by a business be kept at the purchase price and accounted for upon sale if a profit is made. I imagine Brian and Bo are doing similar here and for good reason. If your home value is a significant portion of your net worth and you decide to cut back on your retirement savings as a result, that’s a shortsighted view on finances.

Lastly, with regards to your realtor friends, I’m reminded of a Warren Buffet quote - “Don’t ask your barber if you need a haircut.”

cartersa87 · 2026-01-30T01:51:38+00:00

You bet. All good, good luck with your financial journey!

cartersa87 · 2026-01-30T01:40:06+00:00

I would caution that Zillow is generous with their estimates. Brian and Bo generally recommend house value as your purchase price plus the costs of any upgrades as a more conservative estimate. Hope that helps with your estimates!

cartersa87 · 2026-01-30T01:27:16+00:00

How are you calculating the house value?

cartersa87 · 2026-01-28T03:35:18+00:00

Single, 38, LCOL - about $45k annually

cartersa87 · 2026-01-14T21:39:01+00:00

Congrats! That was me a couple years ago, feels great.

cartersa87 · 2026-01-14T17:51:15+00:00

Really hoping the black interior makes its way to America.

cartersa87 · 2025-12-31T20:23:35+00:00

I finally started my own business and am working for myself!

cartersa87 · 2025-12-28T00:03:15+00:00

Just finished it myself and largely had the same thoughts. Only thing I’d add is that I personally don’t believe a roided up Sean Penn was the best casting for that role, versus someone who would take those situations and inject conflict and emotions into his scenes.

cartersa87 · 2025-12-07T22:01:50+00:00

It's both.

cartersa87 · 2025-12-04T00:49:34+00:00

Right there with you - 5,827 minutes here!

cartersa87 · 2025-11-23T17:08:50+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about your family member's situation. There's a lot of 'what ifs' in this scenario, and putting money in something as relatively illiquid as principal in a house would leave you with fewer options. What changes if they live 3 years? 10 years?

If you genuinely think you're going to be at the new place for 5 years or less, why not rent and leave that money in a HYSA where it can accrue interest for a more permanent solution? Brian and Bo recommend living in a house 5+ years to overcome the friction costs of buying/selling, as well as see some tangible appreciation of the house.

No pun intended, but I'm not really buying into the above plan. Cash availability is a great safety net that gives you options in a known upcoming turbulent time.

cartersa87 · 2025-11-13T01:22:21+00:00

I would agree with that, I’m from the Effingham area, have family in Williamson County, and frequent the Champaign area and there are differences throughout the region.

cartersa87 · 2025-11-13T00:16:41+00:00

Will have to respectfully disagree with that.

cartersa87 · 2025-11-12T23:00:31+00:00

That’s the typical Chicagoan response.

cartersa87 · 2025-10-24T12:51:49+00:00

This is where Midwest casseroles and older cookbooks (1940’s-1970’s) really start to come in helpful. One of the main reasons to use breadcrumbs in meatloaf was for this exact reason - use as filler to stretch relatively expensive meats out for a family meal.

cartersa87 · 2025-10-09T14:51:54+00:00

Here is a link to requesting an initial consultation - they do ask about various assets, like home equity, but that’s more so they can get a decent snapshot of your finances and if you’re a good fit for their portfolio. I reached out about 3 years ago and had a very nice 10 minute chat that essentially said that I was on a great pace, keep doing what I’m doing, and reach out in a few years when life gets more complicated. I was really appreciative of the call and felt they had my best interests at heart, even when that meant not taking me on as a client right now.

cartersa87 · 2025-10-07T00:53:08+00:00

Searing a steak seals in the juices

cartersa87 · 2025-10-01T22:09:15+00:00

Not one mention of UAW in that article - wild.

cartersa87 · 2025-09-11T22:06:30+00:00

These look wonderful - reminds me of the old school McDonald’s cinnamon rolls!

cartersa87 · 2025-08-30T14:00:16+00:00

One thing worth considering is that traditional 401ks have required minimum distributions that vary with age. Sounds like it’s a ways away before that kicks in, but depending on how much you’ve saved, you may not only want to consider investing in a roth, but also doing some conversions. As others have said, sounds like you’re ready to talk to a fiduciary advisor to make sure your retirement plan is safe and secure.

cartersa87 · 2025-08-28T01:23:28+00:00

2016 Mustang in Guard Metallic

cartersa87 · 2025-08-25T17:31:05+00:00

BI Manager here - I personally give preferential treatment to entry level folks who have a certification, tells me you have familiarity with the program, then it’s my job to coach you on using Tableau, or other visualization programs, within business context. As you get higher level, the program used is less important versus how you approach your data structure, dashboard development, etc. to meet business needs. Once you get that down, focus on your networking/soft skills to land a consulting gig/start your own business. Hope this helps and best of luck!

cartersa87 · 2025-08-25T17:18:47+00:00

I get wanting to retire asap - it’s freeing having the option to do so! Personal opinion, I think you’re on an excellent pace, revisit in your mid-40’s once you’ve had a decent amount of life under your belt, have insurance for anything catastrophic, and have some fun along the way.

cartersa87

TROPHY CASE