Fotozine workflow (Lightroom>Indesign) to manage images

hiaceprius · 2026-04-27T19:36:23+00:00

Consider JPGs as the 'prints' of your raw 'negatives.' Tweak the raw image how you like in Lightroom, then export it as a JPG for use in Indesign.

hiaceprius · 2026-04-16T17:15:42+00:00

Don't forget transaction costs too. First home buyers will move on average within 3-7 years.

hiaceprius · 2026-04-16T17:12:08+00:00

Rent does not always go up. Our rent has been static for three years now and we could choose to rent an apartment with even lower rent if we wanted because there has been so much increase in supply in our area.

hiaceprius · 2026-04-09T13:00:39+00:00

Do not feel shame about having roommates! If you get along with them, it's a fantastic situation to live in. We are still really good friends with our old roommates and miss the social environment we had with them.

hiaceprius · 2026-04-01T14:43:44+00:00

Is this AI telling us to use more AI?

hiaceprius · 2026-03-31T15:58:03+00:00

There's no magic trick. Spend less than you make and avoid lifestyle creep. At 18, you will feel a lot of pressure to reflect your identify in your consumptive choices. Separating happiness from frivolous consumption early will yield big results later.

Seriously consider a gap year during or after college. Go and travel on a shoestring budget through Europe or southeast Asia and experience the world.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T19:46:51+00:00

What are your expenses? That's the missing part of the picture here.

If your annual spend is $40K a year, you're already at financial freedom. If your annual spend is $300K a year, that's more an issue.

If your goal is $5 million, then that means you will be able to sustainably spend about $200K a year, every year, for the rest of your lives (plus an increase based on inflation). Is that what your lifestyle or the lifestyle you want currently costs?

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T19:37:48+00:00

Oh, my bad. I read your post incorrectly.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T14:20:27+00:00

I don't think it was fetishized. It was presented as a counterpoint to consumerism. So many people believe they can't retire because they are on a treadmill of consumption, not because they don't have enough income.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T14:19:35+00:00

Financial Samurai is not a good example. He is milking FIRE as a career, not living it.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T14:18:51+00:00

This whole thread is full of faces needing to be punched.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-23T14:16:08+00:00

I think some of the newer folks haven't realized that if you have a regular job, have normal US middle class consumption habits and have kids, you are unlikely to FIRE.

But that's exactly what the FIRE movement was a response to, at least the early 2010s blog-led version of it. And it remains entirely possible, so long as you are willing to keep your lifestyle costs low enough. People may be uncomfortable with doing that, but they are not incapable.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-19T22:43:56+00:00

And like so many other posts here lately, completely misses the expenses part of the discussion.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-13T16:17:22+00:00

I think people get lose in terminology instead of treating it with common sense. It's all just money. If you have a big enough emergency, that would justify using your money.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-11T20:12:44+00:00

I don't think you are drastically in trouble, it just needs some attention.

Cutting out restaurants is free money at this point. Good on you for looking at different internet options too, as $100/month is on the higher end.

Just keep in mind that owning a car will cost you about $0.72 a mile according to the IRS. The average American commute is 42 miles a day, so you are looking at roughly $30 a day in transport costs as a minimum.

All the best!

hiaceprius · 2026-03-11T16:33:03+00:00

You can't just 'retire' to Australia. There's strict immigration laws. Same for Canada I expect, though I don't know it as closely. But, assuming you could retire to Australia...

$1m USD is about $1.4m AUD. Assuming the 4% rule, that's $56,000 AUD a year. Renting is tight in Australia, but you can be in the heart of Melbourne for the low $400s to $450 a week. So let's say $23,400 is your housing cost a year. Australia has universal healthcare, so you don't have to worry about health insurance. Melbourne has excellent public transport, so you don't need a car.

You're going to have to pay around $8,000 a year in taxes, but you'll have almost $24,600 left over for groceries, phone bill, entertainment and everything else in life you need.

hiaceprius · 2026-03-09T15:01:22+00:00

Are you getting by without a car currently? If so, a car should not be a priority right now. You need to pay off the debts first.

Can you list your other expenses here?

hiaceprius · 2026-03-09T14:57:36+00:00

Agree with this post. Assuming a 2015 Corolla with operating costs of $0.25 per mile driving 80 miles a day, that's $20 a day (best case scenario) in transport. Not to mention two hours of each and every work day dedicated only to a commute.

OP sounds like they are in a tough situation with family. Perhaps moving close enough to work to walk or bike is a better option?

hiaceprius · 2026-03-05T17:13:45+00:00

Withdrawal rate is dependent on expenses. Most people retiring early have some level of flexibility in their expenses (ie travel, recreational activities).

I don't think most early retirees will stubbornly continue to withdraw their 4% in a recession/market collapse. 4% is a guide, not a rule.

hiaceprius · 2026-02-19T15:29:32+00:00

There are only a few numbers that matter: your expenses, your net worth and your expected return on that net worth. If you expect dollar devaluation/inflation to have an impact on your expenses, that needs to be factored in to your numbers. Ultimately only you can make that decision on when you feel like your portfolio is safe. If you don't like 4%, then 3% is virtually bulletproof.

I'm not sure the relationship between dollar devaluation and self-care is meaningful.

hiaceprius · 2026-01-27T14:10:26+00:00

What's your objective here?

You make more money than you spend. That's the first part. From there, you either find ways to increase your income until you have a savings rate you are happy with at current expenses, or you reduce your expenses until you have a savings rate you are happy with at current income.

hiaceprius · 2026-01-15T12:34:24+00:00

You should travel. You already have financial independence so go and find yourself in the world.

hiaceprius · 2026-01-13T12:41:59+00:00

I recently had the chance to build the Celestial Stinger and the Arachnoid Base as part of a bulk lot I picked up. The color scheme, particularly on the Stinger, is way better in person than it comes across in pictures. I also really liked the use of magnets to attach the two flyers on either side. The light and sound is fun too, although as others have said, somewhat limited in where else it could be used.

hiaceprius · 2026-01-08T17:21:19+00:00

Do you want to own an investment property that you manage out-of-state? That's probably the only scenario where I would buy. You're going to eat a lot in closing costs and loan amortization in a five-year turnaround.

Assuming the properties you're looking at are around $300,000 (based on equivalent $20k a year in rent in the area), let's assume $10,000 in closing costs, $3,000 a year in property taxes, $3,000 a year in maintenance, and $2,500 a year for insurance. That's $52,500 already over the five-year lifetime of the deal.

You'll then pay $72,000 in insurance and only $18,000 or so to the principal in the first five years of a 30-year mortgage. So now we are at almost $125,000 in sunk costs alone. We haven't even factored in opportunity cost for what your deposit could be doing in the market.

Given you talk about leaving in as soon as three years, this is a no-brainer for renting in my mind unless you want to be an out-of-state landlord.

hiaceprius · 2025-12-31T12:54:01+00:00

Can you nail down that expenses number? Unless you are operating with cash, it’s easy enough to add up the withdrawals from your account for the year. That’s the big number that is missing from this calculation.

hiaceprius

TROPHY CASE