The Sunday Best is a collection of articles I’ve curated from the furthest reaches of the internet for your reading pleasure.

Every week, I scan hundreds of headlines, read dozens of posts, and bring you the best of the best to save you time and mental energy.

Financial Independence (FI) is a primary focus, but it’s an awfully broad topic. I tend to approach FI and early retirement from a fatFIRE perspective and through the lens of a physician, so expect to see those biases in the selected articles.

Related topics that have become recurrent themes include early retirement, selective frugality, tax issues, travel, physician issues, and of course, investing.

For more great articles, take a peek at The Sunday Best Archives. Now let’s get to the best… The Sunday Best!

 

 

Before we get to today’s articles, I want to let you know that you can now save $200 on in-person registration for the best conference for physicians and high-income professionals focused on financial literacy and wellness, WCICON23. Use code WCIPhoenix200 and register here by December 5th to get the swag bag with books and other exclusive goodies.

I haven’t missed a WCICON yet, and they just keep getting better. The Phoenix resort location, which was also the site of the 2022 conference, is ideal for families, and I’ll be bringing mine. I’ll see you in early March!

Note: there is also a virtual option for those who cannot make it in-person, and in-person registrants will have the option to switch to virtual if anything comes up preventing your presence in Arizona.

 

Dragon Guy of the Dragons on FIRE marks three years of treatment-free remission and three years of early retirement. A year of travel, service, and creative pursuits is celebrated in Year Three of My Early Retirement.

 

With the likelihood of rough waters ahead increasing, His and Her Money Guide look at the impact of a recession on their future FIRE plans. Will a Tanking Economy Delay Our Early Retirement Plans?

• Related: Can a Bear Take Away Your Financial Independence?

 

Additional unfortunate events can derail your finances, depending upon how they’re handled. David Rosenstrock of Wharton Wealth Planning discusses Death, Divorce, and Life Transitions: Important Financial Considerations to help you weather these storms.

 

Are we facing certain doom in terms of housing prices? Karsten Jeske with Early Retirement Now looks at the past, present, and future through the lens of a Ph.D. economist. Who’s Afraid of a Housing Crash?

 

When you see people making money hand over fist with little to no work, it’s appropriate to ask questions. Nick Maggiulli looks for Proof of Work with Of Dollars and Data.

 

While some asset classes have gotten hammered as of late (looking at you, crypto), Greg Spears with Humble Dollar sees a broader decline, and it starts in his kitchen. Four Signs of Slowing.

 

Even the U.S. Dollar, which has had a stellar 2022 as compared to many other currencies, has looked a little softer in the last week. Here are the Top 5 Ways to Take Advantage of a Strong Dollar while you still can!

 

If you’re thankful for what you have, try giving some of it away, says Loonie Doc. It just might make you a happier person. Give Your Capital To Receive Happiness.

 

Giving money away means having less, and there’s nothing wrong with that, says Joshua Becker with Becoming Minimalist. 80% Of Americans Believe More Money Will Make Them Happier. Here’s Why They’re Probably Wrong.

 

Living your best life might be more about removing obstacles than adding anything new, says Passive Income MD. Are These Five Things Keeping You From Living A Fulfilled Life?

 

Dr. Anthony Ellis is semi-retired in his late 50’s, and he’s loving this new way of life. A New Way of Doing Business (and Saving Tons of Money) in My Retirement at the White Coat Investor.

 

As we emerge from the pandemic, a surprising trend has emerged, with brick and mortar retail growth outpacing e-commerce growth for three consecutive quarters. Crowdstreet explores this trend and how you can benefit. Retail Real Estate Investments are Back in Style.

 

Chris Mamula with Can I Retire Yet decided to further his financial education, completing the CFP education and exam in surprisingly short order. Is The Cost and Effort to Become a CFP Worth It?

 

 

Sea Days

 

My family and I are in the final days of a 16-day transatlantic cruise. After embarking from Southampton, UK, we made six port stops in nine days before starting a run of six full sea days with no stops to finish out the journey, which ends on Wednesday morning.

I’m actually enjoying these slower days. Days in port are great, as you get a chance to explore a new (or familiar) place, but they tend to be long, busy days. You can stay as busy as you want on a sea day, too. I kept myself busy walking the halls and decks to reach 47,000 steps on my birthday the other day.

 

 

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There’s also lots and lots of great food (I’ve found the quality on Princess to be a notch above that of Royal Caribean), drinks, shows, trivia, etcetera. Our team of 4 to 6 has been victorious in nam-that-tune style trivia twice, and we also won a bottle of ship champagne for a movie quotes quiz.

To my surprise, the weather in the middle of the ocean has been outstanding, with loads of sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. It’s almost too hot to hot tub — almost — and that’s not at all what I expected at this time of year. The gales of November must be more problematic on the Great Lakes, or maybe we just got lucky. Either way, I plan to enjoy these last few days at sea before heading home to the snowy north!

 

 

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Have an outstanding week!

-Physician on FIRE