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!

Having bought one and sold two this year, I know first-hand how crazy the housing market has been. One Frugal Girl shares her experiences and best tips after Buying a House in 2021 for well over asking price.

Does this feel like 2008 all over again? Superficially, there are similarities, but the housing markets are very different. Learn The Biggest Differences Between Now & The Housing Bubble from Ben Carlson of A Wealth of Common Sense.

How has commercial real estate been affected by this turmoil? “A new cycle emerges in 2021,” says Crowdstreet, while sharing perspectives on hospitality, industrial, medical office, multifamily, office, retail, senior housing, student housing, and self storage. Our 2021 Outlook for Real Estate Investing.

It’s also been a wild year for SPACs and IPOs. What’s the difference between the two, and why has the Special Purpose Acquisition Company taken over? SoFi discusses the SPAC vs. Traditional IPO: Pros and Cons of Investing in Each.

There are charlatans among us, says The Sensible Merchant. Why you need to Stay Skeptical of Personal Finance Gurus.

Never trust a person who tells you that Money is Everything. Sounds like the words of someone who’s been spoiled rotten.

Crispy Doc doesn’t want that for his kids. That why he’s Pilfered Ideas From The Opposite Of Spoiled.

• Bonus: The Opposite of Spoiled was also featured in Teach Your Kids About Money with the Bank of Mom and Dad.

His ancestors were “eye-wateringly wealthy,” but all has been squandered through the generations. I’m guessing the kids were not well-educated on money matters. The FIRE Shrink shares A Shrink’s Financial Origin Story.

If you have a taxable account and haven’t yet tax loss harvested, you don’t know what you’re missing, says The White Coat Investor. Is Tax-Loss Harvesting Worth It? Spoiler alert: yes, it is.

Passive Income MD shows us 2 more ways to reduce our tax burden, and — surprise! — they both involve real estate investments. Capital Gains Tax: A (Mostly) Unavoidable Reality.

Gallup has continually asked Americans to evaluate their lives for the last 13 years, and apparently, we’ve never been more content. Americans’ Life Ratings Reach Record High*. *in the last 13 years, that is.

The Monevator‘s life satisfaction rating is sky-high as he reflects on Q1 of his newfound freedom. Insights from his Post-FIRE Day Update: Three Months In.

Fritz from Retirement Manifesto tells us that The United Arab Emirates has the lowest average retirement age in the world at 49, among dozens of other intriguing facts and data points. Dig into Some Fascinating Retirement Statistics.

Sadly, hundreds of intentionally unvaccinated people become statistics themselves each and every day in this country. Barry Ritholtz at The Big Picture considers The Economic Risks from Anti-Vaxxers.

Florida in July

In 2006, my then-fiancee (now wife) spent July in Florida. Immediately upon finishing residency at UF, I worked a one-week locum tenens job in Punta Gorda followed by three weeks in Naples before heading north and escaping the heat and humidity. That was the culmination of just over 3 years in the sunshine state for me and 6 or 7 years for her.

15 years and 2 kids later, we’re spending the latter half of July in Florida once again. This time, it’s to relax at the beach, take our kids to Camp Kennedy Space Center, and to spend some more time taking advantage of the annual passes we bought to Universal Orlando.

If you had asked me 15 years ago where I’d be this month and what I’d be doing, I would have guessed I’d be living somewhere up north, and obviously doing anesthesia. The fact that I’m nearly two years removed from seeing an operating room is a testament to the power of financial independence. Keep striving to achieve yours!

Then, you’ll be able to spend your time how you want and where you want. Unless you’re a fan of thick air and sticky sweat, I don’t recommend Florida in July. But here we are. 🙂

By the way, we do have beaches in Michigan, too, along with cooler, drier air.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Physician on FIRE (@physicianonfire)

It’s Not Just Doctors: Working in the Time of a Burnout Crisis

They’re Paying 0% to 1% Interest on Private Student Loans After Variable Rate Refinancing

The FIRE-Minded Approach to Life Insurance

Have an outstanding week!

-Physician on FIRE