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!

 

 

The Sunday Best

 

Dr. McFrugal, an anesthesiologist married to an attorney, updates the family’s financial situation in mid-to-late 2020. With year-to-date returns more than double that of the U.S. stock market, they must be doing something right! Mid 2020 Financial Checkup.

 

Your investment portfolio can be as simple as a three fund portfolio or a target date fund. Or it can be as complicated as a Navier-Stokes equation. What’s The Right Amount Of Portfolio Complexity? asks Crispy Doc.

 

Adding real estate to the mix increases complexity, but the tax benefits and diversification it provides can make it worthwhile. What about the added fees? The White Coat Investor puts those fees, which are higher than mutual fund fees, in perspective. Private Real Estate – What Fees Are Fair?

• Bonus: Check out some low-fee real estate investment opportunities you can start with as little as $500.

 

Some people become wealthy with real estate; the key is often owning your own business. Freya of Collecting Cents recounts how a number of individuals attained their riches. 8 Rags to Riches Stories: How These Millionaires & Billionaires Became Wealthy.

 

If he had kept his money, he’d likely have an 11-figure net worth. Instead, he gave it all away. From Forbes, The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke.

 

Most billionaires hang onto at least some of their money, eventually passing it on in the form of generational wealth. Melanie Allen of Partners in FIRE explains the concept. Generational Wealth: What it is, Why it Matters and How to Build it!

 

If you haven’t noticed, the stock market has been on a tear since it’s low nearly six months ago. Ian McKinnon of the daily newsletter Morning Brew discusses a dichotomy he’s detected. Stocks Are Soaring, The Economy Is Struggling: But Why?

 

Many people are not doing so well in this COVID economy. Some have lost their jobs. Others, like the physician behind Table for One, have taken a major pay cut. How is she adapting? The Return of the Budget.

 

Some doctors could never stick to a budget, and many make poor choices when it comes to investing and money management. Doctor Finances explores the  Top Reasons WHY Doctors Are Bad With Money + Ways to Beat Those Odds.

 

Got debt? Do you pay it down fast or learn to live with it? The Physician Philosopher argues for the former. 5 Reasons to Pay Off Debt (Instead of Investing).

• The lowest rates and best cash back bonuses for those with private or previously refinanced student loans can always be found on our Student Loan Resource Page.

 

Those who choose to live with debt will argue that it makes sense to invest while keeping “good debt.” Dr. Cory S. Fawcett of Financial Success MD provides a counterpoint. There is No Such Thing as “Good” Debt.

• Bonus: Would you believe the debt-averse surgeon owned and managed dozens of rental units while practicing full time? He’ll teach you how to automate the process in The Doctors Course to Automating Your Real Estate Investments.

 

I took a stroll down memory lane this week, back to early 2020 when we were able to travel. It was fun to see all the pictures and relive the highlights from our Two Months in Spain: a Family FIRE Adventure in Valencia.

 

FIRE bought us the freedom to spend those 2 months in Spain shortly after our 2 months in Mexico. Apparently, it bought us a step up in class, as well. Done by Forty explains. FIRE Buys You Class…Whether You Want it or Not.

 

 

Going Off Grid

 

As promised, I’m at the tail end of a long weekend breaking in the RV and camping in an area that I’ve been told is devoid of any cellular or internet signal.

If you’ve tried to contact me since Thursday, please be patient. My batteries are recharging, and I will get back to you later this week.

Although, I don’t know how well my batteries will actually charge in the cold.

As I write this on Wednesday, we’re expecting a low of 31 degrees Fahrenheit — yes, below the temperature at which water freezes — on Friday night.

It should be an interesting weekend.

 

$1,000 For Your Next Vacation!

 

I’m not sure when we’ll be traveling internationally again, but I will have a bunch of points saved up by the time it’s a viable option.

There was big news on the travel rewards card front this week, as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card upped its welcome bonus to a massive 80,000 ultimate rewards points!

That’s 60% more than you get with the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and all you have to do to earn the bonus is to spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months.

At a minimum, those points will give you $1,000 towards any travel booked via the Chase Portal, which is basically a rebranded version of Expedia. You might also find a better value and more bang for your buck by transferring points to one of many popular travel partners.

If you’ve not yet explored the benefits of travel rewards cards, this is the perfect offer to get you started.

 

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 80,000 points

 

• 80,000 points after spending $4,000 in 3 months (worth $1,000 towards travel!)
• $95 annual fee
• 2x points on travel & dining
• 25% more value when booking travel with Chase portal
• Many point transfer partners
• Free DoorDash delivery on orders over $12
• 5x points on Lyft rides through 3/22.
• No foreign transaction fees

 

Learn More about the
Chase Sapphire Preferred.

 

 

 

 

Have an outstanding week!

-Physician on FIRE