I will retire at 30

I am turning 23 this month. I would like to retire in 7 years, and this blog is created to chronicle that effort.

First, a bit about the goal of retiring at 30. I don't mean I want to stop working at 30, I plan on doing that some time closer to 80. Rather, I want to have financial independence at 30. That is, on my 30th birthday I want to be able to do what I want in the world without having to worry about the financial implications. If I want to travel, golf, ski, or start companies; and I can do so without worrying about the financial implications of my actions; then I will declare myself retired.

Do I think I can make this goal? Not completely, not unless I get extremely lucky. Then why start a blog that says I will? Because this blog is about working towards the goal of financial independence. I would like to be well on my way to financial independence at the age of 30, and I'm setting out to learn as much about businesses, financial markets, budgeting, investing, and the like on my way to that goal.

I just graduated college in June of this year, and as I am finally starting to be a productive member of society there is a lot I don't know. Like any good ivy-league graduate, not knowing anything about a topic that is likely to impact me heavily, I've started researching the topics of personal finance. I've found many of the topics (IRAs and anything else the IRS touches) to be nearly impenetrable at the beginning and painfully simple once you realize what they are trying to say. I've started this blog to put as much processed information into the blogosphere as possible in the hopes that it might be useful to someone.

I was never very good at sports, can't dance to save my life, have no musical talent, and am very bad at a large number of other things (still trying to bowl above 100); but I do understand economics almost intuitively. So if anybody out there is interested in trading dance lessons for personal financial advice, I would gladly accept the exchange. Oh, and another weakness: I can't spell. Apologies in advance for that.