Well this is The Day, my friends!!
12 years, 3 months and 17 days since writing my first post here, and now it’s time to say farewell! Eek!
We sure had fun though, didn’t we??? And got a lot OLDER in the process? Lol… I started this blog in my 20s and ended in my 40s! With kids and a mortgage and a dog! :)
But what a ride… and I’ve subtly changed in a number of other ways too throughout the years. Since starting this blog, I’ve:
- Started tracking my net worth, now going on 146 months in a row!
- Started waking up at 5 am for a better start to each day
- Stopped working nights and weekends for a better work/life balance!
- Stopped mindless shopping whenever I’m bored
- Stopped complaining so much
- Stopped cursing like a sailor
- Became a minimalist
- Became a daddy (!!!)
- Became a millionaire
- Became a podcaster (and then not a podcaster 😂)
- Became an experimenter
- Became an indexer
- Became a curator
- Became a consultant
- Became an eager learner
- Became an eager giver
- Became much more *aware* of things
- Became much more confident in things!
- Became extremely THANKFUL
- And overall just became much more content and happy with what I’ve got
All this from starting a blog!!
And that makes no mention of how drastically it’s changed my career, and even more so, my overall circle of friends here too – the best outcome of all :)
So first and foremost – if you’ve ever wanted to start a project you’re passionate about, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF POSSIBILITIES – START IT TODAY!! You just never know how it can go on to transform your life!
And secondly, I have to send y’all a HUGE THANKS again for not only supporting me throughout the years, but for also TEACHING me along the way as half the things I learned (and wrote about) came directly from you.
SO THANK YOU! And if you’ll allow me to be cheeky one last time, I’d love to re-offer you this gift circa 2008 for all your patronage over the years! Lol… I heard it looks great on fridges! ;)
[Click to blow up/print]
Needless to say my life has improved exponentially because of y’all, and it’s been fun to watch the growth of this blog more specifically too.
From the first day it was featured in a major media outlet (MSN Money! After telling me they can only share my stuff if I start punctuating properly and stop all my swearing! Haha…) to the time where being anonymous was finally “accepted” and landed me in the pages of Forbes ;)
It hasn’t always been rainbows, but I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome! Here are some fun facts as it stands today:
- Total number of posts published: 2,829 (full archives here)
- Total number of comments left: 129,338!!
- Total number of page views: 30,000,000+
- Total number of industry awards won: 12
- Total number of times we switched writing schedules: 6
- Total number of time I *missed* writing on one of those writing schedules: 0!!!
- Number of *other* projects that spawned from this site: 10+
Here were some of my favorite projects, if you’re curious ;)
- Rockstar Finance
- Love Drop
- Take Our Stuff (remember that one? Haha…)
- Coin Thrill
- WhyYourePoor.com
- BudgetsAreBoring.com
And this doesn’t account for all the opportunities we’ve *turned down* over the years as well. Such as speaking gigs, or TV roles or even book offers! Perhaps one day we’ll take advantage of them, but from day one I’ve been perfectly fine “just” being a blogger and enjoying our community here, so no regrets whatsoever :) Even if it meant less clout or $$$.
And then of course there’s everything I learned about MONEY over the decade! Which as you can imagine is a lot!
I never came across that magical bullet, but what a difference changing your mindset can make in the end… Here are my biggest takeaways from writing and thinking about this money stuff non-stop:
#1. Once you learn this stuff it stays with you forever! You might fall down every now and then and need to brush yourself off, but once you know this stuff it sticks with you.
#2. You have to really WANT IT bad enough though. Saving money isn’t that complicated, but getting motivated to do so is a whole other story… If you don’t care enough to make it a priority you won’t make it far!
#3. Work on the parts that EXCITE you first. Doesn’t matter if it’s paying off debt or investing more, or trying to ramp up your income exponentially. If it increases your net worth and keeps you interested, roll with it!! You do your best work when you’re excited!
#4. Don’t be afraid to change your mind though. You have to adapt when things no longer make sense as the world – and your dreams – are constantly changing. If you don’t change along with it you get stuck in a past version of yourself.
#5. Don’t worry about maximizing every single dollar either. Each one serves its own purpose and it’s okay to let some work harder than others. They’re each bringing something to the table whether it’s more income or better peace of mind!
#6. Get a good grasp on your expenses! The less you spend now, the less you need to save later. It also helps you get better at being mindful.
#7. Realize that everything takes TIME! And it’ll get boring along the way! But that’s okay! Let compounding work its magic and derive your joy from elsewhere as you wait! ;)
#8. The first $100,000 is the hardest. After that, the $$$ snowballs with much less effort 👍
#9. Allow yourself to splurge every now and then! All saving and no spending makes Jack a dull boy!!!
#10. Don’t be so hard on yourself. We all have our obstacles to cross, but the difference between you and everyone else is that you’re not HIDING from them :) You know what they are and are actively confronting them!
#11. Don’t forget to LIVE along the way. There were so many years I was consumed with hustling and making *more* that I ended up ignoring most other areas of my life. There’s a time for ramping things up but there’s also a time for LIVING YOUR LIFE and not becoming obsessive. It takes a while to balance, but don’t ever forget that there’s more to life than just money :)
#12. And lastly, and probably the biggest change for me over the past 12 years, I realized the point of all this stuff is *FREEDOM*! Not becoming a millionaire! Which is ironic as I’ve finally become one when I no longer care as much, lol… Of course you’ll still need a decent chunk of change to live your best life, but the end goal with all this stuff is to craft your ideal *lifestyle* – not see how much you can amass before you die. There are loads of people with tons of money in this world, but if you look closely they’re not all that happy! Or content! So the challenge is to convert this money you earn into peace and happiness without constantly wanting “more” all the time.
*****
And that’s 12 years of living and breathing this stuff! It all comes down to a handful of bullet points! Haha…
But what a ride it’s been :) And I’m so SO happy to have shared this experience with you.
If you’ve learned even just one thing from me over the years, I hope you’ll pass it forward so others can find their epiphanies too! There’s a sea of starfish out there but even just helping *one* changes a life for the better!
Remember the Starfish Story by Loren Eisley? I’m gonna re-post it here just because it’s so damn good ;) Cheesy, but good!!
The Starfish Story
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…
“I made a difference for that one.”
And that’s really the best part about blogs here. One by one we share our ideas and collectively we get better for it :)
I love all y’all so very much, and I thank you for everything you’ve done for me over the years. PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH, OKAY??
Here’s everywhere you can reach me:
- Twitter: @BudgetsAreSexy
- Email: j@jmoney.biz
- Newsletter: jmoney.biz/newsletter
- Next project I’m working on: Soapbox.com (set to go live on July 6th)
And don’t forget – this blog continues on without me! 5 AM Joel‘s got the torch and excited to keep the good word flowing!
Yours in finance forever,
******
PS: Here’s the “why” behind it all if you’re a newer reader to the site: New Beginnings, and The Future of Budgets Are Sexy
PPS: Additional fun facts you might not know about the blog ;)
- It was almost called SavingIsSexy.com, but it was taken!
- For the first 6 months I blogged under “J. Savings”
- I didn’t even have a budget when I started the blog, lol…
- We have a theme song – which of course is a rap! ;)
- There was only one blog post I ever regretted publishing and quickly took it down (it was a guest post that caused personal attacks)
- And then lastly, here’s what the blog looked like in 2008… Really not that different from today ;)
Get blog posts automatically emailed to you!
Just got your email about Farewell.
What will happen to your site/blog? Are we be able to read in the future?
Yup!
The blog continues forward with a new person at the helm!
Here’s more about that, as well as who this new person is :)
https://budgetsaresexy.com/my-last-month-on-the-blog/
https://budgetsaresexy.com/who-the-heck-is-5am-joel/
J, we’re all gonna miss you dude. All I can say is that I’m sure you’ve changed the lives of a ton of folks out there by motivating them to get their financial lives in shape. And once they did that they found they had a huge part of life solved.
For that you should be really proud. Fair winds!
Thank you sir!! I can only hope!
J$, I think the most astounding number in that list is 0!!! I can’t believe you kept up with your self imposed writing schedule for that long. I know you’ve changed it a few times through the years, but WOW!
And my favorite thing that didn’t make your top 12 is “Challenge Everything”.
Later bud!
Dang – completely forgot about that one!!
Oh well, will just have to start another blog I guess and revive it ;)
J. Money:
Thank you so much for all you have shared over the years. It has been a pleasure reading your words of wisdom but most of all interacting with you over the years one-on-one. Thank you for listening as eagerly as you spoke. That is truly what made your blog special.
I will always remember:
FREEDOM > MONEY > STUFF
All the best!
Love it :)
Please do stay connected!! I’ll still be in the community spreading the good word!
Just wanted to say, Thank you ,I have learned a lot book worm
Been following you for years & as you know, you’re the stepping stone to our drastic life change which started last June when I stumbled on Jim (Route to Retire) who posted on your website. Instead of retiring in 6 years, we retired in 6 months! We sold everything we own & now temporarily rent an AirBNB as we wait for Panama to reopen its’ borders late next month. Our retirement rental home awaits us in Boquete, Panama & we truly are grateful for all the good lessons & advice we received thru your blog. Wishing you & your family much continued happiness & future success. Hope you take a little time off now to celebrate your many accomplishments! Adios! Gracias!
Love hearing this every single time :) You are motivating ME to be better at minimalism and take big leaps, so thank YOU!! I still can’t believe you went all in!!
What a wild ride! Over 2,800 posts is mind boggling!! Best of luck on your new ventures and you’ll certainly be missed around here!
Haha yeah thanks! Def. didn’t think I had THAT much to say! :)
J$! Thank you for inspiring me in my blogging and personal finance mission!
I’ve been tracking my net worth for a while (just like you) and we’ve just reached the double comma club too. And you’re right! It’s just a freaking number. The freedom is what we’re after!
Best of luck with your new venture! I’m sure it’ll be a hit just like all of your other sites.
Will you have a blog share with Soapbox? I definitely miss the community you built with RockStar.
We’ll def. be sharing blogs on the site – don’t you worry about that ;)
So keep on pumping out great content!
Welcome to the MM Club!
❤️❤️❤️
💙 💙 💙 💙 💙
Congrats J. Hope to see you at fincon. Enjoy your new project and the family time :)
I would like that!
Congrats, J!
Your site was a big reason why I finally got off my ass and started working on my own projects!
GOOD!!!
You can thank me with a beer when you make millions off it all :)
Farewell to one of the O.G. greats.
I mentioned it in my guest post, but your blog was absolutely instrumental in my own financial journey. Your net worth updates inspired me to start a blog and share my own net worth, which has been huge not just for my finances, but for my life.
You’re a legend, J$. I suspect your positive impact on the world reaches farther than you could ever imagine. Thanks for all the memories, and I’m excited for your future!
It’s been a fun ride with you, man :)
Glad you’re still at it as our world still needs a lot of help!!
Best of luck for the future. I came late to your blog but definitely enjoyed the ride. We’ll keep in touch. Congrats again on a monumental achievement.
Thanks Martinus!
Congratulations Jay, you’ve had an amazing run and we’ve all benefited for it. You’ve been an inspiration and a role model even if you probably didn’t start out with that intention.
We’ll be eagerly waiting for Soapbox.
🙏 🙏
J! We will miss you a lot and I definitely appreciate your insights over the years. Your blog is one of the few I read regularly and the ONLY finance blog I read! Keep being awesome and thanks for everything!
Yayy!!! Glad I made the cut – what an honor!
Thanks for all you’ve given to this community! And thank you for being so kind to this baby blogger at her first (and, it turns out only!) Fincon. You are one of a kind and I’ll miss your funny, gentle, and kind words in this space.
Got nothing but love for you, Liz :)
It’s so hard losing a best friend (epecially when your best friend didn’t even know he was your best friend). Thank you J$ for doing what best friends do. All the best to you my friend!
Hah!! He knows it now! XOXO
J Money! Thank you for everything you have contributed to my life as well as this whole community. You were my gateway drug to personal finance and boy was it a great high. You helped me start tracking my networth in 2013 when it was a measly 5k and helped me get it to six figures where it is today.
Best of luck to you on your new journey! I’ll be following along to see all your new successes. Take care.
Timias
BOOM!
Gotta lot more to dispense in the future too! You won’t be fixin’ for long! ;)
Thanks for all the advice and motivation throughout the years, J$. I first saw you on a business insider article years ago talking about the old caddy/moneymaker haha. As a car guy, i clicked the link, and fastforward many years later, now i’m a financial guy! This blog is where it all started for me, and now i’m well on my way, so thanks a ton – big impact on our life! Looking forward to soapbox!
Steven
HAH! I miss that old girl!! Such a great (and profitable) car! :)
Glad the blog stuck after all these years!
You’re one of the good ones, sir. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of your world for the past ten years. Here’s to ten more!
So cool that we still talk almost every single day even though we go years without seeing each other :) True friendship right there, brother! Now we got some work to do next week!!
The best of everything to you! Enjoy your little ones! I write this watching my 16yr. old stumble about getting her breakfast…I swear I blinked seeing her clutching a blanket to backing a car into the driveway…yikes! Thank-you for all your informative posts!
HAH! I believe it!! My kids *swear* they’re never moving out later and promise to live with us forever, but Lord knows how that will change not too long from now, haha…
Thanks for being a part of my life!
Congrats on everything you have achieved in blogging and I am excited to see your next project!
I still maintain that if you hadn’t featured my debt thermometer on rockstar finance I wouldn’t have started selling them on Etsy. I now have sold over $18,000 worth of products (not just thermometers) because you gave me that confidence in what I had.
I can only imagine how many thousands of people you have Impacted for the better so thank you so much. Congrats!
WOW!!!
Good for you man – I had no idea about that!!
That is so bad ass… And yes, I might have pushed you but YOU had to run with it and do all the work! So well done!! Will you stay in touch over the years, please? Would love to see what else you get into and will help where I can :)
Here’s my personal newsletter if you’re not on it already –> https://jmoney.biz/newsletter/
I cannot imagine how bittersweet this is for you, but congrats on moving onto bigger and better things. That’s what true entrepreneurs do. :)
It’s been a fun ride, my brother..
And much more so with you in it! I bet we collaborate again real soon :)
I first heard you on Afford Anything and I loved the banter with you and Paula! I really missed you when you left. Thanks for all the amazing content you’ve created and curated with rockstar finance! Best of luck with soapbox. I look forward to it.
Aww cool!! The banter was my favorite part too :) the rest, not so much, lol..
You might like the next project though as it’ll combine talkind AND video! So we’ll see how that one goes! :)
Ah man…your baby tracker is how I first found you and I’m so glad I did. I loved reading all of your posts and am so looking forward to Soapbox (because I miss Rockstar Finance so much)! I’m also going to enjoy Joel’s writing here on this space so I feel like you are leaving us in great hands. See you around the internet…
Deal :)
12 years ago I started my financial recovery. It started buy reading everything I could find on finances. Lucky for me personal finance blogs started coming around. I was about 30K+ in debt and living back at my Mom’s house. I now have a reasonable retirement fund, full emergency fund, no debt besides my mortgage. It was all thanks to guidance I received from writers just like you. I’m not sure I can read this full post, because I had not realized how connected to you I had become, and I might cry. I truly enjoyed all these years of education and entertainment you have gives all of us! Thank you so much J. Money. Enjoy the next steps in your life and know we are all behind you!
You are an angel, Ellie, thank you :)
No need to read this post – just know I’m still here and we have many more years of fun together!! Just at a different home online! :)
Way to turn your $$$ around!!
Best of luck on your next adventure, my friend! You truly are a rockstar!
Double thanx again, J$$, as I stumbled on Jim last June. You both have changed our lives forever. We’re deeply grateful!
Debbie and Chuck
Tag team, baby!! :)
Helluva ride indeed! Congrats on all your success as you’ve left a lasting legacy in the PF and blog communities. Looking forward to seeing more about The Soapbox and your next adventures (:
Thanks Todd!
Hi…thank you! Thank you! I wish you all the best in your new project.
Cindy
Thanks Cindy! Keep watching that $$$! :)
Congratulations on all your success! I will certainly miss reading your stuff here and I look forward to your next project. I appreciate your support over the past few years with my on-again, mostly off-again dinky blog. I just finished listening to your podcast episode on Millionaires Unveiled and it was super inspiring. I wish you and your young family the very best life has to offer. – Cody
Oh cool!! That was a fun one! Let’s def. stay connected and maybe we’ll be able to collaborate on something down the road :)
I will miss your writing. Best wishes!
Thanks Chris! Be sure you’re signed up to my personal newsletter so you can keep reading my writing! :)
It’s been a crazy a ride! From the first “You’re famous today!” Rockstar email, to discussing crazy website ideas and comparing domain lists – to whatever comes next!
I can’t wait to see what you put you mean focus into – I’m sure it’ll be a success (because you put the work in!).
Haha yeah – and that’s only been the past handful of years! :)
I’ll be getting in touch with you again here soon, I’m sure of it.. Got a lot more ideas for the community to come!
“There’s a sad sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple, too
And up in the nursery
An absurd little bird
Is popping out to say coo-coo
(Coo-coo, coo-coo)
Regretfully they tell us (Coo-coo)
But firmly they compel us (Coo-coo)
TO SAY GOODBYE (Coo-coo)
TO YOU
SO LONG, FAREWELL
Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight
We hate to see you go and leave this pretty site
So long, farewell
Auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu
To you and you and you
So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye
You’ll leave & we’ll all heave
A sigh and say goodbye
Goodbye
The sun has gone
To bed and so must I
So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbyeeeeeeeeeeeee”
May the sound of, er, “music” & JOY fill the rest of your days. :)
You’re the greatest, haha..
My wife’s favorite movie!
Thanks for everything. I am pretty sure it was your blog that got me on the “track your net worth” bandwagon. It made a world of difference in my motivation for budgeting and my sense of security about our financial place in the world. I look forward to your next adventure (and mine)!
Music to my years! :)
I love the starfish story,
I recently started my blog and I linked out to you in one of my first posts, and you were the only person that actually replied to me and shared my article! It made a massive difference to me and I just wanted to thank you again!
I’m so glad to hear that :) Perhaps there will be more of that with my next project!
Hi J$
When you said u respond to every email, I took you up on it and ask u some money questions and you actually responded haha. That’s how i know you really are a nice guy and care about your community. I’m so happy for u and congrats on everything you’ve achieved.
I don’t mess around with finance ;)
Selfish me: dammit!
Grateful me: J$$$, you’ll truly never know how many people hopped on for the ride and turned their lives around to something better. As a single parent, my daughter’s well-being (physical, work-related, financial, spiritual) is my #1 priority. I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I found you I was deep in debt, no retirement savings, hell! NO savings, and winging my way not only to my own disaster but hers too. Fast forward a bunch of years and she, in her mid: 30’s is:
debt-free, with a fully funded-retirement account, a bang-up massive year’s worth of savings, and in a line of work she loves, making the salary she deserves.
Me? I’m a full 180 now. And that, friend J$$$, is down to your daily prodding. Looking hard at myself and what you preach. And finally giving myself the opportunity to succeed.
Your legacy, sir, is in the fact that you took everyday people like me and turned us into our own little lighthouses. Eternally grateful for all your wisdom, the laughter, and the pain. I miss your Caddy and look forward to seeing you in the future. Bon chance!
AHHH best compliment a blogger can get! Thank you!!! And thank you for MAKING IT A PRIORITY in your and your daughter’s life too! What a blessing and future peace you just brought to yourselves!! I’d take you on a joy ride in that Caddy if I could!! I miss her loads too :(
Dude! Congrats on the twelve years and your next chapter(s). Your voice is unique in the blogosphere. Always positive. Always fun. But always informative. There’s so much BS out there, especially now.
I look forward to hearing about the next project. Keep inspiring. Keep the mohawk. Keep your personality.
All the best, my friend!
Haha thanks man!
We’ll be re-connecting here again soon – still got lots more work to do! :)
Great final post! Points 11 and 12 were possibly the two most important lessons any of us can learn. And the starfish story, which I’ve never read before, was wonderful! Thanks for sharing! Good luck in your next endeavors – I doubt you’re walking away from the community.
Never :)
This is my family for life.
*WHOMP HUGS* You stick around, y’hear? I mourn the loss of a lot of bloggers, big and small, over the years but I refuse to lose you, the person! <3 <3 <3
See above :)
You’ll be missed! Looking forward to what Joel will bring to the table but I’m going to miss your posts. I learned so much from this blog. Best wishes on future endeavours!
Thanks Megan! I wouldn’t be leaving if I wasn’t confident in the future of the site with Joel :) You’re in good hands.
Thanks for everything you’ve done with this site. I’ve always appreciated your positivity and enthusiasm. You’ve continued that with the transition, and I appreciate the thoughtful hand-off to a worthy successor. Best of luck on your new adventures!
Appreciate that, Ed :)
Wow, that’s a long time to be writing J! What a journey. :)
And funny about the screenshots of the past. I’ve taken them too over the years just for nostalgic reasons. And to share with readers every now and then. This blog definitely looks similar to the pic you shared!
You’ll be missed here. Can’t wait to see what you do over at Soapbox. Awesome certificate, take care! :)
Haha thank you… I was way more creative in 2008 than I am now :)
So that’s what you look like! (lol) I’m so used to seeing your mohawk profile. Thank you very much for helping me spread my message. I wish you all the best!
It is indeed me :) No point in wasting hairspray during #quarantine, lol..
Hi,
I have been an anonymous reader of your blog from 2009. You were one of the bloggers that hooked me on to finance blogs and made sense to a 20 something me. Will miss your high energy writing style and sense of humor.
Wishing you all the best in your journey ahead!!
So cool!! We grew up together it looks like then!! Thanks for finally coming into the light! :)
Going to miss you. Loved your blog and learned much about finances.
Best to you and your family.
Life is too Short. Enjoy!!!
take care,
M
Agreed – thank you :)
I’ve enjoyed each of your projects I’ve followed along the way, brother. Really inspiring work you’ve done for each of us. You’ve made a huge difference in many lives. That’s a legacy.
Take care and enjoy what comes next.
Ryan
Thanks! Hope GRB is going well too! Have always loved the name :)
J Money! It’s a truly important day in bloggerland, the day J Money hangs it up. You’ve been such a great help to me and my blog, and thanks for all the times you shouted out my blog or gave me a guest post spot. It was an honor and you’re truly one of the nicest guys in this space. Congrats on a successful blogging career and know you will be missed in this space! Such a great thing you’ve built here, man. And good luck to 5am Joe filling those shoes – rooting for you brother! J Money, will follow you on the new site for sure!
Glad to hear that man – it’s been great knowing you and seeing what comes out of your brain there :) Much more to come from both of us!
LOVE THIS POST! You my friend has added value to a lot of lives including mine!
You will be missed but wishing you happiness & success in the future.
You too!! You’ve been such a great part of the community here, always leaving comments and making me think! Thank you!! Please stay in touch!
Wow! I certainly wasn’t expecting this. While I was a lurker of sorts, I enjoyed your stuff and approach. Damn, nearly 3K articles – that’s insanely impressive. You’ve done great work and made a difference, rest assured.
I hope your future is everything you dream and envision. Take care, my man!
Thanks Mr. Fate!
Heading over to your blog now to check it out!
I expect to see at least 2,000 articles there ;)
That’s a long time on this blog with a lot of articles. So happy that you gave me the opportunity to guest post for you a few years ago.
You’ve been killing it ever since too! Hope we get another chance to re-unite at FinCon after this pandemic stuff is over!
Am in awe of the commitment , and also loved the learning and the starfish story. Congratulations and all the best.
Thanks Anand :) It’s one of my favorite stories!
Hmmm I wonder if your days will morph into your own personal sitcom.
Penny: Mom! Dad is around ALL THE TIME (insert cheezy laugh track here)
Mrs Money: He always was around.
Nickel: But now he’s not blogging as much for his job.
Mrs Money: That’s good he can help you with your distance learning.
Dime: Mom! We have a schedule, he’s messing it up.
Penny: He’s kind of cramping our style, we have a certain cred in the neighborhood.
J Money: I am standing right here in the room (more cheesy laugh track).
Enjoy your time of thinking up super embarrassing dad jokes and tending to the hawk.
Haha, deal…
I should actually put the ‘hawk up as it’s been a while! Saving a ton of money on hairspray in quarantine! ;)
Thank you for your service! I got here late, just a couple of years ago, but you helped me immensely and you are so entertaining! Will miss you terribly! Xoxo
Awww well I’m glad you arrived and hope you’ll have continued success with your $$$! Once you have that foundation it’s so much easier! :)
I am going to miss you. I have been reading this blog since 2011. Thanks to you I have been doing a monthly net worth. And I too have become a millionaire!! I have enjoyed every read. Thanks so much!! Mary.
YAY!!!!
CONGRATS!!
Wow. The end of an era. I enjoyed reading your blogs, and I am on my way to FI also now. Take care and enjoy life.
Rock on! Awesome seeing you have a blog in the space as well!
Congratulations J. Money. Will miss your writing on this site as one of the OGs of PF.
Not sure if you remember but it was great to meet you finally, albeit briefly at FinCon19. Glad to see you are pursuing new adventures.
Thank you! Let’s meet again at the next FinCon whenever it’s safe to do so :)
Thanks for being awesome, J Money! I’ve been a loyal reader for roughly 10 years and really appreciated your honesty, openness, and financial insight.
incredible!! thanks for following along this whole time! let’s stay connected, okay?? :)
I’m gonna miss you J. Money. I hope you can go on the Afford Anything podcast one last time. I got into podcasting because of you and I missed you when it went to just Paula.
Oh wow – very cool man! Are you enjoying it so far?? I remember liking a lot of parts to it, but not enough to keep going :) I’d be happy to jump back on the show again if Paula wants me too.. I hopped on a year or so ago for a fun update, but it’s amazing how much can change in a year!
Kindly stumbled onto your site back in 2013 thanks to a good friend of mine. He highly suggested I read your blog for motivation and humor. You never disappointed to pique my interest with personal finance. Plus your style of communicating your thoughts was awesome. Thank you for all that you’ve done for this community. Take care brother, Aloha!
Aloha!!
Going over now to check out your blog!
Anything with “FI” in it already piques my interest ;)
I never get tired of reading your posts, J. You’ve changed my life forever and I hope to be like that kid throwing back the starfishes one by one. Mabuhay ka! (Long live!) From the Philippines. <3
Mabuhay ka!
You’re already helping starfish with your videos!! Keep putting your heart into it! :)
I’ve never posted a comment before but I’ve been reading here for a long time…6+ years or more. It’s on my short list of blogs that I consistently keep up with.
Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished. I will be checking out your next project.
I’m in debt payoff mode right now but I have the tools and income to get out. I promise I’m done with debt this time. It is no fun paying it back. After that I’m hoping to have my home paid off and be in the millionaire by 2032.
GOOD!!
Will you email me when you pay the last debt off, please?? :)
j @ jmoney (dot) biz
I believe you that you’re finally done!!
Thanks for everything over the years! I think I’ve been following you for over a decade now and I’ve gone from saving my first $50k to almost 10x that!! You’ve definitely been one of the bloggers that have helped me along the way.
Congratulations, Half-A-Millionaire!! :)
Welcome aboard Joel! I look forward to learning from you and seeing you put your own spin on the site.
Timias
Thanks Timias! It’s gonna be a fun new challenge. :)
Have a great week! – Joel
I’ve truly enjoyed the money lessons in your blog, and there are a ton of great ones (blogs) out there…but your positivity, wit, and mindset of joy, contentment, kindness, and down-to-earthiness (couldn’t decide how else to say this!) are what have set you apart. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you Christa, haha…
I should quit projects more often!! So much love – thank you! :)
J. Money,
Another anonymous reader (since 2009) here. Just wanted to take a minute to thank you for all the work you’ve put in over the years, all the lessons you’ve taught, and the encouragement you’ve provided.
You have a gift for positivity and teaching, and I look forward to the future ways you continue to share those gifts!
Take care!
Thank you, Tara :) That’s so cool you’ve been reading for so long!! Glad you enjoyed it!
I will miss your humor, your wonderful writing style, and your strong beliefs. I wish you and your family a great life ahead. And, I’ve enjoyed “knowing” you (also love my leather tote that I won in one of the giveaways).
You look nothing like the guy throwing us the middle finger from his truck when you were fired. I loved that pic.
Haha… that was before I started putting up real pics of me :)
I hope you’ll still stay connected over time – really enjoyed having you in my life too 🙏
J Money!
You personally changed my life and the life of my family. I found your site about 4 years ago. I have read nearly every post since then. During that time, I’ve cleaned up nearly 20k in debt and saved over 80k! It’s now a lifelong journey that is gaining significant steam. I sleep well at night now thanks to you my friend. You are a personal hero of mine. I look forward to learning more about your next adventure and when you make it out to San Diego, I’ll be buying the beers. Thank you!
Ahhhhh killing it over there, man!!
Best line of the whole thing — “It’s now a lifelong journey ”
So so incredibly glad to hear that – thanks for telling me so.
And a HELL YEAH to those beers, sir! I’ll book my ticket the day you cross $500k! :)
Congratulations! We started around the same time and you helped me several times along the way. I’ve enjoyed watching you grow as a writer and a person.
Appreciate that man :)
Been fun seeing the new things you’ve gotten into over the years too! Might need to hit you with some advice as I get into more video stuff here… Don’t know what the hell I’m doing yet but I”m giving it a go! Lol…
J, it’s been great to be able to read & enjoy the last year of your career here. I am excited to see the unveiling of your next project!
Thanks D!!!
More fun to be had for all of us in the future! :)
Miss you already but onward! Good luck, buddy.
Will see you on the Twitters :)
Many congratulations for moving to the RE side of FIRE! :)
Haha – on blogging, at least! :)
Legit got emotional reading this.
So proud of you, and excited for your new chapter in life.
You are a positive, inspiring, uplifting voice that has been a constant over the past decade, and we are all the better for it!
Hope to run into you down the road, lots of catching up to do.
Stay true brother
You know it man…
I got emotional when you disappeared for a while there! Glad you’re back in it and killing it again too! Perhaps we’ll end up partnering on something one of these days :)
Appreciate the kind words.
I like #7,9,10. I think it is easy to put the savings and discipline to the extreme, but we must remember these points. I am really glad you highlighted them. It is so easy to lose sight of today for tomorrow. We must enjoy each and every day, while still working towards the future. Otherwise if we do hit our goal, then what? We will realize it is the journey and not the prize that leads to the fulfilling life.
:)
2800 posts, damn. That’s like 4 a week for 10 years