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Summary: The Fundamentals of Hapiness
Review: I read this book after realizing that I didn't want to travel 100% as a computer science software consultant for the next 30 years and work 80 hours a week. My father still works a couple of projects and my mother worked as an occupational therapist for over 30 years. She just retired. I wanted to avoid the stress of a prestigious lifestyle and the constant need for money. I have curbed my desire for the new BMW & uptown condo. I have instead focused on saving at least 50% of my six figure income. I'm 25 and dedicated to retiring within the next 10 years. I will be married eventually and do plan to have kids. My plan is to retire with enough (500 - 750k) so that neither of us has to work, but rather work because we want to. I'm still trying to convince her it's the path to hapiness. It's definitely the road less taken...coming from a family of lawyers and doctors, it's tough to make people understand the true joy of living. May we celebrate the significance of birth and the joy of living. This book will teach you how. You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
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Summary: $50/day was enough to get married, have family in 3rd world-
Review: I was 38 years old, single, never married when I first read Paul Terhorst's book in 1988. I already had saved up a minor nest egg and Terhorst's often sarcastically amusing book convinced me to retire at age 40 to live in the third world (albeit with a slightly different investment mix than was recommended). Since then, I found that not only is $50.00 a day sufficient to live well, but it was enough to charm and marry a very attractive woman... and still is enough to support a small family here (my daughter was born in Chile).
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Summary: EXCELLENT WRITING ON EXPLORING AN ALTERNATIVE LIFE!
Review: PAUL HAD THE COURAGE TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL. HE GAVE UP WHAT MOST PEOPLE STRIVE FOR AND COVET MOST--- THE HIGH PAYING JOB AND HIGH INCOME. THIS BOOK IS NOT FICTION. HE ACTUALLY DID WHAT HE LAYS OUT IN THE BOOK AS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE. I HAVE MET HIM. HE IS A GENUINE GUY. HE HAS BEEN RETIRED 15 +/-- YEARS NOW AND HAS NO REGRETS. HE AND HIS WIFE, VICKIE, NOW LIVE IN PARIS. THERE ARE SOME PARALLELS BETWEEN PAUL AND HENRY DAVID THOREAU -- THAT OF QUESTIONING THE STATUS QUO, STUDYING HUMAN NATURE, AND CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVES TO THE LIFE WE CURRENTLY LEAD. THIS IS A FASCINATING BOOK AND WHILE I HAVE NOT YET MADE ANY MAJOR CHANGES SUCH AS RETIRING, I HAVE PROGRESSED TOWARD THAT END IN MY THINKING. IT HAS NOW BEEN 6 YEARS SINCE I READ PAUL'S BOOK (1992) AND I GO BACK TO IT OFTEN. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE I'LL TAKE THE PLUNGE ONE DAY.WILLIAM E. SHUTTLEWORTH
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Summary: self confident people will understand Pauls thought process.
Review: Paul rambles, but I ramble, and I like it. The specifics of investing in CD's is not relevant but the overall thought of ..building a retirment tree(nestegg)..and harvesting an annual income, that theory was important to me. the problem with this book is it does'nt fit into the mainstream thought pattern..the majority of society does not want to sacrifice lifestyle now for some future that may never come...sort-of-thing. But that's the catch 22, it's good we do the opposite,the more who spend, the more we make. dave
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Summary: ITS GOOD
Review: PAUL TERHORST BOOK CSHING IN ON THE AMERICAN DREAM IS JUST THATA DREAM COME TRUE. AS YOU GO THRU THIS BOOK YOU WILL FIND SIMPLE BUT APPEALING A S WELL.PAUL REALLY MAKES YOU THINKABOUT YOU YOUR FAMILY AND WHERE YOU AT. TOMMORROW FIRST THING GOING TO THE WEIGHT ROOM.LOOK AT THE SUN ALSO. THIS BOOK IS A EYE OPENER. I RECOMMENDED IT HIGHLY. HE KNOWS WHAT HE TALKING ABOUT . WE ALL WANT TO RETIRE . DONT WE.
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Summary: Must reading if you truly want to escape the rat trap!
Review: Paul Terhorst's light and witty style and thought provoking concepts made a permanent impression on me. It gave me an entirely new perspective about what I want out of life. After reading the book I immediately began arranging for my own early retirement. I will achieve that goal before I turn 42 years old (three years from now). A great companion book would be "How To Get Off The Fast Track" by M.M. Kirsch.
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Summary: A MUST READ book
Review: paul's book has been a life saver. when i first read it, i was a successful dentist with $500,000+ debt. we sold the big house(big mortgage), mercedes, rolexes,and dropped out of the country club. we had helped all three kids get their first college degrees, but further education would be their responsiblity. once out of debt(5 years later) we had a whole new perspective. we sold out of expensive austin. now,we live in west texas and enjoy going back to college for fun!!!last year we spent a month in spain and this year a month in japan. as a dentist, a week out of the office was the max! i am happy being unemployed and living cheaply.
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Summary: "eye opener for life style change"
Review: paul's book has been a life saver. when i first read it, i was a successful dentist with $500,000+ debt. we sold the big house(big mortgage), mercedes, rolexes,and dropped out of the country club. we had helped all three kids get their first college degrees, but further education would be their responsiblity. once out of debt(5 years later) we had a whole new perspective. we sold out of expensive austin. now,we live in west texas and enjoy going back to college for fun!!!last year we spent a month in spain and this year a month in japan. as a dentist, a week out of the office was the max! i am happy being unemployed and living cheaply.
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Summary: THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES
Review: The author shows you that it is possible to get out of the rat race at an age much younger than the norm; all it takes is an idea, a goal and the commitment to not listen to the din of consumerism. His book is a bit dated in 2002, CDs aren't paying as much and houses in most parts of the country aren't appreciating like they once were. But it's the idea that you can escape that makes the book such an interesting read. I would also recommend Possum Living, Your Money or Your Life, and Rental Houses for the Successful Small Investor. All three touch on the same subject though on different aspects of it. Some people are happy with the traditional "9 to 5 'til you're 65" routine, and that's OK. But in poll after poll something like 70 - 90 percent of us would leave our present job given the opportunity. I think that fact is a function of the nature of the beast; I don't think we were evolved to end up living within the constraints of most typical employment. Financial independence is not a pipe dream it is simply a goal that requires planning and execution the likes of which is simply beyond the attention span of most of us caught-up in the pleasures of immediate gratification at the expense of life-long servitude. Our financial lives have failed to evolve. We spend our money, percentage-wise, almost exactly like people did 50 years ago. What is up with that? But I keep the faith, as we are a nation of pioneers. If we are ever to cash-in on the promise of our increased productivity (in the 50s they thought we'd only be working 24 hours a week by now), we need people with the fortitude to figure it out and pass it on. Good luck if you're one of the pathfinders, I hope to hear from you.
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Summary: Upbeat, positive, and funny; You'll quit your job tomorrow.
Review: This book woke me up to the possibility of early retirement, and made me realize, at a time when my net worth was negative, that it could be possible in a relatively short time (about 8 years for me). It was very interesting to learn of the cheap cost-of-living in many of the Latin-American countries. Paul Terhorst's view of retirement is one of fun and adventure, while you're still young enough to really enjoy it. This book is a great motivator. But if you don't see any way in the world it could happen for you, I'd suggest also reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. They show you how living on very little is actually liberating as opposed to an exercise in deprivation. Both books are real eye-openers. If you've ever dreamed of getting out of the rat race, you'll hang on every page.
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