“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost

 

Who I Am

Hi there! As the name of this site states, my name is Kyle and I’m not your parents’ financial guy or any other type of typical financial advisor. So far in my 28 years of life I’ve learned a lot about personal money management, budgeting, saving and investing through simple trial and error, reading excessively and choosing to make decisions differently than most people. Through all of these experiences, and my experiences to come, I want to share my knowledge to help others understand how to manage their money and live a life different from the norm.

With my “Dad”-like qualities, my friends tend to come to me seeking advice on a variety of subjects including home maintenance, history, politics and of course….. personal finance! In the past year alone, I have helped friends with their money in many ways including:

• Financing long-term travel (3+ months)
• Creating their first budget
• Minimizing taxes
• Understanding first time investing options

 

Along with my interest in personal finance, I’m also an avid traveler (15 countries and 45 U.S. states so far!) and foodie (you name it, I’ll eat it!). These are two interests that don’t come cheap, but I’ve still found ways to integrate them into my frugal lifestyle.

Hiking the Royal National Park just outside Sydney, Australia

My Story

As far back as I remember I have also been a budget-creator and a saver. I remember when I was 10 years old, figuring out how many chores I would need to complete in order to save $100 for a Razor scooter. I knew how much I would make for mowing the lawn, taking out the trash and cleaning the kitchen, and then I calculated how many weeks I would need to save before I could make that glorious purchase. Then while I was in college studying engineering, I helped every student organization with which I was involved get their finances in order so we could hold more social events, donate more to local charities and decrease member costs.

Just a few years ago, I found myself out of work, laid off from a job with a startup construction company I had worked at for just about year, with only a few thousand dollars saved up. I wasn’t making much money at the time, so saving anything was a challenge while living in the expensive city of Chicago. Flash forward to present day, I dropped everything and moved to Sydney, Australia, and I’ve saved over $80,000 just through working a typical corporate sales job. The skills I’ve acquired relating to day-to-day budgeting, saving and simple investing strategies are ones that anyone can follow if they choose to make decisions differently.

Motivation

Everyone’s motivation for why he or she wants to gain control of their finances is different. Maybe you are saving up to buy your dream home, travel the world, quit your miserable job or be able to take care of your extended family. Ensuring you have enough money to be able to live your life the way you want to live it is the motivating factor. I personally do not want to live the rest of my life dependent on someone else to write me a paycheck or dictate the type of work I must do in order to earn that money. I want to freely be able to pursue my interests, including:

• Long-term world travel (6+ months and 15+ countries) Check!
• Starting my own business
• Investing (time and money) into worthy causes, such as renewable energy and health/nutrition
• Spending more time with my family and friends

 

That’s my motivation.

 

Ask yourself, “what do I want to do with my life and are my personal money habits holding me back”? If you want to learn applicable tactics to learn how to budget, save and invest your money by changing your decision-making, please read on. I’m not your parents’ typical financial guy and won’t give you the same advice you’re used to hearing.