Hi all,
I've been thinking of starting a blog, though I've never done anything like this before and really have little idea whether anyone will be interested in what I have to say! I've have had a go at writing my first post, but I'd really welcome any comments/advice/feedback on it (good or bad) to help me decide whether it's really something worth pursuing or not! Here it is, thanks in advance!
(Sorry if this is posted in the wrong section; I wasn't too sure where best to put it)
A while back, I started feeling pretty disenchanted with my job. 'Started' maybe the wrong word... the corporate world is well known for sucking life from the best of us, but going through a particularly rough patch after several years of the daily grind, I started quietly seeking a way out.
A few Google searches later, I found myself on the doorstep (metaphorically speaking) of personal finance guru Mr Money Mustache. I'd never really contemplated early retirement and I didn't even know what 'Financial Independence' meant. But the 'shockingly simple maths' (to borrow an MMM phrase) instantly appealed to the maths geek in me, and I was sufficiently intrigued to dive deeper.
The more I did, the more clearly I could see I was that stereotypical 30-something corporate workhorse, burning away a decent salary hand over fist, with nothing more to show for it than a sore head a few mornings a week.
Fast forward a year or so and I've undertaken a pretty rapid transformation; I'm happier, healthier, fitter than I've been in years, yet I've simultaneously increased my monthly savings rate from maybe 10-20% to somewhere approaching 60. Ironically, I'm also much happier in my job as a result, especially with a 10-year FI plan as a daily motivator!
I decided to start this blog really for two reasons. Firstly, it's a great way to keep myself on track and focused on the end goal. Secondly, while MMM and other like-minded bloggers I've since discovered are a great source of inspiration, as a British-born expat living in Hong Kong, many of the US-focused references are a bit lost on me; I tend to glaze over at any mention of 401(k)s or deductible health care plans.
In short, HK ain't the US. Regularly dubbed the most expensive city in the world, property prices are virtually without parallel, yet the average flat is no bigger than a decent sized bathroom in many countries. Similarly, the idea of eating fresh, organic meat for no more than a couple of dollars is not a world I live in; any such luxuries in HK have 'rich expat' written all over them and are generally priced at levels to make your eyes bleed, let alone water. And don't even get my started on dairy products; convincing my wife to remortgage the house in order to fill up the fridge with a selection of fine cheeses is proving a hard sell for some reason...
But before readers reach for their 'Complainypants' cards, let me get back to the point. HK ain't the US. But likewise, the US ain't HK. While our friends across the Pacific are debating the astronomical costs of health care, HK provides a high quality, government-run system that is virtually free. Likewise, the low cost public transport network is fast, efficient and extremely reliable. And all this is achieved while charging its residents some of the lowest income tax rates in the world.
It's all about relative strengths. HK is an economy built on money; it's an easy place to earn it, and an even easier place to spend it. High-end shopping malls on every corner, lavish Sunday brunches, exclusive sports clubs; there are endless ways to part with your hard earned - or much worse, borrowed - cash.
But through this blog, my aim is to prove that beneath the glitzy facade, there are equally limitless - and ultimately more rewarding - opportunities to explore this amazing city without the ever-present drain on your wallet, all the while moving swiftly towards personal and financial freedom.
