Tour de Personal Finance, Stage 1, Round 1 – Posts 5-8

Also, if applicable, I will give a brief description of the stage of the Tour de France that took place the same day as (or that has happened since the previous Stage of) the competition.

• How to Retire Early (Retire): Here are the core principles and action items that can help you become financially successful, and retire sooner. I know, because I became financially independent and retired at age 50. I found that financial success is made up of one part family support, one part career choices, one part money management, and one part personal habits and attitudes. It’s not a quick or easy process, but there are definitely things you can do to accelerate your progress….”

• 101 Ways To Save Money in Everyday Life (Ways): 101 ways to save money in your daily life on almost anything. Plenty to choose from.If you feel cutting eating out cost is not possible, then you have other options to try out and see if that’s fitting to you. 

   

• The Dreaded Bill Splitting (Splitting): Here is some advice a lot of my friends could use because no one has the first clue how to do this strange adult orientated thing: splitting a bill! I only ate a salad and everyone else got the most expensive steak – what am I supposed to do? Fear not my friends, help is at hand. Within this post is the secret to the dreaded bill splitting.

• Why Cash Value Life Insurance Might be a Better Option Than Term (Insurance):  Everybody says that term life insurance is better than cash-value. But is “everybody” right? I don’t think so. Here’s why I think Dave Ramsey is wrong and cash value may be a better choice.

The 2012 Tour de France actually started on Saturday, June 30th (I am a few days behind in starting the Tour de PF since I was out of town this weekend at a wedding) with the opening Prologue. In the prologue, time trialing specialist, Fabian Cancellara, took out the win by 7 seconds of the 2nd place finisher to claim the first yellow jersey of the 2012 Tour.

In Sunday’s stage (Stage 1), Fabian held on to the yellow jersey during a bunch finish on a flat stage in to Seraing, Belgium. Today’s stage (Stage 2), was also fast and flat, with the riders going from Vise to Tournai. It was a perfect day for the sprinters, and arguably the world’s fastest sprinter, Mark Cavendish, took out the win ahead of his rivals. One thing that I didn’t know this year was that Cavendish left Team HTC and is now racing for Team Sky (they may have merged, but I’m not sure).

Fabian Cancellara stayed safely in the main pack to keep hold of the yellow jersey for another day!