Mr. Tako Escapes - Mr. Tako's Adventures in Early Retirement (with Kids)

Does Frugal Have A New Normal?

May 24, 2020May 24, 2020 Mr. Tako 23 Comments

Do you consider yourself a frugal person? I used to think Mrs. Tako and I were pretty frugal people. If you remember our backstory, the two of us were good savers in our 20’s and 30’s which allowed us to reach financial independence by age 38.

We saved, but we didn’t suffer. We traveled internationally quite a bit, ate delicious meals, and generally had a very luxurious life — all while saving a good chunk of our income.

That was the past, and this is now…

How To Keep Compounding When The Market Won’t

May 17, 2020May 24, 2020 Mr. Tako 18 Comments

There exists an urban legend about Einstein. You’ve probably heard it before. Supposedly Einstein once said that “compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.” It sounds pretty cool, and smart — like something Einstein might actually say. Whether Einstein actually said these words or not is subject to debate.

We’ll probably never know the truth about that Einstein quote, but the important part is the truth within it — Compound interest, or more generically “compounding” is an extremely powerful financial force when it works for you…

Dividends Investing Saving Uncategorized

April 2020 Expenses And Dividend Income

May 10, 2020May 10, 2020 Mr. Tako 25 Comments

April 2020 was a weird month. A really weird month. Inevitably it will go down in the history books as one of the strangest on record. Not because it was a particularly good month (far from it), but because everything was just so gosh dang weird.

The stock market (for example) acted very weird in April. It did the opposite of what you might expect during a pandemic and recession…

Guest Posts Investing Ideas Kids Reader Questions Saving Travel Uncategorized

A Lockdown Q&A With Mr. Tako

May 3, 2020May 3, 2020 Mr. Tako 10 Comments

Hi folks! Instead of my usual blog post where I decide the topic my choosing, this week’s post I thought I’d we mix things up a bit! It’s time for the readers to take charge and let them ask questions!

That’s right, it’s Q & A time! This week’s post is composed entirely of reader questions, and I’ll do my best to supply the answers!

Without further ado, lets get this Q & A started….

Food Saving Uncategorized

Lockdown Week 7: When The Food Ran Out

April 26, 2020April 26, 2020 Mr. Tako 28 Comments

Three weeks ago it was the shortages of toilet paper making big news. That made for plenty of good toilet paper jokes and internet memes, because… well, toilet humor wins the internet!

Thankfully, like migratory birds, toilet paper has now returned to it’s regular nesting grounds on store shelves.

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about (a new virus, unemployment, the economy, homeschooling the kids) — Now we have to worry about the freaking food supply!

Food Investing Saving Uncategorized

Lockdown Week 6: Market Perturbations & Sushi

April 19, 2020 Mr. Tako 24 Comments

Well, would you look at that! Here we are 6 weeks into the pandemic lockdown, staring down directly into the precipice of a humongous recession … and the stock market is rising. Incredible! Absolutely incredible.

This seemly bizarre market move has the so-called “experts” calling it a “sucker’s rally”, warning investors to stay away. Yet the stock market is undeniably rising again…

Dividends Food Kids Saving Uncategorized

March 2020 Expenses And Dividend Income

April 11, 2020April 13, 2020 Mr. Tako 12 Comments

It was the best of times. And, it was the worst of times. That pretty much sums up March in our household. It was definitely good times with the whole family at home, nice spring weather occurring, and enjoying life as best we can under lockdown. Meanwhile our investments provided ample income to cover our cashflow needs…

Build Dividends Food Kids Saving

Lockdown Week 4: Birthdays, Projects, and Frugal Food Failures

April 4, 2020April 5, 2020 Mr. Tako 26 Comments

Week 4 under lockdown is complete! Schools have been closed for only a month, but right now it feels like years. Can stay-at-home dads get PTSD?

If this pandemic has taught me anything (and it’s already taught me several things), it’s that I have the greatest respect in the world for teachers. People who willingly teach 20-30 rambunctious kids, day after day, year after year, without going insane are amazing people. They’re obviously saints or super-humans. Possibly both…

Food Investing Kids Uncategorized

Lockdown Week 3: Board Games And Investing In Bear Markets

March 28, 2020 Mr. Tako 14 Comments

Are you starting to get a case of “cabin fever” under the coronavirus lockdown? Maybe you’re not under a lockdown order yet. Some places around the world are just now starting to go into lockdown mode, but here in the Pacific Northwest we’ve already been at it for 3 weeks…

So, the cabin fever has really started to set in!

Just kidding. It’s quite the opposite in fact…

← Previous