An Interview at Early Retirement Extreme

Jacob, of Early Retirement Extreme, has posted our interview where I talk about my early retirement story, views on saving, financial fears, and plans forward.  Here’s an excerpt:

Q: What inspired your frugal tendencies?

MG: My parents were always frugal and I can remember as a kid times when stress over money caused a lot of arguments in the household.  I think growing up in that environment had a profound effect on me and my brother where we are both showed an early interest in saving and investing and not having a lack of savings dictate important decisions.

When I lived outside of the United States for a few years, I became aware of how differently many people live overseas, whether rich or poor.  Rather than buying as much stuff as possible, I observed smart purchases that were durable and of high quality.  At present, as I’m learning more about climate change and environmental sustainability, I am becoming more interested in seeing that my purchasing patterns reflect my genuine desire to be less wasteful. I have been intrigued by the recession-triggered popularity of frugal behavior recently.

Check out the full interview, and if you are interested in someone who walks the walk with respect to early retirement, check out Jacob’s blog.