Any post about personal experiences or things I like to share from my personal life, not about Financial Independence and Retiring Early.
In Belgium, the saying goes that a child costs you a house. AG Insurance and the Gezinsbond put a number on it: €264,310 over 25 years, or €917 per month when childcare and study costs are included. The Belgian median house price in Q3 2024 was €275,000. Headlines wrote themselves. VRT's Money Time podcast ran with it, and the Gezinsbond has been publishing versions of this research for years.
Hey everyone! So...a second post in a week's time! What's going on?! If you've been following along, you know I have a habit of disappearing for months at a time and then showing up with a massive life update. But this time I hope it's different. I hope I can keep a consistent post record.
A builder who makes you wait three months before starting your renovation will usually keep you waiting afterwards as well. And he’ll make you pay for work he hasn’t done, or has only half-done. This is what I learnt from a year and a half of building, disputing and mediating – ten lessons I wish I’d shared sooner rather than later, so that you don’t end up paying for unnecessary costs, time and stress.
After dedicating a decade to my first and only employer, August 2022 marked a turning point for me. I traded in my employee badge for the liberating title of freelancer, officially beginning my new journey. This decision was sparked by two significant events in my life: the birth of my beautiful daughter and witnessing the thriving freelance success of old colleagues. I felt an undeniable need for change, a leap of faith that was both exhilarating and necessary.
Hey everyone! It's been a while. :) Ever since my last major update on my portfolio, I haven't been able to find the time…