Text: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DO0FQdsnsSLtAwSa29g4FdnNT0VVfDQF/view?usp=sharing

A short piece I wrote about the material culture of post-Eastern Bloc, pre-EU Romania that I grew up in. Photo credit: evz.ro, Bianca Zaharescu - It's Bucharest in 1996, I was there too. The text and some pictures: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rmy_kTZDiThV0G6msDEufoyX_-05M65tJVM_fCsG2TY/edit?usp=sharing…

One year and one month ago I’ve set out to become a full-time entrepreneur. I have not succeeded. Can you learn from my mistakes? This is the final episode of Valiant Growth, season 1.Photo credit: daivinandleah via Flickr

I've been thinking about talking more about my story with breaking contact with everyone I knew three years ago and completely resetting my life while coming to England. I especially wanted to talk about the painful mistakes I have made in talking to my family and friends following my understanding of the Freedomain Radio relationship strategy. I j…

I’ve been an ultra-sedentary person for most of my life and had zero interest in anything to do with physical health. But I am doing more now than I did before. And my friend Chris Stefanick can claim some credit for that. He showed me a vision of health that’s focused on living a better and longer life, having more fun, having fewer limitations, o…

It’s amazing to live in an age where all knowledge is at our fingerprints! You don’t have to transcribe ancient texts at candlelight in a monastery or do questionable menial tasks for a guru anymore to gain access to some knowledge. I had a two-hour round trip commute to the university - I quit midway when I figured out I could learn more than what…

How do you stay frugal when friends want to go out? And can you actually find better groups and collectives instead of building independence? I answer these two questions in this extra show. 1: "What do you do when someone suggest for instance grabbing a lunch when you have no desire to spend even on drinks but find it hard to say "well, I do not w…

In 1974, a man disappeared somewhere in the Siskiyou Mountains, never to be heard of again. He wasn’t a tourist lost in the forests - he’s been living in the region for years. He wasn’t a rookie camper overwhelmed by wilderness - he had written several articles on camping and survivalism, based on his own experience of practising these skills. So w…

It was a little past midnight on Wednesday and I was sitting in the bathtub. It was the 9th of November, and I was feeling terrible. I had no idea who the Prime Minister of Romania, the country where I grew up, was. I had no idea which party was in power in the UK, where I had been living for the past year and a half. But I had just spent 12 months…

I've become quite fed up with a show notes that had very little value to the listener. So I've decided to turn them into full-blown, stand-alone blog posts! Hence, until this experiment lasts, I am now running a blogcast instead of just a podcast. Are you as excited about this as I am?

So you’ve followed the advice my previous talk with Jake Desyllas and set up your own basic productivity system. You know that a system like that is not a pedantic badge of honour, but is in fact the best way to add actions to your ideals – to LIVE your values. You also know the three components of any successful productivity system: Capture: Get t…

Sometimes people tell me: “Philip, it’s all fine for you, but you can’t do this stuff with a family and car based culture”. That makes a lot of sense to me: in many ways, being a single, young person is the easiest way to keep costs on the low end.That is why I was very happy to ask Nicola, a listener who called in about his story on how he biked a…

Imagine that you have a magic marker. It looks like the usual whiteboard companion, but it has secret that only you know about. You see, with this marker, you can go into any store, pick any item off the shelf, and write your own price on it. And when you go to the checkout, they accept your price, no matter what it is, and everybody walks away hap…

I've started releasing guest appearances I've made on other podcasts. The first one is an interview with Joshua Sheats on Radical Personal Finance about hitchhiking and budget travel in general. I share my experiences and we both go in depth on tactics around hitchhiking, housing, transport and ultralight backpacking. Here are Joshua's show notes: …

Early Retirement Extreme may be one of the four ways to quit the rat race on the surface. I think, however, that underlying ERE is a much deeper philosophy. In fact, I’d say that saving a lot of money, investing it and living of the income is a completely optional part of ERE. What this approach has taught me is the value of resilience, independenc…

On the final day of the 21 day ERE makeover (but only penultimate of the series), Jacob addresses a simplified approach to investing, called Dogs of the Dow. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-21-investing-for-early-retirement.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Reti…

Frugality and high-quality products are not antithetical - you just have to own classics. Join http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com for ERE specific advice, and http://valiantgrowth.com/community to meet fellow Valiant Growth listeners. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-20-own-classics.html A more detailed discussion of t…

A TV (or insert other entertainment technology here) will cost you some money, but it will cost a lot more than that for your growth - if you aren’t aware of what you are doing. But entertainment is not the greatest threat - in fact, for many of you, it may not even be all that significant. The allure of narrow technical skills over broad life skil…

Self-imposed constraints (a.k.a challenges) can be a great tool for accelerating your frugality, building your self-esteem, and having fun at the same time. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-18-join-a-challeng.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme T…

We throw things out too easily sometimes. The good news is that you can become a handyman perhaps more easily than you’d think. And perhaps one day you can start building your own things! Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-17-maintaining-andrepairing-things.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valia…

How being frugal on quantity can actually get you really great quality. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-16-the-stuff-you-actually-keep-and-use.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com/ere Donate to the podcast at …

A bit of fun revision today, going through the previous 14 days and self-scoring on the ERE test! The scale is 90 points scores an A, 70 a B, 50 a C, 30 a D and 10 an F. Housing is worth 30, transport is worth 20, food is worth 10 and the rest are 4-5. I used 4. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-15-the-first-two-weeks-of-the…

Jacob lays out his (2009) active investment strategy, while I comment on the balance of offence vs. defence in ERE. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-14-investing-for-early-retiremen.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgr…

The particular conditions of an extreme saver warrants a critical look at which insurance makes sense and which doesn’t. This episode talks about types of insurance for ERE pursuers. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-13-insurance.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early …

What to do with your first 10K, tax sheltered vs not and emergency cash. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-12-establishing-a-savings-account.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com/ere Donate to the podcast at http…

Make use of communal resources by starting or joining in a system of responsible sharing. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-11-connecting-your-stuff-with-your-neighbors.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com/ere D…

Why and how to calculate your net worth, what to include and what not to include. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-10-calculating-net-worth.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com/ere Donate to the podcast at http…

Budgeting is often presented as key element of frugality and early retirement. Jacob Lund Fisker challenges that idea and present his decision making system (including the 300 factor). I then comment on why I still consider budgeting to be important for different reasons. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-9-budgeting.html A …

Meaningless work is a self-perpetuating cycle. People buy things to take their minds off of work, and work to be able to buy those things. Challenging this cycle in your own life is on the greatest leaps that you can take in your personal development. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-8-get-engaged.html A more detailed discu…

The overlooked cost of owning a car, and benefits of walking/cycling plus strategies for going car free. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-7-going-car-free.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com/ere Donate to the …

Keeping a low number of simple clothes, mending them and getting/them the smart way will get you to financial independence faster. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-6-clothes.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at http://valiantgrowth.com…

Jacob puts hobbies into three categories: Expense creating Free or self-funding Income creating I add the idea of considering a hobby that also involves personal development: building broadly applicable life skills, one of the most satisfying activities that I know of out there. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-5-find-a-fre…

Could you survive without a cell phone plan (and/or a cellphone?) In today’s episode, Jacob argues for a yes and I (mostly) back him up. Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-4-drop-the-cell-phone-pla.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at http://valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at ht…

Reign in your food budget. Target: 50-75$/person/month My detailed discussion of a frugal food budget, including the calorie/currency system: http://valiantgrowth.com/e14 Some staples of my own cooking at my vlog: https://youtu.be/POsExlihhds Original article at http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-3-grocery-shopping.html A more detailed discussio…

Includes Jacob's recommended housing budget, ways of finding a cheaper place to live and the framework for thinking about your shelter spending. Original article at earlyretirementextreme.com/day-1-finding-a-place-to-live.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at valiantg…

Includes Jacob's recommended housing budget, ways of finding a cheaper place to live and the framework for thinking about your shelter spending. Original article at earlyretirementextreme.com/day-1-finding-a-place-to-live.html A more detailed discussion of the ERE philosophy at valiantgrowth.com/e30 Get Early Retirement Extreme The Book at valiantg…

Darrell Becker is a frequent guest of many podcasts that I like, often talking about the Trivium method, the Non-Agression Principles and Non-Violent Communication. In this episode we talk about the basic ideas of Non-Violent Communication, work through real world examples of using it, and other related questions such as that of enemy imagery. My e…

“I feel I am a very rich man. I see a different world than you see on the news. I see a world of people committed to compassionate giving, who want to create structures that support this compassionate giving.” - Marshall Rosenberg I spent a significant amount of time considering the why of Non-Violent Communication. Learning and practice takes effo…

This is an audio recording of the article Go From Zero to a Fully Functional Productivity System, Today (with Jake Desyllas). In it, you will find encouragement and practical steps towards quickly and easily starting your first productivity/task management and goal management systems. Books mentioned: Goals! by Brian Tracy Eat that Frog! by Brian T…

Starting and maintaining a productivity system is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding investments you can ever make. It can, however seem like a very daunting task. Jake Desyllas strips the complexity away and teaches you how to start a basic but powerful productivity system that you can build upon and evolve. Perhaps more importantly, we talk…

Are you up to date on your personal finance knowledge? Whether yes or no, you will enjoy this conversation with Joshua Sheats of the Radical Personal Finance Podcast, where we talk about why this field is worth pursuing, what the low-hanging fruits are for beginners, what the stages of financial independence are, and whether you should or shouldn’t…

Don’t tell me you haven’t had this question at least once in your mind: wow, I like this guy/gal, but we disagree on some key issues, what do I do? The Art of Stress-Free Relationships to the rescue! In this episode I talk about the practical applications of the friends vs. allies (episode 37) and foundations of trust systems (episode 39) to solve …

We’re all familiar with stalemated conflicts, closed down avenues of discussion, concealed-carry resentment. How does one get through them, and how does one avoid them?The obvious answer is trust, but then the next question arises: OK, how do you get to trust? My experience is that trust is built through agreement, through negotiation, through clar…

Join the discussion! | iTunes | iOS App | Android App| YouTube What is your definition of love? Any concept that isn’t clearly defined is a prime target for corruption. Love is no different. The reason why people have such a difficult time achieving clarity and satisfaction in romantic relationships is because of an unclear definition of love. List…

Let me give you a familiar situation: You’ve just met someone, and you really like their knowledge on X, or the Y things that they’ve done, or the Z books that they’ve read. There is, however, a problem. They are don’t share your values. Or they oppose you philosophically. Or they’re just a difficult person to be around. You’d love to be friends fo…

Is there anybody out there? Where is the secret tribe of growth-oriented people? How can I join them? Will I ever have to keep my piercing curiosity, my desire to flourish, my longing for a better world a secret little hobby - outside of the Internet? I don’t think so. Join the discussion!: http://www.valiantgrowth.com/community Website: http://val…

You’ve heard about long-term thinking, and not sacrificing your future for your present. But how about not sacrificing your present for your future?It’s okay to relax. It’s okay not to have a calendar that’s full 24/7. It might in fact lead you to not only a better experience of life, but also to more creativity, more big picture thinking and a hig…

If you could sit down with an experienced and thoughtful entrepreneur, and have an hour to talk about how to become an entrepreneur, what the challenges are, where one can draw ideas from, how it affects one’s psychology and how it can aid personal development - and KNOW that you’d get deep, informative and inspiring answers, would you go for it? W…

In this first return interview, I talk to Nick Hazelton about the philosophy, practices and value of stoicism in personal development. Towards the end, Nick also addresses my criticisms of stoicism, and we discuss the idea of psychostoicism. Find Nick’s podcast at an-yak.com, and the book he recommends at valiantgrowth.com/nickstoicismbook…

Probably the coolest thing I did in my early twenties was hitchhiking through Europe from Hungary to Paris! I also did this on what was my Romanian student’s budget - under 40$ a week. I describe, in detail, the financial strategies employed (accommodation and transport) as well as the personal experience of being on the road: the good, bad and the…