1 gallon of store-bought glass cleaner: about $8.00

1 gallon of homemade glass cleaner: about $0.42

See? It’s nuts how many products we’re compelled to buy because we assume they must be complex. This DIY window cleaning solution is just three simple ingredients. I mean, seriously.

DIY FI Guy’s Simple Recipe for Window Cleaner

• 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap
• 1/2 cup plain white vinegar
• 4 cups water

Makes a little over a quarter gallon.

Why Homemade Glass Cleaner Rocks

I love this particular DIY recipe because it allows me to easily make glass cleaning solution in smaller quantities.

For the math-wizards out there, this a 1:24:192 ratio of soap:vinegar:water. Using this ratio, you can make a little, or make loads of it. It’s up to you.

Yes, this is a small choice. But that’s all life is. A series of small choices that you make every day.

Get out there and make a difference.

Notes

1. Some recipes use as high as a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water, but I’ve never needed anything remotely close to that. Just mix the homemade solution in a cheap spray bottle and you’re ready to go.
2. I re-used a spray bottle that only had water in it previously. It’s generally recommended not to reuse spray bottles whose previous contents are unknown. Vinegar can leech trace chemicals from the bottle’s previous inhabitant into your mixture. And wise DIYers avoid unintended chemical reactions.
3. Keep window cleaners out of the reach of children and pets.

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The Simple Definition of Financial Independence

Financial independence means having enough money to pay expenses for the rest of your life, without needing to be employed or relying on others.

What it Really Means to be Financially Independent

To start off, it’s important to point out that out having money means not spending it. Having wealth and having things are mutually exclusive.

The first two parts of the ‘having enough money’ equation are your accrued wealth and income. And yeah, it’s possible to earn an income without being employed. It’s called passive income and can come from all kinds of sources. These range from stock and bond dividends, to rental property payments, to royalties on intellectual property.

In this example, let’s limit ‘accrued wealth’ to mean the liquid assets you own. Or in other words, your savings and non-retirement accounts that give quick and easy access to cash. So we can’t include anything that takes a long time to sell (like a house), or typically depreciates over time (like cars or boats).

The third and final part of the equation is the most important. And that’s your outgoing expenses. The magic ratio that creates financial independence is when your expenses are less-than or equal-to your income.

Or at least when the ratio is close enough so that your money lasts you through the end of your life (sorry for getting dark there). When your expenses are less than your income, you have freedom from your personal finances.

Why Financial Freedom Matters:

When you have enough money (wealth and income), it opens a world of options. It gives you freedom. It’s true that money can’t buy happiness. But having money (and not buying stuff with it) certainly helps.

About half of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck.^[1] And that’s prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Unable to weather unforeseen medical emergencies or market changes, they live in fear of economic changes outside of their control.

“…financial stress is associated with lowered self-esteem, an increasingly pessimistic outlook on life, and reduced mental health, particularly an increase in depression and hostility.”

Christopher G. Davis, Ph.D., and Janet Mantler, Ph.D. ^[2]

Financial freedom effects both a person’s economic well-being, and their physical well-being. It provides the freedom to do more and see more, on your own terms. A financially independent person can start business, travel the world, or even retire early.

What is Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE)?

The term ‘financial independence’ is often followed by the ‘retire early’ mantra. The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) crowd is a community and movement filled with passionate folks who are frugal savers and financial optimizers.

For most of them, reaching financial independence and retirement doesn’t mean becoming a layabout. Far from it, in fact.

Though they usually take some time off, it typically doesn’t last long. Remember, financial independence means financial freedom. And freedom is fertile ground for invention.

With their mortgages paid off and a nest egg of wealth, many FI’ers start passion projects. Some even go back to work. And when they do, it’s because they truly enjoy it. These impressive savers return to the job force with the confidence and perspective that comes from being financially secure.

References

1. De Lea, Brittany. “How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck?” Yahoo Finance, 19 February 2020.
2. Davis, Christopher & Mantler, Janet & Doyle, Brian & Sc, B & Ca, Mba & Cirp, Cfe & Or, Paul & Salewski,. (2004). The Consequences of Financial Stress for Individuals, Families, and Society.

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