The Sunday Best is a collection of articles I’ve curated from the furthest reaches of the internet for your reading pleasure.
Every week, I scan hundreds of headlines, read dozens of posts, and bring you the best of the best to save you time and mental energy.
Financial Independence (FI) is a primary focus, but it’s an awfully broad topic. I tend to approach FI and early retirement from a fatFIRE perspective and through the lens of a physician, so expect to see those biases in the selected articles.
Related topics that have become recurrent themes include early retirement, selective frugality, tax issues, travel, physician issues, and of course, investing.
For more great articles, take a peek at The Sunday Best Archives. Now let’s get to the best… The Sunday Best!
Three and a half years in, Retirement Is Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be, says Fritz with Retirement Manifesto. How reality has diverged from expectations and what’s been unsurprising.
Did they expect to be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro? The Life Jumpers will no doubt have many more exciting adventures given their young age and newfound freedom. Post FI Notes 011: Up Kilimanjaro & Back to Europe for Good in Their 30s.
They climbed a mountain, crossing a major feat off of their “bucket list” and lived to tell us about it. “What do you hope to accomplish with your remaining time on earth?,” asks The Physician Philosopher. Too many doctors have left a long list of unchecked boxes. Is Death the Greatest Teacher for Trapped Physicians?
Do people ask you what you hope to buy before you die? Not often. Darius Foroux explains Why Rich People Avoid Consumerism.
We’re more likely to consume adventures; my family and I took a chance on a cruise last month, and here’s how it went. Taking a Cruise During the Pandemic.
- Spoiler alert: It went so well, we’ve booked 2 more itineraries for 2022, and you’re welcome to join us. Read the post above or contact me directly for details.
The Financial Panther had a bit of an adventure of his own recently, exposing one of the dangers of opening numerous bank accounts for welcome bonuses. I Was A Victim Of Bank Fraud – Here’s What Happened.
If someone took all of your money, how would you go about getting it back? Coach Carson explains talks through the plan he would initiate if he had to start anew. How I Would Make $1 Million in 2 Years (Starting From Scratch).
This interviewee would be thrilled to be broke… thanks to student loan debt, he’s a little worse off than that. FIRE Starter 009: A Resident in the Red Questions His Career Choice.
When you have less than nothing, it’s tempting to look for a shortcut to riches. Have Your Dollars Make Sense offers words of caution. Don’t Let FOMO Stocks Wreck Your Investing.
If cash is king, cashflow is… kingflow really important, says Passive Income MD. Why Creating Additional Income Streams is No Longer Optional.
I’ve been receiving a steady 4-figure monthly distribution from site sponsor Origin Investments for well over a year since investing in their IncomePlus Fund in the fall of 2020. To date, I’ve seen an annualized 17.3% IRR as the value of my initial investment has increased quite nicely in the face of the pandemic and notable inflation. Learn more about this income stream and other funds offered by Origin.
Do you have a growth mindset, and do you understand why that’s important. Victoria with Motherhood Life Balance has the lowdown. A Growth Mindset. What It Means, and Ways to Use it to Change Your Life.
It’s easy to buy virtually every publicly traded stock out there with a few index funds, but you’re still leaving some big companies off the table. There are now 35 private “startups” that, if public, would be classified as large cap stocks with a market cap of $10 Billion or more, and nearly 1,000 private companies valued at a billion dollars or more, a.k.a. unicorns. Visual Capitalist presents The World’s Biggest Startups: Top Unicorns of 2021 and CB Insights has The Complete List Of Unicorn Companies.
How do these 5 millionaires invest their money? From ESI Money:
- Millionaire Interview #276
- Millionaire Interview #277
- Millionaire Interview #278
- Millionaire Interview #279
- Millionaire Interview #280

Physicians and pharmacists, Register with Incrowd for the opportunity to earn easy money with quick "microsurveys" tailored to your specialty.
My New Headshot
I had my wife take some photos for an updated “headshot” that many podcasters and event organizers ask for. I think it turned out well; it helps to have a great photographer. What do you think?
“Let’s Go Crazy. Let’s Get Nuts.” -Prince
Although he didn’t specify, I’m going to assume that the Purple One wanted some almonds and pistachios, and that’s exactly what they’re growing in AcreTrader’s upcoming offering that’s projected to give an 8% annual cash return with additional upside expected via land value appreciation.
As you may recall, I’ve been invested in a row crop farm, obtained via AcreTrader, for several years, and they continue to invest only in < 1% of the opportunities they review. Here’s a portion of what they have to say about the Chaney Family Pistachio and Almond Farm:

“The Chaney Family Pistachio and Almond Farm is a ~487 acre farm located in Fresno County, California. The property consists of several blocks of almonds, totaling 383 planted acres, as well as one block of pistachios totaling 75 planted acres. The pistachio crop is sold to The Wonderful Company, the world’s largest processor of pistachios. This is an opportunity to invest in a mature and productive orchard in a prime almond and pistachio producing region of California.
The farm is currently owned by Chaney Farms, an established grower in California’s Central Valley. With the equity capital provided by investors in this offering, the current owner of Chaney Farms son, Riley Chaney, will become a partial owner and assume management of the property, an instance of intergenerational transfer in California’s agricultural community. Riley has had a lifelong career in farm management and owns ~400 acres nearby.
This farm lies primarily in the James Irrigation District, where Riley currently serves as President. An additional 28% of acres lie in the Tranquility Irrigation District. Both James and Tranquillity Irrigation Districts have multiple sources of water, including Central Valley Project contract, riparian rights, Kings River water rights, and wells/groundwater. Both districts are strategically located and connected to the Kings River and San Joaquin River to capture flood waters when available. Given the farm’s strong water position, potential droughts and resulting commodity price increases could present material upside for investors.”
The AcreTrader team will give a presentation with an opportunity to have your questions answered in a webinar tomorrow. Click here to learn more about this investment opportunity for accredited investors.
Find Out More at AcreTrader
Wild Weather
My heart goes out to those who lost their homes, lives, and loved ones in the tornadoes that hit Kentucky and surrounding states this weekend. My hometown was devastated by a tornado when I was in college, but I believe just one life was lost, not dozens. If you are among those caring for the injured or part of the massive rescue and salvage efforts, thank you for all that you’re doing.
From what I’ve seen on social media, my friends in the upper midwest got a heavy dose of snow, and I’m told the power is out at our house during a serious wind storm. Meanwhile, we’re experiencing sun and seventies every day south of the border. Stay safe, and we’ll be joining you soon for a dose of winter reality this coming week. I’ll do what I can to bring this mild weather back with us.
Have an outstanding week!
-Physician on FIRE
4 thoughts on “The Sunday Best (12/12/2021)”
Hi PoF! Great Sunday Best this week! I especially liked the “Why Rich People Avoid Consumerism” post.
It was pretty realistic, and jives with the wealthy folks I know. It’s not that they don’t consume at all, but as a percentage of their net worth (and income) they consume a very small percentage of it. Most people miss that fact.
Thanks again for the post!
Agreed. When I didn’t have money, I dreamed of all the things I would buy when I could afford them.
Now that I have the money, I’m much less interested in having those things.
Cheers!
-PoF
Looking good!
Living in California, those nut farms give me a little pause because of how much water they use. But that doesn’t stop me from eating my fair share of almonds and pistachios.
This may sound nutty, but you can’t spell “nutrition” without nut!