About

About

Brainy SmurfHi, and welcome to my blog with a silly name!

I’m three apples high and nearsighted. I like yellow-haired smurfs, robot invasions, sarcasm, and anything where the secret ingredient is love.

I started this blog in March 2007 after accidentally stumbling across a few PF blogs while researching the idea of using 0% balance transfers to finance a home improvement project — from there, I was hooked. And it got me thinking, I’m a pretty open guy about my finances, I should do this too. If only for additional motivation to reach my goals.

I’m a very goal oriented person. Long ago, while daydreaming in 5th grade, I set up a schedule for how my life would go. Wife, BMW, house, and my own company by age 25. Children and six figure income by 30. Mortgage paid off by 40. Retire whenever after that. So far, now that I’m 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38, I can say that most of the goals I’d set for this age have become reality.

There were some battles to overcome; little was delivered on a silver spoon. I dropped out of University after struggling through a few years working towards an Engineering degree. Not a great start. Then I gave a BA degree the old college try. That didn’t work either. Three days after mid-terms, I’d moved back in with my parents in the States.

I debated heading back to Canada, but then ended up joining the brain-drain when I landed a $6/hour job. That was in February 1997. By August 1997, I’d formed my own company and incorporated. In 2000, at the height of the dot.com boom, I bought my BMW. In 2002, days before my 26th birthday, I purchased my first home. The age 25 goals were coming to fruition. The wife part eluded me though.

See, I didn’t say it all came easily. ;0)

What I failed to think about back then sitting in Mrs. Shirley Gandza’s social studies class was how I was going to finance all of these things. That kicked in a few months after becoming a homeowner.

I had to get serious about trimming down my growing balances. Financial independence became a top priority and that’s where you join my quest for $1000000 (to start) in progress at age 30…

I do my best to keep the main topic on my finances, and the things that effect them most, like home renovations and big ticket items, and how I manage things as I try to accumulate wealth while upgrading my standard of living along the way.

Blog Disclaimer

I am not a financial advisor. I am not an expert. In fact, I dropped out of university. My posts are simply a reflection of my life experiences but, by all means, please feel free to make financial decisions based on what I have said or done. I like to think I’m doing pretty well and I’d love for you to join me!

Contact Brainy

Brainy can be contacted via email at: brainy [at] pantsinacan.com