I created We Want Guac as an overall resource for those in their 20s looking to reach six-figure wealth. To me, that looks like having enough riches to never worry about retiring, buying a home, or getting the side of guac with your burrito. Everything you see here on this blog will help you reach that as well, but that’s not to say I’m the only resource. Since I didn’t learn all of this in a vacuum, here’s several other resources for you to take advantage of on your own climb to the mountaintop.
Other Blogs
A Purple Life
I actually know Purple in real life, and she’s just as incredible offline! Her blog chronicles her journey to half a million dollars after reaching $100k herself in 2016. She’s since reached that milestone at 30 years old, retired early, and has since been living her best life traveling the world. (And richer than when she started!)
Millennial Revolution
This is run by Kristy and Bryce, aka Firecracker and Wanderer. They’re a couple from Toronto that retired around 30 years old and have been traveling the world ever since. They have a seven-figure portfolio and caution against buying a house when you can invest that money instead. I love reading their stuff both for the easy-to-understand financial explanations and their reviews of world destinations, complete with cost breakdowns.
Frugalwoods
For a homey-feeling place that makes you feel calmer for reading it, check out the Frugalwoods. It’s run mainly by Mrs. Frugalwoods, aka Liz, chronicling how they’ve built their dream life and moved to the Vermont woods in 2016. They started writing the blog while living in Boston, and I really connect with the blog for having overlapping dreams with mine.
Mr. Money Mustache
How could I NOT include this guy? Mr. Money Mustache (aka Pete) lives in Colorado on about $25,000 a year after retiring at 30 years old. Has a lot of devoted followers inspired by his biking everywhere and emphasizing health while still being ultra-frugal. Here’s a good video about who is he/what he does, if you’re not already knee-deep in his posts.
JL Collins
This guy’s been financially independent (FI) since 1989, so you bet he has the long-term perspective on what building riches early brings you. He runs a blog dedicated to showing you how to live simply and how to best invest your money. His Stock Series is one of the best and most useful resources for understanding just what you should be doing with your money, and he always has a fascinating perspective.
Books
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin
This was published in 1992 and is STILL changing people’s lives for the better. Vicki and her co-author Joe Dominguez were some of the first to write about how taking control of your finances launches you into your ideal life. I linked to the revised edition above which includes a foreword by Mr. Money Mustache.
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins
Someone called him a “fatherly wizard” reviewing this book and that is the perfect descriptor for unpacking that archaic magic known as “investing money”. A lot of this information is sprinkled around his blog, but this book ties it all together and packs a wallop about how you should invest and why. Hint: index funds all the way.
Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung
Yep, another blog-inspired pick because this book is that phenomenal. The storyline follows how Kristy went from poverty in communist China to reaching upper class wealth and beyond. I’m normally not about a lot of technical terms and analytical texts, but their writing here breaks it down so easily that I was astounded at understanding everything.
The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clayson
This is the oldest addition to the list as it was written in the 1920s. My favorite thing about this book is how it reads like Aesop’s Fables or Grimm’s Fairy Tales, but for FINANCE! Above is the link to getting a physical copy; if you’d rather read it online in one go, you can find it on the Internet Archive here.
Podcasts
The Bitches Get Riches Podcast
The Bitches in question, Kitty and Piggy, do NOT hold back. They will bust your balls and demand that you owe it to yourself to go up against everything wrong with our society by unapologetically taking what’s yours. They dig deep into the systemic obstacles you might face while building your wealth while showing you how to navigate around them. They’re also absolutely hilarious, leaving you in tears one moment and ready to lead the revolution the next.
ChooseFI
Run by the phenomenal Brad Barret, most episodes are interview-style where he (and former co-host Jonathan) talks with people from all walks of life about optimizing your life financially. ChooseFI has hundreds of episodes, so this one is guaranteed to have something that sparks your interest. I was on this podcast for an episode about financial independence for Gen Z!
Afford Anything
Whew, host Paula Pant really knocks your socks off with this one. She has hundreds of podcast episodes exploring self-improvement, current events, and how all of this is intrinsically related to your well-being, financial and otherwise. Her blog (same site) is also an excellent read for anyone who wants to know how to succeed at real estate investment.
Forums
Once you get going, learning this finance stuff lights a fire in your veins and leaves you shaking to talk to more people about it. But since not a lot of people actually do discuss finance, you should turn to the various online forums to find your people. Here’s the top three I’d recommend:
Videos
I’ll let these speak for themselves…
Other Organizations
There’s several folks out there that you can connect with to further your understanding of wealth building for your unique circumstances. Here’s some of the places you can start:
Your local library
Your librarians are likely an untapped resource who can BURY YOU in information tailored specifically to what you need. And they will do it with a smile. Go chat with them and you’ll be amazed at what worlds they can show you.
ChooseFI Local Meetups
No matter where you live in the world, odds are there’s a ChooseFI meetup happening near you. I attended my very first one in 2020 and they’re perfect for meeting like-minded folks in your neck of the woods.
The Plutus Foundation
They’re all about partnering with others to broaden the public’s financial literacy, and I love seeing the work they do in communities across the country. They sponsor nationwide events and drill deep into financial media – guaranteed they can help you out.
This is a basic list to help you get started, specifically those that I’ve found particularly helpful on my own climb to riches. If there’s other resources you think I should add to this page, email me the info: darcywantsguac@gmail.com.