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Mark Crothers is a retired small business owner from the UK with a keen interest in personal finance and simple living. Married to his high school sweetheart, with daughters and grandchildren, he knows the importance of building a secure financial future. With an aversion to social media, he prefers to spend his time on his main passions: reading, scratch cooking, racket sports, and hiking.
The Long Game of Harbour Stories
13 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/7/2025
FIRST: Dan Smith on 9/8 | RECENT: Rick Connor on 9/8
What They Don't Tell You About Retirement: Part 2 - Grandchildren Are Expensive
34 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/4/2025
FIRST: Norman Retzke on 9/4 | RECENT: S Sevcik on 9/8
What They Don't Tell You About Retirement: Part 1 - Everything Breaks
24 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/4/2025
FIRST: Norman Retzke on 9/4 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 9/8
Pension Plan Buyout: The Exception to the Rule
9 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/5/2025
FIRST: David Mulligan on 9/5 | RECENT: Rick Connor on 9/7
When My Car Broke Down, Our One-Car Plan Passed the Test
16 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/3/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 9/3 | RECENT: Norman Retzke on 9/5
My New Zero-Wage CEO Role
10 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 9/1/2025
FIRST: baldscreen on 9/1 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 9/2
What If You Don't Want to See the World?
56 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/28/2025
FIRST: Ken E on 8/28 | RECENT: Norman Retzke on 9/1
Love, Money, and a 44-Year Compromise
7 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/23/2025
FIRST: MikeinLA on 8/23 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 8/30
Still a Wild Child: When Spending Habits Never Grow Up
8 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/29/2025
FIRST: Rick Connor on 8/29 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 8/29
The Seeming Irrationality of Unneeded Risk
19 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/25/2025
FIRST: 1PF on 8/25 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 8/27
A Summer of Shared Memories
12 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/26/2025
FIRST: Rick Connor on 8/26 | RECENT: Mike Gaynes on 8/27
Humble 10% Win: The First Financial Benefit of Retirement
10 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/24/2025
FIRST: Dan Smith on 8/24 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 8/26
A Contrarian View of a Mortgage
38 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/19/2025
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 8/19 | RECENT: Norman Retzke on 8/26
Bah Humbug! It's Not Even September Yet
32 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/21/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 8/21 | RECENT: Mike A on 8/24
The Tax Man Cometh, And I Think It's Okay.
7 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/20/2025
FIRST: OldITGuy on 8/20 | RECENT: DrLefty on 8/21
Not Retired, Just Re-Directed
19 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/14/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 8/14 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 8/18
The Cloth Seller Who Invented Social Security
7 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/10/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 8/10 | RECENT: William Dorner on 8/16
The Day I Cashed In My Forgotten Treasure
4 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/15/2025
FIRST: Greg Tomamichel on 8/15 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 8/16
Data's Double Edge: Why Spreadsheets are Both a Lifeline and a Possible Lie
12 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/11/2025
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 8/11 | RECENT: Adam Starry on 8/13
Supercharging Your Retirement with Crypto: A Wise Move, or a Risky Bet?
23 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/8/2025
FIRST: Kim Zimmerman on 8/8 | RECENT: squirrel hammer on 8/11
Did the Era You Grew Up In Influence Your Financial Plan?
4 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/6/2025
FIRST: David Mulligan on 8/7 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 8/7
Don't worry, be happy: tripping through the go-go years
9 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/6/2025
FIRST: luvtoride44afe9eb1e on 8/6 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 8/6
Choosing Yes by Saying No
6 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/5/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 8/5 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 8/5
How I Use a Simple Analogy to Teach Investing
6 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/3/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 8/4 | RECENT: Rick Connor on 8/5
Should I Be Concerned?
20 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 8/2/2025
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 8/2 | RECENT: quan nguyen on 8/4
The Very Last Time? Nope, Just Glad It's All Over!
14 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/28/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/28 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 8/2
My First Retirement Report Card
12 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/31/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/31 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 8/1
The Accidental Stock Picks in Our Index Fund Portfolio
2 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/30/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 7/30 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/30
A Personal Encounter with the Psychology of Money
11 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/28/2025
FIRST: 1PF on 7/28 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/29
Secure Act 2.0 Reflections From Across the Pond
11 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/27/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/27 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/29
From Public Housing to Early Retirement: A Path Forged in Adversity
13 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/18/2025
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 7/19 | RECENT: Catherine Jaffe on 7/28
Pedaling Away From Tightness
35 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/25/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 7/25 | RECENT: Liam K on 7/26
Our Homes, Our Wealth: A Tale of Two Property Paths
34 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/23/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 7/23 | RECENT: Greg Tomamichel on 7/25
The Bond Fund Crash: What I Learned When "Safe" Investments Tanked
17 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/24/2025
FIRST: Rob Jennings on 7/24 | RECENT: Michael1 on 7/25
A Very Politically Incorrect Ramble With a Potentially Real Point: Is Your Retirement Calculator Sexist?
29 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/22/2025
FIRST: kristinehayes2014 on 7/22 | RECENT: Kevin Lynch on 7/23
The Unsettling Relief of Saying Goodbye
13 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/21/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/21 | RECENT: H S on 7/23
Oh Dear, the Accidental Wedding Downgrade
16 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/20/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/20 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 7/22
Wealth, Perspective, and the Company We Keep
12 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/19/2025
FIRST: Tom Tamlyn on 7/20 | RECENT: bbbobbins on 7/21
Flexing the Retirement Spending Muscle
22 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/17/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/17 | RECENT: UofODuck on 7/19
Degrees of Doubt: When Higher Education Misses the Mark
17 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/16/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/16 | RECENT: DrLefty on 7/18
Swipe, Click, Invest: Danger in the Crypto Era.
10 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/13/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 7/13 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/16
A Grievance Most Fowl: When Golf Ate My Lunch.
20 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/15/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/15 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/16
Framed by his Side Hustle?
23 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/12/2025
FIRST: Rob Jennings on 7/12 | RECENT: Ormode on 7/14
The High Cost of Financial Advice: A Tale of Two Portfolios
55 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/8/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/8 | RECENT: Ormode on 7/14
My "Dark Side" of Generosity: How I'm Curbing it in Retirement.
9 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/14/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/14 | RECENT: DrLefty on 7/14
A spooky and alarming thing relating to the two AI articles posted
15 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/11/2025
FIRST: kristinehayes2014 on 7/11 | RECENT: Norman Retzke on 7/13
A Quick Question about Retirement Vacations
15 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/9/2025
FIRST: luxomatica on 7/9 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/13
The Value of Scratch Cooking in Retirement
17 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/11/2025
FIRST: baldscreen on 7/11 | RECENT: Norman Retzke on 7/12
Financial AI: Benefit or Danger? I Don't Know
11 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/10/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/10 | RECENT: Rob Jennings on 7/12
My Favourite Day: Retirement Payday Wednesday
30 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/9/2025
FIRST: Greg Tomamichel on 7/9 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 7/9
Building a Secure Retirement, 10 Years at a Time.
1 reply
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/7/2025
FIRST: Winston Smith on 7/7 | RECENT: Winston Smith on 7/7
Lucky Us and the Generational Divide
19 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/5/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/5 | RECENT: baldscreen on 7/7
The Illusion of Wealth
24 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/27/2025
FIRST: OldITGuy on 6/27 | RECENT: jacknak on 7/7
The Big Garden Dilemma: Aging in Places vs. Future Planning
33 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/3/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/3 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 7/6
Inflation, Through a Glass Half Full.
4 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/4/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/4 | RECENT: Greg Tomamichel on 7/5
Holy Cow! Holding The Line in a Market Stampede
10 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/2/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 7/2 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 7/3
Our $1000's Of Dollars Mistake: A Lesson Learned
13 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 7/1/2025
FIRST: OldITGuy on 7/1 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 7/2
Beyond the Party: How Introverts Might Quietly Win at Retirement
55 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/30/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 6/30 | RECENT: kristinehayes2014 on 7/1
More Than Money: Our Holiday Home
21 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/29/2025
FIRST: Mike Xavier on 6/29 | RECENT: DrLefty on 6/30
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Investing in Yourself
56 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/22/2025
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 6/22 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 6/29
You Have My Admiration: A Brit's Thoughts on US Pensions
44 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/27/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 6/27 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 6/28
My Dream: Derailed by Data
20 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/26/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 6/26 | RECENT: DrLefty on 6/27
Extreme Frugality: It Better be Fun
9 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/25/2025
FIRST: Brent Wilson on 6/25 | RECENT: B Carr on 6/26
The Wedding Extravaganza: A Pre-mortum for Future Parents of the Bride
47 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/24/2025
FIRST: jan Ohara on 6/24 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 6/26
Pension Funds are Sus: A Strange Little Post From A Grandparent
7 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/25/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 6/25 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 6/25
The Slumping Deck: A Lesson in Time, Money and Memory
27 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/23/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 6/23 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/25
A Humble Question From Across The Pond
51 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/22/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 6/22 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/25
The unexpected detour to deccumulation, finding peace in fixed income
39 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/17/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 6/17 | RECENT: L H on 6/22
Morning Delight
15 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/21/2025
FIRST: David Mulligan on 6/21 | RECENT: Mike Gaynes on 6/22
Is the "Experience Economy" Derailing Millennial Retirement Prospects?
30 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/18/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 6/18 | RECENT: Mark Eckman on 6/21
Missing you....Or not?
24 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/19/2025
FIRST: kristinehayes2014 on 6/19 | RECENT: luvtoride44afe9eb1e on 6/21
The Surprising Gift of Unhurried Time: My Retirement Revelation
34 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/20/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 6/20 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/20
Feeling grateful and paying forward
27 replies
AUTHOR: Mark Crothers on 6/16/2025
FIRST: baldscreen on 6/16 | RECENT: Greg Tomamichel on 6/18
Comments
We've no extra taxes, although we don't get a capital gains tax exemption on a second home.
Post: The Long Game of Harbour Stories
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
Looking at my bank balance, it would seem not 🤑
Post: The Long Game of Harbour Stories
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
Your assumption is very much correct. The harbour and village are a mile off the main road that takes tourists to the Giant's Causeway, bypassed by everyone but those in the know. With a total of one village shop, two restaurants, three bars, and a nice hotel, it's perfect for us. I don't know if I could be a permanent resident; I'm starting to chomp at the bit wanting to get back home for the start of the autumn racket sports season. Maybe when I'm older, time will tell.
Post: The Long Game of Harbour Stories
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
Michael, Thanks for the heads-up! They must have been stuck for material this week. I have to confess, this Irish savage had to consult Mr. Google to discover what Barron's Weekly newsletter actually was. lol
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 1 – Everything Breaks
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
Dan, you've touched on a sensitive issue that's always in the back of my mind. Our little coastal village has only 500 permanent residents, while over 50% of our housing stock is classified as second homes. Thankfully, because it's off the beaten track, it's not a major tourist hot spot. Even so, during the summer, the population swells by an extra two to three thousand people. It’s a tension between the numbers of people and the money spent in the local area. Just over a mile away a tourist spot received half a million visitors last year. I'm grateful they don't come to us.
Post: The Long Game of Harbour Stories
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
My father-in-law was a TV and electronics engineer. Unfortunately, he had the bad grace to retire and move to Spain! For the last 12 years, we've had to paddle our own boat with repairs, lol. That new TV you're shopping for? Go big or go home!
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 1 – Everything Breaks
Link to comment from September 8, 2025
I'm sure your quest for the perfect bike could be turned into a good article.
Post: An Idea Every Week
Link to comment from September 7, 2025
My philosophy was simple: I assumed and took for granted that every single person who worked for me was at least as smart as myself, if not more so. With the proper training and education, they could run my business just as well as I could. My stance only changed if an individual provided a reason to think otherwise.
Post: An Idea Every Week
Link to comment from September 7, 2025
😇🤐😇
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 2 – Grandchildren Are Expensive
Link to comment from September 7, 2025
Oops, I'm bad. After two cups of coffee and being fully awake, it is a bit harsh! Sorry Gary, I shall drink coffee before replying next time. 😀☕
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 2 – Grandchildren Are Expensive
Link to comment from September 7, 2025