As I’ve been frantically trying to finish multiple projects before my planned Labor Day road trip, I haven’t spent as much time online. I think this has allowed me to sit back and remember the Big Picture. In truth, the one thing I’ve learned since starting this blog about striving for financial freedom is that it’s actually pretty simple.

1) Save at least 10% of your income. 15% is better than 10%. And so on. Try to make it tax-deferred in an IRA or 401(k).

2) Invest it into low-cost index funds. Let capitalism work for you. For the simplest portfolio, buy the lowest cost Target-dated retirement fund you have access to. There are tons of books on this.

That’s it. You don’t ...