An Interview With Neal From Wealth Pilgrim

Being curious as I usually am, I wanted to get to know Neal from Wealth Pilgrim a little bit more as his story and blog intrigued me.  Neal comes from a unique background and had to fend for himself starting at a very young age.  Neal writes about money from the professional and emotional vantage point, discussing how financial decisions impact your money and marriage.

He was kind enough to answer a few of my questions which you’ll find below.

What’s your favorite blog post of all time?

On my site, Homeless to Homeowner, How I Did It.

You mentioned in your biography that you had/have the fear of being homeless… are there any other fears that you’ve overcome in your financial journey?

I no longer really have the fear of being homeless but given my experiences when I was young, that fear is still a subconscious motivator. I really don’t have any other fears – when I remember to have faith.

I have seen very wealthy people destroy themselves and people of very modest means live comfortably. I think it’s about doing your best, trying hard, and at the end of the day, having faith. Money is not security.

I see you recently wrote a book, what was your motivation for that particular niche?

I was tired of Wall Street lying and ripping off my clients – and me. The odds are stacked against the investor. It’s so easy to be taken advantage of as I experienced when I was young. That’s what motivated me.

How has your blog evolved since you began it? Have you shifted focus at all?

I plan on shifting a little this year into something that will generate income on it’s own rather than support other ventures.

Do you plan on eventually blogging full time?

I do not. I love writing but I love being a financial adviser also. I like my balance.

Do you have any advice for someone trying to live a mobile lifestyle while responsibly managing their money?

This is a tough one. The best advice I could give is to understand that it’s highly likely that as you get older, you’re goals will change. You might be mobile now, and that’s great…..but you won’t want that lifestyle forever. At least, that has been my experience. And I don’t see many people my age living the nomad lifestyle either. Enjoy….but be flexible and don’t burn bridges.

How did you make the decision to blog with your real name instead of a pen name?

I want to be honest and transparent. How could I do that if I don’t use my name?

If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to start taking their finances seriously what would it be?

Track your spending and don’t kid yourself. Look at your bank statements because that tells you exactly what you spend. I’ve written about this quite a bit over at Wealth Pilgrim.

Where do you see your blog in one year, or even five years?

I hope to earning a minimum amount (undisclosed) in one year. In five years, I hope to earn what would be considered a full-time income from blogging.

Did you make any new years resolutions for 2010?

I don’t believe in them, so nope.

Many thanks again to Neal, please check out his blog at WealthPilgrim.com.