Welcome to LiveFrugaLee!
This is a personal blog where I share my journey and thoughts on personal finance, financial independence (FI), real estate, and travel.
I started this blog in February 2016 as a way to learn about blogging and track progress toward some ambitious financial goals. Back then, I aimed to pay off the mortgage on my condo (which I sold in 2019) and reach a net worth of $1 million by 2020. We hit the $1 million milestone in 2021. In 2022, we paid off the mortgage on our single-family home and sold off all our other properties. The next big goal? Reaching financial independence by 2025—the year I turn 40.
The purpose of this blog is to connect with others, explore personal finance concepts, spark discussion, and hopefully inspire you to take charge of your financial life.
About Me
I was born and raised in Rhode Island—the smallest state with the longest official name (look it up!). I grew up in eastern Cranston, a suburb of Providence, and earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brown University.
After graduating in 2007, my early career took me to Missouri and Kansas before I settled in Virginia in October 2008. I’ve lived here ever since. I got married in 2012, and my wife and I now have three kids—two boys and a girl.
I worked as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 2008 to 2025. I’ve also been a licensed REALTOR® since 2013 and currently work with The K Group at Samson Properties. Over the years, I’ve dabbled in side hustles—serving tables at Uncle Julio’s and driving for Uber and Lyft—but eventually stepped away from those to focus more on family and real estate.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me running, playing tennis, powerlifting, or spending quality time with family and friends.
Thanks for the comment. If we do reach financial independence, I’ll definitely still keep myself busy, but my days will probably look very different. I may still keep working at the patent office on a part-time basis. I would love to spend more time on this blog, especially the NoVA Fun series, which would involve going to different parks, museums, etc. with my family, taking pictures, and blogging about the experience. I think experiences make people more happy than the accumulation of stuff, but it’s hard to really get ourselves to believe that when we’re bombarded by messages and advertisements every day telling us what we “need” to buy to be happy.
Hi Frugalee… I came to say hello from CFO Mom. I’ll look forward to reading through your archives. You can read about our journey to paying off our mortgage at https://healthfulsaver.com/2013/08/14/getting-out-of-debt-part-4-inspiration-strikes/
Jen@ Healthfulsaver
Wow! Congrats on getting your mortgage paid off so fast. Reading through your blog now, and it’s quite inspiring. Thanks for the follow!