Buckling down Then came a stumble, followed by an epiphany.
John decided he could use tips from a financial adviser.
After picking one he deemed astute and trustworthy,
he bought a pair of variable life insurance policies at the planner's suggestion,
only afterward looking at the fine print to find that the policies were loaded with fees and cancellation penalties.
John stormed into the adviser's office demanding an explanation, then realized it was his own fault for not being more careful.
"I was so angry that I didn't catch it," he says.It wasn't just the $5,000 it cost to cancel the policies that had John steaming.
His very identity - the financial whiz kid with a chip on his shoulder who could shut up those who doubted him in high school and college - was shaken.
So he gave himself a crash course in finance, spending weekends with Gina poring over investment magazines and books.
One day, he says,
they hit upon a stunning realization about the power of compounding: "If we just push as hard as we can for another 10 years or so,
there could be an explosion of financial growth at the end for us."
The Rodrigueses vowed to yank their belts even tighter. Like Tiger Woods restructuring his swing after winning the Masters a decade ago,
they took their already phenomenal savings game to a new level. They sold their condo in late 2006, netting $110,000, and moved to John's childhood home,
which they rented from his parents (his mom and dad had moved to a house nearby). They cut back on eating out to once a month,
going to cheap chain restaurants and sharing a meal.
They vowed to drive their cars until they died.
Their clothes budget dropped to $300 a year.
Their new minimalist approach caused a few problems socially.
Gina recalls awkward moments going out to eat with her family or friends when she would order only an appetizer and tap water and didn't think it was fair to split the check equally.
John had to "respectfully decline" when buddies invited him to fly to Las Vegas for the weekend. "We're kind of boring," says Gina.
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