While the usual graph of risk runs higher when profits increase, the perception is, of course, the opposite: that when you're making more money you're better able to handle problems, have more cushioning built-in.

Hey all - 150,000 is definitely an awesome milestone -- thanks for the head's up, @Jon Klaus .

We are buying our 10th property (a milestone by itself), but the real story here is the numbers. 

- Do you track milestones for achieving goals?

Here is a graph of the national inex for the Case Shiller home price index.This is graphed against inflation.

Do you remember your milestones at the end of each year such as how many properties/units you acquired owned at the end of each consecutive year?

I hope I'm not risking my favor with other posters here by poster another article ob calculated risk, but to me it is all relevant in helping to plan and make invertment decisions.by CalculatedRisk on 1/08/2010 12:22:00 AMOffice Vacancy Rate Click on graph for larger image in new window.This graph shows the office vacancy rate starting 1991.Reis is reporting the vacancy rate rose to 17.0% in Q4, from 16.6% in Q3 and from 14.5% in Q4 2008.

I love the graphs!

Assuming that you are attempting to cut out spending, there are likely to be only three categories in which you can make a material (decades faster in achieving your goal) difference.Note, this does not take into account what you can do on the income front.These three categories are:* Your Housing Costs* Your Transportation Costs* Your food costs See this graph of average american household spending from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:Where are lattes in that graph?

A graph of this correleation would show a peak of REI margin in the period just after the financial recession that slopes downward to lower margins today.