It’s well past midnight and I’m finally home after twelve days on the road: three states, four flights, and enough airline food to kill a small army, but I’m grinning from ear to ear.

Waiting for me at the door is my two-year old Golden Retriever, Buffett (there aren’t too many people in my life who, after a two week break are so excited to see me that they lose control of their bladder).

I first met Buffett in some nondescript pet store in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. I chose him because – I kid you not – at the time he was chewing on my newspaper column. He’s been by my side me ever since.

During the next few years he’s destroyed expensive clothes, expensive backyards, and a few expensive Chihuahua’s. He eats more than I do (and then discards it on the lawn for me to pick up), and can be counted on to wake me up at some ungodly hour each Sunday morning to go for a walk.

And he’s the best investment I’ve ever made.

I can’t think of a single other purchase I’ve made that has bought me so much pleasure. Buffett doesn’t care if I’m rich, smart, or a Cleo Bachelor of the Year. My good friend Arun Abey, author of How Much is Enough? advocates that benchmarking your spending decisions against prior purchases that have made you happiest.

For me it’s buying Buffett, for you it could be a couple of hundred bucks having dinner with your closest mates, or maybe a $1000 family trip away where you really relaxed. Either way, by keeping that figure and experience in mind when you’re spending, you’ll be less likely to be manipulated by a savvy salesperson.

Abbey and I will be on radio ABC Nightlife tonight between 10 pm – 11 pm (EST). Tune in and check it out!

“Special Announcement”

I’ll be leaving Buffett next week to travel across the US of A, on a road trip from LA to New York pilgrimage to visit his namesake — investment legend Warren Buffett in Omaha Nebraska.

To cope with the thousands of Barefooters who now receive the FREE Barefoot e-newsletter, we’re moving over to a bigger email system. As part of the change over process we need you to reconfirm your subscription.

Tomorrow you will receive an email asking you to simply click on a link and re-subscribe.

Do so immediately and you will automatically receive exclusive field reports from the Barefoot ‘road trip’ as I get my kicks on route 66 starting from next week. Oh, and when you re-subscribe I also have a special present lined up for you as well…

Tread your own path!