Over a casual chat with a few friends a month ago, I was stunned by their alacrity to plan a long Independence Day break. I was pleased that they had taken the initiative to draw up a plan, figure the logistics and also allot a budget to it. It was perfect to say the least. Yet, as we were heading out over the weekend, the conversation mostly revolved around how one had to borrow or cut corners to make this trip happen. I butted in with small talk about financial independence and why it is important to take stock of our financial independence.