
ChooseFI
781 episodes — Page 6 of 16
Ep 370370 | Timeline Your Goals | Stacked with Joe Saul-Sehy
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan sit down with Joe Saul-Sehy, co-author of the book "Stacked" and co-host of the "Stacking Benjamins" podcast. Together, the trio discuss how to properly set goals for yourself and ways you can continue to move that needle along! If you stick to your timeline and ask the right questions, before you know it you could be on the right track! Joe Saul-Sely Website: joesaulsehly.com Book: "Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management" by Joe Saul-Sehly and Emily Guy Birken Podcast: The Stacking Benjamins Podcast Timestamps 0:51 - Introductions 5:20 - Goal Setting And The Timeline 10:41 - Bad Questions And False Rabbit Holes 15:25 - Talking Family Finance 20:24 - Budgeting And Tracking 28:25 - Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy 32:21 - Financial Advisors 45:30 - Assets Under Management 51:51 - About "Stacked" And Where You Can Find It! 54:02 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Information About The "Stacked" Book Tour Rob Phelan and The Simple Startup Franklin's Fortune Paula Pant and Afford Anything JL Collins and The Simple Path To Wealth Find Your Local ChooseFI Group! Subscribe to The FI Weekly If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 369369 | The Unstoppable Force Vs Immovable Object: Clarity and Goal Setting Part 2
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan continue their discussion from last week about clarity and goal setting, but this time they focus on ways to circumnavigate the seemingly immovable objects in our lives. Overcoming objections that prevent us from the futures we want can actually be surprisingly easy if you adopt the right mindset. Become the unstoppable force that shatters those barriers holding you back! Timestamps 1:00 - Introductions 1:53 - Goals & The Aggregation of Marginal Gains 6:58 - Manifestation 14:55 - Clarity & What YOU Want 24:27 - Becoming The Unstoppable Force 30:10 - Controlling Monthly Expenses 35:12 - Car Payments 37:46 - Accounting For Your Mindset 42:43 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation "Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible" by Brian Tracy Bigger Pockets "A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted" by Will Bowen Subscribe to the FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 368368 | Declutter, De-noise & De-stress : Clarity and Goal Setting Part 1
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan kick off part one of a two episode series focussed on decluttering, de-noising, and de-stressing your life! What makes the FI lifestyle so special is it's ability to block out social norms allowing for us to build our own healthy, happy, and free lives! By decluttering your life, you can surround yourself with uplifting material that will help you continue your trek down the path less traveled. Timestamps 1:00 - Spring is Coming! 3:36 - Long-Term Thinking 7: 19 - Decluttering 15:15 - Tackling Social Prisons 23:10 - The Oasis 29:22 - Junk Mail and Saying No 37:30 - The Red X 40:50 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation The Happy Philosopher | The Happiest Man In The Room | ChooseFI Episode 48 Get Off The Hamster Wheel with Jonathan Backstory | ChooseFI Episode 4 7 Decluttering Tips to Organize Your Life in 2022 The Tim Ferris Show DMA Choice Opt Out Prescreen Valpack Opt Out Your Ad Choices Subscribe to The FI Weekly! Derek Sivers If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 367367 | FI Number Adjustments
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan unpack the problems that lie within modern retirement calculations and provide examples of how you can work around these flaws. As opposed to focusing on income, maybe it is better to learn how much our lives cost us. Expenses appear and disappear as life goes on, it is important to factor that in to your FI number! Timestamps 1:01 - Introductions 2:00 - Listener Feedback, Permaculture, and Libraries 6:55 - Annual Expenses 14:08 - The Retirement Smile 16:53 - Addressing That FI Number 22:21 - The Pile of Cash 30:45 - Upcoming Events! 32:07 - Major Purchases For Those Entering The Workforce 41:40- Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Subscribe to the FI Weekly! The Art of Frugal Hedonism Root of Good JL Collins Early Retirement Now Flexible Spending Rules For Early Retirees | ChooseFI Episode 176 Camp FI Find Your Local ChooseFI Group Today! Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group! Risk Parity Radio If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 366366 | Day 0 Self
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss the importance behind moment you decide it is time to make a change in your life. While making the decision to alter your life for the better is often easy, actually consistently carrying out that goal can be tough to do. We all hit road blocks, we all stray from our goals, but being able to correct your path is vital to actually changing for the better! Keep track of your progress and set yourself up to success! Timestamps 0:00 - Introductions 1:09 - Favorite Two Days of the Year/Berkshire Hathaway 6:18 - Bumming On The Couch Story 12:36 - What Are You Pivoting Towards? 16:07 - Making The FI Choice 19:43 - Journaling Thoughts 24:54 - What Compels Change? 29:50 - Accountability 33:10 - Subconscious Guard Rails 38:10 - 1% Changes Add Up 40:45 - The Goal of Paying Off Credit Card Debt 43:10 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Berkshire Hathaway Letter to Shareholders "The Happy Body" by Aniela and Jerzy Gregorek Making Bold Moves with Dominick Quartuccio | ChooseFI Episode 355 The Why Of FI | ChooseFi Episode 038 How to Get Out of Debt | ChooseFI Episode 115R Debt 101: The Ultimate Guide to Debt If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 365365 | What If You Didn't Need to Escape?
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan question the notion of needing to escape from your life. While we all get tired of the mundane nuances that life throws at us, we often escape these constrictions by frivolously spending money during the hours in which we own our time. Taking a break isn't the worst thing on earth obviously, but reclaiming our time and spending it with who or what we love can help erase the feeling of needing to escape from the world! Take a look outside, it doesn't look too bad right? Timestamps 1:26- 8:28 | Introductions and Super Bowl Commercial Discussion 8:28- 10:13 | Facebook Discussion 10:13- 11:47 | What If You Didn't Need To Escape? 11:47-14:26 | The Look Outside Test 14:26- 23:20 | How We Escape 23:20-32:05 | Compounding Healthy Hobbies 32:05-41:55 | A Life Without The Need For Escaping 41:55-43:43 | Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation "Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think" by Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Ronnlund, and Ola Rosling "Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence" by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez, and Mr. Money Mustache Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 364364 | What's All the Hoopla About?
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan fixate on many different areas in life where improvements can be made and ways you could go about doing it! Whether it's your own cybersecurity, managing anxiety, or physical health, it is important for us to take care of ourselves in order to fully enjoy the life we are setting out to live. There are easy ways to make changes that could snowball into a brighter future for you! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Hoopla Chris Hutchins - All The Hacks Library Extension for Chrome Making Bold Moves with Dominick Quartuccio | EP 355 How to Train for the "Centenarian Olympics" Jerzy Gregorek Interview | The Tim Ferriss Show "The Happy Body" by Jerzy and Aniela Gregorek "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins Download Brian Feroldi's Anti Fragile Checklist Here! Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 363363 | First to a Million
Jonathan and Brad talk with Dan Sheeks about exactly what a 17-year-old should know when getting started on their financial journey. A detailed synthesis of this information can be found in Dan's book First to a Million. https://www.sheeksfreaks.com
Ep 362362 | Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and NFT's | Part 2
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan continue their discussion from last week about digital asset investment! This time, they are taking a deeper look into decentralized finance and different ways that you can get involved in the digital asset realm if that is something you wish to do on your FI journey! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Listen To Part One of Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and NFT's Here! OpenSea LooksRare Follow Brad on Twitter! Check Out Bao Bao Money Tree! Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 361361 | Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and NFT's | Part 1
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan take a look at the blockchain and try to find where the actual value is within cryptocurrencies and digital asset investing. Join the guys as they define what certain digital assets are, discuss strategies for navigating the murky waters that is blockchain investing, and the importance behind not getting caught up in speculation! Remember to keep a long term mindset while working towards FI! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Follow @BrianFeroldi on Twitter! Etherscan The Time Ferris Show | Episode 542 Check Out ChooseFI's Facebook Group! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile
Ep 360360 | A Primer for Success
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss different ways in which you can position yourself to experience as many positive outcomes in your life as possible. Whether it's building credit, saving, investing, education, understanding the true meaning behind the word "compounding," or really any other aspect of your life, by knowing the rules and planning accordingly you can experience success in a manner that feels automatic at times. Carefully consider the ROI that comes with the decisions you make! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Huberman Lab Podcast Check Out ChooseFI's Travel Episodes! Pre-Order Why Does The Stock Market Go Up? by Brian Feroldi The True Cost Of Car Ownership | ChooseFI Episode 022 If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 359359 | SWOT Analysis for Financial Independence
Now that you've done your beginning of the year audit, it's time to look at your finances through the lens of a SWOT analysis! In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may arise as you continue along your FI journey. By getting a strong grasp on the current state of your finances, hopefully you can begin to work towards turning your weaknesses into strengths, and your threats into opportunities! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group! Sean Mullaney - The FI Tax Guy Early Retirement Now Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Joe Dominguez, Vicki Robin, and Mr Money Mustache Negotiate Your Salary With Tori Dunlap | ChooseFI Episode 147 How to Negotiate Your Salary Without Burning Bridges | Financial Mechanic | ChooseFI Episode 211 From Pandemic Layoff to $100k+ | A Salesforce Success Story | ChooseFI Episode 297 Sign Up for the FREE Salesforce 5-Day Challenge! 10 Ways to Increase Your Income With Alan Donegan | ChooseFI Episode 338 If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 358358 | Getting Started Audit
Welcome to 2022! In this week's episode, Jonathan and Brad discuss starting your year by doing an audit of your current financial situation to highlight areas in which you can improve! It is critical to know how much you're taking home in income and what your expenses over the coming year will look like. That way you can start molding your journey to FI over the course of 2022! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Subscribe to The FI Weekly! Check Out The FI Pathfinder! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 357357 | 2021 Year End Wins | Part 2
In our final episode of 2021, Brad and Jonathan pick up where they left off last week as they continue to listen to your end of year wins! It is truly amazing to hear about all the accomplishments our listeners met in 2021, and we hope you continue to ride that momentum into 2022! Thank you for an amazing year, and we hope the future is full of many more wins within our amazing community! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation The Stages and Checkpoints of FI | ChooseFI Episode 324 Jillian Johnsrud Welcome To The FI Community | ChooseFI Episode 100 Playing With FIRE First-Time Home Buyer | BiggerPockets | ChooseFI Episode 312 Negotiate Your Salary With Tori Dunlap | ChooseFI Episode 147 How to Negotiate Your Salary Without Burning Bridges | Financial Mechanic | ChooseFI Ep 211 Sean Mullaney, The FI Tax Guy Families Fly Free | ChooseFI Episode 353 Follow Brad on Twitter! Follow Land Shark on Twitter! Setting up a Special Needs Trust | ChooseFI Episode 108 Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 356356 | 2021 Year End Wins | Part 1
Happy Holidays! However, the holidays are not the only reason we are festive around this time of the year. Join Brad and Jonathan as they celebrate your end of the year wins! This episode is dedicated to all the amazing steps our community members have made throughout 2021, and we hope you continue to make strides on your FI journey as we move into 2022! Congratulations to everybody who has made progress this year and stick around for part two coming out next Monday! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Money Letters To My Daughter with Jackie Cummings Koski | ChooseFI Episode 161 Subscribe to The FI Weekly! Join ChooseFI's Facebook group! Control Your Tax Rate |013R| ChooseFI Episode 013 Eat Healthy and Save Money with the Laura Barrett Cookbook Salesforce: A Lucrative Career and No Degree or Tech Background Needed Physician On FIRE | FI For Medical Professionals | Financial Freedom Vs Financial Independence Join Your Local ChooseFI Group Crush Your Travel Costs With ChooseFI! Mr. Money Mustache The Mad Fientist If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 355355 | Making Bold Moves
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Dominick Quartuccio from "The Great Man Within" to discuss making bold moves while on the path to bettering yourself. Although it may be inconvenient, making one bold move can snowball into a life full of adventure, self-development, and unexpected happiness! Join the trio as they discuss what can dictate a bold move, signs that you may be ready to level up an area of your life, generating ideas for bold moves, and so much more! Dominick Quartuccio Website: The Great Man Within Podcast: The Great Man Within Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Design Your Future: 3 Simple Steps to Stop Drifting and Start Living by Dominick Quartuccio Design The Next Year of Your Life Masterclass Send us an email! [email protected] Design Your Future | Dominick Quartuccio | ChooseFI Episode 033 Drift | Dominick Quartuccio | ChooseFI Episode 096 Designing Your Year For 2021 | Dominick Quartuccio | ChooseFI Episode 270 If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 354354 | Navigating the Possible Vs Probable of Personal Finance
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss planning your short and longterm FI goals in a manner that is realistic to your current situation. By taking an approach that favors longterm success as opposed to rapid growth, you can position yourself in a manner that will allow for luck to strike as you continue your FI journey! Be sure to plan for the probable and possible outcomes in your life! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Last Pass 1Password Runaway Winners and the Balanced Portfolio with Brian Feroldi | ChooseFI Episode 350 Talent Stacker JL Collins' Simple Path to Wealth Financial Independence 101 If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 353353 | Families Fly Free
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Lyn Mettler from "Families Fly Free" to discuss optimizing your travel rewards when traveling with family! Join the trio as they discuss different ways to utilize travel rewards programs so you can be one step closer to finally taking the vacations of your dreams! Lyn Mettler Website: Families Fly Free with Go To Travel Gal Podcast: Families Fly Free Podcast Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Travel Rewards: How To Travel The World For Almost Free (The Easy Way) ChooseFI Ep. 009 If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 352352 | The DIY Financial Plan
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Measure Twice Money's founder Cody Garrett! Together, they discuss important details about DIY financial planning, such as identifying where you do and don't need help with your financial planning, exercising the rational and reasonable approach when financial planning, and ways you can properly prioritize your spending! Also, the trio shares important information you should know before selecting a financial planner. Cody Garrett Website: Measure Twice Money Blog: Measure Twice Money's Blog Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Cody's Interview on FA Success Sean Mullaney Annual CFP Roundtable 2017 with Kyle Mast and Danny Kenny | ChooseFI Episode 058 Jorge Soriano - Financial Planning For Good Mike Powers - Manuka Financial XY Planning Network Measure Twice Money's Data Gathering Checklist If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 351351 | Year End Tax Planning 2021
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Sean Mullaney to get a jump start on 2021's tax planning season. Together, they discuss managing Backdoor Roth IRAs before the 12/31 deadline, changes to the relevant tax regulations, amended returns, solo 401k's for contractors and entrepreneurs, and so much more! Listen along to see if any of the information shared can be applicable to your own tax planning this season! Sean Mullaney Website: The FI Tax Guy Blog: The FI Tax Guy Blog Twitter: @SeanMoneyandTax Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Subscribe to the FI Weekly! The Backdoor Roth IRA and December 31st IRS Instructions for Form 8606 White Coat Investor's Backdoor Roth IRA Tutorial Solo 401ks, SEP IRA's, and the 2021 Stimulus If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here! As always, the discussion is general and educational in nature and does not constitute tax, investment, legal, or financial advice with respect to any particular individual or taxpayer. Please consult your own advisors regarding your own unique situation. Sean Mullaney and ChooseFI Publishing are currently under contract to publish a book authored by Sean Mullaney.
Ep 350350 | Runaway Winners and the Balanced Portfolio
With volatile assets like Tesla stock, Ethereum, and Bitcoin, how do you keep a level head while investing? In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by friend of the show Brian Feroldi to discuss managing your runaway winner investments and balancing your portfolio! Listen along as Brian shares his strategies for evaluating stocks, creating guidelines for yourself as an investor, and mentally preparing yourself for the highs and lows of investing! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Brian's Anti-Fragile Checklist! Subscribe to ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new sidehustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cellphone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 349349 | Paper Returns Vs. Real Returns
this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss the importance of knowing the difference between paper returns and real returns. If an asset has a certain value in the market, it does not mean that said value will exist once an attempt to liquidate the asset is made! Later in the episode, they dip into the mailbag and answer listener questions about episode 332 and tax planning! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Follow Brad on Twitter! Millenial Revolution Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence by Carol Pittner and Doug Nordman Second Generation FI 401k Spreadsheet Subscribe to the FI Weekly! Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group! Transform Your Tax Return Into a Springboard for Financial Planning | ChooseFI Episode 332 Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 348348 | The Rules of the Game
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss the rules that financially dictate how we all play the game of life. Together, they point out that knowing the rules can allow you to experience the beneficial side of tax planning, maximizing your benefits, and utilizing your travel rewards! The rules may seem complicated on the surface, but once you understand them, you can start absolutely crushing your path to FI! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD Animal Spirits Podcast Are Solar Panels Worth The Investment? Follow Brian Feroldi on Twitter! Get a copy of Brian Feroldi's Anti-Fragile Checklist Optimize Your Travel Expenses! The True Cost of Car Ownership | ChooseFI Episode 022 How Do I Figure Out The Taxes On This? | ChooseFI Episode 346 Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 347347 | How Did You Calculate That Return?
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss how critical it is to fully understand what the statistics and numeric values describing your investment returns actually represent. They do so by describing what compound annual growth rate is, explaining the logic behind the 4 percent rule, and by referencing helpful insights gained in previous episodes of ChooseFI! Later in the show, the guys are joined by Rob Phelan from "The Simple Startup" to discuss second generation FI, the benefits of teaching children and teenagers about entrepreneurship, and Rob's new children's book M is for Money! Rob Phelan Website: The Simple Startup Book: M is for Money Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation ChooseFI's Future Value of Investment Calculator Early Retirement Now Making Portfolio Adjustments With Big ERN | ChooseFI Episode 199 How Do I Figure Out the Taxes on This? | ChooseFI Episode 346 Flexible Spending Rules For Early Retirees | ChooseFI Episode 176 What Happens When The Paycheck Stops? – Keys To A Successful Retirement With Fritz Gilbert (Part 1) | ChooseFI Episode 206 102 Business Ideas for Kids | Simple Startup with Arianna and Sheila | ChooseFI Episode 308 Future Proof | ChooseFI Episode 271 Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 346346 | How Do I Figure Out the Taxes on This?
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan examine the concept of assets and where they fit in your general tax strategy. Together, they discuss the different factors that effect how and when you pay your taxes, compare the differences between Roth IRA's and 401k's, and explore potentially beneficial ways in which after-tax investments and 401k's overlap! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation The Unfair (FI) Advantage Of Teachers 457b | ChooseFI Episode 13 The Millionaire Educator's 2021 Free Money Article Subscribe To ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 345345 | The Art of the Career Pivot
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan talk about the benefits behind creating the space needed in life for you to challenge yourself. While it may be tempting to relax in place with your new-found free time, you should be using it as an opportunity for growth! Who knows, you could even find yourself in a career you never thought you'd be in, making more than you ever thought you could earn! Listen along as the guys tell you the steps needed to execute a masterful career pivot! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation The Laura Barrett Cookbook You Are More Than Your Financial Capital with Laura Oldanie | ChooseFI Episode 248 $1K 100 Ways with Nick Loper | ChooseFI Episode 336 Subscribe to the FI Weekly! Take the Free 5-Day Salesforce Challenge! Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 344344 | Risk Avoidance and Deworsification
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss how risk avoidance can weigh down your returns in the form of opportunity costs. While your savings may be safe, you could be missing out on opportunities for your money to work on your behalf! Join the guys as they discuss the rule of 72, inflation, and diversifying as opposed to "deworsifying!" Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation "Richer, Wiser, Happier" By William Green "The Psychology of Money" By Morgan Housel Are You as Diversified as You Think You Are? With Frank Vasquez | ChooseFI Episode 313 JL Collins' Website Sign Up For ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter! Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 343343 | Firing the Haters
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined for the "many-ith" time by Jillian Johnsrud to discuss her new book, "Fire The Haters." Together, they dissect some of the themes from Jillian's book, which leads to discussions about overcoming imposter syndrome, taking action, acknowledging valid feedback, and identifying the difference between procrastination and preparation! Jillian Johnsrud Website: jillianjohnsrud.com Podcast: Everyday Courage Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation "Fire The Haters" by Jillian Johnsrud ChooseFI's Facebook Group Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 342342 | Don't Let Good Be the Enemy of Great
When things are good, is it the right move to settle in place? In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss the nature of good, and how things being good is often the biggest obstacle standing in the way of things being great. After all, there is no opportunity for growth if you linger in a state of complacency! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins Early Retirement Extreme Pimsleur Subscribe to ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter! Follow Brad on Twitter! Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 341341 | Worthwhile Splurges
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss the benefits of slightly diverting from the FI mindset and spending more on meaningful purchases. While splurging can be a slippery slope, calculated splurging can yield large returns in terms of enjoyment, opportunity, and time! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation PaperKarma Opt Out Prescreen FI Weekly: May 11,2021 ChooseFI Episode 076: Planned Spontaneity with Mrs. Adventure Rich ChooseFI Episode 048: The Happy Philosopher | The Happiest Man in the Room ChooseFI Episode 337: Ordinary Sherpa with Heidi Dusek Find Your Local ChooseFI Group! Follow Brad on Twitter! Follow ChooseFI on Twitter! TurboTax TaxCaster SmartAsset Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 340340 | Diamonds in the Rough
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan reopen the mailbag which prompts a discussion examining the true monetary value behind collectable items, and why finding that diamond in the rough could inherently be more valuable than actual diamonds! We also hear about some fantastic wins the community has experienced, plus some insight on how to operate a high-earning lemonade stand with your kids! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Subscribe to ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter! Mr. Money Mustache Animal Spirits Podcast Frugal Fringe's Diamond Article Lower Your Internet, Cable, and Phone Bills with Trim Nextdoor Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 339339 | Close the Loop
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan dive into the mailbag and respond to listener emails! Throughout the episode, you'll hear about some of the wins those in our community have experienced, ranging from having the power to take back and optimize personal time, to 2nd graders discussing the FI movement with their teacher! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation ChooseFI's Facebook Group Sign up for ChooseFI's Weekly Newsletter! Take The 5-Day FI Challenge Talent Stacker Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 338338 | 10 Ways to Increase Your Income
While slashing your expenses can certainly accelerate your path to financial independence, what if it also begins to slash at your own happiness and wellbeing? In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Alan Donegan from the Rebel Entrepreneur podcast, who attempts to solve this dilemma by discussing 10 ways in which you can increase your income. This way, you can still enjoy the smaller luxuries in your life while maintaining a strong roadmap to financial independence! Alan Donegan Website: Alan Donegan Podcast: Rebel Entrepreneur Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation ChooseFI Episode 23: Career Hacking With ESI Money ChooseFI Episode 147: Negotiate Your Salary With Tori Dunlap ChooseFI Episode 211: How to Negotiate Your Salary Without Burning Bridges With The Financial Mechanic Rebel Entrepreneur Coaching Series ChooseFI Episode 117: Making The Case For Part Time With Bradley Rice ChooseFI Episode 158: Real Hourly Wage With The Frugal Engineers Millenial Revolution ChooseFI Episode 233: Networking With Jordan Harbinger Influence by Robert B. Cialdini Rebel Business School Negotiation Course Notes The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes ChooseFI Episode 129: Breaking The Glass Ceiling With Liz From Chief Mom Officer Toastmasters International Rebel Entrepreneur: 5 Ways to Build A Business With No Debt Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 337337 | Ordinary Sherpa
Does settling down and starting a family really mean that your days of adventuring are over? In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Heidi Dusek from the Ordinary Sherpa Podcast, who firmly believes that having a family doesn't mean that your ability to adventure disappears! Heidi shares with the guys strategies that you can implement with your family to ensure you continue to exercise your "adventure muscle!" Heidi Dusek Website: Ordinary Sherpa Podcast: Ordinary Sherpa Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Find A Local Group Vincent Pugliese's Total Life Freedom Jillian Johnsrud Everyday Adventure Newsletter ChooseFI Episode 76; Planned Spontaneity with Mrs. Adventure Rich Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 336336 | $1K 100 Ways
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by author, podcaster, and entrepreneur Nick Loper from Side Hustle Nation. In their conversation, Nick emphasizes that thinking creatively when looking to start an entrepreneurial journey can lead to a surprisingly successful endeavor. Nick also cited examples he has came across after starting his "1k, 100 ways" project, and how the right idea for a side-hustle could evolve into a full time business! Nick Loper Website: Side Hustle Nation Podcast: The Side Hustle Show Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation $1000, 100 Ways by Nick Loper Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris The Sweaty Startup The Financial Mentor Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 335335 | In a World Where You Can Do Anything, Why Do We Always Do the Same Thing?
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan get introspective and examine the choices that everybody has laid out for them in their lifetimes. Together, they ponder why so many choose only the cookie-cutter options in life, and how taking the path less traveled can lead to happiness you never even knew was possible. Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Into The Wind with Brandon Pearce Subscribe to our Newsletter! ChooseFI Local Groups Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 334334 | Experiments in FI: Inflation, Gardening, and Revocable Living Trusts
In this week's two-part episode, Brad and Jonathan provide personal examples and insight on relatively safe ways to experiment with your FI investment plan! Later in the show, Sean Mullaney joins the guys to discuss revocable living trusts and how they can fit in with the, "hard to think about," side of future tax planning! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Tax Basis for Beginners Transferring A Primary Residence To Children What Does Inflation Mean for Investors? With Big ERN | EP 331 Are You as Diversified as You Think You Are? With Frank Vasquez | EP 313 Risk Parity Radio Transform Your Tax Return Into a Springboard for Financial Planning | EP 332 Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 333333 | Unlocking Your First Mini-Retirement
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Jillian Johnsrud, the host of the Everyday Courage podcast and fellow FI guru. Jillian shares with the guys the concept behind a mini-retirement, or in other words taking an extended period of time off outside of the so called "golden years." Together, the trio discussed the benefits of mini-retirements, strategies for optimizing your time while mini-retired, and how to properly prepare for a mini-retirement! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss Episode 147 | Negotiating Your Salary with Tori Dunlap Adventures to FI Retreat 6 Steps To Taking A Mini-Retirement Jillians Free 10-Day Life Planning Course Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 332332 | Transform Your Tax Return Into a Springboard for Financial Planning
In this week's episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by none other than the "FI Tax Guy" himself, Sean Mullaney. Together, they highlight reasons why your tax return may not be such a great thing, and the different ways you can leverage your tax planning to your own advantage! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation From Tax Returns To Tax Planning Solo 401(k) to Reduce 2021 AGI Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 331331 | What Does Inflation Mean for Investors?
Big ERN (a.k.a. Karsten) from "Early Retirement Now" makes his return to the podcast in this week's episode! With Brad and Jonathan, Big ERN gives us the lowdown on what inflation is, the role inflation plays in the world economy, and the effect inflation can have on a variety of investments! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Start Your Journey to FI Here Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 330330 | Is there a Housing Market Bubble?
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan sit down with Paula Pant, author of the ebook Escape and creator of the blog and podcast Afford Anything. As a group, the trio discuss the current landscape of the housing market, whats different between it now and 14 years ago, some tips and ticks for buyers, and whether or not the current housing market is in a bubble! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Sign up for Paula and Jonathan's Live Event on 6/28! Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 329329 | The Investing Horserace
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan take a look at popular portfolios in the financial independence community and lay down a structure of comparison for them in a fashion similar to that of a horse race! Join us during the longitudinal study to find out which of these various investment strategies is the right fit for you! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation All The Hacks with Chris Hutchins Level Up Your Dividend Strategy and Optimize Your Portfolio JL Collins Paul Merriman Paula Pant Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 328328 | Watch the Business Not the Stock
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan discuss investment strategies with Brian Feroldi, a seasoned veteran of the stock market and author for The Motley Fool. Brian shares with Brad and Jonathan some insight into the current landscape of the market, why some stocks perform the way they do, and why it is important to take a look at the business behind the stock and not just the value of that company's shares. Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation ARK Fund Brian's Checklist and Early Book Access Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 327327 | Where Does Entrepreneurship Fit on Your Path to FI?
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan are joined by Alan Donegan, an entrepreneurial guru and host of the "Rebel Entrepreneur" podcast. Together, the trio discuss their own entrepreneurial journeys, tips and strategies for up and coming entrepreneurs, and where entrepreneurship could fit within your FI journey! Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Salesforce 5-Day Challenge ChooseFI Facebook Group The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris Millennial Revolution Mr. Money Mustache Want to start your own journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 326326 | Learn to Market Yourself and Your Skills in 2021 and Beyond
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan take a look at the ways in which people aren't properly marketing themselves. By running through a thought experiment, Brad and Jonathan uncover skills, abilities, and valuable traits that may be absent from your resume. They also discuss imposter syndrome and how it can lead to selling yourself short. Resource from the episode: Salesforce for Everyone
Ep 325325 | Credibility and Boundaries for Winning at Life
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan reexamine the stages and checkpoints of Financial Independence. In our community, many people are just trying to figure out where they are on this path to FI. While every individual's journey will be unique, when you can gamify the process, the journey can be more rewarding and enjoyable. Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next-Generation Financial Independence Subscribe to Brad's newsletter, The FI Weekly The Simple Startup Summer Challenge Clothing Shop Online Want to start your own Journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 324324 | The Stages and Checkpoints of FI
In this episode, Brad and Jonathan reexamine the stages and checkpoints of Financial Independence. In our community, a lot of people are just trying to figure out where they are on this path to FI, and while every individual's journey is going to be unique, when you can gamify the process, the journey can be more rewarding and enjoyable. Want to start your own Journey to Financial Independence? Sign up for the free 5-Day FI Challenge here!
Ep 323323 | Pump and Dump
Curious about cryptocurrencies? Is it investing or is it gambling? It's a topic the community has a lot of questions on, so in this episode we create. framework for the conversation and explore the nuances. In the US, we generally want for nothing and true scarcity is something we haven't recently experienced until this year and suddenly being presented with it creates some interesting psychological reactions. It's good to position yourself to be ahead of the game and be prepared when you hear reports of activities that might affect the supply chain. You don't want to be doing something at the exact same time as everybody else. See trends, think outside the box, and make your moves ahead of time. Colonial Pipeline paid to resolve their ransomware attack with a cryptocurrency, specifically, Bitcoin. Gas pumps on the east coast may be getting back to normal soon, but there's an ongoing pump and dump issue with crypto. The stories of insanely high levels of return from crypto are all over the news and social media, creating a sense of missing out for those who aren't in the game. So should crypto have a role in your plan for financial independence? For Brad, cryptocurrencies have always felt like pure speculation, which is the hope that you can buy it and then sell it later to someone else for more money. Although he is leery of all cryptocurrencies in general, he is interested in learning about the entire sphere of crypto because of all the innovation with decentralized finance and potential for smart contracts and NFTs. Although Brad believes there could be work-changing potential, he knows he's not knowledgeable enough to know what it will look like or pick a particular company or cryptocurrency. Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to experience mass adoption and the most valuable on a per coin basis. Its value has increased ten times in the last year alone and yet it isn't the crypto with the highest rate of return. At its core, Bitcoin is code. While only 21 million of the coins will ever exist, because it is code, it can be cloned or forked to add new features. There's nothing magical about it that makes it worth $40,000 or $60,000 per coin. There are close to 10,000 different cryptocurrencies all with unique features and various values. Some have done well and some have done insane, but without the benefit of hindsight, you don't know which are yours. It's important to understand the different parameters that drive the value of a coin, what a pump is, and how they can run in parallel to affect the price. In contrast, investing is when you buy an asset of known value and it produces a return of some regular amount over a period of time. There are some who state Bitcoin is digital gold. When asked his thoughts on gold, Warren Buffet said that he had no idea where it would be in five years but he knows it won't do anything between now and then except look at you while Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo will be making money. He would rather invest in something that can produce. Jonathan notes that while we are all on the same path directionally, we aren't always going to agree. Though it's true gold doesn't produce anything, he sees it as an excellent store of value and has been more open to gambling on the Doge cryptocurrency. Gold has increased in value over the years, not because it produced anything but because the dollar has lost value to inflation while gold has held its value. The same argument could be made for crypto due to the limits on the number of coins. Unlike physical gold, crypto is a lot easier to store, liquidate, transfer, and transport. Cryptocurrencies have value because we say it has value. Although Brad believes the use cases are still small, he's open to learning new information. In Episode 099 of the podcast, Michael Peterson discussed his non-profit in El Salvador. The use of Bitcoin there has cut down on friction and the fees for sending money from the US to El Salvador. Crypto is different from gold though because it is code and we don't know what it will look like a few years from now. For instance, there are six different versions of Bitcoin. Bitcoin takes a lot of energy because of its mining concept for its transactions. All of the Bitcoin mining around the world takes up more energy than the country of Argentina. Other coins use no energy, so Elon Musk has said Tesla will look for cryptos that use less than 1% of the energy of Bitcoin. Crypto as a store of value use case has not been proven out yet. Gold, unlike cryptos, has a long history as a store of value and is less like to disappear from our memories like Blockbuster. DogeCoin started out as a joke and has grown to a total value of $54 million whose value can move up or down dramatically just based on a Tweet from Elon Musk. Last November, Jonathan put $150 into DogeCoin when it was $0.009 a coin. When he looked at it again recently, the price was in the neighborhood of $0.40 a coin. There are 130 billion DogeCoin and unlike B
Ep 322322 | Financially Bulletproof in a Pandemic
Dennison, a member of the FI community and recent Salesforce success story, joined the guys today for a special interview. He expressed to us that being adaptable and willing to change your world viewpoints on the fly (especially in the face of the COVID pandemic) has allowed him to achieve great financial and personal success. Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation Talent Stacker Salesforce 5-Day Challenge ChooseFI Episode 117 Making the Case for Part-Time With Bradley Rice
Ep 321321 | Discovering the Power of FU Money
What You'll Get Out Of Today's Show Picking back up with our ChooseFI Households of FI family, Zach and Marilyn to hear about all of the incredible progress they've made since their last episode. Like most people, the last year has turned Zach and Marilyn's life upside down, only their's has been positive. Following their conversation with Paula Pant in Episode 247, they were felt encouraged to move forward with a real estate investment when the numbers made sense rather than waiting for a property that met all the specific criteria. Within two months of their conversation with Paula, they purchased the home they are currently living in. Since then, they have put money in renovations and just rented out the basement apartment. Although the original plan was to do a live-in flip, they are now house hacking after taking out a mortgage with a 2% interest rate thanks to their excellent credit, making their new mortgage the same as the mortgage on their previous home that was half the size. Plus, the basement apartment rent is covering the entire mortgage and then some. Zach finished school in 2020 and began working in his field earning a good raise. Rather than let the raise inflate their lifestyle, Zach put the entire raise into his 457 plan. Between saving more than $1,000 a month on a mortgage and putting $1,000 a month into a 457, Zach and Marilyn have created more than $24,000 of space in their financial lives. Although five years ago, they never would have dreamed of being in their current position, they attribute frugality and long-term planning for their success. Being on the path to FI feels so good that it's something Zach talks to people in his everyday life about. He thinks if you adopt the long-term mindset and stick it out during the first five or six years, seeing the end from the beginning becomes less overwhelming. Marilyn says that not having debt hanging over their heads has improved their quality of life a hundredfold. While it did take them six or seven years to get there, it wouldn't have happened at all if they hadn't taken that first step. In looking toward the future, they have created FU money, which they've already reaped the rewards of. When Marilyn's employer told her to come back to work 100% after successfully working from home during the last year, she decided to quit rather than put her kids back into daycare. Jonathan appreciates the power of no and says sometimes when you can say no to your employer, it puts you in a position of power where they might be willing to negotiate. Zach and Marilyn's have no mortgage payment, drive paid-off cars, and have an abundance mindset that allows them to live off around $30,000 and want for nothing. In fact, Marilyn uses a hack from Brad and uses an Old Navy credit card for their spending, and earns points to buy clothes for his kids. In comparison, most other American families spend $30,000 on just shelter and car payments. When leaving previous jobs, Marilyn always felt a bit of panic, wondering how they would make things work, but with living expenses taken care of, they were in a different place. She felt none of that panic. Zach grew up without a lot of money and a scarcity mindset. When interacting with people who were well off, he often felt if that person was wealthy that he couldn't be. The path to FI has been a mind shift to understanding that everybody can win and to a level of empathy. What's next for Zach and Marilyn? Since they are saving more money than ever before, they are interested in optimizing what they do with it. They have considered more rental properties, but prices are high and inventory is low. Index fund investing is another option. Prices are high in their area and they looked into renting out their current home, but it doesn't meet the 1% rule. They would need to geo-arbitrage a second rental. If they were to purchase another property, the downpayment would likely come from an old 401k of Marilyn's. Zach has looked at rolling it into a self-directed IRA for real estate. Since Marilyn left that employer her 401k is with, it should have triggered the option to roll it over to an IRA without creating a taxable event as long as she follows her plan's rules. They also have an interest in diversification, but with the real estate market so high, they want to have cash on hand to make a move if it dips. And if the stock market does something crazy, Zach and Marilyn want to be prepared for it. They want to invest, just with a shorter time horizon, so they need to invest somewhere with less risk. Jonathan says they need to invest like a 55 or 60-year-old. They can achieve that with investments that provide either income stability or a negative correlation. They would love to be able to pay for their next property with cash, but they don't know when the next deal that makes sense will pop up. It could be anytime in the next five years and ideally, they would like to have at least $75,000 saved up for it. Although Zach and