Mile High FI Podcast

What were our goals with the podcast? Has Carl accomplished his? What about Doug? Is Mile High FI the best use of our time?

Big NEWS! Doug and Carl welcome The Rebel Entrepreneur, Alan Donegan to the Mile High FI Network! The background of Rebel Entrepreneur Why Carl and Doug want to work with Alan The Rebel Entrepreneur business model Success is proportional to discomfort

Stocks are down, especially tech stocks. Doug and Carl talk about their feelings and how they cope with losing money.

Doug and Carl interview friend, neighbor, and FI enthusiast, Jake Simon. Investing – Why “Take Carl to Work Day” isn’t happening, despite Carl’s best efforts – How Jake overcame his fear of investing – Rental properties versus stocks – Leverage (Carl’s favorite topic!) Health – Jake’s routine – Longs Peak – Apple Watch – Sleep Links: FiDilettante Mad Fientist – Financial Independence and Early Retirement Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list! **Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.** ____ Brought To You By: The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles 1500 Days, Carl’s Blog about Early Retirement

We’ve got a guest host this week! Carla Cash is the co-host of one of our in-network pods, Pennies and Popcorn. She stopped by to talk about the pros and cons of sabbaticals and whether to prioritize mini-retirements or full-blown early retirement. Here are a few highlights; Working for short bursts to fund an adventurous life Balancing a seize-the-day mentality with long-term needs A tangent into the cost of used pianos and guitars How long it takes to decompress after leaving a stressful job Are we launching a Mile High FI MLM??? Links: Pennies and Popcorn: LuLaRich Part 1: MLMS are Worst Than Gambling and Ten Side Hustles to Do Instead LulaRich Part 2: MLMs: All The Bad Parts of Work Rolled Into One!

Doug and Carl interview Kyle Landis-Marinello, an all-around good human who likes Crocs. A lot. DIY suit jacket cleaning that did not go well Kyle’s dad is brilliant, just not with money Giving up big law money to do good Arguing a case in front of the Vermont Supreme Court in Crocs Socially responsible investing Kyle wrote a book Perfect day Links https://personalfinanceauthor.com/ pfauthor Sustainable investing funds| Environmental, Social, and Governance | Fidelity Spreading Financial Wellness | Brian Feroldi

This week, we are rebroadcasting one of our all-time favorite episodes with the undisputed king of the FI movement: Mr. Money Mustache. This episode is a recording of a Q&A that took place at The Extraordinary Event put on by Alan Donegan! The Q&A covered a range of topics, but here are a few highlights: When Pete started Mr. Money Mustache, did he expect it would be the phenomenon that it is? Alan, Carl, and Pete discuss what’s next for them Morning routines (or lack thereof) Internal barriers to FI Is the prospect of making money still motivating? How to convince a partner to get on board with FI Surprises about FI life Links: Mr. Money Mustache Headquarters Katie and Alan Donegan’s Many Enterprises: Rebel Finance School Rebel Business School Alan Donegan’s Podcast Alan Donegan’s Blog

Doug and Carl talk to Emily and James from Rethink The Rat Race. The conversation starts when James and Carl remember the time they were accosted in Washington DC … James’ difficult childood Owning 5 cars. Simultaneously. How James discovered FI and then brought Emily onboard Why FI people may be healthier James’ and Emily’s new book: “The Dog Food Diet” Long versus short-term rentals The fast road to FI Why FI evangelism doesn’t work James’ and Emily’s perfect day Links Rethink the Rat Race https://www.instagram.com/rethinktheratrace/ Home – Peter Attia Camp FI Confessions Of A Frugal Millionaire – Root of Good

Doug and Carl discuss what they would do if they had 6 months of free time with no obligations. The show has an exciting new sponsor!

Live from CampFi Southeast, Doug and Maggie Tucker talk to several guests. We did mini-interviews with a number of CampFi Southeast attendees and learned about their journeys to FI and got some pretty good insights. Here are a few highlights: Why going to vocational school can be a fantastic choice Living for the present and not the future Getting a spouse on board with FI Living full time on the road The psychology of the first six months after leaving a job Links: friends on FIRE – Podcast on Financial Independence Retire Early Camp FI

This is the tale of The Day That Carl Forgot His Phone. Here are a few highlights: He had to ask for directions! Mindy got mad at him! But, at the same time, he realized how much he hates phones! Would he do it again strategically?

Doug and Carl talk to “Lewis” and “Clark,” a couple on the verge of early retirement. In this first-ever case study, they discuss how to successfully transition and live the FIRE life. Here are a few highlights of our discussion: Setting priorities Finding purpose The value of routines Why you shouldn’t tell your friends about FIRE How to manage relationships Finding identity ____ Links Financial Advisor for Early Retirement – Downshift Financial The Margin Loan: How to Make a $400,000 Impulse Purchase Ratcheting The Safe Withdrawal Rate For Income Upside Camp FI

We talked about our own morning routines, what works for us, and what doesn’t. Here are a few highlights: Wake-up time Working out in the morning Do we meditate? Will making the bed in the morning change your life? Is there one perfect morning routine for everybody? ____ ____ Links Doug.Show Podcast 1500 Days to Freedom – Think different and escape the rat race.

We had a great sit-down with Diania and Maggie at Camp FI and fielded some fun and off-the-wall questions from the audience. Here are a few highlights: What pursuits have been most fulfilling for you? What is your side-hustle exit plan? Getting started on YouTube Getting started with a podcast and overcoming the fear of being one of many Do you believe in the four-percent rule? What do you know now that you wish you knew ten years ago? What equipment do you use? How much liquid cash is too much? Decompressing after leaving work Keep an eye and ear open for the other episode from Camp FI coming out in a couple of weeks. Links: Friends on FIRE – Podcast on Financial Independence Retire Early EconoMe Conference – March 2023 Optimal Finance Daily Podcast ____ ____

Carl traveled to wonderful Austin, TX for the Tesla factory opening. Doug asks him all about it. They welcome in a NEW sponsor! Carl’s Cyber Rodeo YouTube Video Cyber Rodeo Blog Post on 1500 Days ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk to Brian Feroldi about growth investing, volatility, and Brian’s new book. Investing – What advice would you give to a 22-year-old? – Brian’s investments – Great investors including the OG of FIRE – Growth investing: qualitative versus quantitative measures Brian’s book – Why write a book? – Another investing book? Why this one is different. – Who should read this? Closing – Brian’s perfect day – Why walking is so good ____ Links https://www.brianferoldi.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs60_Z83HU76uygzHRQl0kA https://twitter.com/BrianFeroldi https://www.amazon.com/Why-Does-Stock-Market-Everything-ebook/dp/B09NQQKZ9G/ https://economeconference.com/

Carl and Doug talk about what car they would get if they had to buy something. It’s just a thought experiment since neither of them plan on getting a car in the near term. ____

Doug and Carl talk to Brittany Dunn about exercise, diet, accountability, and finding inner peace at Sam’s Club. How Brittany’s 4-hour commute triggered a 7-year move to Beijing Body composition (why BMI is evil!) Carl’s fitness routine H.I.I.T. versus steady-state cardio How to stay fit for life Links Brittany’s Site Brittany on Instagram Ben Greenfield Life – Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice ____

Checking in and updating on our fitness goals. We talk about accountability partners, pull-ups, watching our proteins, and just generally checking in to track our progress. We hope this inspires you to get out there and make positive changes! ____

Doug and Carl host another mailbag episode. An innocent conversation about investing devolved into lots of butt talk … Doug doesn’t contribute to tax-advantaged accounts. Is he wrong? Is it ever too late to switch over to Vanguard and index funds? What is the draw-down process like in retirement? Finally, Doug and Carl talk about recent purchases including a bidet … ____ ____ Links https://radicalpersonalfinance.libsyn.com/314-how-you-can-get-more-money-for-early-retirement-by-using-an-ira-or-401k-even-if-you-have-to-pay-the-10-penalty The Podcast for Location Independent Entrepreneurs The DC: Global Events & Meetups for Location Independent Entrepreneurs BitLift ⚡️ Your Wingman Down The Crypto Rabbit Hole

Doug and Carl talk about how much money is needed to quit. How Carl got his number way wrong The purpose of the 4% rule Bad sequence returns early in retirement aren’t the end of the world Doug and Carl discuss what they’re up to Links FIRE and The 4% Rule | MHFi 003 cFIREsim ____ ____

Doug and Carl interview Diane Hirschorn, a former money manager to the rich and famous. Financial goals of the rich The sad story about the lady who died with infinite wealth, but no friends How you can live on Pebble Beach in a massive estate with a 4,000 square foot personal gym on your property, and still be jealous of your neighbors Diane meets Jack Bogle Links Home | My Site 1 Diane Hirschhorn Bogleheads Investing Advice and Info ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk about what it means to be a “satisficer” – that’s not a typo! – versus an optimizer or maximizer. What does “satisficer” mean? What are the benefits of being either one? How do we identify? Is one better than the other? What we strive for ____ ____

Carl interviews Doug Cunnington. Brace yourselves, Carl probes deep! Young Doug Money – Money teachings & Biggest money mistake – Frugal? Professional – Lawn care business – University – Doug’s life now Deep thoughts – Finding beauty in daily existence – Inspiration – A perfect day ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk about the differences between achieving goals through motivation, discipline, and habits. Should you wait around for motivation to hit? How fickle motivation is How to create good habits and get “back on the wagon” after you deviate Start with something easy and take the pressure off yourself The power of just showing up ____

Doug and Carl bring back Eddie and Travis, fee-only financial advisors from Downshift Financial to discuss recent market upheaval. Volatility in 2022! How to get your mind right in a downturn Carl’s Tesla shares Portfolio Theory Sequence of Returns How to behave in a correction Links Financial Advisor for Early Retirement – Downshift Financial ____

Doug and Carl complain about not complaining. Kind of. Tim Ferriss’s no-complaint experiment Complainy Carl How Doug trained himself the art of not complaining How to deal with complainy people Links Real Mind Control: The 21-Day No-Complaint Experiment ____

Doug and Carl talk to Vivi Ton who made bold moves in life including quitting a lucrative engineering job. Vivi’s toxic work environment Leaving an engineering job to become a freelancer Unhappy parents Why aren’t engineers happy at work? Therapy The FIRE community Links Vivi on Instagram Personal Finance Club The Personal Finance Club Course: BUILD WEALTH BY INVESTING IN INDEX FUNDS (affiliate link! thanks for the support. It’s a great gift.) EconoMe Conference ____

Doug and Carl talk about black swans. (The unpredictable event; not the animal!) The Marshall Fire What is a black swan? How to prepare What Carl and Doug did with their investments during the Great Recession Doug’s upcoming speaking engagement Links: CampFI Southeast ____

Doug and Carl interview Chris and Deb from the Go Bucket Yourself podcast and blog. Recent adventures including pooping in the woods Why Chris and Deb started Go Bucket Yourself How to help others live their best life Limiting beliefs versus adventure How challenges make us better Out of state real estate investing Connection, growth, and adventure A perfect day Links Go Bucket Yourself Bigger Pockets Money Chris on Instagram Debbie on Instagram The Other Side of Perfect Obstacle is the Way Rich Dad, Poor Dad ____ ____

Doug interviews Carl. It was originally recorded in early 2020 for Doug’s podcast. So you’ll get to hear one of the first long conversations they ever had. ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk to Bill and Jon from The Fire Guild about health care for early retirees. Medical options for early retirees: COBRA, ACA, geo-arbitrage, health care sharing Health care sharing defined Health care sharing versus insurance Is health care sharing good for society? ____ Links: The Fire Guild: Home Homepage – RIP Medical Debt Transparency regulations: Health Plan Price Transparency | CMS No Surprises Act: No Surprises Act | CMS

Is there such a thing as a good job? Some are definitely better than others! We examine what a good job would look like for someone just starting out in life, and someone farther down the path. ____

Doug and Carl talk to the famous Brandon aka The Mad Fientist! Here are a few highlights of our discussion: Carl and Brandon reminisce about their first meeting almost 10 years ago! Discovering JD Roth and FIRE Mad Fientist: new features coming soon to the FI Laboratory How to spend money or not (The Switzerland Incident) Michelin 3 star restaurants versus Taco Bell Where is the FIRE movement going? Why the Mad Fientist loves routines For the love of coding ____ Links Mad Fientist – Financial Independence and Early Retirement Mad Fientist’s Music Travel Credit Cards Get Rich Slowly – Personal finance that makes sense The Escape Artist Mr. Money Mustache

Carl and Doug talk about whether they could hold down a job again, and why they might be good or bad at it. ____

We’re giving away free copies of First to a Million: A Teenager’s Guide to Achieving Early Financial Independence by Dan Sheeks! Leave a comment on the Mile High FI YouTube channel telling us about a teen you think deserves to get a copy of the book. We’ll pick three comments and send you a copy along with the accompanying workbook for you to pass along! In this episode, Doug and Carl interview Dan Sheeks about teaching teen financial literacy and his new book First to a Million. Here are a few highlights of our discussion: Dan’s Background traveling the world why traditional investment vehicles like 401(k)s are not for him his biggest money mistake Teens And Money how to teach teens about money are some humans natural-born savers? what about meme stocks, NFTs, and crypto? the Sheeks Freaks ____ Links SheeksFreaks | Achieve Early Financial Freedom https://www.instagram.com/sheeksfreaks/ Sheeks Freaks on YouTube First to a Million: A Teenager’s Guide to Achieving Early Financial Independence First to a Million Workbook: A Companion Guide for Teens to Achieve Early Financial Independence Note: Affiliate links above, so we get a commission if you buy something.

Carl and Doug talk about fitness and their hypothetical goals for 2022. (It’s a short form, and we actually keep it to just over 20 minutes.) NEW: we have intro and outro music. ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk inflation with personal finance blogging legend Paula Pant of Afford Anything. Paula discusses the mysterious origins of her first and middle names. Then we get into inflation and go pretty deep. why inflation is happening transitory or here to stay? does the Consumer Price Index matter? mortgages: inflation hedge or just more debt? inflation and financial independence ____ ____ Links #252: Ask Paula – Will the Stimulus Cause Massive Inflation? #343: Are We Heading for a Housing Crash in 2022? The Afford Anything Newsletter

Doug and Carl talk about investment limit changes for 2022 and Back Door Roths. Here are a few highlights from our discussion: 401k and Roth IRAs Long term capital gains The Back Door Roth lives! Pre-tax verses post-tax investing ____ Links: IRS announces changes to retirement plans for 2022 | Internal Revenue Service Backdoor Roth 401(k) and IRA rules for the wealthy survive — for now

In this episode, we’re joined by Mr. Money Mustache (aka Pete aka Pedro??) and Ray from Waffles on Wednesday, who showed up to share some beer and all kinds of hot sauce! Among many others, we tried Playing with FIRE Hot Sauce, which is homemade by our recent guest, Scott Rieckens. Listen in as we tackle the Scoville scale and some juicy questions. ____ ____ Links: Playing with Fire Documentary Waffles on Wednesday on Twitter Mr. Money Mustache and on Twitter

In this mailbag episode, Doug and Carl answer questions from listeners. Here’s what we covered: How is Carl planning for his kids’ college expenses? What things should you keep in mind when discussing a trust with a lawyer? What’s up with the Vanguard 2040 target date fund issuing massive capital gains distributions in 2021? What were our favorite microbrews of 2021? What was the best personal and professional part of 2021 for us? Do you need a high salary (or risky investments) to chase FI? Doug made a lot of 2022 resolutions for Carl, but doesn’t do them himself. What’s up with that? What do you spend money on that you really value? Links: Check out Carl’s talk at Econome! (on YouTube) Kyle Landis-Marinello’s website Bozeman Brewing Company ____ ____

In this live recording, Carl interviewed JL Collins at the MMM HQ Co-Working space. Carl opened the evening with a quiz for audience members. Volunteers had to read a phrase and then decide if the phrase was in a JL Collins book. Find out if Pete (Mr. Money Mustache) gets his question right… Carl had some questions for JL and then let the audience ask their own. This was a fun episode, and I hope you enjoy it! Links (*affiliate links below so we get a commission if you buy something – thank you) The Simple Path to Wealth How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable: A Cautionary Tale Mr. Money Mustache HQ ____

Has Doug changed his mind on crypto? It’s complicated. Why Doug didn’t like crypto Doug’s change of heart Why Carl almost bought Bitcoin in 2012 Links #231 – Alex Gladstein: Bitcoin, Authoritarianism, and Human Rights | Lex Fridman Podcast TMBA422: Crypto: What’s It All About? – Tropical MBA Podcast Coinbase – Buy and Sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more with trust Understanding the Global Rise of Authoritarianism ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk with Scott Rieckens, the creator behind the popular Playing with Fire Documentary. A few highlights from our discussion: How Scott found FI and how he got his wife on board Identifying the top ten things that make you happy (and the ten that make you miserable) Even Happier by Tal-Ben Shahar How FIRE lets you focus on the good things in life (and why you don’t actually need to be financially independent to do that) Scott’s experiences with negative attitudes towards FIRE Scott’s perfect day Scott’s new project: the online school Hello Compound, where Scott and his partner, Rob, help others to get their financial lives in order. Playing with FIRE on Amazon Be sure to check out all Scott’s endeavors and you can follow him on Twitter to see what he’s up to next! ____

In this episode, Doug and Carl interview blogging legend J$, founder of Budgets Are Sexy, Rockstar Finance, and Love Drop. Here are a few highlights of our discussion: J$ discusses how an innocent apartment search turned into a disastrous home purchase. Housing The great “buy versus rent” debate Why humans sometimes buy homes when they shouldn’t Budgets Are Sexy The origin story Publishing stories that no one else would touch The joy and pain of publicly sharing net worth Selling the site Giving back Creating good in the world with Love Drop (giving away $90,000!) Why do some people hate everything? How Doug gives back Links All-Star Money Budgets Are Sexy My Money Blog Side Hustle Series: I’m a “Phone Actress” The Love Drop “Highlights” Video! Nate St. Pierre’s Projects That Change the World ____

Doug and Carl talk about how 2021 went and their goals for 2022. They also talk about asparagus. Opening Carl comments on Doug’s new hoodie which makes him look exactly like Clifford the big red dog. Or should we say, Clifford the big red Doug. Mile High FI Did the podcast live up to expectations? Wait, what were the expectations? Doug and Carl talk about 2021 Doug worked less, abandoned a project, went to 3 personal finance events, and took off big chunks of time Carl worked way too much, stopped exercising, and pretty much said Yes! to everything Doug and Carl share their resolutions for each other Carl should do less, but also meditate and journal Doug should play a live gig and stop obsessing over asparagus Links EconoMe Conference – Nov 13th & 14th, 2021 Bitches Get Riches Melanzana Outdoor Clothing made in Leadville San Joaquin Asparagus Festival | Visit Stockton ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk to Jillian Johnsrud, author, blogger, podcaster, and life coach, about her book, Fire the Haters: Finding Courage to Create Online in a Critical World. Jillian lives in Montana with her husband and five children. She reached financial independence at the age of 32, and now she helps coach others on their journey to FI, as well as helping people through career transitions and supporting them as they launch or seek to grow businesses. In her podcast, Everyday Courage, Jillian talks to guests about FIRE, investing, career trajectories, and how to design a happy and successful life. Here are a few highlights from our discussion with Jillian: Expectations vs reality as a content creator How to decouple your self from your work Trying to make everyone happy is never interesting or engaging How to get helpful feedback but tune out the trolls Imposter syndrome Preparation as a form of procrastination (Did we bully Carl into launching a project he’s been sitting on for years? Maybe!) Jillian’s perfect day/week How to reach out to a high-profile person (without being creepy) ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk about the EconoMe conference, bunking together, Skyline Chili, and dutch ovens. Here are a few highlights of their discussion: Doug discusses a trip to buy an $80 hoodie (the beloved Melanzana) Carl discusses his recent trip to Butt Rock EconoMe overview Doug’s snoring and Carl’s dutch oven Stacking Benjamins show Is EconoMe about education, entertainment, community, or all of the above? Breakout sessions: women personal finance and socially responsible investing “Hell yeah!!” or “No!” (Derek Sivers) There is no middle ground. Carl discusses his big talk Thoughts on Cincinnati and Skyline Chili Return to EconoMe in 2023? Other Links Bitches Get Riches ____ ____

Doug and Carl talk to Kristen Rainey about a topic that matters to everyone: sleep! Kristen Rainey is the founder of Northstar Sleep School, and she takes good sleep seriously. On her podcast, Northstar Unplugged, she talks to fascinating people about health, wellness, and (of course) sleep. Kristen has accomplished so much in her life. She attended Princeton University and has had multiple successful careers, including working with Google in the food arena to ensure all employees had access to delicious, healthy foods. Now she has turned her keen eye to the realm of sleep and helps train people to build and maintain excellent sleeping habits and feel better in their lives. To receive 10 tips for better sleep, go here. Here are a few highlights of our discussion: High-stress jobs and how to sleep well even if you have one Why do we sleep? How much sleep we need How to take the perfect nap Best sleep practices Building a sleep routine Dealing with jet lag Sleep supplements and how other substances affect sleep Sleep trackers The ideal sleep environment, including mattress and cooling pad recommendation We are ready to get a great night’s sleep every night after talking to Kristen, and hope you can pick up some helpful tips from her to help you live a well-rested life! ____ ____

JL Collins joins Carl and Doug to talk about a terrible investment experience with Real Estate. JL tells the story in his new book, How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable: A Cautionary Tale. You probably recognize JL from our other talk with him, or more likely the Google Talk, or his first book, The Simple Path to Wealth. JL is amazing! 🔥 Check out his new book on Amazon [Affiliate Link so we get a commission if you buy it. thanks!] 🔥 How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable ____ ____