Financial Independence Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Our Next Life - Retiring to a Life in the Mountains Feb 27, 2017

Show notes

Later this year, at the ages of 38 and 41, the couple behind OurNextLife.com will be quitting the stressful, time-consuming jobs that they've held for most of their adult lives and will be retiring to a life in the mountains.

This is particularly interesting to me because one of my dreams is to live on the side of the mountain and get a part-time ski patrol job. Because really, what could be better than waking up early after a big snowfall, grabbing a cup of coffee with your buddies, then strapping on your skis and heading up the mountain to throw bombs and trigger avalanches?

Join me for a Financial Independence Podcast interview with Ms. ONL to hear all about this exciting transition to the mountains and to find out what their next life has in store for them!

Highlights:

What to do if you're not naturally frugal
Why you should gradually trim your expenses if your spending is high
The risk of losing your identity when leaving a long-term, time-consuming job
Finding meaning after early retirement
Using your money to help out your family
What it's like living in a ski town
The additional costs of mountain life
How to transition from the big city to the mountains
Preparing for the two phases of early retirement

Coach Carson - The Simple Way to Retire Early with Real Estate Jan 20, 2017

Show notes

After delivering an epic guest post on the tax advantages of investing in real estate, I asked Chad Carson from CoachCarson.com to join me on the podcast to hear more about his own experiences with real estate investing.

Chad started with only $1,000 in the bank and was able to build up a real estate empire that now consists of over 90 units!

It's an incredible story of hard work, intelligent money management, and perseverance so listen to find out how he did it. And if you've ever wanted to know what it felt like to be a full-time real estate investor when the entire housing market collapsed in 2008, hear how Chad survived despite making over 50 acquisitions in 2007 alone!

Highlights:

How to get started in real estate with no money
What is 'bird dogging'?
Why you should invest in something that's simple and understandable
The numerous ways to finance real estate purchases
What it was like to survive the financial crisis as a real estate investor after making 50+ acquisitions in 2007
The importance of having a cash reserve
Why you should house hack or do a live-in flip if you want to retire early
What Chad would do if he was starting again and wanted to reach financial independence as quickly as possible
Why you need to be cautious when considering passive real estate investing options
How buying real estate to live in is much different than buying real estate as an investment

Fiery Millennials and Millennial Boss – A Millennial's Guide to FI Dec 30, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Gwen from Fiery Millennials and Julie from Millennial Boss join me to talk about millennial finances and what young people should do to reach financial independence as quickly as possible!

Highlights:

Thoughts on Chautauqua and Camp Mustache (including the awful financial advice Julie received in Ecuador)
How Gwen landed her dream job and how Julie increased her income by 600% in 5 years
The benefits of starting your own blog
Why Gwen is the real-life Guinea Pig
How to get a college degree for free (or as cheaply as possible)
Why everyone should have a side hustle
How to negotiate a higher salary (including Julie's story of how she earned an additional $80,000 by negotiating!)
What to do if you already have an inflated lifestyle

Sane Fientist - My Wife's Thoughts on Financial Independence Dec 22, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I interview my wife, Jill!

It took a lot of persuading to get her on the show but I'm glad she agreed because her perspective is very different from mine so it was interesting to hear her thoughts on financial independence, early retirement, and this unconventional life we lead!

Highlights:

When my wife found out I was a weirdo with money
My lowest point as a cheapskate
Why Jill and I kept our finances separate
The importance of figuring out your perfect life
How to get your spouse on board with FI
Why you should start small when trying new things
What I do that annoys my wife most

Millennial Revolution – Denouncing the Cult of Homeownership Dec 01, 2016

Show notes

Joining me on today's episode of the Financial Independence Podcast are FIRECracker (Kristy) and Wanderer (Bryce) from Millennial Revolution!

Kristy and Bryce exploded onto the scene after a video clip of them attacking the religion of homeownership went viral (it is now the most-viewed and most-shared video on CBC.ca, Canada's largest news website).

During our interview, we dive into the viral video, explore why they believe buying a home is usually a terrible idea, and find out what they've been up to after retiring in their early 30s!

Highlights:

Buying a house vs. retiring early
Delusional homeowner math and how to avoid it
Why you should rent everything
The benefits of using a financial advisor
How reaching financial independence is different in Canada
Why you should follow your dreams on the side

PopUp Business School - The Right Way to Start a Business Nov 22, 2016

Show notes

I just returned from a fantastic week at the annual Chautauqua event in Ecuador.

This was my second Chautauqua and just like last year, it exceeded all expectations.

It's amazing what can happen when you put a bunch of interesting, intelligent people in a gorgeous 17th century hacienda (located at the foot of an extinct volcano) for a week.

At this year's event, an attendee named Alan gave an impromptu presentation about why and how you should start a business and since it fit perfectly with the week's other discussions about financial independence and happiness, I knew I had to get him on the podcast.

Since leaving my job in August, I've realized how important it is to have something meaningful to work on to fill the void after leaving your career so I think creating your own business is something everyone should consider.

A side business can not only help ease the transition to early retirement, it can reduce the pressure on your portfolio after you quit and it can even help you reach FI sooner so listen to today's episode to find out the right way to get started!

Highlights:

Takeaways and surprises from the Chautauqua in Ecuador
Why you should do work you love
How NOT to start a business
Why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be risky
How to start a business for free
The importance of selling your value before you create it
Why you need to just get started

Adventuring Along – From $0 to Retired in 5 Years Nov 01, 2016

Show notes

Want to know how two teachers were able to go from $0 net worth to retired in just 5 years?

On today's episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Ali and Joe (a.k.a. Arebelspy) from Adventuring Along join me to talk about how investing in real estate supercharged their progress to early retirement.

We not only dive into how they achieved financial independence in spectacular fashion but we also explore their equally impressive retirement so far. In the past year alone they have hiked the entire El Camino de Santiago, had a baby in Istanbul, Turkey, and published a romance novel!

Highlights:

Dollar-cost averaging into real estate
How to purchase real estate in a place you've never visited
Best books for real estate investors
Grasping the concept of 'enough'
Importance of challenging yourself after retirement (both mentally and physically)
Cost of having a baby in Turkey
How much money you can save by staying out of the United States

Mad Fientist – 1500 Days Podcast Takeover Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

My podcast was hijacked!

During this year's financial blogger conference (a.k.a. FinCon) in San Diego, Mr. and Mrs. 1500 from 1500days.com took control of the Financial Independence Podcast and put me on the hot seat (a very hot seat, indeed)!

You'll remember that last year at this same conference, I recorded an in-person interview with the 1500s. Well, this year Mr. 1500 figured it'd be fun to turn the tables on me so he and Mrs. 1500 interviewed me for my own show.

Sadly we only had 30 minutes to record, and the people on stage before us ran late, so this is a short but action-packed episode.

Big thanks to Mr. and Mrs. 1500 for doing it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Highlights:

What I was like as a child and what got me interested in money
Details about my first job
Why I started the Mad Fientist
My path to financial independence and what it was like leaving my job
The story behind my free Ivy League master's degree
What it was like to be on the front page of Yahoo.com
Details of our 3-month trip around the world
Why my wife is gross :)

The Military Guide – Angel Investing, Market Crashes, & 14 Years of Early Retirement Sep 30, 2016

Show notes

Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, Doug Nordman (a.k.a. Nords) from The Military Guide joins me to talk about how he achieved financial independence at the age of 41 by serving in the military!

Doug retired way back in 2002 so we dive into how he dealt with the market crashes that occurred at various stages on his path to financial independence, what 14 years of retirement has been like, and how he's found meaning outside of work.

I know many of you enjoyed Doug's wisdom and insights on the previous episode so check out today's episode for his full story!

Highlights:

Thoughts on over 14 years of early retirement
Details of his investing strategy and how it's changed over the years
Mistakes he made and lessons learned
How to deal with market crashes when you're still working, about to retire, and already retired
What it's like to live and work on a submarine
Difference between pursuing FI as a military service member vs. a civilian
What angel investing can teach you about investing and why it may be the best way to give away your money

Camp Mustache – Q&A with Mr. Money Mustache, Afford Anything, & The Military Guide Sep 12, 2016

Show notes

Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, I'm excited to share a live Q&A session with Mr. Money Mustache, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and Doug Nordman from The Military Guide!

This panel discussion took place back in May at Camp Mustache — an annual retreat in the Pacific Northwest organized by Mr. Money Mustache readers.

In this episode, you'll not only hear about…

Mr. Money Mustache's biggest splurges
The investing mistakes I still can't seem to avoid
Paula's favorite thing about financial independence
Doug's suggestion for discovering the meaning of life

…, but you'll also get varied and diverse perspectives on some of the most important questions facing those on the path to financial independence and early retirement!

Highlights:

Top recommendations for people who are close to achieving financial independence
How to stay motivated when pursuing FI
What is the meaning of life
How to foster a good online culture and community
Tips and tricks to stop you from trying to time the market
The biggest challenges of reaching FI and how to overcome them
What we splurge on and why
Mr. Money Mustache's thoughts on being featured in the New Yorker
How to handle changes in your relationships after reaching FI

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Financial Independence Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected