Fire Drill

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How I Earn A Full Time Income as a Travel Blogger | The Mandagies Sep 25, 2019

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Have you ever considered travel blogging as a full time hustle? Emily and Berty are full time travel bloggers and photographers. They make money blogging, working for clients, selling prints and many other projects that earn them several different income streams, all while travelling and working from home. You'll love their story. We also chat about... How they became travel bloggers Their blogging niche How the make money from their blog Short term and long term financial goals The factor to blogging success Enjoy this chat with Emily of the Mandagies, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Blog: The Mandagies Emily and Berty on Instagram and Facebook Mediavine Keysearch Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Blogging for Profit - Gold City Ventures Key takeaways from our chat with Emily 1 - How bloggers really make money Emily and Berty have several income streams, but their main one comes from their travel blog. The first thing Emily talks about is how they took baby steps - they didn't make much money in the first 2 years of blogging. Now, they make most of the money from selling ad space on their blog to ad companies like Mediavine. They focus on SEO, social media and user intent to help their articles rank on Google. They now make $6,500 per month just from their blog. 2 - The day to day of a travel blogger Emily and Berty spend half their time travelling, half their time working. When they're travelling, it's very intense and consists of several day hikes, a lot of photography and exploring. They then get home, rest for a few days and curate all the content. At home they work a 9 to 5, but on their own time. They work on their blog and any other projects they have going on with clients. 3 - The secret factor to blogger success Emily believes the secret factor to blogger success is loving what you blog about. The first couple of years the blog won't make any money, so you need to be willing to blog for free at first. This can get frustrating and difficult if you're only doing it for the money. Emily also says it's important to find a niche for you to focus on - and there are many in the travel space! Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

From Journalist to Owning a Flower Company | Emily Sep 18, 2019

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Have you ever considered quitting your job to start a business? Emily was working as a journalist, but an 'aha' moment made her realise that she wanted to do more meaningful work, and so she set up a flower company that caters to weddings and private events. She now has 5 employees and her business is growing steadily. You'll love that story. We also chat about... Why Emily left her job as a journalist Why she went into the flower business The process of starting a business Her financial situation when transitioning away from her job Her current business metrics Enjoy this chat with Emily, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Carolina Flowers Emily on Instagram Book: How to Find Fulfilling Work Lynda Library Key takeaways from our chat with Emily 1 - The moment Emily realised she was in the wrong economy Emily was working as a journalist - she was good at writing, reading and networking - but she didn't enjoy sitting at a desk or earning a low salary. She started learning about behavioural economics and as she took mental notes, she understood that this was a market she wanted to be part of. She decided to go into the flower business since she saw that it was a product that worked well, and that could get her away from sexism in the workplace as well as add value to the community. 2 - How Emily kickstarted her flower business Emily's flower business is her way to be part of her community and solve a problem using farm land. She didn't have many resources when she started, so she started a farm on a small land while she was still working as a journalist. Most people did not take her seriously, but she kept working on her business and had enough money to recirculate through the company. She now has 5 employees and sells hundreds of thousands of flowers every year. 3 - How she manages her money and her future goals The positive aspect of working as a journalist is that Emily was used to not making much money. She told herself that she could always wait tables if her business didn't work out. She had $10,000 saved up and inherited another $10,000. With that, she was able to kickstart her business and take it each day at a time. She was responsible with her money, and knew that quitting her job would not mean losing all her savings immediately. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

My Path to Financial Independence as an Introvert | FI Introvert Sep 11, 2019

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Are introverts more interested in FI than extroverts? Drew is an introvert on his path to FI, who was able to boost his career, finances and personal relationships by understanding his introversion and optimising his daily schedule. You'll love that story. We also chat about... What introversion really means The turning point of his career Starting his FI journey His current mindset with regards to FI How having a child changed his path to FI Enjoy this chat with Drew, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Blog: FI Introvert Drew on Twitter Book: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Key takeaways from our chat with Drew 1 - Why introverts have a larger desire for FI Drew notes that most of the big FI bloggers in the community are introverts. He says that the reason for this is because the desire for freedom as an introvert is much greater than for extroverts. Introverts want to be free from office small talk, from sales meetings and from feeling controlled by other people - so the need to quit their job is much more urgent. 2 - How Drew used his introversion to improve his career Growing up as an introvert, Drew wasn't able to understand why he was different from others. People thought he was a terrible co worker and that he was arrogant. At the end of the day he had little energy and disliked his day to day work. After reading 'Quiet' by Susan Cain, he understood that he was an introvert and that he could use this to understand his limits and plan his day in advance. He was able to give more time to himself and have his own schedule - this boosted his career, his confidence and personal relationships. 3 - Mindset as a FI goal Drew and his family have $1 million in investment assets. They just had a son and Drew enjoys his career, so the family isn't planning on retiring early any time soon. They've decided that their FI goal is a mindset, not a number. Once they reach the mindset of spending more time at home and living in a lower cost of living area, then they will consider themselves officially FI. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

Reaching Cashflow FI in Our Late Twenties | Rethink the Rat Race Sep 04, 2019

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James and Emily retired from the rat race at the ages of 27 and 28. Through real estate investing and frugality, they managed to hit their Cashflow FI number in 3 years. Using their Cashflow strategy, they're planning to travel around Europe and continue to manage their properties from abroad. You'll love that story. We also chat about... Their turning point to reach FI Being Cashflow FI Their real estate journey Leaving their jobs and travelling around Europe Enjoy this chat with James and Emily, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Blog: Rethink the Rat Race Rethink the Rat Race on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Redfin Camp Mustache Miss Mazuma Bigger Pockets Camp FI Ms Fiology Gold City Ventures Blogging for Profit course Key takeaways from our chat with James and Emily 1 - Reaching Cashflow FI James and Emily keep their living expenses incredibly low, at less than $15,000 per year. As they reach FI, they're planning on spending even less. Thanks to their real estate properties, they're pretty much already there. The income they get every month more than covers their expenses (making over $72,000 per year) and with that money they're planning on living comfortably without working. 2 - Their real estate strategy They currently own 10 units, having bought their first one in 2017. They buy triplexes and duplexes, and their first one was with a 25% deposit down and a 30 year mortgage. They invested in an excellent area and are now enjoy the 2% rule (where they make nearly 2% of the property every month). They set aside 10% for maintenance and 10% for property management, and so far it's been going pretty smoothly. 3 - What it's like leaving their jobs They're going through all the paperwork to finally leave their jobs and go travel. Their strategy is to first take a leave of absence from work - but with no plan of ever returning! They're moving abroad to Europe, specifically Cyprus and will have the freedom to do whatever they want. Their friends and family are a mix of confused, excited and infatuated - as many of us know, converting people to FI lifestyle isn't so easy ;) Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

The Top Places to Live as an Early Retiree | Community Episode Aug 28, 2019

Show notes

What is the best place in the world for early retirees to live in? In today's episode, Julie plays voicemails, reads out tweets and emails from members of the FIRE community on the best places to live as a financially free retiree. We hear about places in the US, South America and everywhere else in the world! We also chat about... The best states and cities to live in the US What's important when considering a new city to live in Places outside of the US that are great to live in Enjoy this community episode, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Savvy History Legislative Lottery in New Mexico Financial Pilgrimage Post: 10 Reasons Why St. Louis is a Great Place to Raise a Family Stop Ironing Shirts Finance Clever The Earth Awaits PitchWire Key takeaways from our Community Episode 1 - Knoxville, Tennessee Christina and Matt give us a detailed explanation as to why Knoxville is such a great place for early retirees. The cost of living is low, there are many activities involving culture, sports and especially the outdoors; Knoxville has over 50 miles of trails and tons of public parks. The city has a big art and music scene, and the Discovery channel have their headquarters based there. The couple enjoy a high level of entertainment and believe they could not reach FI anywhere else. 2 - The state of New Mexico Debbie brings the state of New Mexico to the top of the list for early retirees. She mentions that public education is cheap and the legislative lottery is a big help for university students. In the summer the weather is warm and dry, and in the winter there's skiing and other winter sports. The only negative is that there is a lack of diversity when it comes to jobs, but for an early retiree this shouldn't be an issue. 3 - Places outside of the US Many other places are mentioned in the US as well in the rest of the world. Natalia talks about how amazing the health insurance in Costa Rica is, Finance Clever tells us about Medellin in Colombia and Colleen mentions Panama city. Other places mentioned are Lisbon, Chang Mai, Taiwan and the UK! Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

Earn Money While you Travel with VIPKID | Grateful Gypsies Aug 21, 2019

Show notes

Ever considered teaching English online as a side hustle? Or even as a full time income? Rachel and her husband are full time digital nomads that travel the world and make their money teaching English online. They've been digital nomading for over 7 years and are still going strong. You'll love that story. We also chat about... What it's like to live as a digital nomad Making money while travelling What VIPKid is about Managing a schedule when travelling Success stories from other teachers Long term goals Enjoy this chat with Rachel, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Rachel's course (35% discount: 'fireteachers2019'): Teaching for Freedom Grateful Gypsies VIP Kid Rachel's free eBook Rachel on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram Key takeaways from our chat with Rachel 1 - It's totally possible to make money while travelling Rachel and Sasha moved to China in 2010 after they couldn't find jobs due to the recession. There was (and still is) a high demand for English teachers and they quickly found well paid jobs with comfortable housing and schedules. This was their first step into the direction of working while travelling. They then quit their jobs and went on a 14 month travelling trip. When they got back to working, they decided to find a sustainable way to work and travel at the same time. This involved freelance writing, a travel blog and teaching ESL online. 2 - How VIPKid works VIPKid is a platform for native English speakers to teach English to kids in China. Teachers earn up to $22 per hour, and control their own teaching schedule. Depending on the timezone, teachers can choose to teach in evenings or early mornings, as well as full time on weekends. Rachel makes it clear that it's not a hard gig; lesson plans are made by the company, along with teacher's notes and questions to ask the student. VIPKid is certainly a legit and working side hustles for those who enjoy teaching. 3 - Managing a schedule as an online English teacher The biggest hurdle when teaching online and travelling at the same time is being in the right environment. Rachel and Sasha need to book Airbnbs in advance and make sure they have good internet and a quiet environment. Rachel adapts her schedule to teach certain hours during the day, and then work on other projects or do some travelling in her free time. She gives teaching techniques and schedule tips in her recently launched course 'Teaching for Freedom'. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

How I Solo Van Life with My Dog | Divine On the Road Aug 14, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever considered moving into a van and travelling round the country? Sydney is 24 and has been on the road for 2 years. She travels with her dog to every corner of the US, and is currently making money online through her websites. You'll love that story. We also chat about... How to live in a van with a dog The Van Life community What it's like to be a female solo traveller How Sydney got started with the van life How she makes money through her blog Her life and financial goals Enjoy this chat with Sydney, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Sydney's Blog: Divine On the Road Sydney on Instagram Van Life App Build Your Van Guide Blog Post: Van Life Monthly Expenses Cost Breakdown Gold City Ventures Key takeaways from our chat with Sydney 1 - Living in a van with a dog Sydney travels the US in her van with her one year old Golden Retriever. She explains that the key to making the travels as comfortable as possible was getting a puppy, not an adult dog, so she could train her early on to the van life. Since getting her puppy, Sydney's travelled all around the US and hasn't had any issues with her dog. She only goes where her dog can go, and has learnt how to deal with the smells that come with living in a small space with a dog. 🐶 2 - Building up the perfect van Sydney has experience building up two vans for road tripping round the US. In the first van the materials cost around $8,000, and she had a family friend who was able to help with the fixing up. Her current and second van cost her $16,000 of material plus labour. Her monthly bills are around $2,000 per month, and she feels she has larger control on her spending. Depending on how much she makes that month, she can decide to slow down and travel less. 3 - How Sydney makes money online Sydney started blogging when she first started road tripping in the first van she was sharing with her partner. She blogs about van life and uses affiliate marketing, and also does some freelance web design to make money. All her skills are self taught and she attributes her success to her sheer determination to make full time van life possible. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

Why and How I Homeschool My Kids | Vincent Pugliese Aug 07, 2019

Show notes

Did you know what you wanted to do at the age of 18? Like most of us, Vincent didn't know what he wanted to do, and ended up jumping in and out of college and trying out jobs. He's now been an entrepreneur for 12 years, has published his own book, organises retreats and masterminds and homeschools his kids. You'll love his story. We also chat about... How and when Vincent hit rock bottom How he homeschools his kids From scarcity to abundance mindset His journey from sports photographer to entrepreneur The culture of masterminds and retreats Enjoy this chat with Vincent, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Vincent's website: Total Life Freedom Vincent's book: Freelance to Freedom Freelance to Freedom Free Audiobook Vincent's email: freelancetofreedom@gmail.com Vincent's podcast: Total Life Freedom Key takeaways from our chat with Vincent 1 - The advantages of homeschooling your kids Vincent and his wife homeschool their kids to give them the freedom to pursue their own curiosities. He explains that they get to socialise with children from all different ages, and that the main thing he is teaching them is how to solve problems and how to lead. He doesn't use a curriculum, and instead encourages his children to get comfortable in different environments and follow their interests. 2 - How to achieve an abundance mindset Vincent admits that both him and his wife started their financial journey with a scarcity mindset. The followed Dave Ramsey's approach and cut to the bone in order to improve their situation. But he says that their biggest mistake was not investing in themselves, and that it wasn't until they started working on their network and investing in people they admired that they took on a more aggressive approach. 3 - Building a mastermind community Vincent organises masterminds and retreats to bring people together. His goal is for generous entrepreneurs to meet and help each other out. They get together, brainstorm business ideas and life issues and make friends. The key is creating a culture where like-minded people can work on their goals and ambitions, and bring value to others at the same time. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

How I’m Building Passive Income as a Food Photographer | Joanie Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

Joanie is a full time food photographer who quit her 9-5 job to follow her creative passion. She's always loved cooking, and when she started sharing food content online through her blog and started getting hired by restaurants to take photos of their menu, she realised she had an opportunity to pursue this creative outlet full time. Since then, she's started her own Youtube channel, online courses and physical workshops. You'll love that story. We also chat about... How Joanie got started as a food photographer Leaving her 9-5 job in 2015 Why her and her husband refinanced their house The early trade offs when starting a business Joanie's recipe blog Yes and No tips to food photography Her next steps as a photographer Enjoy this chat with Joanie, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Joanie's website: Joanie Simon Joanie on Youtube Episode: How Randa built a food blog for passive income and the gift of travel – The Bewitchin’ Kitchen Lightroom CC Key takeaways from our chat with Joanie 1 - Pursuing a creative business isn't a straight path Joanie explains that becoming a food photographer wasn't part of a big plan to leave her job. She started because she saw it as a fun outlet of creativity. She attributes her success to being very hands on, to her constant learning through Youtube and her genuine passion and interest. She made her own content and made sure to make friends with other artists, which completely immersed her into the world of food photography. Her Youtube channel also gave her exposure to a whole new set of audience, food bloggers and Youtubers, which further grew her business. 2 - Having a financial cushion. Joanie was the sole breadwinner of a 2 children family when she decided to leave her job. With 9 months of expenses in the bank, she decided to focus on one thing only: getting her food photography business of the ground. Her and her husband also got serious about budgeting and knowing their numbers. They also refinanced their house in order to have more options, flexibility and less stress. This helped her focus on her food photography business and it's what gives her the huge amount of flexibility and freedom she has now. 3 - Building passive income from a creative business Joanie started off with her recipe blog, but this eventually branched into a Youtube channel, food photography coaching and consulting, as well as workshops and online courses. This has been her move towards increasing her passive income and away from exchanging time for money. Through large 500 people workshops and courses she also feels she'll be able to educate people on a deeper level and will be building a much more scalable business. Her dream is to have a physical space to do her workshops. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

Making Money as a Pinterest VA and Blogger | Believe in a Budget Jul 24, 2019

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Kristin retired from her day job to pursue entrepreneurship and make money blogging. Once Kristin realised she could make good money blogging, she set a goal and left her day job once she reached it. Since then, she's set up her own business as a Pinterest VA and now helps others work remotely too. You'll love that story. We also chat about... Her money journey Tips to make money online blogging Pinterest design tips How Kristin got started as a Pinterest VA Becoming a Pinterest VA as a side hustle Enjoy this chat with Kristin, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it! Show notes and links from today's episode Become a Pinterest VA Kristin's blog: Believe in a Budget Gold City Ventures (J's Blogging Course) Key takeaways from our chat with Kristin 1 - You can make good money blogging On her 4th month blogging, Kristin made her first $60. At month 10, she was making $4,000 per month. Using spreadsheets and planning, she figured out how much she needed to make so she could leave her job and it's now been 6 years since she quit. Through trial and error, she's learnt the basics of blogging. She realised her income did not rely on how many blog posts she was publishing a week, but more on putting time in the appropriate place: affiliate income, personal products and a lot of experimenting. 2 - Using Pinterest to boost blog traffic Kristin had no experience with social media, but once she discovered Pinterest and started using it, she immediately saw a boost in her blog traffic. She attributes Pinterest as the best way to grow website traffic. Her tips include making sure pins are tall and skinny, making sure colors are light and bright and that pins cover beginner topics such as budgeting and saving. Experimenting with different pin designs is a good way to make sure your blog post gets noticed. 3 - How you can become a Pinterest VA From her Pinterest success, Kristin published a case study showing how much Pinterest boosted her blog. From there, bloggers reached out to her for help with their own Pinterest. She quickly had an entire schedule of clients who hired her to work on their Pinterest. This led to the creation of 'Becoming a Pinterest VA' course that now helps other freelancers make money with Pinterest clients. Questions? Like or dislike? Leave us a comment! Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do. 1. Start tracking your net worth with Personal Capital using our link. It's free. 2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get one extra LIVE episode from us per week. 3. Join our Facebook group and connect with other members of the FI community.

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