Mile High FI Podcast

Doug continues his conversation with Jennifer about reaching Financial Independence and subsequently retiring in about two years while living in a high cost-of-living area.  Jennifer shares the details of a car accident that served as a life-changing catalyst, her transition into early retirement, and specific technical strategies like utilizing a 72(t) that allowed her to accelerate her...

Doug chats with Jennifer about reaching Financial Independence and subsequently retiring in about two years while living in a high cost-of-living area.  She shares how she discovered FI while dealing with burnout from a big-tech/creative career.  Jennifer also discusses accelerating her FI journey by overcoming lifestyle creep, tackling the “Big 3 expenses” (housing, transportation, food...

Doug and Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) answer questions from the listener mailbag.  They discuss the benefits & timing of claiming Social Security and address criticism of prior comments about video games.  Pete also provides an update on recent lifestyle changes, including insight into his personal spending & annual expenses.

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Doug chats with Carla & Robert about life after their 2019 sabbatical – including observations, lessons learned, and how they currently handle a “working when it’s optional” lifestyle.  They discuss how to deal with boredom vs. the need to be productive, the importance of community, health/fitness motivation, the joys of discovering new hobbies, opportunity costs of continued work, a...

Doug chats with Amberly Grant (FinTalks) about how their views & mindsets around frugality have evolved and share recent spending decisions, especially around travel and “quality of life” purchases.  They discuss the changing psychology of spending as income grows and the practical value of “removing negatives” from life.

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Doug continues his conversation with Rusty about how to optimize the final year before (early) retirement.  They discuss using debt responsibly, leveraging home equity & securities-backed lines of credit to maintain cash flow, navigating the complexities of post-retirement healthcare, and managing emotional & practical withdrawal strategies.

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Doug chats with Rusty about how to optimize the final year before (early) retirement, emphasizing the critical distinction between “one more year syndrome” vs. a calculated final year and how working a little longer can lower withdrawal rates & reduce sequence-of-returns worry.  They compare quitting to being fired or laid off and highlight some potential benefits such as severance, ...

Doug and co-host Kristen Knapp chat with Fritz Gilbert (The Retirement Manifesto) at the EconoMe Conference about various drawdown strategies and spending in early retirement.  Fritz describes how he personally implements a “bucket strategy” approach to withdrawing money by setting up a monthly “paycheck”, how decumulation differs from accumulation, and explains sequence-of-returns, infl...

Doug chats with Mark Trautman (Mark’s Money Mind) about the relevance of The 4% Rule in modern retirement planning.  They explore whether it remains a solid “north star” for those in the accumulation phase or if it has become an outdated guideline that potentially hinders retirees from living their best lives.  Mark also shares his personal transition from a high-saver to a strategic ret...

Support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, PanCan, for the PurpleStride.

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PurpleStride is an inspiring event for anyone who has been affected by pancreatic cancer. We are raising funds to ensure vital research continues and free resources are made available to all who need them.

We’ll be at the Dallas event (PurpleStride) DFW. If the this episode is up, then donations are s...

Doug and Mark Trautman (Mark’s Money Mind) answer questions from the listener mailbag.  They discuss how to prepare for retirement, building social connections beyond work, psychological shifts of leaving a career, strategies for “manufacturing” a retirement paycheck, how to navigate the changing landscape of car ownership (buying vs. leasing), and the mindset shift of decumulation &...

Doug chats with his wife Elizabeth about her 2-year anniversary in early retirement.  Elizabeth describes why she loves not working, challenges with balancing routine vs. flexibility, and how reduced stress has improved relationships and communication.  Doug & Elizabeth also discuss budgeting with a financial advisor, differences in “fun fund” spending, the impact of market returns o...

Doug and Kristen Knapp (FI Friends Travel) dive into a listener-submitted topic from Dell regarding the potential benefits of oversaving.  Doug & Kristen discuss the pros & cons of oversaving, the necessity of having a plan for “retiring to something” after work, and explore the psychological shifts that occur when you no longer need a paycheck.  They also tackle common traps in ...

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Mile High FI is listed as one of the TOP Podcast on Careers in Apple Podcasts!

Spotify is 28% of the audience, so that’s grown in 2025 and higher than I said in this epis...

Doug chats with Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) about various fears that some people have about early retirement.  They explore why some people may be reluctant to retire, despite being financially ready, and specifically how fear of boredom can hold people back.  They discuss “One More Year Syndrome” and the irrational fear of running out of money despite what the math says.

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Doug chats with Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) about evolving perspectives within the FIRE movement.  Moving beyond external critiques, they dive into a confessional-style discussion about genuine problems within the community – from the pitfalls of ultra-frugality, over-saving, over-optimizing, and “One More Year Syndrome” to the identity crisis retirees face.  They explore why FIRE i...

Doug chats with Pete Adeney, Mr. Money Mustache, about whether the FIRE Movement is dead, in response to a variety of online commentary claiming this statement as fact.  Doug & Pete review and critique multiple perspectives, including notable names like Dave Ramsey and Morgan Housel while also addressing misconceptions, highlighting the value of Financial Independence, and acknowledg...

Doug chats with Carl about finding purpose in life.  They discuss the benefits of preparing for retirement by building a rich life outside of work, taking sabbaticals, and conducting small experiments to explore new hobbies and interests.  They also talk about the importance of community, the idea of redefining success, achieving flow state, and finding meaningful ways to spend one’s tim...

Doug and Producer Chris chat about a very controversial topic in the FIRE community – working with a financial advisor.  They explore the reasons someone might or might not want to work with an advisor, discussing common pitfalls like high fees & hidden motivations, while emphasizing the benefits of getting an outside perspective & professional guidance, especially in areas like ...