FI Minded: Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It

My first big trip abroad was in 2015. I had just graduated from college the week before and wanted to do something fun. So my girlfriend and I flew to Europe and visited Prague, Paris, and Barcelona. It was a blast, and it left a lasting impression. Since then, I’ve traveled to 10 more countries.

Lately, I’ve been getting more comfortable with international travel, and I’m starting to feel the itch to push beyond my comfort zone. Up...

Some money moves sound smart…until you actually try them.

This is Part 2 of our special series where six personal finance experts share strategies that sound smart but rarely are. In this episode, you’ll hear from:

• Larry McMahon (Uncontrollable Me) on why doing everything yourself can be a costly mistake
• Sean Mullaney (FI Tax Guy) on when Traditional 401(k) contributions might not be the best choice
• Jeremy Schneider (Personal Finan...

Some financial strategies sound really smart…until they aren’t.

In part one of this special two-part series, we’re diving into real stories from personal finance pros who once made money moves that seemed like great ideas... but turned out to be anything but.

You’ll hear honest reflections from:

• Diana Merriam (EconoMe) on the allure, and pitfalls, of credit card churning
• Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors) on re...

We’re great savers. Probably good earners, too. But what about givers?

The FI community excels at building wealth, but often, we’re laser-focused on accumulating it for ourselves. Is that fair? Does that make us selfish?

I’m not sure. On one hand, taking care of yourself should be step one - like the old adage goes: “Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” And I think there is a lot of validity to that.

But here’s the thin...

Why are you chasing financial independence?

It could be living a more adventurous life filled with travel or doing work you love, regardless of the pay. Whatever your dream looks like, it probably comes down to two things: freedom and flexibility.

We want to be in the driver’s seat of our lives. And we know money is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way. So we save, invest, and make sacrifices now, hoping it’ll give us mor...

What would you do if you had to start over, completely from scratch?

In this episode, I share the wild true story of Audrey, a woman who vanished in 1962 and was just found alive, 63 years later. Her story sparked a thought experiment: if you had to reinvent yourself, new city, new career, new hobbies, what path would you choose?

We’ll explore what reinvention could look like through the lens of financial independence. I also share a...

I get why some people aren’t into traveling. Long flights crammed in a middle seat, overpriced hotels that smell like smoke, and being miles away from the city center - none of that screams “dream vacation.”

Now, I’m past the days of budget airlines and sketchy motels but I’m also not flying first class with lay-down seats or staying in luxury hotels in the city center that leave chocolates on the pillows.

Financial independence has ...

For most of us pursuing financial independence, the math is pretty straightforward: earn more, spend less, and invest the difference. But what if you could speed things up and discover a new passion along the way?

That’s where side hustles come in. Not only can they give your FI plan a serious income boost, but they also let you explore projects that could become meaningful ventures in your post-FI life.

But how do you find the right...

Tariffs aren’t just for global trade - you can apply the concept to your personal life to protect your time, energy, and values.

As we gain more financial freedom, how we spend and make money should evolve too. In this short and reflective episode, I explore the idea of personal tariffs and how I have applied this to things that may seem like a good deal on the surface, but actually come at a hidden cost to my time, energy, or well-...

You’ve run the numbers a hundred times. You’ve built the spreadsheets, projected the growth, and calculated your safe withdrawal rate down to the decimal. On paper, money isn’t an issue. You should feel secure.

But you don’t.

Because even though the math checks out, the feeling doesn’t. The scarcity mindset, the one that pushed you to save relentlessly, doesn’t just disappear when you achieve FI. Instead, it lingers, making you quest...

In my mid-20s, I was making $50,000. Between San Diego’s high housing costs, dating, a car payment, and other expenses, I barely had anything left to put toward financial independence - let alone fast-track it.

I was cutting costs everywhere - negotiating bills, rarely eating out, even walking instead of driving. Frugality was helping but man, the real game-changer was focusing on growing my income. Since then, I’ve switched jobs, n...

Want to achieve financial independence without missing out on the fun?

FI Minded is for anyone who wants to achieve financial freedom, live life on their own terms, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey along the way!

Whether you’re just starting to think about financial independence or already deep into the process, FI Minded gives you the tools and inspiration to make FI a reality - without giving up the things you love.

Each epi...

Is Real Estate the Best Path to Financial Independence?

As a die-hard index fund investor, I used to have a clear answer. But after researching Chad Carson’s “small but mighty” real estate philosophy, I’m starting to see the potential.

While I still prefer the hands-off nature of index funds, especially as I focus on growing my income - I can see real estate playing a role in my future. It offers steady cash flow, diversification, an...

Love and money - a perfect match, right?

If only it were that simple. Money is personal for everyone. We grow up with different values, learn different money habits from our parents, and develop our own financial preferences.

So when two people with unique money mindsets come together, disagreements are bound to happen. Maybe one of you is a saver while the other loves to spend, leading to frustration over “wasting” or “hoarding” mon...

In today’s conversation, we will learn how to negotiate your medical bills. Wait, you can do that?

Yeah, this was new to me too. Maybe it was the confusing medical jargon or the assumption that hospitals charge fair prices, but negotiating never crossed my mind…and you know I love to negotiate just about everything.

Not only should you be negotiating your medical bills, you should be scrutinizing them for errors. As you’ll learn in t...

Struggling to spend money? Same here. Honestly, I never thought this would be a problem as I got closer to financial independence. I mean, isn’t the goal to save up enough so we can finally spend on the things we want?

Turns out, after 15 years of working hard to build wealth, it’s not so easy to let go. Add in some good old financial insecurities, and suddenly, I’ve got money, but I’m too nervous to spend it.

And guess what? We are ...

It’s the start of a new year, and you’ve set some financial goals like paying off student loans, saving for a down payment, or maxing out your IRA. Whatever your goal, how awesome would it feel if you could fast-track your progress? It’ll take focus and dedication, but with the right strategies, you can turbocharge your cash flow and get there faster.

Today, we’re joined by Justin Brown-Woods, Financial Coach and Co-Host of The Pric...

Since discovering financial independence, I have focused on wealth-building: choosing the right accounts, investing wisely, and cutting expenses to save more. But now that I’m approaching my FIRE number, a new question has emerged—what happens after I reach financial independence?

On one hand, there’s the technical side: What’s the best way to withdraw from my nest egg? This is something I hadn’t given much thought to until now.

But ...

Why save and invest? It’s a rhetorical question, but let’s think it through.

When you save and invest, you’re sharing financial resources with your future self. This means your future self won’t have to worry about earning money. With that financial freedom, you gain time—the time you would’ve spent working. And with more time, you have more freedom to choose how to you spend your time.

You might ask yourself, "What do I want to do w...