On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, my buddy Grant from Millennial Money joins me to talk about how he went from having $2.26 in the bank to $1.25 million in just 5 years, 3 months, and 6 days! We dive into the strategies and tactics he used but we also go deeper and discuss some of the unexpected challenges of FIRE. We al ...…

It’s easy to think that early retirement will be the answer to all your problems. After all, how could you not be happy when you don’t have to work anymore? I’ve written about why early retirement is not a magic bullet but what if it actually makes your life worse? On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I interview a reader n ...…

I made two big mistakes when I was pursuing financial independence… The first was I put off happiness until I hit FI. The second was I also put off my health. In today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I chat to my personal trainer, Doug from Monumental Strength. Doug has spent the past two years taking me from a puny computer pr ...…

A challenging aspect of early retirement is the loss of identity you may experience when leaving a career you’ve spent a big chunk of your life building. However, one of the most exciting parts of early retirement is that you have the time, money, and freedom to create a completely new identity! How do you do it though? Today, I had the privile ...…

If you’ve been reading about financial independence for a while, you’ve likely seen that the topic is getting more popular lately. Although FIRE (Financial Independence / Retire Early) is far bigger than it was when I created this site in 2012, it’s still nowhere near mainstream. That may change though… A full-length documentary called Playing ...…

Chad Carson from CoachCarson.com joins me again on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about the various strategies you can use to retire early with real estate! Highlights: The best real-estate strategies to use to reach financial independence and retire early How real estate can be a good investment while also enhancing your lifestyle ...…

I can't believe it... It's already been two years since I left my full-time job! To celebrate this special anniversary, I decided to release a podcast episode containing my thoughts on my second year of freedom. Find out what a day in my life is like now, hear all the ways early retirement is different than I expected, and discover the most val ...…

On August 1st, 2018, it will be exactly two years since I left my full-time job as a software developer. To celebrate, I've decided to release two podcast episodes that contain all the valuable lessons I learned during my first two years of freedom. Today's episode contains everything I learned during my first year and on Wednesday (August 1st) ...…

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I’m joined by the president of biggerpockets.com and cohost of the BiggerPockets Money Show, Scott Trench! Scott breaks down the journey to financial independence into three stages and explains what you need to focus on at each step (and why)! Highlights: The three stages of wealth creat ...…

My good friend Marla Taner joined me on the Financial Independence Podcast to go deep into some early-retirement topics that aren’t often discussed. Marla and I met in 2014 at Camp Mustache and we’ve had a lot of fun (and sometimes heavy) conversations over the years so I thought it’d be great to record one for the podcast! Highlights: How to d ...…

Last August, I was down in England with Vicki Robin (author of Your Money or Your Life) for the FI Chautauqua. We were chatting about the new version of the book she was working on (which is out now!) and she mentioned that she created a game called “Money Talks” to go along with the new edition. The card game consists of 52 different cards, ea ...…

Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, I welcome back Liz Thames (a.k.a. Mrs. Frugalwoods)! Liz was last on the show over two years ago and a lot has changed. Since then, she’s made her dream of retiring to a homestead in Vermont a reality, she’s had two babies, and she’s just published a book! It was great to catch up with her to hear ab ...…

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I interview my little brother while drinking wine next to a canal in Venice! Brian, who is three years younger than me, isn’t actively pursuing financial independence but he’s done some really impressive things with his money and has used the power that money provides to fully pursue his ...…

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I interview a serial entrepreneur who has achieved financial independence three different ways! You’d think that selling a company to Google or buying San Francisco real estate before prices went crazy would be the best way to reach financial independence but that’s not been the case for ...…

It’s been a while since I posted a new Financial Independence Podcast episode but I’m excited to share one with you today! Mr. and Mrs. 1500 from 1500Days.com joined me live at FinCon in Dallas to interview the Physician on FIRE! We sadly only had 25 minutes to record so it’s a short interview but it’s a fun one. If you ever wanted to hear Mrs. ...…

One of the internet’s most-respected retirement researchers and financial planners, Michael Kitces, joins me for an episode of the Financial Independence Podcast! You may remember that my Safe Withdrawal Rate post drew heavily from the incredible research Kitces has done on the topic so it was great to talk to him directly to dive even deeper i ...…

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Jeff from The Happy Philosopher joins me to discuss the unique challenges that doctors and other professionals face on the journey to early retirement. When you invest so much time, money, and energy into your career, it’s no wonder that walking away from your job is much more difficult. ...…

To celebrate the 5-year anniversary of launching the Financial Independence Podcast, I've republished the very first interview I recorded back in 2012 with Mr. Money Mustache. In addition to the original interview, this episode also contains an updated introduction that tells the story behind the interview! Highlights: How Mr. Money Mustache an ...…

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve from ThinkSaveRetire.com! Steve initially planned to retire at the age of 40 but after making some drastic lifestyle changes, he ended up walking away from his job at 35. One of the biggest factors that reduced his time to FI was his and his wife ...…

I can’t believe it… One of the founders of the financial independence movement, Vicki Robin, joined me for an episode of the Financial Independence Podcast! Vicki and her partner Joe Dominguez wrote the book, Your Money or Your Life – a New York Times Best Seller that many people consider to be the bible of financial independence (the FI-ble?). ...…

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-ti ...…

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! I ...…

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 re ...…

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! Highligh ...…

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 web ...…

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 ...…

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 fi ...…

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 150 ...…

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 in ...…

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 episo ...…

Joshua Dorkin, founder and CEO of BiggerPockets.com, joins me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk real estate and entrepreneurship! Highlights: The story of how BiggerPockets got started The advantages of “scratching your own itch” Why you should study other verticals and other successful businesses The incredible power of “fake it ’t ...…

Justin from RootofGood.com joins me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about how he and his wife saved over a million dollars in under a decade! Highlights: The tax benefits and true costs of children How to have a positive net worth after graduating from college What is interest rate arbitrage How to amass a million dollars in ten y ...…

JL Collins joins me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about stocks, bonds, real estate, and his brand new book - The Simple Path to Wealth! Highlights: Origin of The Simple Path to Wealth What’s changed about his investment philosophy over the last four years Three simple steps to financial independence Difference between good debt ...…

Mike and Lauren join me on the Financial Independence Podcast to discuss medical tourism, full-time RV living, and the importance of questioning everything! Highlights: The ins and outs of medical tourism Reasons to give birth in another country Benefits of having multiple passports How to obtain dual citizenship Total cost of having a child in ...…

Nick Loper from Side Hustle Nation discusses the importance of side hustles and how they can make your path to FI shorter and more enjoyable! Highlights: Why you need to diversify your income How Nick got his start selling shoes online The importance of investing in yourself and your business Why a low barrier to entry means you should just giv ...…

The guys from Travel Miles 101 stop by the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about investing, early retirement, and the benefits of travel hacking! Highlights: Using FI savings to become an entrepreneur Dealing with extreme lifestyle inflation Why P2P lending is like investing in extra-junky junk bonds How travel hacking increases your opt ...…

J. Money from Budgets are Sexy joins me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about the benefits of challenging everything in your life! Highlights: The importance of tracking your net worth How not to buy a house The importance of side hustles Why J. Money is the Miley Cyrus of personal finance How to live like Benjamin Franklin and wh ...…

The Frugalwoods joined me to talk about how frugality can help you reach your financial goals sooner and also increase your happiness in the process! Highlights: How to maintain a high savings rate while living in an expensive city Tips for avoiding frugality-induced isolation The importance of large goals Keys to making frugality fun When to g ...…

Todd Tresidder joined me on the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about active investing and lessons learned during 15+ years of early retirement! Highlights: Building wealth with paper assets, real estate, and entrepreneurship Protecting your money during turbulent times Pursuing good goals vs. bad goals Finding happiness both before and ...…

The 1500s from 1500days.com joined me for my first in-person podcast interview to talk about real estate, the economy, and entering early retirement! Highlights: Most tax-efficient strategy for building wealth with real estate Pay off mortgage early or invest? What is a 1031 exchange? Transition to early retirement with part-time work Alternati ...…

Hear how two teachers used tax-avoidance and geographical-arbitrage strategies to save nearly a million dollars in only 16 years! Highlights: Using international and domestic geographic arbitrage to increase income How to save $250,000 in 3 years on teachers’ salaries Setting up SEPP 72(t) distributions to access retirement account funds before ...…

Justin Cooke from EmpireFlippers.com joined me for an episode of the Financial Independence Podcast to discuss website investing! Highlights: Hear how Justin went from building an outsourcing company in the Philippines to building, buying, and selling niche websites The difference between online and offline businesses and investments Six differ ...…

J.D. Roth, creator of GetRichSlowly.org, joined me for the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about finding personal and financial freedom! In less than ten years, J.D. went from having $35,000 of consumer debt to becoming a self-made millionaire. Since selling his incredibly popular blog, getrichslowly.org, he now spends most of his time w ...…

Billy Murphy from ForeverJobless.com joined me for an episode of the Financial Independence Podcast to talk about investing in online businesses! What if I told you you could create $2,000 of monthly recurring income from a single $25,000 investment? Thanks to the low multiples some online companies are selling for, you could potentially fund y ...…

Jeremy and Winnie retired a few years ago, in their thirties, and have been traveling around Central America ever since. They were kind enough to join me from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to talk about their journey to financial independence and early retirement. Discover how they were able to achieve financial independence and hear why moving ...…

In part two of the podcast, the Mad Fientist explores some very powerful tax-avoidance strategies for early retirees. It’s possible to achieve financial independence earlier in life, without having to decrease your spending, increase your income, or assume any additional risk, simply by using tax-advantaged retirement accounts in an intelligent ...…

Listen to part one of my Radical Personal Finance podcast interview where I discuss frugality, travel hacking, and financial independence! A couple of months ago, a guy named Joshua emailed me to ask if I’d be a guest on his new show – the Radical Personal Finance podcast. I agreed and we ended up having a very interesting two-hour conversation ...…

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli from RetireEarlyLifestyle.com joined me to talk about 20+ years of travel and early retirement! In 1991, Billy and Akaisha quit their jobs, moved to an island in the Caribbean, and have been traveling the world ever since. Their initial retirement savings of $500,000 has survived the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial cr ...…

Mike from LackingAmbition.com joined me for an episode of the Financial Independence Podcast to discuss how he achieved FI in just over 3 years! After working for just over three years, Mike was able to amass enough savings to purchase (with cash) three single-family houses. By living in one of the houses and renting out the other two, he now h ...…

Paula from AffordAnything.com joined me to discuss how she’s using real estate investing to achieve early financial independence! Highlights: Frugality vs. wealth building Mental energy is limited so use it wisely Think like a creator, not like a consumer Scarcity mindset vs. abundance mindset How to start investing in real estate Real estate n ...…