Dreaming, Goals, and the First Financial Steps

This week's endeavor in free financial literacy for all, brought to you by:

LMNT: You can have all the money in the world, but if you don't feel good physically, none of it matters. For years, I'd finish my morning workout and be foggy-headed with a headache by 1 PM—turns out I was chronically under-hydrated and needed actual electrolytes, not just water. LMNT has 1,000mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60mg magnesium, and zero sugar that keeps me sharp all day. My routine: one during my workout, then a Sparkling LMNT around 4 PM (Mango Chili is the move). Right now they're offering a free sample pack with any purchase at drinklmnt.com/tyler.

Bilt: I spent my late 20s throwing thousands at rent in Vermont while maxing out retirement accounts, feeling like I was getting nothing back. ⁠Bilt⁠ fixes that by turning rent and mortgage payments into actual rewards—flights, hotels, fitness classes, or Amazon purchases. Join at ⁠joinbilt.com/Tyler⁠ and make money you're already spending work harder.

Facet: Every January we prioritize physical health like it's the New Year's resolution Olympics, but why don't we give our financial health that same energy? I get hundreds of messages weekly asking for personalized advice, and while I want to help, I can't responsibly address your specific situation in a podcast. That's why I partner with ⁠Facet⁠: you get dedicated CFP® professionals who build actual financial plans tailored to your life, charging a flat fee instead of a percentage of assets. Connect with Facet at ⁠facet.com/tyler⁠ and start 2026 with both your health and your wealth dialed in.

And on to the Show Notes!

Somewhere between "retire at 30" and "work until 70," there's a middle path. Tyler talks with Andy Hill, host of Marriage, Kids and Money and author of Own Your Time, about how he and his wife reshaped their financial life to work 20–25 hours a week while staying financially secure—without winning the lottery or selling a tech company.

This isn't a FIRE hype episode. It's a grounded conversation about tradeoffs, mistakes, marriage tension, and building a life that doesn't feel like a trap.

Tyler and Andy discuss why extreme FIRE often breaks down in family life, how "Coast FIRE" creates a realistic middle ground, why income growth matters as much as cost-cutting, how money conversations can go wrong in marriage, and what it actually took to leave corporate work without blowing up financial security.

Andy shares three concrete starting steps for anyone who feels stuck or burned out and wants to reclaim control over their time. This episode isn't about escaping work—it's about finding work you don't need to escape from.

If the show has been helpful, leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify genuinely helps more people find it.