Feeling uneasy about your finances in today’s economy? Learn how to turn fear into your greatest investing motivator with Sam Dogen, founder of Financial Samurai.

In this powerful episode, Sam shares how fear helped him build wealth, leave a high-stress Wall Street job, and create true financial independence. Whether you're just getting started or trying to level up your savings rate, this conversation will inspire you to use fear—not as a crutch, but as a catalyst.

RESOURCES:

Sponsors + Partners + Deals
Millionaire Milestones (book): https://amzn.to/4jOuh1n (affiliate)

CHAPTERS

00:00 – The Role of Fear in Hard Times
00:20 – Show Intro: Using Fear to Drive Financial Action
01:30 – Should Families Be Fearful of Today’s Economy?
02:30 – How Fear Can Be a Powerful Motivator
03:40 – When Fear Becomes Paralysis
04:15 – The Concept of “Return on Effort”
05:15 – What is a Saving Rate and Why it Matters
06:30 – How to Calculate Your Saving Rate
07:45 – Sam’s Saving Journey: From Goldman Sachs to FIRE
10:00 – Facing the Financial Crisis and Learning from It
11:15 – The Fear During 2008 and Lessons for 2025
12:50 – Investment Strategies: Beyond the 401(k)
13:45 – The Utility of Stocks vs. Real Estate Investing
15:15 – Reaching Financial Independence and Negotiating a Severance
17:20 – Financial Independence with Kids: The New Fear
18:15 – The Dual Unemployed Parents Dilemma
20:00 – Optimal Parental Anxiety and Letting Go
21:00 – One Final Piece of Advice for Struggling Families
22:00 – Understanding Bear Markets and Historical Cycles
23:00 – Where to Find “Millionaire Milestones” by Sam Dogen
23:20 – Andy’s Top 3 Takeaways from the Interview
25:25 – Closing Credits and Final Thoughts

MKM RESOURCES:

MKM Coaching: Want 1-on-1 support with your family finance journey? Book a time with me today.

Coast FIRE Calculator: A free calculator to help you find out when you can slow down or stop investing for retirement.

Mortgage Payoff Calculator: A free calculator to help you see how fast you can become mortgage free.

YouTube: Subscribe for free to watch videos of these episodes and interviews.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES (SPONSORS AND AFFILIATES):

Monarch Money - Best Budget App for Families & Couples

Empower - Free Portfolio Tracker

Crew - HYSA Banking Built for Families - Get an Extra 0.5% APY with my partner link

Ethos - Affordable Term Life Insurance

Trust & Will - Convenient Estate Planning

HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER:

This show may contain affiliate links or links from our advertisers where we earn a commission, direct payment or products.

Opinions are the creators alone.

Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.

Marriage Kids and Money (www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

CREDITS:

Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Nev Maraj

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 93: Interview with Bret Contreras - Bret's PhD Research, The 2x4 ebook, and Whats Next?