JL Collins, author of 'The Simple Path to Wealth' and a beacon in the financial independence movement, shares crucial insights on today’s financial landscape. He tackles the student loan crisis and debunks the myth of 'good debt.' Collins advocates for downsizing living expenses and critiques America's consumer culture. A spirited debate on capitalism unfolds, pondering whether billionaires create jobs or vice versa. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions that challenge conventional wisdom and inspire financial freedom.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Freedom in Downsizing Housing
Katie moved from a bigger house back to a smaller apartment, cutting her housing costs in half.
She found downsizing felt cozy and liberating, proving there's no such thing as "going backward."
insights INSIGHT
Market Returns Exceed Expectations
Including the last 10 years of market returns raised the 50-year average from 11.9% to 12.2%.
In 'The Simple Path to Wealth,' JL Collins provides a clear and accessible roadmap to financial independence. The book, written in a conversational style, emphasizes the importance of living below your means, avoiding debt, and investing in broad-based index funds, such as Vanguard's Total Stock Market Index Fund. Collins discusses key financial principles like the 'F-You Money' concept, the 4% rule, and the dangers of engaging investment advisors. He shares his personal journey and investment mistakes, making the book relatable and inspiring. Although the book is heavily focused on the U.S. market, its underlying principles are applicable to a wide range of investors.
The last time JL Collins joined me on the show (our most popular episode ever), we covered everything from millennial challenges, to his “VTSAX and Relax” approach, to lessons from his 2015 best-selling book, The Simple Path to Wealth. Now re-released a decade later with new insights, JL joins us again and we talk about:
If the US Dollar still holds its reserve currency status—and what it means if it doesn't
America’s student loan crisis and the myth of “good debt”
The liberation of dramatically downsizing your living expenses
Our culture of consumerism, and what might replace it
We even had a civil dispute about capitalism (I’ll let you guess who played defense) and whether billionaires create jobs or jobs create billionaires
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Money with Katie’s mission is to be the intersection where the economic, cultural, and political meet the tactical, practical, personal finance education everyone needs.