

EverydayFI
Meghan Combs
Welcome to the EverydayFI podcast, the show that explores the lives and stories of everyday people in the financial independence community. I’m your host Meghan Combs, a personal finance junkie who learned from all of life’s money mistakes. Come with me as I talk to people on the path to financial freedom and the ultimate luxury: never having to work again.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2024 • 1h 15min
24. Lan N: The new wave of FI
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Hey there and welcome to another episode of EverydayFI, the show that explores the lives of everyday people in the financial independence community. I’m your host Meghan Combs, and today I’m chatting with Lan, a newish follower of FI. In this episode we dive into Lan’s money story including her journey from teaching to tech and her experience growing up poor. We also dive into the concepts of having immigrant parents and how hard it is to escape the cycle of poverty. And we talk about Lan’s love of travel and learning other languages. Lan’s story is one you don’t want to miss, so tune in to hear more and make sure to subscribe to the show so you don’t miss other incredible conversations like this one. Episode Links: Episode webpage Catching Up to FI FI Freedom Retreats Money for Couples podcast by Ramit Sethi ChooseFI podcast BiggerPockets Money podcast Friends on Fire podcast Inside Out Money podcast The Two Sides of FI podcast Rich & Regular podcast Marks Money Mind show SoMoney podcast Money with Katie podcast HerMoney podcast MyFICapsule podcast Afford Anything podcast NPR Science Friday NPR Planet Money Serial podcast The Fioneers TEFL: Teaching English as a Foreign Language program The Simple Path to Wealth book by JL Collins Mile High FI podcast How To Money Libby library app Pantry Challenge Marie Kondo EverydayFI episode with Sean & Katie C. Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee Sign up to be on the show here

Oct 14, 2024 • 53min
23. Devon S: The Most Impressive Man of FI
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. This was one of my favorite episodes to record to date because Devon is one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met. In his own words: “[Devon is] a 22-year-old college student on the journey toward financial independence (FI). [He] discovered the liberating power of FI at 21 and saved $25,000 in [his] first year chasing FI. [He’s] passionate about spreading the ethos of financial independence, increasing financial literacy, sharing [his] experiences, and inspiring others to chase their “Freedom by the Day” while enjoying their individual journeys.” In this episode we chat about how his parents instilled in him a sense of independence and autonomy, his experience in the military and educating others about financial independence, his goal of reaching $150k saved by the time he graduates, and so much much. Tune in to hear his story. Episode Links: Episode webpage ChooseFI episode with Go Curry Cracker (episode 18) ChooseFI episode with The Mad Fientist (episode 17) FIRE Commune (i.e. EAGLE Cohousing) Devon’s “Freedom By The Day” blog and his email: freedombytheday@gmail.com 75 Hard and Devon’s “50 Days Hard-ish” blog post Noom weight loss program Devon’s episode on the ChooseFI podcast: “Visualizing Your Domino Effect” Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee Sign up to be on the show here

Oct 7, 2024 • 1h 15min
22. Carl & Carla: "Enjoy the journey."
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Dive into the heartwarming journey of Carl and Carla on EverydayFI’s latest podcast episode. Discover a candid conversation on how to talk about money with your family and partner, how Carla’s parents’ divorce and 2008 financial disaster influenced her philosophies as an adult, and how Carl hiked the PCT within the first two months of their marriage. You’ll learn a lot about their journey, like how Carla bought a house while only making $8.50/hour, what they think about moving in with a partner, and how to contend with the numerous options life holds for all of us. Tune it to hear Carl and Carla’s incredible story of love, partnership, and financial independence. Episode Links: Link to episode webpage Appalachian Trail Club Head Start Clark Howard Mr. Money Mustache blog Dave Ramsey’s baby steps ChooseFI podcast Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee Sign up to be on the show here

Sep 30, 2024 • 1h 20min
21. Yao T: "There are no losses, only lessons."
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Thank you for listening to another episode of EverydayFI, the show that explores the lives and stories of everyday people in the financial independence community. Today on the show I your host, Meghan Combs, chats with Yao, a remarkably adaptive young man who is finding his way to financial freedom through real estate investing. We explore Yao’s money origin story (which includes ultimate couponing, a side hustle he picked up in his adult life), his first discovery of FI and real estate investing, and why he thinks being a homeowner is actually more flexible than renting. Tune in to hear more! Episode Links: Episode webpage Frugal Fannies Secret Shopper Sniffspot Ramit Sethi “Money for Couples” podcast BiggerPockets “The Money Podcast” Turbotenant Innago Furnished Finder Rocket Money Monarch Money Projection Lab Projection Lab ChooseFI episode Yao’s Instagram: @yao.invests.rei Who, Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz Workforce Management software DISC Personality Test Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee Sign up to be on the show

Sep 23, 2024 • 1h 17min
20. Keith N: "You don't have to do it perfect the first time. You just have to get started."
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Welcome to another episode of EverydayFI where I, your host Meghan Combs, get to explore the lives and stories of everyday people in the financial independence community. Today on the show I’m chatting with Keith, a former skydiver for 22 years who retired through his real estate investments and now spends most of his time traveling to see all his FI friends. If you’ve ever been to a CampFI you may recognize his voice from the numerous talks he’s given there. Tune in for Keith’s story! Episode Links: Episode webpage FI Freedom Retreats (including Bali) Econome Conference Camp Mustache EverydayFI episode with Christina G on full time travel FinTalks with Amberly Grant Your Money or Your Life book by Vicki Robin BiggerPockets Podcast Mr. Money Mustache blog CampFI Chautauqua Retreat (no longer happening) EverydayFI episode with Ryan B Atomic Habits by James Clear ChooseFI Podcast The Fun Scale Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee

Sep 16, 2024 • 1h 8min
19. Casey J (CJ): Fear is powerful, but so are you
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Let me just say two words: Battle Bots. This episode with CJ is chock full of fun, tips and tricks, actionable steps to start a side hustle, deep discussions on having kids, and the ever present “one more year syndrome” that our community (and anyone wanting to retire) tends to slip into. Tune in for a fascinating dive into CJ’s financial independence journey. Episode Links: Episode webpage MRCA - Midwest Robot Combat Association Robot Smashing League CJ’s boardgame CJ’s Etsy store Fire Drill podcast Gold City Ventures - E-printables Course ChooseFI Retire Often, Jillian Johnsrud Design Your Extraordinary Life, by the Donegans 4 Hour Workweek, Tim Ferris I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Ramit Sethi Furnished Finder Paula Pant, Afford Anything Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee

Sep 9, 2024 • 1h 1min
18. Abhishek S: "Adversity is an opportunity"
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Today’s episode follows the journey of Abhishek, an immigrant from India who fell in love with the United States and all the opportunity it provides for him, including financial independence. This episode is all about designing your extraordinary life around health, volunteering, meditation, and deciding deeply about what truly serves you. We also go into depth about how to become a stock picker, if that’s your jam (as long as the bulk of your portfolio is in broad based index funds of course). Tune in to hear Abhishek’s incredible story and what advice he gives to everyone about health and mindfulness. Episode Links: Episode webpage Coffee with Abhishek blog Mr. Money Mustache Eden Savers Program Dakshana Foundation Design Your Extraordinary Life course by the Donegans FIRE in Vegas - Design Your Extraordinary Life podcast episode on ChooseFI — you may hear a familiar voice ;-) Charity Navigator Charity Watch 10x Mindset episode on the All The Hacks podcast Die With Zero, Bill Perkins James Clear Atomic Habits book Inner Engineering Meditation Ramit Sethi, I Will Teach You To Be Rich Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee

Sep 2, 2024 • 54min
17. Amanda M: "I no longer do hard things"
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Thanks for coming back to the EverydayFI podcast! Today on the show host Meghan will be chatting with Amanda about her financial independence journey. We talk about everything from burnout in the workplace (and how Amanda became a burnout coach from her experiences), to making crucial decisions about a long distance relationship. Tune in to hear this incredible conversation. Support the Show: Episode webpage Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee

Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 6min
16. Carolyn L: Joyfully Frugal
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Tune in to hear my conversation with Carolyn, a college professor who sees her divorce as a silver lining because it led her to the financial independence movement. In this episode we talk about how to become a professor, the challenges of divorce on your finances, sexism in the workplace, and Carolyn’s travel plans. Episode Links: Episode webpage Mr. Money Mustache “The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement” Monarch Money Nomadic Matt Buy Nothing Groups CampFI Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee

Aug 19, 2024 • 1h 14min
15. Mitch B: The Ultimate Houdini
Subscribe on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. Today on the show I get to interview my buddy Mitch, host of the MyFICapsule podcast. We talk about the happy middle between quitting your job for good and downgrading to a less stressful role that still brings in the cash. We also dive into his plans for a summer sabbatical roadtrip with his family, where he sports his ChooseFI t-shirt to make new FI friends. Plus why he wanted to start his own podcast. Tune in to hear about how the FI life can be lived in all different ways. Episode Links: Episode page MyFICapsule podcast (Apple) MyFICapsule podcast (Spotify) The Office (TV show) Office Space (movie) Bigger Pockets Tim Ferris Podcast —> the Mr. Money Mustache episode Tori Dunlap and Her First $100k Tori’s June 5, 2024 episode on ChooseFI Pat Flynn Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't by James C. Collins and Jim Collins Early Retirement Extreme The Tail End on Wait But Why Die With Zero by Bill Perkins ChooseFI local groups Support the Show: Get the “Your Journey to Freedom” workbook here! Join my Patreon membership Buy me a coffee