The Financial Independence Show

Someone recently asked me: "How did you reach FI?" I didn't have a great answer for them that didn't take 30+ minutes to explain. So, I recorded a podcast episode outlining my entire FI Journey - all the numbers, all the income streams, all the expenses, year over year. Below are the notes I created to guide the episode. 2016 Read the 4-Hour Workweek Started my first real business, Arsenal Discs Learned how to build a website, marketing, sales, networking, negotiations, pricing, product design… all the HARD way 2017 Discovered FI through Mr. Money Mustache Started listening to podcasts like ChooseFI and Afford Anything Read books like Simple Path to Wealth and Your Money or Your Life Learned about side hustles, taxes, the 4% rule, etc. Despite all this, didn’t really have any money since I was paying for college Locked in job for July 2018, plan was to work 7-10 years to hit FI 2018 Went to CampFI in January and FI became “real” Lived in Australia with lots of time on my hands and started side hustling after being unable to find a regular job Blog launched in April 2018 to document my journey Started working as a commercial RE lender in July 2018 once I returned to the U.S. All-in comp was $80-85k Knowing that FI existed was a blessing and a curse Launched podcast in August 2018 (nothing else like it) FinCon 2018 (CampFI on steroids) - met Grant and others By the end of that year, I had tried a dozen new side hustles (blogging, podcasting, freelance writing, building websites, editing podcasts, affiliate marketing, digital products, etc) Income: $44,000, Net worth: $75,000, Stock market: -6.24% 2019 Quit my corporate job on January 31, 2019 with $30,000+ saved Side hustles were bringing in $1,200 per month, but my expenses were the same ($450 rent, paid off car, super frugal) Financial Freedom book tour March-May of 2019 Teamed up with Julie to launch Gold City Ventures in June 2019 So many people asking for 1-on-1, wanted to teach at scale Most of my time after that was spent working on Gold City Ventures Practicing my craft to teach better Managing a community, recording & packaging content, hiring people Originally launched E-Printables, a blogging course, and a freelancing course LOTs of learning lessons from this business Income: $96,000, Net worth: $179,000, Stock market: 28.88% 2020 Went all-in on digital products (dropped blogging and freelancing from GCV) Etsy shop, Shopify store, templates, etc. Continued to live extremely frugally (spending less than $25,000/year) Bought 3-unit house hack in September 2020 $235,000, we lived in the basement, rent $2,200, expenses $1,700 Bought duplex in November 2020 $170,000, rent $2,250, expenses $1,350 Bought 3-unit house hack in December 2020 $315,000, we moved to 1BR/1BA, rent $2,600, expenses $2,100 First house hack jumped to $3,000 in rent once we moved out Income: $198,000, Net worth: $392,000, Stock market: 16.26% 2021 Started freelancing for Motley Fool (who acquired MillennialMoney.com) Extra $10K/month, SEO, “thinking big”, awesome team Bought triplex in May 2021 $245,000, rent $2,900, expenses $1,900 ~$200,000 in down payments came from digital product income Gold City Ventures continues to grow rapidly Income: $403,000, Net worth: $1,035,000, Stock market: 26.89% Financial Freedom!  Had RE making $3,000+ in cash flow, $500,000+ invested in the stock market In addition to the semi-passive $20,000+ per month I was earning with digital products Since I reached financial independence, I have continued to work on my main business, Gold City Ventures and invest 90%+ of my income into index funds and real estate. Links from the Episode CodyDBerman.com (previously FlytoFi) The FI Show (first episode)

Justin retired 1 year ago today! What did he do? How does he feel? Did the numbers work out as expected? Luckily for you, he's dropped all the answers to that in the show with the highlights below. Read on for Justin's notes: Numerical Highlights from Year 1: Averaged around $2500/mo or $30k/yr  spending Networth increased by ~400k ($1.7M -> $2.1M) Continued to save money 4% SWR + Passive Income = ~13k/mo or $156k/yr if I wanted Retirement Feelings Explained: Relaxed:  just being yourself and no corporate coating,  Awkward: Realizing every American interaction with someone starts off with work followed by me trying to explain the situation and balancing the outward perception from to Proud: as someone who is often hard on themself for not sticking to things, financial independence took real commitment for ~9 years.  Scared: that I’ll have great ideas I want to try, memories I want to make, relationships I want to strengthen, or  things I want to discuss… but discover that those I want to do it with don’t want those things at all Relieved: After a year, I find similarities to the relief I felt over telling everyone I gave up alcohol. Saying aloud that I’ve done something that 99% of people will never do felt very weird at first, but then I adjusted to that 1% weirdo being my story, and the people who truly care about me let you be that 1% weirdo. And that exchange ends with a lot of relief.  Responsible: I feel a responsibility to push the people I love the most to take ownership of their financial lives  Satisfied: Not from a mentality that everything that needs to be accomplished is accomplished. My sense of satisfaction comes from knowing that the first year of retirement was worth every decision and delayed gratification even if it’s the only year of financial freedom I ever get. Detailed Breakdown of Year 1 Activities: December 2023 Hosted my niece for a week in Austin Made custom laser engraved gifts for my mom and good friend Tried Franklins BBQ and Interstellar BBQ for the first time Planned and purchased everything for a kitchen remodel Saw several movies Redesigned ripped dip packaging Attended consumer product goods meetups Went to the trail of lights Did a baby kangaroo feeding experience Redesigned my Dad’s upstairs to be a sudo apartment in Mississippi Ripped up old flooring and prepped concrete for staining  Replaced all the windows in the flip Spent two weeks in Mississippi Enjoyed Christmas with my family Tons of workouts January 2024 Two weeks in Mississippi Someone hit and totaled my Tesla Redid Kitchen in Leslie’s family beach house Lots of other projects there like replacing all the hardware for the doors Spent a week on the Texas coast Saw several movies Lots of cooking Lots of workouts Dove into Ninja Creamis February 2024 Spent two weeks on the Texas coast More beach house remodeling Went to the Austin Symphony Took the train to Dallas Completed the purchase of my New (to me) Tesla Model Y Spent a couple of days with my best friend in Dallas Spent a week in Mississippi Lots of remodeling on the flip house Attended a Rodeo Took my niece to a concert in Nashville March 2024 Spent two weeks in Mississippi Played golf Replaced doors and painted the exterior of the flip house Drove back to Austin Tried a new boxing class Did my first Dexa scan (10.1% body fat) Spent a week in Miami Attended Ultra music festival Went to two additional concerts Drove back to Texas Coast April 2024 More remodeling on Texas beach house Found outfits for our engagement (surprise to Leslie) Made pies/desserts for Leslie’s Brother’s 50th birthday Spent two weeks in Portugal Got engaged A quick trip to Paris

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss what they're thankful for and the importance of focusing on what you can control. We recorded this episode shortly after Election Day. Elections leave a lot of people feeling defeated and a lot of people feeling like they've won. The reality is that neither is true. You are the most critical variable in your financial independence journey, regardless of who's sitting in the Oval Office. The key is to focus on what you can control and to appreciate the privilege that you have. Even if things don't seem rosy, the hardest experiences often shape us the most and transform us into better versions of ourselves. We hope this inspires you to evaluate your life, appreciate your advantages, spend some time in gratitude, and get inspired for your next chapter in life. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from the Episode The Purpose Code Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

It's open enrollment season, meaning making healthcare choices for the upcoming year. So for today’s episode, we're featuring FI healthcare experts Lynn Frair and Jackie Cummings Koski. We cover: HSAs Healthshare Ministries Subsidized Care Deductible and Out-ot-Pocket Maximums Open Enrollment State Healthcare Exchanges End-of-life Care Emergency Funds and more! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links and Resources Lynn's Instagram Jackie's Instagram Heatlhcare.gov WexInc HSA vs Traditional Calculator Mad Fientist article on HSAs Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Join Amy Porterfield, an expert in online marketing and digital products, as she chats with Cody about the world of digital products. They dive into the best platforms for selling, how to uncover hidden digital assets, and the magic of printables for growing your subscriber base. Learn tips on maximizing revenue through strategic digital add-ons and how to repurpose existing tools into profitable offerings. Plus, discover how to launch a side hustle with ease and the potential of selling on Etsy!

Our friend Sunitha Rao came from humble beginnings. Her parents spent most of their lives in one of the poorest regions in India. Despite all odds, Suni became a professional tennis player and traveled the globe playing in different tournaments. Years later, she turned her competitive nature toward real estate. Her real estate career quickly started to explode, and she's been addicted ever since. This episode originally aired in 2019, but it was so good, we decided to replay it. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Suni's Original Episode from 2019 Suni's LinkedIn Suni's Instagram Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

2,000,000 downloads! And it's all thanks to listeners, viewers, and readers like yourself. In today's episode, we reflect on everything that has changed and everything that hasn't. Cody & Justin have increased their net worths by a combined $5,000,000! Justin retired 10 years sooner than he ever imagined. Cody created a multi-seven-figure business around an idea he never even considered. Those are just a couple of big highlights with other highlights including: New Investment Strategies Flips AirBnB - ownership and management Covered Calls Syndications Hard Money Loans Lifestyle Changes Girlfriends have become Wife/Fiance Justin stopped drinking Cody and Justin are in even better physical shape than 6 years ago They both focus more on value than purely price Justin listens to EDM and drinks coffee....never saw that coming What Hasn't Changed Keeping the "big 3" expenses low The majority of our investments are still total stock market funds Experiences are still the priority over material objects We continue to do this show because of you all. Every time we hear a story of how we inspired someone or introduced them to a concept that is now helping them live the life they dreamed of, it pushes us to keep going. We hope you found value in the episode, if you did, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend! Links from The Episode 2018 Reflection, 2019 Goals episode 2019 Valentine's Day episode Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Jane Kanizay went from financial freedom to divorce to financial freedom again while achieving amazing physical feats along the way. Jane is an adventurer, educator, activist, speaker, artist, and ​mother of four who successfully climbed Mt. Everest ​with her 19-year-old daughter on May 14th, 2022. Jane climbs with the message of Teach Us Consent to campaign for ​holistic consent education in the school curriculum and to ​advocate for the prevention of violence against women. This mission helps push her to her physical and mental limits. High-altitude mountaineering is one of the deadliest sports in the ​world. It's also very expensive and hard to imagine being possible for most teachers. That's where Jane's background in real estate shines. She built a portfolio that is now funding her amazing adventures. She also gives us an in-depth breakdown of the financial abuse she tries to educate on and advocate against. Some signs of this abuse from a partner might include: Controls access to finances, won’t let you access bank accounts or credit cards Expects you to pay for bills, groceries, and other basic necessities but gives you little or no money to cover those costs Forbids you from working or deliberately sabotages your ability to get or hold down a job Refuses to work or contribute to family expenses Takes out loans or accrues debt in your name Doesn’t include you in significant investment or banking decisions Refuses to pay or evades child support Hides assets Incurs fines or infringements in your name then expects you to pay them Jane's story is so inspirational and we hope that she helps you get out of your comfort zone and achieve the seemingly impossible. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Jane's Instagram Jane's Website Teach Us Consent YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/JUHxxcX8AKY Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss how Justin will travel the world for 6 months at a shockingly low price. In total, the trip will cover 161 days as currently planned. The cost is only $46 per day! That cost includes flights, trains, ferries, accommodation, and activities for one person. Below you can find the locations Justin will be visiting, We've also included the packing list since Justin is only taking a small backpack for the entire trip. Locations include: Philipines Manila Coron El Nido Indonesia Ubud Gili Islands Nusa Islands Vietnam Hanoi Ninh Binh Cat Ba Thailand Krabi Koh Lanta Chiang Mai Bangkok Amsterdam Chur, Switzerland Italy Milan Rapallo Monterosso al mare Florence Rome Naples Ischia Lipari Palermo Sardinia Barcelona Packing List: Backpack Rainjacket 5 shirts 4 pair of socks 5 pair underwear Midlayer Windbreaker w/ kangaroo pouch Toiletries Toothbrush Hat Portable battery Phone Charger Travel adapter 5 pocket pant  Light down jacket half length Buff Khaki shorts Sandles 4 pair of running shorts eyemask headphones microphone The craziest part? Justin is going to be breaking even from this trip due to the Airbnb income from his primary residence (covered in this geohacking episode). We hope this inspires you to consider that big trip you thought you couldn't afford. We hope you found value in the episode, if you did, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend! Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

One of the questions we get asked most often is for guidance on what someone should and should not spend money on. The answer is always... it depends. What's important to me, may not be important to you. Jen Smith is here to give everyone the framework to make those tough decisions. This framework is called Value Based spending. Jen lays it all out in her new book, "Buy What You Love Without Going Broke". Long-term listeners may remember Jen from episode 58, "Frugality without Deprivation," in 2019. She's also still rocking things over at the Frugal Friends Podcast. In today's episode as we discuss the book you'll find answers to the following: Why is it so hard to stop spending money? What is values-based spending and how is it different? What’s the problem with telling someone a budget will solve their spending problem? What’s the point of learning values-based spending when the bigger issue is that we don’t earn enough money? And so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Pre-order the book! Frugal Friend's Podcast YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/dsl4EQekk4M Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)