Today's episode features your two podcast hosts, Justin & Cody. The cover guest questions on topics like medical bill negotiations, pricing, plan types, coverage when traveling, and more. They also let listeners in on exactly how they get their coverage now, and for Justin, how he plans to manage this once he no longer has that W-2 job. This topic is crucial for everyone listening so don't miss this one. Links From the Episode https://uncoveredhc.com/blog/the-top-healthcare-transparency-sites-2019/ https://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes ehealthinsurance.com healthcare.gov https://uncoveredhc.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-health-insurance-for-2020/ https://uncoveredhc.com/blog/paying-for-health-insurance/ 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 our FREE Budget Planner 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 Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features the healthcare expert Scott Heiser who authored Healthcare is Making Me Sick. Scott is leading the charge on making healthcare understandable for all. He covers how new transparency data tools are empowering us as healthcare consumers and how best to handle your medical bills. This topic is crucial for everyone listening so don't miss this one. Summary Scott shares transparency data tools and how they're changing healthcare shopping Medical tourism is possible even within the United States You haggle for a used car, why not the payment on a knee replacement? Are non-profit hospitals raking in cash? And much more Reach out to Scott Book: Healthcare is Making Me Sick Website: UncoveredHC.com 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 our FREE Budget Planner 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 Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features the healthcare option experts Lynn Frair and Jackie Cummings Koski. Lynn is crowdsourcing all the best health care options for the FI community and Jackie is a certified Health Savings Account (HSA) expert! Open enrollment is just around the corner and we're bringing you the knowledge you need to decide. This topic is crucial for everyone listening so don't miss this one. Links and Resources Comparing High Deductible Plans with a Health Savings Account to Traditional plans Lynn & Jackie recommend this tool -> WexInc HSA vs Traditional Calculator Really understanding what all you can do with HSAs Mad Fientist article helps with HSAs too How Lynn is crowdsourcing healthcare options especially for FIRE / Entrepreneurs Take a look at FI Healthcare Reach out to Lynn & Jackie Lynn Frair Website: FI Healthcare  Instagram: FI Healtchare LinkedIn: Lynn Frair Jackie Cummings Koski HSA Email: hsaquestion@gmail.com  Website: Money Letter 2 LinkedIn: Jackie Koski 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 our FREE Budget Planner 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 Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features your very own hosts Justin from Saving-Sherpa and Cody from Fly to FI. We just wanted to celebrate our 100th episode! Both of us give you a rundown on all the big life events that have taken place this year. Cody bought three investment properties and Justin hit FI at age 30! There's so much more so you won't want to miss this one. Episode Summary What You Can Expect To Hear Justin hits FI Cody buys 3 properties Cody goes Vegan Justin sells his van Justin moves to Texas Cody learns lessons from entrepreneurship We also celebrate accomplishments from those special people in our lives Experimenting with The FI Show going forward We want to hear from you! 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 our FREE Budget Planner 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 Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features Jerry Brown from Peerless Money Mentor. Jerry grew up in a self-described ghetto with no real view of a way out. We cover his background, how he turned things around, and how he's built a powerful financial independence network. You won't want to miss this inspiring story! Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode. Episode Summary Jerry's Background Jerry didn't really know he was poor growing up But he lived in a crime-filled neighborhood with few outside role models His mom also needed assistance to get by He talks about how people were surprised he'd even admit that he was from the area he lived in Growing up he thought basketball or rapping would be the only possible way to escape His mom did put a big emphasis on learning but financial independence never seemed reasonable Can you Bootstrap Past Disadvantages? Jerry sees it as a mixed bag He does put a lot of weight into hard work But he also acknowledges the real disadvantages He was also cognizant enough to understand his family was a big advantage Jerry's Financial Mistakes Jerry was young and healthy so he thought he didn't need insurance A large dental procedure led him to serious credit card debt Then he started buying more things on credit Eventually, Jerry would buy a $22k car while only earning $22k per year Financial Wake Up Call He came home and his fiance had her bags packed Jerry realized he couldn't afford to live by himself So he thought he'd just live out of his car to avoid the embarrassment of moving home Jerry was also carrying debt with 25% interest rates He was making payments but was never actually making progress A friend recommended he refinance through a personal loan This lowered his debt all the way down to 5% For his remaining credit card bills, he did a balance transfer That gave him 0% rate for 18 months Jerry's Side Hustle Journey He tried Swagbucks but the payout was terrible Then he tried Uber but it was taking a toll on his car Jerry also tried We Go Look where you send in pictures of damaged vehicles for insurance claims. Now he is getting more into freelance writing and social media management Jerry also highly recommends Beta Testing. Networking This was a really powerful part of Jerry's story Networking expanded his world view It also tangibly impacted him From ideas on debt payment or side hustles like freelance writing Jerry really highlights the importance to surround yourself with people you can draw knowledge and encouragement from Key Takeaways Artificial Limits: One thing that really stuck out was the disadvantage that people experience simply by having low expectations set for them and surrounding them. Mental Health: We loved that Jerry was open about his mental health journey and his encouragement to others to also take it seriously. Call to Action Expand your network! One easy way is to just join our Facebook group page. Other options are LinkedIn, MeetUp, or other Facebook group pages. 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! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We’ve all heard of LinkedIn, but have any of you managers or small business owners used the platform to hire new talent? LinkedIn Jobs uses its state-of-the-art technology to put your listing in front of qualified candidates. When you’re ready to make that next hire, visit LinkedIn.com/FiShow to get $50 off your first job listing. Jerry's Information

Today's episode features Joe Saul-Sehy from Stacking Benjamins. Before creating a massively popular podcast, Joe made a lot of money mistakes. This all came to a clash when he was working as a financial advisor, owned his own business, and still could barely get the money to get home. Now Joe is bringing finances into so many homes via a unique comedic angle. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary Joe's Background Joe was in high school and remembers seeing news specials on money-saving tips He also got inspired by the movie Wall Street But it took Joe a long time to actually put it into practice His parents pushed him to work hard but money was taboo Making Money Missteps On his first day at college, Joe spots a long line at an American Express Credit Card table He talks about blowing money at the mall and fancy meals at Ruby Tuesday for his friends Then things get real when he gets a bill and his parents refuse to help him His credit was destroyed and the interest started building Even in his professional life, he thought he had an earning issue, not a spending issue But we know from famous athletes that a spending problem will always overcome earnings Joe started earning more money with his own business but kept racking up debt Keep in mind, his business was as a financial advisor The breaking moment is when he has no money or credit to buy gas to get home Joe had to dig for change in his seats just to get home Turning Things Around Joe realized he needed to "hide money" from himself This meant automating money to go into separate accounts that he didn't see He also realized that he couldn't go cold turkey Joe gave himself an allowance so he could buy some of those entertainment items He said it's important to not be too restrictive or else you'll relapse Entrepreneurial Journey Joe says he's a bad employee He would always clash with a boss Joe admits he also wasn't a great boss at first He might hire people too much like him Or spout off ideas through the day not thinking his employees would take that as direction Starting Stacking Benjamins Joe sold his business at age 40 This was inspired by a colleague who walked away because it wasn't fulfilling That person, Chris,  stepped away to go climb mountains across the world Chris would then go on to start an adventure travel company Inspired by this, Joe decides to go back to school to become a teacher/coach He realized quickly that it wasn't for him So Joe starts dabbling in a blog and creates the  Stacking Benjamins podcast He wanted to take the unique angle of comedy They took it really seriously and even would attend comedy classes Pulling From Others Joe recommends the book by Austin Kleon - Think like an artist He really recommends people look at others in their industry and pull all the best parts It was actually a car podcast that was hilarious to him that inspired the Stacking Benjamin theme Joe says he actually wants a finance show where no one learns a thing about money In reality, people learn a lot but it doesn't feel like a class He would go on to pull from a board game podcast, car podcast, and even a little kids podcast Key Takeaways Imposter Syndrome: Joe was a financial advisor but still struggled to follow his own advice. We all need help on this journey. Let Others Inspire You: Don't feel guilty about taking takes from others as long as it isn't inspiration. Call to Action Change, assess, repeat. Start to source ideas from others and try them out. Don't just be stagnant! 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! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group

Today's episode features Erica Ballard from Erica Ballard Health. At first, Erica struggled with her self image and finding out what "healthy" really meant. Through experimentation and education, she unlocked how to really help others achieve their peak health. Now she's helping others and educating the world on what real health is. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary Erica's Background Erica thought looking good was the key to her happiness She also thought she was doing fitness and health the right way Erica was actually working at a non-profit promoting healthcare and wellness Unfortunately, this non-profit wasn't promoting the best practices Eventually, she came to the realization that wellness isn't one size fits all It took her a while to find what worked for her Creating an Experiment Mindset The program that Erica went through pushed you to challenge your wellness beliefs It would convince you to be vegan and then highlight the benefits of meats Eventually, you start to see what makes real sense to you and not just following a narrative Then we discuss problems with the food pyramid and breakfast being the most important meal of the day To find what works for you she promotes experimenting Introduce one new piece to your wellness journey at a time and keep what works for you Crowding In vs Eliminating Erica promotes that you bring in the things that you want instead of focusing on the cut Add in more grains and more water, the things you're cutting out will eliminate itself Challenge yourself on the things you are hanging onto that are keeping you from wellness goals How are those bad habits serving you? Then Erica drops all kind of knowledge on us around sugar Healthy People Perform We discuss how health and wellness goes beyond life expectancy It also impacts your job performance and thus your profit margins Entrepreneurs love to boast about performing on four hours of sleep That's impressive But imagine how well they'd perform on eight hours of sleep! Turn your good (which might be great for everyone else) into your great The All-Important Sleep Don't eat close to sleeping (2-3 hours between food and sleep) Get off the phone before bedtime Don't drink caffeine after 2 pm Sleep is the first thing Erica recommends you to work on for wellness We need 7-8 hours per night! Performing on four hours of sleep isn't interesting or impressive Key Takeaways One size fits one: Erica highlights over and over just how personal that fitness and wellness are, experiment! Good Intentions: Even though Erica was working at a non-profit promoting health, she was still unknowingly a part of the problem Call to Action Experiment with your own health and wellness journey. Pick one thing this week to add. Whether it's exercise, water, or greens, just add one thing. If you see an improvement, keep it, and add another. 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! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Looking for a low-cost cell phone service provider with great coverage? Look no further. Mint Mobile provides the same premium coverage you’re used to, but at a fraction of the cost because everything is online. All their plans come with unlimited talk and text and you can choose the data plan that’s right for you and get the plan shipped to your door for free! Go to MintMobile.com/FiShow to get started now for just $15 per month.  Erica's Information

Today's episode features Terrie Chantel from TerrieChantel.com. Terrie is a successful speaker and business coach. She teaches teach business owners how to monetize their skills, uplevel their personal brand, create profitable offers, and convert followers into buyers. Being an entrepreneur wasn't always comfortable for Terrie. Check out how that changed for her and how she's helping others do the same. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary Terrie's Background Terrie graduated high school at age 16 and college at age 20 Both of her parents were “workaholics" This made Terrie believe that "amount of work = financial benefit" At 17, her uncle wanted her to co-sign on a car to build her credit That gesture changed her life At age 22 she went on to buy a house and really understood money Passing Down Money Lessons Terrie has three boys, ages 10, 15, 17 Her #1 tool she uses is to “paint a millionaire vision in their mind” This is the act of making wealth achievable in their mind She also gets them to use her debit card to pay bills online Just getting them involved in finances and eliminating the taboo Now her 17-year-old is already an entrepreneur Bondage vs Freedom Her uncle was like her dad and went towards the plan he set out She graduates college and goes directly into corporate Terrie stayed there for 10 years 5 years into that career, she started moving into management The pressure was increasing, work was coming home, and the money didn’t seem worth it That’s not what she envisioned It felt more like bondage than freedom Seeing a New Way She didn’t have other peers she could turn to who felt this way Terrie was always the girl, the youngest, and often the only black person  Being surrounded by all these 6-figure earners, Terrie saw how high earners spent money But everyone worked themselves to death and just watched their vacation pile up Simply put, Terrie had no idea there was another option So Terrie started her own side-hustle Through this, she begins to meet other entrepreneurs Then she did realize there was another way Can't Let Go of Stability Terrie gets laid off around the holidays and gets pregnant with her second child So she really starts taking her side hustle serious In her first month, she had 100 clients through a lot of hustle She would even set quotas for handing out business cards But even with all that success, she still went back to corporate work It just felt too secure Terrie did keep the business going by hiring and training someone She admits not everyone is driven to be an entrepreneur But if you have that passion, you have to follow it Tips for Starting that New Business She says some people jump to marketing too fast To help others you need to be financially stable yourself She focused mainly on customer service and building a solid product Once those frameworks are set, then you can focus on other things like marketing If you can’t consistently hit the number you need for bills, that’s a bad sign This means it’s time to take a pause and look at your processes She likes to look at it in three-month chunks Terrie says you should be seeing a consistent profitability to know your frameworks are set Valuing Yourself Then we talk about valuing yourself This includes charging a premium for your services Stop focusing on yourself and think about the client Think about how you’re going to change their life Then you’ll see just how much you're really worth Key Takeaways Security is addicting: Terrie had trouble walking away from her normal W-2 job. It's a valid feeling! Don't Jump To Marketing: Solidify your product offering and take care of your clients, let marketing come later. Call to Action Get creative with that work ethic.

Today's episode features Bob Lai from Tawcan. Bob and his wife are both dual citizens living in Vancouver, Canada. He has a big passion for geo-arbitrage, slow travel, and dividend investing. Hear how he's reaching FI while traveling and having three weddings! (spoiler alert, only one bride) Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary Bob's Background Bob’s family grew up in Taiwan with a farming background Money was never taboo and stuck with him Frugality was a big point of emphasis His dad retired in his early 40s Bob had a cousin who retired at 42 And then another cousin who hit FI and kept working Bob talks about the influence that had on him Geo-arbitrage Geoarbitrage is the act of moving somewhere to lower your cost of living Think San Francisco resident moving to Montana This can be within your own country or abroad It’s important to consider your earnings also dropping This typically works best if you’re not working or working remotely Some jobs like doctors actually get paid more in small cities With the pandemic, this is possible for many more workers who’ve gone remote Exchange rates can also be your friend Living 181+ days in another country can also help you avoid U.S. income taxes Citizenship is obviously a big hurdle in certain countries Some countries give residency based on wealth or homeownership Geo-arbitrage can save you 50% or more Slow Travel Often we look at travel as short spurts (1 – 2 weeks at a time) This leads to trying to pack in as much as possible You end up so tired, you need a vacation when you get back Slow travel is the idea of spreading that over 3-6months This allows you to spread out costs of flights It also lets you book apartments vs hotel rooms Bob goes over how much more enjoyable it is and affordable He also talks about the benefits of having a home base when traveling Three weddings under $7000 Bob got married three times…. Remember that his wife was from Denmark This meant they both had families abroad His first wedding was mostly his family Bob’s wife made the cake and her dress! Of course, they used a coupon after the wedding to eat A month later they had a wedding with friends and her family They hired a friend who would go on to go to culinary school And their photographer was just starting out His wife actually altered her own wedding dress for the second wedding A year later they decided to do a wedding actually in Denmark This time it was at a small-town school and his picture did photographs Bob even took some of the photos Rounding out the Episode Bob talks about how he could retire now if he wanted He's happy with his job currently Their home is also very valuable in the crazy Vancouver market But life is good and his kids have a friend group Key Takeaways Slow down: Bob breaks down the power of slow travel which this show is a big fan of You have options: Don't think that just because you live or were born in a certain area that you have to stay there. Call to Action Look at your next planned vacation or one you've done in the past, compare those numbers with the slow travel version of it. How much per day does a six day vacation compare to a six month? 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! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Express VPN is one of the leading virtual private network service providers in the industry. Before I learned about Express VPN,

Today's episode features Grumpus Maximus, author of  The Golden Albatross and creator of the Grumpus Maximus website. Grumpus was three years away from a pension when he had a breakdown. This pushed him to gather all the information he could on his pension to choose on staying or going. Ultimately, he stayed and from then on became focused on teaching others how to understand and utilize their own pension plans. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary Grumpus' Beginnings In the spring of 2016, he suffered a mental breakdown This was while serving in the military He was only 3 yrs from a pension This made him do a lot of investigating into his pension He gives people advice on how to balance mental health and personal finance decisions We also talk about how to decide when to stop chasing the pension This is important because there's often such a long time to earn the pension Varieties of Pensions Grumpus highlights the vast differences in pensions These differences make them more or less valuable Differences include healthcare and inflation adjustment One thing to look out for is how well funded the pension is If it is only 50% funded, then it could be a riskier and less attractive pension What is a Pension? Generally, it's some percentage of money based on your salary that you receive forever You might have to work X number of years and at that point, you're fully vested Some allow you to ramp up your pensions vs all or nothing Think partial vs cliff vesting The main reason for a pension is for retention If you're ready to leave, they may offer you a lump sum It's important to consider tax implications and how much value you're giving up Grumpus also highlights that all plans must offer survivor benefits This is where your spouse or dependent would get a part of your pension after your death Rely Only on Your Pension? Simply put, you shouldn't only rely on your pension The closer you get to vesting, the more you can assume you'll have it You also need to study how likely your pension is to actually exist This is on top of understanding how likely you'll be able to handle a single job for 20-30 years Grumpus Moves Abroad He moved to New Zealand and enjoying the conversion rate We then discuss how the pension is taxed based on state/country you live in Grumpus is a big fan of the range of activities available in New Zealand Cody couldn't agree more! Key Takeaways Know Your Pension: The pension system isn't as simple as we thought, so study your specifics The future is uncertain: At times we don't take action because we're pessimistic but then, unfortunately, we make future assumptions based on overly optimistic projections Call to Action Study your pension! Even if you don't have a pension, chances are that you or your spouse has some type of benefits. Really dig in to make sure you fully understand and maximize those benefits. 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! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Looking for a low-cost cell phone service provider with great coverage? Look no further. Mint Mobile provides the same premium coverage you’re used to, but at a fraction of the cost because everything is online. All their plans come with unlimited talk and text and you can choose the data plan that’s right for you and get the plan shipped to your door for free! Go to MintMobile.com/FiShow to get started now for just $15 per month. Grumpus' Information