ChooseFI

In this episode: determining your FI goals, real estate investing, land investing, liquidity, and proof of concept. Whether you are new to FI or have achieved it, you have probably noticed a big change not only in how you live your life, but how you perceive yourself. You may be more intentional and strive to make changes in all areas of your life, not just financial ones. This week we are joined by our friend JT Olmstead to discuss the ins and outs of land investing, as well as talk about the importance of  having the right mentality to accomplish your goals and become the best version of yourself. While on the journey to FI, you may feel momentum and motivation to keep pushing towards your FI number, but oftentimes the journey doesn’t end when you get to the finish line. A large part of this journey is learning from failures, changing your goals, and changing your plans as you change!  Though your plans and goals may not always be accomplished the way you think, having the right mindset throughout this journey will be just as beneficial to you as having plans in place.  Timestamps: 0:56 - Introduction 5:20 - Determining Your FI Goals 11:34 - The Top End of Your Capabilities/The Skill Of Saying No 22:01 - Real Estate Investing 27:43 - Transitioning to Land Investing 32:16 - The Intersection of FI and Real Estate Investing 42:12 - Personal Proof of Concept/Land Investing 48:17 - Liquidity/Structuring Buying and Selling Systems 59:52 - Resources For Land Investing/Where to Start 62:59 - The Hot Seat 72:12 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: Camp FI Mr. Money Mustache Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor | Chad Carson | ChooseFI Ep 446 Biggerpockets FIRE Drill Podcast Seth Williams RE Tipster Annie Duke Casual Fridays Podcast "The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self" by Michael Easter Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group! Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

As this month comes to a close, we think it’s only fitting to reflect on what July’s incredible guests have had to say, and what new knowledge and perspectives they’ve brought to the table. This week we are back with Ginger and introducing a more structured Round-Up, where we will be revisiting topics from this past month's episodes and discussing our favorite moments and takeaways. While the subjects of this month's episodes have varied from spending for happiness to understanding Roth conversions, there is still more to learn and unpack before moving onto August!  Timestamps: 1:44 - Introduction 2:17 - Listener Updates/Travel Rewards 7:08 - Spending for Happiness 18:35 - Saving Addiction 22:01 - The Fundamental Truths of Investing 31:12 - The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor 41:11 - Roth Conversions/Breaking Up with Your Financial Advisor 49:50 - Purposefully Not Optimizing 55:58 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: The Invisible Nature of Spending | Ginger Roundup | ChooseFI Ep 443 ChooseFI’s Top 10 Recommended Travel Rewards Cards Spending for Happiness | Carl Jensen & Doug Cunnington | ChooseFI Ep 444 Cometeer Fundamental Truths of Investing | Brian Feroldi | ChooseFI Ep 445 Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor | Chad Carson | ChooseFI Ep 446 Nick Magguilli Return on Hassle Mailbag: Breaking up with your Advisor, I Bonds, 4% Rule, Accounts for Kids, Roth IRAs | Sean Mullaney | Ep 447 FI is Fun More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: financial advisor breakups, I bonds, the 4% rule, second generation FI, Roth IRAs, and the listener mailbag. Breakups are hard, but breaking up with financial advisor can be harder given the minutia that is often involved in doing so. It's good to have friends to lean on in times like this, which is exactly why we have the FI Tax Guy himself Sean Mullaney with us to help! Listen along as he and Brad dip back into the listener mailbag this week and discuss a plethora of topics submitted by YOU the listener! Sean Mullaney: Website: fitaxguy.com Sean's Roth IRA Blog Post: How I Learned To Stop Worrying About The Roth IRA 5 Year Rules Timestamps: 0:43 - Introduction/Breaking Up With Your Financial Advisor 15:13 - The Taxable Nature of Financial Breakups 22:11 - I Bonds 29:12 - The 4% Rule and Age 35:40 - Second Generation FI and Accounts 43:48 - Early Roth IRA Conversions 48:18 - Roth IRA's and 5 Year Rules 57:24 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: Early Retirement Now BiggerPockets Money Podcast Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group Make Your Kid a Millionaire: Roth IRA for Kids The Wealth Letters Jillian Johnsrud The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder | A Case Study | ChooseFI Ep. 17r Roth IRA Conversion Ladder Case Study | ChooseFI Ep. 163r Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: designing your life, real estate investing, pain points, working backward, and finding your sweet spot. This week we are rejoined by friend of the podcast Chad Carson to discuss his new book "The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor: How to Reach Financial Freedom with Fewer Rental Properties," as well as cover some strategies he’s picked up during his real estate investing journey. While investing in real estate can be a full time job, for many listeners it can also be seen as a way to generate additional income. Although getting started can seem a little daunting, Chad offers excellent insights on how to confidently begin real estate investing and stay motivated towards having your investments align with your personal goals and desired life! Chad Carson: Get 10% off Chad's book coming out on July 20th, "The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor: How to Reach Financial Freedom with Fewer Rental Properties," with the promo-code "choosefi" Timestamps: 1:02 - Introduction 4:34 - Designing Your Life 14:36 - Walkability and Location 23:39 - Buying Around Pain Points 28:08 - Working Backwards for Solutions 34:55 - Transition From Buying to Paying Off 43:52 - Working In Your Sweet Spot 52:02 - What You Can't Outsource 57:10 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich" By Timothy Ferriss Strong Towns Of Dollars and Data "Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence" by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez, and Mr. Money Moustache Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance  

In this episode: investing, losing money hurts, pessimism, optimism, index funds, psychology, history, and building wealth. Whether you're a confident investor or weary of playing the market, there is still a lot to be learned when it comes to your investments. This week we are re-joined by friend of the podcast Brian Feroldi to discuss important truths and takeaways he’s learned as a decades-long investor, from navigating the psychology and history of the market, to focusing on longevity and simplicity rather than getting rich quick. When listening to this episode, remember that playing the market doesn’t have to be a complicated game, and no one should feel un-equipped to invest! Just be sure to understand that investing will never be a perfect journey, and preparing yourself for low points may help you make better decisions in the long run! Brian Feroldi: Website: brianferoldi.com Twitter: @brianferoldi Book: “Why Does The Stock Market Go Up?: Everything You Should Have Been Taught About Investing In School, But Weren’t” By Brian Feroldi Timestamps: 0:41 - Introduction 4:27 - You Will Be Wrong 9:45 - Losing Money HURTS 12:54 - Humans Are Naturally Bad Investors 16:09 - Pessimism And Optimism 20:22 - The Power Of Index Funds 22:31 - The Power Of History And Psychology 24:45 - Avoiding Ruin Is A Skill 28:56 - Keeping It Simple 35:24 - To Build Wealth, You Need To Invest 37:50 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: "Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger" by Charles T. Munger "The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness" by Morgan Housel "Expectations Investing: Reading Stock Prices for Better Returns" by Michael J. Mauboussin Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: the phases of FI, your spending framework, dying with zero, changing your anchor points, and the value of time. This podcast offers insight to what the path to FI can look like for listeners, and while we usually speak broadly to our listeners who are all at different stages of FI, it’s important to look back, as well as look forward to see how this journey has changed for us. This week we are joined by Carl Jensen and Doug Cunnington of Mile High FI to talk about the evolution of the FI movement from when we all began this journey, as well as reflect and discuss the trends and important takeaways of where we see the FI movement going. While finding your own balance is important in all parts of life, finding balance while on the FI journey is just as important! Learning to become intentional with your spending is also important. It can be extremely beneficial to your life to learn healthier ways to spend rather than deprive yourself of some of the most important items or experiences that bring you joy! So remember, whether you are at the beginning or well on your way towards reaching your FI goal, you will evolve with FI over time and application, just as FI will evolve around you!  Mile High FI: Website: milehighfi.com Podcast: Mile High FI Newsletter: Join The Mile High FI Club Timestamps: 1:25 – Introduction 4:41 – The Phases of FI 11:18 – Building Your Life-Spending Framework 18:31 – What’s Worth Spending On 26:16 – Re-Evaluating Anchor Points 33:43 – The Value of Saving Time 42:22 – Dying With Zero 51:02 – Why Wait For Death To Help Your Loved Ones Fiscally? 56:32 – Buying A Concert 59:30 – Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: The Skill of Spending | Mr. Money Mustache | ChooseFI Ep 432 The Tim Ferris Show Episode 661 The Mad Fientist “Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life” by Bill Perkins The Tail End “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” by Dr. Peter Attia Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI’s 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: travel rewards, credit cards, the true cost of buying a car, health, retirement, and community wins. This week we are re-joined by Ginger for another Round-Up episode where we will briefly discuss travel rewards, updates on Ginger’s credit card journey, the value of implementing new habits, and also dip into the listener mailbag! Over the course of this podcast we often discuss the importance of taking action and making changes in your life to not only achieve FI but also improve your life overall. While we know changes don’t happen overnight, (just as no one can reach their FI goal overnight) it’s important to remember that sometimes the best thing you can do is take action little by little. Sometimes this means budgeting, and other times it can mean breaking free from an unhealthy frugal mindset in order improve your quality of life! Whatever the changes you wish to make or habits you want to create are, remember it's never too late to begin!  Timestamps: 0:10 - Introduction 0:29 - Travel Rewards 6:52 - Global Entry/Credit Cards 16:30 - The True Cost Of Buying A Car 25:49 - Health, Fitness, and Habits 39:44 - Pensions and Retirement Numbers 48:22 - Community Wins 54:34 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: Dollars and Sense | Clint Murphy & Ginger | ChooseFI Ep 438  “Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter” By Jeff Kreisler and Dan Ariely Featured Travel Rewards Articles Rewards Credit Card Offers From Our Partners Outside 365 | Greg Heil | ChooseFI Ep 433 "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity" by Dr. Peter Attia The Valuist Returns | FI Roundup with Bo Loy | ChooseFI Ep 441 Atomic Habits | James Clear | ChooseFI Ep 157 "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" by James Clear The Golden Albatross | Grumpus Maximus | ChooseFI Ep 57 The Golden Albatross | Grumpus Maximus | ChooseFI Ep 227 Is Your Pension Healthy? | ChooseFI Ep 316 "The Golden Albatross: How To Determine If Your Pension Is Worth It" by Grumpus Maximus FI Is Fun Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: the travelers triangle, booking early, flexibility, planning, hotels, and knowing you are getting a deal. This week Suzy joins us for a new installment of travel rewards tips, where we will be diving deeper into how you can optimize your savings and travel points to get the most out of your travels. While the subject matter we are tackling today may be more useful to listeners who have already acquired the necessary credit cards and travel points, there is still a lot of helpful information you can use when planning your next trip! So whether that's learning to book early and play around with the sites mentioned on today's episode, or allowing flexibility to mitigate the stress of traveling, this episode is here to act as an additional resource to those learning to take advantage of what their travel points can offer. Timestamps:  1:24 - Introduction 6:09 - The Travelers Triangle 12:31 - Booking Ahead Of Time 23:28 - Tools For Travel Rewards 33:14 - Flexibility And Planning 45:10 - FI Booking Processes 57:57 - Taxes,Fees, And Knowing Your Getting A Deal 64:06 - Hotels 70:45 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: ChooseFI Travel Rewards CashFreely and Travel Freely Signup Links Seats.aero point.me BoundlessMiles Max Miles Instagram Max Miles Website GeoBreeze Travel Podcast Bens Big Deal Frequent Traveler University Frequent Miler On The Air Sonic Travelers Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: the continuum of FI, skilling up, chasing true value, the power of connection, and second generation FI. This week we are rejoined by friend of the podcast Bo Loy to talk about finding value on the FI journey, drowning out the "noise,"  and the importance of not depriving yourself of happiness in order to reach your FI goal. While the journey to FI does require you to make financial changes and pick up new habits that can launch you towards financial independence, the purpose of this journey is never to deprive or restrict yourself in order to reach your goal. No matter when you begin this journey, the goal in mind should be taking steps in order to improve your life both financially AND mentally. Not sacrificing the things that bring value to it! There's a lot to learn on the path to FI, but it’s important to remember that what you are working towards is more than just a number, it's personal happiness, fulfillment, and more!  Timestamps: 0:58 - Introduction 4:37 - The Continuum of FI 11:51 - Skilling Up 15:44 - Life Updates 25:59 - Chasing True Value 34:55 - Meeting Your kids Where Their Interests Lie 41:17 - The Power of Connection 48:20 - Just Going For It 52:24 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: The Valuist | Bo Loy | ChooseFI Ep 396 Talent Stacker Dean Turner Training on Twitter "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity" by Dr. Peter Attia The Peter Attia Drive Podcast "Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life" by Martin E.P. Seligman Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance

In this episode: money against mindset, fear setting, FI events, gap years, slow travel, and living intentionally. Everyone’s relationship with money is different, just as everyones path to FI looks different, but how do you unlearn behaviors that could be holding you back? This week we are joined by Amy Minkley to discuss how finding FI changed her life while abroad, as well as the the importance of unlearning and breaking free of internalized stress when it comes to money. A large part of the FI journey is implementing new habits and the lessons you pick up along the way. However, an even larger and sometimes harder part of this journey requires you to be introspective and take an honest look at your relationship with money. While you can’t go back and change the past, the beauty of FI is that you learn to make changes to ensure the future you want! No matter what your background, the path to FI is one that benefits everyone, because it not only gives you control of your life, but allows for independence to create the future you desire. So while it may feel comfortable to approach this journey by thinking of all the ways things can go wrong, remember to think of all the ways things can go right!  Amy Minkley: Website: fifreedomretreats.com Mailing List: Get In Touch With Amy Here! Timestamps: 1:01 - Introduction 4:29 - How Amy Found FI 8:47 - Money Against Mindset 16:24 - Making The Tough But Right Choices For You 22:18 - International Teaching 27:43 - Fear Setting 36:20 - Living Intentionally 42:25 - FI Events 46:56 - Gap Years And Slow Travel 52:19 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode: EconoME Conference CampFI Exploring International Teaching Opportunities | Scott & Rob | ChooseFI Ep. 109 "Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence" by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez, and Mr Money Mustache The Milestones Of FI | ChooseFI Ep. 32 Camp Mustache Subscribe to The FI Weekly! More Helpful Links and Resources: Earn $1,000 in cashback with ChooseFI's 3-card credit card strategy Share FI by sending a friend ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Commission-Free Investing with M1 Finance