ChooseFI

In this episode: student loans, the impact of knowing, navigating the pandemic, the power of planning, and the freedom of FI! Tens of millions of people deal with student loan debt, and even with the recent news of loan forgiveness, there are still many who are left unequipped with the knowledge of the best ways to repay these debts without sacrificing from their lifestyle. Today we are rejoined by Samm, aka "The Debtist," to get an update on how she has been navigating paying off her student loans, as well as how her financial mindset has changed over the last 4 years. Just because you take on debt does not mean you have to deprive yourself of the life you want until the debts are paid off! By changing your mindset to one of abundance of opportunity rather than scarcity of opportunity, the path to FI can open many doors for you! Paying down your loans, entering into new professions, and not letting your money control your ability to find happiness are all just examples of what is possible while getting yourself out from debt! The Debtist: Website: The Debtist Instagram: @thedebtist Timestamps: 1:25 - Introduction 1:50 - Sam's Student Loan Story 6:34 - Switching From IBR and The Impact of Knowing 10:48 - Navigating the Pandemic Pause 14:06 - The Freedom of FI 17:45 - The Aftermath of the Pandemic 24:56 - The Doors You Can Open By Shutting One 30:51 - The Power of Planning 38:18 - The End of the Pandemic Pause 46:35 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Conversation: HyperDebt | The Debtist | ChooseFI Episode 98 The Student Loan Planner The Student Loan Reset | The Student Loan Planner | ChooseFI Ep 391 Travel Rewards Refresher 2022 | Lyn Mettler | ChooseFI Ep 393 Travel Rewards: How To Travel The World For Almost Free (The Easy Way) | ChooseFI Ep 9 You Need A Budget (YNAB) Do You Need A Budget? | YNAB | ChooseFI Episode 165 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: resilience, making good choices, letting go of limiting beliefs, attracting the energy you put out, and winning at life! What would you do if you were given a terminal cancer diagnosis? While it might not be the first thing that comes to mind, if you're able, the Boyd Dunleavey option is to develop a new positive outlook on life and the energy your omitting into the world, win your fight with cancer, and then proceed to run 11 marathons. Bad news comes to every single one of us, but how we process and handle that news is entirely up to us! Choose to handle it the right way, move forward with your life, and prioritize the things that matter to you. Despite what you may have been told, you have no idea where it could lead you ten years down the road! Boyd Dunleavey: Check out these sites to see if your someones much needed match! Be The Match One Match Two fantastic groups in the cancer community that Boyd loves and trusts! Gryt Health Man Up To Cancer Connect With Boyd Facebook: From Blood Cancer To The Boston Marathon Instagram: @from_blood_cancer_to_boston Timestamps: 1:22 - Introduction 2:49 - Choices Bearing Fruit/ Boyd's Backstory 11:42 - Taking The Better Path 20:04 - The News That Changed Everything 24:36 - Resilience and Pivoting 29:41 - You Could Be Someones Match 34:20 - Attracting The Energy You Put Out 39:16 - The Places Your Energy Can Take You 47:27 - The Boston Marathon 51:07 - It's a Choice to Make Good Choices/Ripple Effects 58:40 - Goal Setting, Financial Resilience, and Winning at Life! 68:34 - Let Go of Limiting Beliefs 71:00 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode: "Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!" by Robert T Kiyosaki "Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom" by Robert T Kiyosake American Red Cross Todoist The Motley Fool Travel Rewards What Comes After Chase | Travel To Disney World For Nearly Free | ChooseFI Episode 31 Step-By-Step Guide to a (Nearly) Free Disney Vacation (2022) Atomic Habits | James Clear | ChooseFI Episode 157 The Student Loan Reset | The Student Loan Planner | ChooseFI Ep 391 Boyd Meeting His Donor Nathan! 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: Travel Rewards, Credit Cards, and The Value of Rewards Points. We all know that it can be expensive to travel, and sometimes the joy and excitement of taking that long-awaited family vacation can be overshadowed by the cost of taking the trip. But what if there was a more efficient way to travel that doesn't feel like you are breaking the bank? Well, with effective planning and the right tools this is entirely possible! This week we are once again joined by Lyn Mettler who will discuss to maximizing your spending in a way that does not deprive you, but rather rewards you! Lyn Mettler: Check Out Lyn's Free eBook How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass! Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:50 - Credit Cards 7:50 - The Value of Points 16:53 - Two-Player Mode and The 5-24 Rule 20:35 - Where to Start With Travel Rewards 25:03 - Limitations and Strategy 31:33 - Why This Works With FI 33:31 - The State of Travel Part 1 37:15 - Award Charts and Wiggle Room 41:28 - Points and Hotels 48:25 - The State of Travel Part 2 50:31 - The Booking Order 58:44 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review ChooseFI's List of Travel Rewards Cards Travel Rewards: How To Travel The World For Almost Free (The Easy Way) | ChooseFI Ep 9 Travel Rewards What Comes After Chase | Travel To Disney World For Nearly Free | ChooseFI Ep 31 Travel Rewards | Marla Taner | ChooseFI Ep 77 Families Fly Free | ChooseFI Ep 353 Turo Airbnb Vrbo Vacasa David's Vacation Club 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: Unlocking Freedom, The Optimized Path, Skilling Up, The Perpetual Money-Making Machine, and a New Era of ChooseFI. It is truly the end of an era at ChooseFI. After six years, over 400 episodes, and all the laughs shared along the way, Jonathan is taking a step away from show to explore a new chapter in his life. On his way out, he and Brad hopped on the microphones as co-hosts one last time to discuss the lessons they have learned making this podcast, some key points of consideration for your FI journey, and the absolutely amazing community that has been built around this podcast. This audience truly embodies the word crowd in the word crowdsourced. Best of luck to Jonathan on all his new endeavors, and be sure to tune in next week as Brad carries the podcast into its new era! Timestamps 0:57 - The End of an Era 5:00 - The Last 5 Years and The Evolution of FI 12:12 - Unlocking Freedom 15:57 - Math, Hope, and Time 19:47 - The Optimized Path 25:21 - The Perpetual Money Making Machine 34:16 - Skilling Up and Education 38:58 - The Value of Being Crowdsourced 46:36 - Reach Out To Us! 48:07 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode Choose FI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence Alan Donegan Coach Carson Scott Trench How Real Estate Investors Make it Work in High Interest Environments | Coach Carson | Ep 387 Mr. Money Mustache Side Hustle Nation Join ChooseFI's Facebook Group Book your custom student loan plan with Student Loan Planner Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez, Vicki Robin, and Mr Money Mustache Find Your Local ChooseFI Group! Leave Us a Voicemail Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: student loan forgiveness, public service loan for forgiveness, and getting closer to loan forgiveness. How would you respond to finding out your looming student loan debts could be forgiven? Well for some of you that could be possible, but you need to act quickly! Travis Hornsby from The Student Loan Planner joins the show this week to discuss public service loans for forgiveness, and how a massive opportunity to tackle your student debt could be available to up to 25% of people with student loans, but only for a limited window of time! The deadline for applications for this waiver is currently October 31st, 2022 so listen along to see if this option can be applicable to you, and if so visit the link to book a consultation with The Student Loan Planner team ASAP! The Student Loan Planner Book a personalized consultation with The Student Loan Planner team (including an automatic $100 discount for ChooseFI listeners!) Timestamps 1:43 - Introduction 3:04 - The Public Service Loan for Forgiveness 4:51 - Public Service 6:05 - The Problem This Fixes 11:57 - Getting Closer to Forgiveness 16:21 - Why This is Urgent 21:13 - Deadline Information 22:54 - Slam Dunk Case Example 28:36 - Self Screening Test 30:20 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode studentaid.gov Book Your Custom Student Loan Plan Student Loan Planner with Travis Hornsby | ChooseFI Ep 202 Student Loan Debt Repayment | Travis Hornsby | ChooseFI Ep 78 Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: marginal gains, prioritizing your present, purposeful living, impacting others, and goal setting. Whether you like it or not we all will eventually die someday, and when that time comes the last thing we want to do is to look back on our lives with regret. Oftentimes in life we let expectations, outside obligations, and future ambition rule over us in the present, without fully realizing we could be living our dream life in the present! Nobody understands this more than former hospice doctor Jordan Grumet (aka Doc G) who comes back to the show to discuss the importance of finding meaning in the way we approach our goals, and how becoming more intentional and present could lead to a more fulfilling and purposeful life! Jordan "Doc G" Grumet Website: jordangrumet.com Book: Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life Podcast: Earn & Invest Blog: DiverseFI Timestamps 1:27 - Introductions 2:30 - Sam's Story 6:29 - It's Not Bout The Goals, It's about The Processes 14:23 - Marginal Gains 17:33 - Prioritizing Yourself 23:24 - Your The Star of Your Own Story 27:20 - Making Ripples and Impacting Others 35:24 - What Would You Do if Money Wasn't an Issue? 41:36 - Money is a Tool and Measuring Friction 50:15 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode Real Estate & Financial Independence Podcast with Coach Carson Ordinary Sherpa "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins JL Collins "The Tail End" by Tim Urban Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: interpreting financial statements, utilizing financial statements, balance sheet statements, income statements, cash flow statements, and valuing a business for its purpose. Have you even wanted to learn the language of business? Not in a literal sense, by that we mean understanding the ways businesses communicate what their real value is to the general public and potential investors? Well if you have had this incredibly niche thought, you're definitely a member of the FI community, and you're also in luck! Brian Feroldi is back on the show to discuss financial statements and the information certain financial statements indicate, as well as act as your translator for the language of business! Understanding this language can be a massive help in your own decision making going forward! Brian Feroldi Twitter: @BrianFeroldi YouTube: Brian Feroldi Website: brianferoldi.com Timestamps 1:26 - Introduction 2:44 - Financial Statements 5:35- Read and Interpret 8:58 - The Three Main Financial Statements 13:33 - Balance Sheet Statements 22:09 - Utilizing Financial Statements 24:06 - Income Statements 30:04 - Claim on Earnings 33:58 - Cash Flow Statements 44:13 - Valuing a Business for it's Purposes 47:22 - Not All Businesses are Equal 50:16 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage by Mary Buffett and David Clark https://www.fool.com/author/14471/ Stock Fundamentals With Brian Feroldi | ChooseFI Ep 200 Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: college hacking, career hacking, the power of starting early, trade jobs, and salesforce careers. How many times in the past have you been listening to this podcast and thought, "I wish I knew about this when I was younger." Well today's guest Zach actually had the foresight to start using the lessons he learned from this podcast at the ripe age of 18, and the results may be envy inducing! It's worth noting that not starting your FI journey at the age of 18 doesn't discredit you from a happy and financially independent life. But it's also worth noting that the sooner you start, the sooner you'll be able to reap the rewards, so start today! Timestamps 1:08 - Introduction and Zach's E-Mail 3:03 - What were you looking for when you found the FI community? 5:43 - Dual Enrollment 15:06 - Evaluating Your Education Options and Expenses 22:29 - Military Service and College Education 26:39 - First Job Out of College and Trade Jobs 35:05 - 20 Years Old, $65,000 Yearly Salary, No Debt, What Next? 37:04 - The Power of Starting Early 42:26 - Zach's Career Change 53:31 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode Subscribe to The FI Weekly! Virginia's Community Colleges Miss Excel From Pandemic Layoff to $100k+ | A Salesforce Success Story |EP 297 Free Salesforce 5-Day Challenge Salesforce: A Lucrative Career and No Degree or Tech Background Needed If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: real estate investing, the fundamentals of real estate investing, real estate investing variables, interest rates, and private money financing. With today's real estate market is it even possible to get some skin in the game as an investor? While thing's aren't exactly optimal for buyers right now, if you are creative and informed with your decision making, it is absolutely possible to get in the game! Listen along as Coach Carson joins the show to discuss how this is still possible and ways the small and mighty investors continue to succeed in the real estate market! Chad Carson Website: coachcarson.com YouTube: Coach Carson TV Podcast: Real Estate and Financial Independence Podcast Timestamps 1:13 - Introduction 2:09 - Elephants In The Room 5:41 - What Is The Market Doing? 9:13 - Interest Rates 17:32 - Do You Even Go To A Traditional Bank Anymore? 24:28 - Unknown Variables 28:50 - Private Money Financing 38:15 - It Always Comes Down To Earnings 44:23 - Surviving 2008 51:08 - The Cost For Private Investors 59:38 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode Redfin Zillow Paula Pant, Afford Anything Find your Local ChooseFI Group! BiggerPockets Forums Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile

In this episode: College Hacking, College Credits for less, ACE Courses, CLEP Exams, and The Most Cost Efficient Bachelors Degree A college education may be the most daunting expense members of the FI community have on their horizon. As we all know by now, the cost of modern higher education has skyrocketed and has shown virtually no signs of decreasing or even leveling off! However Gerry Born, also know as the Millionaire Educator, may have found a way to reduce the overall cost of said education while still retaining the aspect of freedom we in FI community hold so dearly. Listen along to see if this alternative path to a college degree could be applicable towards you or your loved one's futures! Millionaire Educator Website: millionaireeducator.com Twitter: @GerryBorn Timestamps 1:11 - Introduction 2:44 - The "College Experience" 6:55 - CLEP Tests 11:17 - Spending Credits 21:15 - The Cost Effective Option 25:35 - ACE Courses 28:48 - The Credit Stacking Experience 37:12 - Pairing This Methodology with the Classic College Experience 41:04 - The Most Optimized Bachelors Degree 47:32 - Using College to Learn Your Craft 52:53 - Conclusion Resources Mentioned In Today's Episode How To Test Out of College While You're Still In High School | Millionaire Educator | ChooseFI Ep 238 Sophia Learning Modern States Credly Study.com Sophia Learning's Partners A $7,500 College Degree in 12 Months? Subscribe to The FI Weekly! If You Want To Support ChooseFI: 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 Track your personal finances with Personal Capital Compare, buy, and save big on insurance with Policygenius Keep learning or start a new side hustle with one of our educational courses Slash your cell phone bill without sacrificing service with Mint Mobile