On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Gwen from Fiery Millennials and Julie from Millennial Boss join me to talk about millennial finances and what young people should do to reach financial independence as quickly as possible! Highlights: Thoughts on Chautauqua and Camp Mustache (including the awful financial advice Julie received in Ecuador) How Gwen landed her dream job and how Julie increased her income by 600% in 5 years The benefits of starting your own blog Why Gwen is the real-life Guinea Pig How to get a college degree for free (or as cheaply as possible) Why everyone should have a side hustle How to negotiate a higher salary (including Julie’s story of how she earned an additional $80,000 by negotiating!) What to do if you already have an inflated lifestyle

On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, I interview my wife, Jill! It took a lot of persuading to get her on the show but I’m glad she agreed because her perspective is very different from mine so it was interesting to hear her thoughts on financial independence, early retirement, and this unconventional life we lead! Highlights: When my wife found out I was a weirdo with money My lowest point as a cheapskate Why Jill and I kept our finances separate The importance of figuring out your perfect life How to get your spouse on board with FI Why you should start small when trying new things What I do that annoys my wife most    

Joining me on today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast are FIRECracker (Kristy) and Wanderer (Bryce) from Millennial Revolution! Kristy and Bryce exploded onto the scene after a video clip of them attacking the religion of homeownership went viral (it is now the most-viewed and most-shared video on CBC.ca, Canada’s largest news website). During our interview, we dive into the viral video, explore why they believe buying a home is usually a terrible idea, and find out what they’ve been up to after retiring in their early 30s! Highlights: Buying a house vs. retiring early Delusional homeowner math and how to avoid it Why you should rent everything The benefits of using a financial advisor How reaching financial independence is different in Canada Why you should follow your dreams on the side

I just returned from a fantastic week at the annual Chautauqua event in Ecuador. This was my second Chautauqua and just like last year, it exceeded all expectations.  It’s amazing what can happen when you put a bunch of interesting, intelligent people in a gorgeous 17th century hacienda (located at the foot of an extinct volcano) for a week. At this year's event, an attendee named Alan gave an impromptu presentation about why and how you should start a business and since it fit perfectly with the week's other discussions about financial independence and happiness, I knew I had to get him on the podcast. Since leaving my job in August, I’ve realized how important it is to have something meaningful to work on to fill the void after leaving your career so I think creating your own business is something everyone should consider. A side business can not only help ease the transition to early retirement, it can reduce the pressure on your portfolio after you quit and it can even help you reach FI sooner so listen to today’s episode to find out the right way to get started! Highlights: Takeaways and surprises from the Chautauqua in Ecuador Why you should do work you love How NOT to start a business Why entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be risky How to start a business for free The importance of selling your value before you create it Why you need to just get started

Want to know how two teachers were able to go from $0 net worth to retired in just 5 years? On today’s episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Ali and Joe (a.k.a. Arebelspy) from Adventuring Along join me to talk about how investing in real estate supercharged their progress to early retirement. We not only dive into how they achieved financial independence in spectacular fashion but we also explore their equally impressive retirement so far. In the past year alone they have hiked the entire El Camino de Santiago, had a baby in Istanbul, Turkey, and published a romance novel! Highlights: Dollar-cost averaging into real estate How to purchase real estate in a place you’ve never visited Best books for real estate investors Grasping the concept of ‘enough’ Importance of challenging yourself after retirement (both mentally and physically) Cost of having a baby in Turkey How much money you can save by staying out of the United States

My podcast was hijacked! During this year’s financial blogger conference (a.k.a. FinCon) in San Diego, Mr. and Mrs. 1500 from 1500days.com took control of the Financial Independence Podcast and put me on the hot seat (a very hot seat, indeed)! You’ll remember that last year at this same conference, I recorded an in-person interview with the 1500s. Well, this year Mr. 1500 figured it’d be fun to turn the tables on me so he and Mrs. 1500 interviewed me for my own show. Sadly we only had 30 minutes to record, and the people on stage before us ran late, so this is a short but action-packed episode. Big thanks to Mr. and Mrs. 1500 for doing it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Highlights: What I was like as a child and what got me interested in money Details about my first job Why I started the Mad Fientist My path to financial independence and what it was like leaving my job The story behind my free Ivy League master’s degree What it was like to be on the front page of Yahoo.com Details of our 3-month trip around the world Why my wife is gross :)

Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, Doug Nordman (a.k.a. Nords) from The Military Guide joins me to talk about how he achieved financial independence at the age of 41 by serving in the military! Doug retired way back in 2002 so we dive into how he dealt with the market crashes that occurred at various stages on his path to financial independence, what 14 years of retirement has been like, and how he’s found meaning outside of work. I know many of you enjoyed Doug’s wisdom and insights on the previous episode so check out today’s episode for his full story! Highlights: Thoughts on over 14 years of early retirement Details of his investing strategy and how it’s changed over the years Mistakes he made and lessons learned How to deal with market crashes when you’re still working, about to retire, and already retired What it’s like to live and work on a submarine Difference between pursuing FI as a military service member vs. a civilian What angel investing can teach you about investing and why it may be the best way to give away your money  

Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, I’m excited to share a live Q&A session with Mr. Money Mustache, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and Doug Nordman from The Military Guide! This panel discussion took place back in May at Camp Mustache — an annual retreat in the Pacific Northwest organized by Mr. Money Mustache readers. In this episode, you’ll not only hear about… Mr. Money Mustache’s biggest splurges The investing mistakes I still can’t seem to avoid Paula’s favorite thing about financial independence Doug’s suggestion for discovering the meaning of life …, but you’ll also get varied and diverse perspectives on some of the most important questions facing those on the path to financial independence and early retirement! Highlights: Top recommendations for people who are close to achieving financial independence How to stay motivated when pursuing FI What is the meaning of life How to foster a good online culture and community Tips and tricks to stop you from trying to time the market The biggest challenges of reaching FI and how to overcome them What we splurge on and why Mr. Money Mustache’s thoughts on being featured in the New Yorker How to handle changes in your relationships after reaching FI