Mile High FI Podcast

Mr. Money Mustache, a financial independence advocate and founder of the Mr. Money Mustache blog, explores the elusive question: what is enough? They unpack one listener’s $3.2 million situation, “one more year” syndrome, fear of leaving work, conservative assumptions, lumpy retirement costs, social expectations, and the challenge of building a meaningful life after financial independence.

Justin Peters, creator of the FI Minded podcast and an entrepreneur in podcast production, joins a candid conversation about life after financial independence. They explore anti-productivity, intentional idleness, and the hidden costs of optimizing everything. Topics include escaping corporate and entrepreneurial status games, keeping hobbies free from monetization, redesigning work around enjoyment, and learning to do nothing without guilt.

JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth, and Mr. Money Mustache, the frugal-living and early-retirement advocate, team up for a special audiobook foreword. They explore why broad-market index funds endure, how investing wins can fuel dangerous overconfidence, and whether anything could replace simple diversification. They also discuss putting lump sums to work without waiting for the perfect market moment.

Should you chase a management promotion or remain an individual contributor? This discussion explores higher pay versus stress, burnout, meetings, flexibility, and an earlier path to financial independence. It also examines quiet quitting, the value of rest and hobbies before retirement, government-job perks, and whether career decisions really need to be permanent. Plus, a detour into the vulnerability of trying stand-up comedy.

A candid conversation about childhood money lessons, career choices, layoffs, entrepreneurship, and the leap from corporate work to self-employment. They explore identity beyond job titles, the value of rest and anti-productivity, and finding purpose through music, travel, community, and “Deep Pursuits” rather than a single life goal.

Rox Duckels, the accounting-minded creator behind FinanceRox, and Dusti Young, a financial independence advocate and real-estate investor, explore life after early retirement. Dusti recounts rental-property chaos, returning to work, and learning to sell investments. They discuss purpose, loneliness, flexibility, and the realities of pursuing FI solo, including dating, Hinge profiles, and small-community dynamics.

Bill Yount, an emergency physician and financial independence advocate, joins Doug for an honest tour of their FIRE missteps. They revisit weak money foundations, lifestyle inflation, bad insurance, debt, questionable advisors, real estate losses, panic selling, and the surprising challenge of spending after saving aggressively. They also explore identity, community, and the emotional fog that can linger even after reaching financial independence.

Live from CampFI Rocky Mountain, financial independence educator Rox Duckels of FinanceRox and early-retirement advocate Pete Adeney, aka Mr. Money Mustache, tackle audience questions with Doug. They explore making FIRE work for younger adults, building skills and communities, navigating Social Security and market uncertainty, easing into retirement, and finding room for parenting, art, environmentalism, and restorative idleness.

Pete Adeney, known as Mr. Money Mustache, is a personal finance blogger and early-retirement advocate. He and Doug debate transitioning a family to one-income Wife FI. They argue about cash cushions versus keeping money invested. They discuss margin loans as an alternative liquidity tool and share a listener update about planning and downside protection.

Amberly Grant, community builder at FinTalks who champions mental health and connection. Kristen Knapp, founder of FI Friends Travel who organizes travel for the FIRE crowd. They discuss cognitive biases like recency bias, arrival fallacy, anchoring, confirmation bias, and how community, travel, and therapy shape fulfilling lives. Short, lively conversation about mindset, money habits, and escaping the echo chamber.