
Mile High FI Podcast
Real talk about Financial Independence and life after corporate jobs. Carl Jensen and Doug Cunnington talk about FI, lifestyle, side hustles, health, and anything on their minds. Plus, they interview experts and non-experts interested in the FI lifestyle. It's raw, candid, pretty much like you get to sit in on a private conversation.
Latest episodes

May 2, 2023 • 53min
Mini-Retirements, Travel, & Redefining Success | MHFI 159
Doug and Carl talk to Amy Minkley, founder of FI Freedom Retreats and all around stellar human.
Discovering FIRE
How a chaotic childhood shaped Amy’s money views
Studying History at university
Moving to Asia to teach ESL
Overworking to feel worthy
Job induced depression
The incredible benefits of mini-retirements
Two More Year Syndrome
Traveling with purpose
FartFIRE
Do you think that Mile High FI is a spiffy listen? Don’t lie, we know you do. Why else would you be reading this? Well maybe you’re here to leave a nasty comment. Don’t do it. Be the better person!
Anyway, since you think we’re spiffy, please consider supporting us over at Buy Me A Coffee.
Links
FI Freedom Retreat
Facebook page
Facebook event
Support Mile High FI: Buy Me A Coffee
Amy’s Journey to FI on YouTube
Choose FI
EconoMe
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
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Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
1:03 How Amy discovered FIRE
5:00 Growing up
8:58 University
14:38 Living abroad
17:10 Are gap years mini-retirements?
22:29 Finding community
28:25 Amy's first FI retreat
30:51 The One Year syndrome
36:16 Amy's FI Freedom retreat
38:30 Making friends
40:51 The perfect day
43:58 Where you can find Amy
47:19 Soundcheck

Apr 25, 2023 • 41min
Life Updates & Tech Adventures: Home Improvements, Travel Plans | MHFI 158
Doug and Carl catch up. They chat about the following topics:
Carl’s home improvement adventures
Doug deletes a show
Carl’s travel plans
Doug gets into ChatGPT
Being alone
Links
Support Mile High FI: Buy Me A Coffee
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
1:33 What's Doug been up to
4:06 Getting creative
6:45 Carl's house updates
12:53 Doug's passion for ChatGPT
21:09 Carl's travel plans
25:50 Doug's home alone (with his dog!)
30:45 Trying to drink less
34:50 Carl's retiring for real
35:53 How you can support us
37:33 Soundcheck

Apr 18, 2023 • 55min
Coast FI, Slow FI, & Pioneering Your Path to Financial Freedom | MHFI 157
Doug and Carl talk about different flavors of FI, traditional, Coast FI, Slow FI, and FartFIRE.
New sponsor! Carl’s Quick Hardening Caulk
Traditional FI
Slow FI
Coast FI
FartFIRE
Do you love Mile High FI? Support us over at Buy Me A Coffee. Do you really love Mile High FI? Buy Us Two Coffees! Do you hate Mile High FI? Carl hates coffee so buy him 10!
Links
Support Mile High FI: Buy Me A Coffee
FIoneers on Mile High FI
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
5:23 How you can support us
7:03 Different types of FIRE
8:16 Carl's journey from tech to FI
11:50 Doug's journey to FI
15:00 Quiet quitting is real
17:47 Life before and after FIRE
21:25 What is Slow FI?
23:07 What if Carl had done Slow FI?
28:25 Disadvantages of Slow FI
30:16 What is Coast FI?
32:53 Investing into retirement and post-tax accounts
35:48 Pros and cons of Coast FI
39:49 Fart FIRE
46:38 Happiness

Apr 11, 2023 • 1h 10min
Why Do People Do Dumb Things? Part 2 | MHFI 156
Doug and Dusti are back for Part 2 on cognitive biases and how they shape our financial decisions.
How a scarcity mindset can hold you back
Desire to be like everyone else
Decision paralysis
Default bias
Holding onto bad investments
Are we more motivated when we're close to reaching a goal?
Do you love Mile High FI? Support us over at Buy Me A Coffee. Do you really love Mile High FI? Buy Us Two Coffees! and we’ll quit! You win either way!
Links
Connect with Dusti on Instagram
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
2:50 Having a scarcity mindset
8:14 The ''what the hell'' effect
13: 35 Social proof and the desire to be like other people
19:08 The cost of friction and decision paralysis
25:34 Default bias
37:20 Why we hold on to bad investments
45: 18 Getting more motivated at the finish line
55:12 Our favorite desserts

Apr 4, 2023 • 1h 18min
What We Hate About The FIRE Movement | MHFI 155
Doug and Carl talk about the bad parts of the FIRE movement.
Cheap people
Dogmatic approaches
How the mainstream media writes about FIRE
Lack of nuance (must we discuss the fv^%ing 4% Rule again?)
It’s OK to work
From the listeners
Living off $40,000/year isn’t realistic
Credit card hacking isn’t for everyone
Do you love Mile High FI? Support us over at Buy Me A Coffee. Do you really love Mile High FI? Buy Us Two Coffees! and we’ll quit! You win either way!
Links
Support Mile High FI: Buy Me A Coffee
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
4:30 Mr. Mustache HQ - What's new?
7:50 Doug's health updates 10:38
How you can support us
14:25 Carl's number one issue with FIRE
22:31 Applying a dogmatic approach to FI
28:00 Is having a job necessarily bad?
36:20 Paying attention to details
39:04 Portrayal of FIRE in the media
43:20 The 4% rule (again)
50:30 Annoying things FI people do
53:43 Courses
59:04 Can you live on 400k a year?
1:01:09 Credit card rewards
1:02:50 Teaching teenagers a FIRE mindset
1:04:26 Shifting into decumulation
1:07:26 The ''Spending is bad'' mindset

Mar 28, 2023 • 55min
Maximizing Profit & Minimizing Hassle: Real Estate Mailbag | MHFI 154
Doug and Amberly chat about what they've been up to lately and answer some intriguing real estate questions.
Advice for beginners
Creative buying strategies
Managing a property
Responding to inquiries
Should pets be allowed on properties?
Real estate books suggestions
Do you love Mile High FI? Support us over at Buy Me A Coffee. Is “love” too strong of a word? Good news! You can still support us.
Links
Whole Life News (get the back story here: Setting Up Wills and Trusts - MHFI 147
Contributing to a retirement account: MHFI 062
Connect with Amberly Grant!
AmberlyGrant.com
FinTalks
Instagram
Amberly on Facebook
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
1:30 What's Amberly been up to
10:30 Doug's whole life insurance policy
23:47 Deciding on a number of properties
27:15 Aversions for building up a rental property
30:36 What would Amberly do differently in her real estate journey
33:44 The MOST important advice for beginners
34:04 Where to obtain a rental application
35:05 Creative buying strategies
37:37 Property management
38:54 Maintenance requests
39:53 Should animals be allowed on a property?
41:24 Real estate investing books
41:58 What Amberly is currently investing in

Mar 21, 2023 • 1h 10min
Telling non-FIRE People About FIRE With Justin Robbins | MHFI 153
Doug and Carl talk to Longmontian Justin Robbins about how to broach the subject of FIRE with other humans (and if it’s even a good idea)!
Background
Childhood
How Justin turned getting laid off into a great experience
Discovering FIRE
Telling non-FIRE people about FIRE
Carl is a FIsplainer
How Justin quit his job
Why are American identities so tied up in work?
Is FIRE a cult? And will it ever be mainstream?
Justin’s biggest challenge in retirement
Why Carl thinks FIRE is the best life hack ever
Do you love Mile High FI? Support us over at Buy Me A Coffee. Is “love” too strong of a word? Good news! You can still support us.
Links
Justin's Instagram
Justin's Youtube Channel
Justin's TikTok
Justin's Twitter
Longmont's Tower of Compassion
Doug’s site - Check out the NEW Sleep Post.
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
--
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
2:17 Justin's background
8:17 Discovering the FIRE movement
15:15 Thoughts on retirement and going back to work
19:17 The importance of having a supportive partner
22:23 Telling non-FIRE people about FIRE
24:31 Misunderstanding FI
26:32 The ''What do you do for work?'' question
32:18 Should we bother telling other people about FIRE?
36:59 Is the FIRE community a cult?
38:20 Why FI will never be mainstream
43:45 Advice for approaching early retirement
45:36 Exercising your mind
47:00 Hiking
49:54 The impact of inflation on early retirement
53:51 Lessons and challenges
59:21 Why FIRE is the best life hack
1:03:36 The perfect day
1:05:31 Where to find Justin on social media

Mar 14, 2023 • 1h 9min
College, Coaches, & Kids: Answering Your Top Questions | MHFI 152
Doug and Amberly are back for another Mail Bag episode!
They answer your questions on a range of topics:
Funding children's college education
Hiring a (financial) coach
To have or not to have kids
Renting vs nomadic living
Starting a landlord journey
Should I max out my 401k or buy a house?
As a bonus, our hosts reflect on their personal goals by writing a letter to their future selves.
Links
Free Link to ChatGPT Cheatsheet
Video on ChatGPT to Descript
ChatGPT For Beginners
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Check out the Econome Conference - Save money using our coupon code MILEHIGHFI. Carl and Doug will be there, so come and hang out.
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
3:39 What's Amberly been up to
7:20 What's Doug been up to
8:35 Chat GPT is kinda awesome
14:56 Funding kids' college tuition
30:09 Do you NEED a (financial) coach?
42:16 To have or not have kids
46:22 Buying a house vs living as a nomad
50:05 Starting a landlord journey
51:42 Should I max out my 401k or buy a house?
55:22 A letter to our future selves
01:01:38 How you can support us

Mar 7, 2023 • 45min
Power of Memory Dividends: Carl's $10,000 Purchase You Won't Believe | MHFI 151
Carl discusses his crazy $10,000 semi-spontaneous purchase.
Buying a private concert with The Webb Brothers
Memory dividends
Mindy approves
The Big Event
Philosophical Musings
What Doug thinks about all of this
What would Doug spend $10,000 on?
Stuff versus experiences
Why your purchases may become irrelevant someday
To budget or not to budget…
Staying thoughtful about spending
It’s cold in Colorado. The Mile High FI studio in Doug’s basement is even colder. Help keep the studio warm and get cool stuff: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/milehighfi
EconoMe: Doug and Carl are going to EconoMe again and are planning a meetup. Get your ticket here and enter MILEHIGHFI at checkout for a discount. See you in Cincinnati!
Links
The Webb Brothers Kickstarter
Maroon (perhaps the Webb’s greatest work)
Liar’s Club
In A Fashion
--
Check out the Econome Conference - Save money using our coupon code MILEHIGHFI. Carl and Doug will be there, so come and hang out.
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
4:59 Carl bought a concert
16:03 Thoughts on spending money on experiences
19:02 What would Doug spend 10k on?
21:55 More ideas
27:20 Stuff vs experiences
28:33 Do purchases ever become irrelevant?
35:13 Budgeting one crazy purchase per year

Feb 28, 2023 • 1h 7min
Mailbag | MHFI 150
It’s another Mail Bag episode! Doug and Carl answer questions about
Umbrella insurance policies
Does the 4% Rule still apply in light of recent market declines?
Is it OK to own a Tesla? (and why is the FI community so judgmental?)
Coast FI
Reader case study: I’m a late comer to the FI movement
Send questions and comments for future Mail Bag episodes to doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com.
If you’re reading this, you must love the show. If you love the show, support us. Hey, we’d do it for you! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/milehighfi
EconoMe: Doug and Carl are going to EconoMe again and are planning a meetup. Get your ticket here and enter MILEHIGHFI at checkout for a discount. See you in Cincinnati!
Links
Mile High FI interview: David Baughier
Mile High FI interview: Jake Simon
Big ERN’s Safe Withdrawal Rate Series
Michael Kitces on the 4% Rule
S&P 500 PE Ratio
Death March to Financial Independence
MMM HQ Coworking
Doug’s site
Carl’s blog: 1500 Days
-
Check out the Econome Conference - Save money using our coupon code MILEHIGHFI. Carl and Doug will be there, so come and hang out.
Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list!
Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shorts & more
**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won't even make such a claim. You shouldn't take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren't certified financial planners or advisors. We're not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**
Brought To You By:
The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles
1500 Days, Carl's Blog about Early Retirement
Email us here: doug@milehighfi.com or carl@milehighfi.com
0:00 Intro
1:20 Dry January recap
7:28 How you can support us
10:29 We got some interesting feedback!
12:36 What is an umbrella policy?
16:55 Does the 4% rule still make sense today?
25:57 Investing in a Tesla car
37:56 Join us at Econome!
39:40 Coast FI (again)
47:27 Moving towards FI as a late bloomer
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