Journey To Launch

Being on the journey to Financial Independence doesn’t always mean that you have to sacrifice the finer things in life. The Luxe Strategist, a personal finance blogger, is a 30-something New Yorker that saves half of her income and still enjoys the comfort of luxury items and deluxe travel. Growing up as the child of low-income refugees, The Luxe Strategist knew struggle and hardship all too well. As an adult, she made the decision to paint her own picture of what it means to be financially savvy and successful. Today, The Luxe Strategist proudly boasts hefty savings, trips to places like Paris and Hawaii, sporting $400 sneakers, and she shares every bit of her personal finance journey on her blog, The Luxe Strategist. In this episode we discuss: What motivated her personal finance journey. Her love for and "luxury"/nice things? Having nice things and still being financially responsible How to evaluate making luxury purchases What puts her in the position to be able to make luxury purchases How The Luxe Strategist resells clothes for extra income and how you can get started. How she saved half of her income on less than 6-figures How to find the threshold for saving as much as you can until it hurts (using paycheckcity and other methods) How The Luxe Strategist saves money in an HCOL Whether or not FI is a goal for her Check out the sponsor for this episode, YNAB and sign up for a free 2-month trial! At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: The Luxe Strategist Blog The Luxe Strategist's plan to purchase a Cartier Tank Watch How Luxe Strategist saved half of her income on a less than 6-figure salary Paycheckcity.com Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with The Luxe Strategist: Instagram: @theluxestrategist Twitter: @Luxe_Strategist Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group

Finding the perfect resource for sound financial advice can be a challenge for people from all walks of life. 4-time Olympian, 3-time Olympic medalist, Lauryn Williams understands this challenge completely. As the first American woman to medal in both the summer and winter games, she possessed the skills that led her to be a top class world class athlete but she didn't always know how to manage her money and made some mistakes along the way. She sought the financial advice of loved ones and financial advisors but they were unable to provide the help that she needed. In true Olympian fashion, Lauryn took matters into her own hands and worked hard to gain control of her finances. Using the skills and knowledge that she gained from earning her Finance degree and MBA, Lauryn decided to use her talents to help other athletes and young professionals. Today, Lauryn has a Certified Financial Planning certification and has founded Worth Winning, a financial planning resource for young adults. Worth Winning offers virtual services to help young professionals get the answers to the financial questions that matter most to them. This episode was recorded live at Podcast Movement 2018. At the end of the podcast, I give you a little of the behind-the-scenes of how I ended up speaking at Podcast Movement 2018 and my overall experience at the conference. In this episode we discuss: Lauryn’s background How she became an Olympian at 20 years old Her not so good experience working with financial advisors in her pro athlete career The steps she took to get back in control of her finances Why she decided to start her own financial planning firm plus so much more At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Worth Winning Listen to Lauryn's podcast Worth Winning  Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with Lauryn: Instagram: @lauryncwilliams Twitter: @LaurynCWilliams Facebook: Lauryn Williams Official Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group  

Talking about money can sometimes seem taboo, but not to Amon and Christina Browning. On their YouTube Channel, Our Rich Journey, they cover everything from earning to investing with the sole purpose of demystifying the concept of money to get everyone talking about it. They joined the FI community to expand their knowledge of money and how it can work for them. On Our Rich Journey, they share their money successes and mistakes with their viewers to inspire others to become creative on their journey to Financial Freedom. Today, Amon and Christina currently work and live abroad in Japan with their two little girls and they travel around the world for practically nothing–mortgage-free. In this episode we discuss: Why the Brownings decided to pursue Financial Independence Their current financial picture and financial goals Why they prioritize traveling and how they work it into their budget Travel hacking tips How they lived rent free and mortgage free for 10 years Finding work abroad Quick ways anyone can make extra money When the Brownings will reach FI and their future life and financial goals At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: How to Make Money - 8 Side Hustles You Can Start Today Video Family Lives Rent Free for Ten Years Video How We Saved $10,000 on a Vacation to Europe by Travel Hacking Video Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with The Brownings: YouTube: Our Rich Journey Instagram: @richjourney Twitter: @ourrichjourney Facebook: Our Rich Journey Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group

I am super excited because today we are celebrating the one year anniversary of the Journey To Launch Podcast! For the past year, I have been able to share my thoughts, advice and feature amazing financial experts all to help you eliminate debt, save more money and increase your net worth. Your support truly means the world. What better way to celebrate Journey To Launch’s 1-year anniversary than by discussing episode favorites with a few Journeyers? In this episode, I take a few call-ins from special Journeyers who share what their favorite episodes are and why. I talked about the most popular/downloaded so far: Episode 41-How To Change Your Mindset, Habits & Beliefs To Reach Your Financial Goals w/ Jim Fortin Episode 48- From Unemployed and Broke to a Millionaire in 5 years w/ Grant Sabatier Episode 19- The Pillars of FI & How you can Reach Financial Independence   I love all of my episodes but here are just a few of my favorites: Episode 47 -Sylvia's Journey To Paying Off 6 Figures of Law School Debt & Becoming Financially Independent Episode 6- Improve Your Mindset & Stay Focused on Your Financial Journey Episode 20- A Money Chat With My Husband + The Budget Boot Camp   Special thanks for the Journeyers who called in to leave a voicemail- Nassema, Jocelyn, Courtney, Heitor, Lynn & Esperenza.   At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Nominate me as Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards. Just enter in my website www.journeytolaunch.com to nominate me in the following categories at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards; Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder. Nominate me here.   Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.   Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group  

Generally, the goal for most working Americans is to work with a company for several years and eventually retire to enjoy life and explore opportunities that you may not have while working full-time. Today's guest, Carl Seidman explains the concept of  ‘mini-retirements’. A mini-retirement is a lengthy break, months to years, from the normal course of everyday work life intended for personal development and creating new experiences. Carl’s ideas, much like the FIRE movement, challenge the traditional view of retirement and more importantly, his ideas challenge the way that we view career development. In this episode we discuss: The concepts of mini-retirements Carl’s first retirement at 32 Carl’s blog post "Does a college degree matter" The Mexican Fisherman story How to fund mini-retirements and still fund your long-term retirement The structure and planning involved in Carl’s mini-retirements Things to consider before planning a mini-retirement Carl’s goals Carl’s thoughts on the FIRE community and early retirement At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Nominate me as Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards. Just enter in my website www.journeytolaunch.com to nominate me in the following categories at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards; Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder. Nominate me here Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Does A Degree Matter Anymore Blog Post Stanford's Article on Reimagining the Undergraduate Experience The Story of the Mexican Fisherman Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with Carl: Twitter: @carlseidman CarlSeidman.com Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group  

For most people in the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) community, retiring early is less about never working again and more about having the options and freedom to live the life of your dreams without being dependent on a paycheck. The FIRE movement paints a different picture of retirement and it is one of the reasons that I made reaching FIRE one of my biggest life goals. In this solo episode, I’m explaining the What, Why & How of the FIRE movement. What it actually is, Why everyone should be on the journey to Financial Independence and How to achieve it. In this episode I discuss: What FIRE means How I first discovered it and what first attracted me to the movement What FI (Financial Independence) means What RE (Retiring Early) means Why FIRE? Why everyone should be on the path to FIRE How it gives you more options & happiness The How of FIRE How to reach Financial Independence The formula (increasing income, decreasing expenses and creating good habits) Improving your mindset Celebrating your wins and enjoying the journey At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Nominate me as Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards. Just enter in my website www.journeytolaunch.com to nominate me in the following categories at the 9th Annual Plutus Awards; Podcast of the Year, Best FIRE Podcast & Community Builder. Nominate me here Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Mad Fientist Podcast Radical Personal Finance Podcast Stock Market Crash Investment Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group    

One of the best things about the journey to Financial Independence is that while planning for early retirement, it is not always a requirement to forsake your other life goals. Tanja Hester, the blogger behind the Plutus Award-winning early retirement blog, Our Next Life, set out on the journey with her husband Mark to retire at the end of 2017. Our Next Life, places a huge focus on putting life goals first and then building money goals around them–not the other way around. In fact, Tanja Hester became financially independent at the age of 36 and retired early at the age of 38, all despite never being a super saver or even naturally good with money. Tanja has graced the show with very practical advice for all journeyers at any place on the path to FI.  In this episode we discuss: What caused her to start the path and how she managed to keep it a secret from her job What retirement actually means to her Health considerations for someone looking to retire early Tanja’s blog post, "What FIRE bloggers owe their readers" Practical advice for people who want to start or who are on this path Advice for high earners vs mid-low earners At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Our Next Life Blog The Fire Blogger Manifesto Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with Tanja: Instagram: @our_nextlife Twitter: @our_nextlife Facebook: Our Next Life Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group

The road to Financial Independence is one that is full of different variables and it can sometimes bring uncertainty. Let’s be honest–finding the right balance between budgeting, saving, and investing can be a little overwhelming. With so much information floating around, I am super excited to be able to answer several of your questions about retirement, investments, and all things personal finance. In this Q&A Episode, I give insight into: How do employer contributions for 401K work? How do you get over the fear of action or the fear of getting it all wrong? When is the right time to get a financial advisor? Building off this, how do you evaluate the value of "do it yourself" versus hiring a professional? How do I break the cycle of spending non-budgeted money? How to incorporate family expenses into your budget when you are trying to save but also provide experiences? Ex. Scouts, swimming, ballet, gym, etc. Is it possible to achieve FIRE by 57-60 if you’re behind in retirement savings in your mid-40s? What things should you consider before purchasing a home? How do you cut down on expenses with a fixed income? If you want to submit questions for the next Q&A episode, email me at jamila@journeytolaunch.com or leave me a voicemail with your question at journeytolaunch.com/voicemail. At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018.   Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Blog Post: What's Your Money Problem? Stock Market Crash Investment Retirement Calculator - How much you’d need to save Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with me: Instagram: @journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: Journey To Launch Join the private Facebook Group  

It was such a pleasure to be able to sit down and discuss financial planning with my new money friend, Shannah Compton Game. Shannah is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with an MBA and an award-winning financial strategist on a mission to revolutionize how millennials think, act, and feel about their finances. Her interest in business and budgeting sparked when she started her first business in college, a national student film festival, at only 19. After selling her business 5 years later, Shannah became a CFP and worked at her father’s firm where she learned everything that she needed to know to open her own firm. Today, Shannah is the host of the very popular personal finance podcast, Your Millennial Money, where she tackles all your burning money questions, with topics like Managing Money as a Couple, Mastering Your Budget, How to Ignite Your Savings, Dealing with Student Loans, Building Your Career, Investing, Entrepreneur Stories, Millennial Travel Spots, Music and more In this episode we discuss: How Shannah became a Certified Financial Planner The one big money mistake that most people make Why we should start talking about money more How to start a financial plan and what factors to consider Mistakes to avoid when developing a financial plan Managing financial mishaps and insecurities that stem from your money story Shannah’s financial mistakes and lessons learned Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Your Millenial Money Podcast My interview with our mutual Money Friend, Bobbi Rebell  Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with Shannah: YourMillenialMoney.com Instagram Twitter Facebook Connect with me: Journey To Launch Instagram Journey To Launch Twitter Journey To Launch Facebook Page Join the private Facebook Group

Bringing in as much income as possible in order to reach your financial goals is key but that doesn't mean you can't get ahead if you don't make a lot of money. Kara Perez, the creator of Bravely Go, is living proof that is living proof that as long as you're willing to put the work in, achieving your financial goals with a low income is completely possible. After taking on more than $25,000 in student loan debt, Kara, extremely unhappy with her situation, started to research ways to quickly pay off her debt. After becoming inspired by personal finance blogs such as Frugalwoods, Kara paid off $25,302 in loans on a salary of less than $30,000, the final $18,000 in just ten months. After becoming debt free in June 2015, Kara created Bravely to help other women take control of their financial lives. In this episode we discuss: How a simple Google search inspired her to pay off $18,000 in student loan debt in 10 months How paying off her debt deepened her relationship with others How her personal finance blog, Bravely Go, came to fruition Why women have become her target audience Kara’s 10 financial commandments for women The significance of value-based spending and spending on the things that you love Kara’s next financial and life goals At the end of the podcast, I also talk about the waitlist to the soft launch of my monthly membership program. Get monthly tips, tools, and classes to help you launch to Financial Freedom. Click here to sign up and be the first to be notified when the doors open in Summer/Fall 2018. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Kara's 10 Financial Commandments All Women Should Live By My interview with Mrs. Frugalwoods of the Frugalwoods Financial Independence blog Jon Morrow's Interview about Making Significant Changes Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! Watch me on News12  Watch my latest segments on News12 My One on One Money Coaching Services – Get my personalized 1on1 money coaching expertise to help you reach your financial goals YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 2 month trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. Connect with Kara: BravelyGo.co Instagram Twitter Connect with me: Journey To Launch Instagram Journey To Launch Twitter Journey To Launch Facebook Page Join the private Facebook Group