Life in the suburbs can look like a cliché to some. But Greg has managed to avoid the “McMansion” lifestyle and learned from an early age that investing in experiences is a better path than spending on the flashier things in life. His podcast, Suburban Folk, touches on all things suburbia, from parenting, to home improvements, to personal finance. In this episode, we dig into his story and identify a number of ways to help save you money and optimize your life. Podcast Wanted to discuss...

People tend to want to fit in. To be accepted. To be normal. I've spent much of my life in pursuit of this. But I've finally realized the downside of trying to be like everyone else. Following the path others have laid out can have negative consequences, both personally and financially. From accumulating debt, to adopting unhealthy lifestyle habits, it's easy to fall into the same patterns as everyone else. It feels normal, so it seems acceptable. But you have the ability to determine what's...

Facing a mountain of debt may seem overwhelming, but with the right plan of attack, that debt can be cleared more quickly than you think. Derek Sall from Life and My Finances was able to become debt-free (multiple times) through tremendous focus and hard work. His journey is one of highs and lows, but he has stayed determined over the years and is now well on his way to being financially independent. Derek's story: Started his debt journey with student loans Realized he and his wife were...

Achieving a lofty financial goal requires a good understanding of why you’re working towards it. For Ted and Claire, retiring early was an important achievement that allowed them to spend more time together, enjoy travel experiences and opened the door to them helping others. As early retirees who have embraced the FIRE movement, their passion is guiding people towards reaching retirement goals through financial independence. Their podcast, Later 2 FIRE, has a focus on guiding those who are...

Episode 15: For anyone who has struggled with money, I pulled together a list of core rules that will help get your finances on track. While I don't claim to be a financial expert, I am part of a broader community of people who are all focused on living a financially responsible lifestyle. So these bits of wisdom are pulled from that pool of people. A recent Twitter thread started with a simple question: What are your top 3 money rules? I highlight ten of these responses and add my...

There are obvious financial benefits gained through pursuing financial independence. But don't overlook the intangible benefits to your life, both personally and professionally. I speak to Maggie and Mike from the Friends on FIRE Podcast to hear their perspectives on how their work in corporate America has both allowed them to achieve financial independence, and also how their path to FI has improved their confidence and performance in their careers. Mike and Maggie’s background...

Blake and Allanah moved across the globe to pursue their next adventure in life. But when a family emergency forced the family of four to travel from Canada back to Australia, their financial problems became crystal clear. They were in debt, with no savings and needed to borrow money to travel. That's when they decided to educate themselves and get their finances on track. Now, they have a solid net worth, a savings rate approaching 50% and a full emergency fund saved. They have since...

If you’ve ever considered real estate as a way to increase your wealth but never knew where to start, this episode will provide actionable strategies that you can implement to super charge your path to financial independence. We feature an interview with Andrew Kerr from the blog FI by REI and host of The House Hacking Podcast. Andrew outlines six options you should consider in order to leverage the “house hacking” approach to real estate investing. As an expert on real estate and someone who...

This episode features a great conversation with Tom, a teacher who hosts the blog What the FI. Tom shares his story and explains how he has more than doubled his net worth in the last few years, through better budgeting, increased savings rate, and investing in real estate. Despite not starting his path to FI until after turning 40, Tom has his family on a trajectory to hit several lofty personal and financial goals in the next ten years.  Lives in the Chicago area, got into the teaching...

Today we have Jessica from The Fioneers. She’s a co-founder of https://thefioneers.com/ along with her husband Corey. Their financial independence blog was a 2019 Plutus Award Winner for Best New Personal Finance Blog. We discuss a wide range of topics, including an overview of the Slow FI concept she developed with her husband. We also dive into how she overcame several limiting beliefs in order to become an entrepreneur and launch a new business. Finally, Jessica shares why Slow FI is an...

This week's guest is Mitchell from the FIRE blog Highway to Retirement. Mitchell is a 21 year old Aussie who has caught onto the FIRE movement and plans to become a millionaire through investing and passive income. Despite earning a modest salary, Mitch has prioritized a low cost of living and is aggressively saving and investing in the Australian stock market. If all goes as planned, Mitch has set himself on a trajectory to retire in his early 30s. Frugality and Freedom weekly roundup...

When is it okay to say “F*ck it” and spend money when you haven’t budgeted for it? As someone who still struggles to save money, I dive into a checklist I use before splurging on an unplanned purchase. I also wrap up the second half on my list of 21 pieces of advice for my 21-year old self, covering items 11-21. Finally, I walk through some recent milestones I’ve hit with the FI after 40 blog and podcast after 50 days of producing content and connecting with people in the FI community. Note:...

It recently struck me that exactly half my life ago I was graduating from college. In this episode I talk through the first half of my list of 21 pieces of advice I'd give to my 21-year old self (21 years after I graduated). I also discuss a personal vision statement I've recently drafted. Finally, I walk through the impact of rejection in my life and how I've used that to spur motivation and action. 1) Personal vision statement: “To discover the best version of me through achieving...

Thanks for tuning into the FI after 40 Podcast. My name is Ben and I started this podcast to go along side my blog on https://fiafter40.com/  I wanted to take a couple minutes to let people know what this podcast is all about and who will benefit from listening. First, a little about me: I live in New Hampshire, in the same town I grew up in. I’ve also lived in Boston, New York City and Los Angeles when I was younger, after college. Professionally, I’ve worked in Higher Education for...

In this episode I talk through two of my recent blog posts and spend some time reflecting on my first 30 days writing my blog and hosting my podcast. The posts from this week discuss the impact of managing your expenses when it comes to hitting your FI savings target. I also walk through the reasons I'm pursuing FI and how I'm ultimately searching for the best version of me. Shout out to three websites who featured my content this week: https://www.campfirefinance.com/ ...

The COVID-19 virus is having a dramatic impact on the world. In this episode I discuss how it’s changing the face of college, both in the short term and in the future. From online classes to student loan debt, I dive into the key topics for students and parent who are navigating the college decision process. Instagram shout-out segment: Asked for people to recommend a Financial Independence blog @late_bloomer_baby_boomer recommends @thechrispeach (https://www.moneypeach.com/) ...

Part two in the series is all about increasing your savings rate. In this episode I outline my savings goals, my mindset change and how I've gone from someone with zero savings to someone targeting a 50% savings rate in the coming years. - Instagram post summary on using auto-pay: feedback from @whatthefiblog, @budgetloverrr, @thebosswallet, @moneylifementor - How I've historically struggled with savings - Overview of common savings rates both in and outside the FI community - My ten year...

In the year since I first learned about the FIRE movement, I have made some significant changes. I’ve completely shifted my mindset with my spending and my debt has been almost completely eliminated. Now the question isn’t how do I reach FI, but when.  Part one of this series focuses on aggressively eliminating your debt. In this episode I walk through the four steps I plan to follow on this path and provide examples of how anyone can do the same.  - What I did to jump start my debt pay...

In episode two I discuss my perspective on the pandemic and how I'm choosing to emerge from the challenges facing us. Topics include: - Excerpt from Financial Times article written by novelist Arundhati Roy: https://www.ft.com/content/10d8f5e8-74eb-11ea-95fe-fcd274e920ca - My five outcomes I hope to take away from this pandemic experience - My thoughts on how people change - Perspective on taking the good out of a bad situation Read  more at https://fiafter40.com/ --- This episode is...

In the first episode of this new podcast, I discuss how critical it is to teach your kids about money. As a father in my early 40s, I'm just finally figuring out how to get myself on the path to financial independence. Along the way, teaching my kids how to be financially literate is one of the most important gifts I can pass down. Topics discussed include: - Fighting the instinct to keep money a secret - Four must follow rules: saving, providing, wisdom and communication - Intentional...