Today on the Financial Independence Podcast, I welcome back Liz Thames (a.k.a. Mrs. Frugalwoods)! Liz was last on the show over two years ago and a lot has changed. Since then, she’s made her dream of retiring to a homestead in Vermont a reality, she’s had two babies, and she’s just published a book! It was great to catch up with her to hear about everything that’s happened over the last couple of years and to find out whether her early retirement dream is actually as good as she hoped it would be. And since we’ve become good friends since our last interview, it was fun to challenge her on some of her more “borderline” frugal habits and also share my most embarrissing frugal hack :) Highlights: What’s changed since our last interview Has the Vermont homestead reality lived up to the dream Why you should just start things How to embracing a $0 budget Why you should eliminate everything and then add back the things you enjoy How the Frugalwoods go about buying things My super embarrasing frugal confession How to deal with the long slog to FI after initial period of excitement Why frugality can help build community