From over $300,000 in debt to a millionaire in just eight years ?! No matter where you’re at, it’s never too late to get on the path to financial freedom . This entrepreneur is proof that a little discipline, frugality , and creativity can radically change your financial trajectory! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Today, we’re speaking with Bernadette Joy , founder of Crush Your Money Goals . In 2016, Bernadette had dug herself a six-figure hole —a combination of student loans ...
Jan 14, 2025•46 min•Ep. 598
“ Do I have enough to retire? ” is a question most people in the FIRE community grapple with, but today, we’re sharing a FREE tool that will help you put this issue to bed! If you’re concerned about running out of money later in life or developing “ One More Year Syndrome ,” you won’t want to miss this episode! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Software engineer Lauren Boland has developed a FIRE calculator that predicts whether your nest egg will be able to support you in retire...
Jan 10, 2025•54 min•Ep. 597
Ramit Sethi , the money and couples’ finances expert, is back! This time, he’s teaching you how to have life-changing money conversations with your partner so you can build a “rich life” together and even FIRE faster! You may know Ramit from his popular book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich, or his Netflix series How to Get Rich , but today, he’s sharing brand new insights, techniques, and lessons from his newest book, Money for Couples ! If you’re a FIRE freak like us, you may have a partner who’s ...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 596
Want to know how to make $100 a day in 2025, all while working from home? We brought the queen of side hustles, Jackie Mitchell , back on the show to share how her money-making journey has been going. Jackie set a goal to make $100 a day to save up for a down payment. She did just that, making close to $11,000 in total in her one-hundred-day side hustling stretch. Now, she’s bought a house, still side hustling, and saving a TON of money. How’s she doing it? Jackie reveals the easiest and most pr...
Jan 03, 2025•41 min•Ep. 595
Calling all couples! You and your partner may be on the same page financially or off in two different directions; regardless of where you’re at, it’s a great time to start having money dates ! In this episode, Mindy and Scott are going solo, talking through why money dates are such a crucial part of any healthy relationship. This isn’t just talk, both Mindy and Scott are adamant about money dates, they do them often with their partners as well! If you’re an individual listening to this episode, ...
Dec 31, 2024•54 min•Ep. 594
Got debt to pay off? You might relate to Leo , a personal finance journalist who’s focused on financial stability over FIRE —at least for now. With six figures in student loans and credit card debt , Leo found themselves in a tough spot after being laid off with no safety net. Determined never to end up in that position again, they began chipping away at their debt, working toward financial peace of mind instead of a relentless grind to early retirement. Leo shares why their approach to financia...
Dec 27, 2024•31 min•Ep. 593
If you want to retire early , the Mad Fientist is your guide . For over a decade, Brandon , more commonly known as the “Mad Fientist,” has been running simulations, experiments, and exercises to discover which road to early retirement is the fastest . Now, in his forties, Brandon has time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and his regrets on the sprint to early retirement and financial freedom . And he’s also got a new update that’ll make your early retirement journey smoother. After tinker...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 592
Are you worried you won’t be able to retire at sixty-five ? Feeling financially limited in your fifties and need a retirement plan so you can finally stop working? Well, we made this episode just for you. Today, we’re teaching you how to retire on time at age sixty-five (or even retire early !) if you’re starting from zero with no money to your name. We spell out exactly what we would do to go from a zero-dollar net worth to a million dollars in retirement! This is a step-by-step plan that anyon...
Dec 20, 2024•41 min•Ep. 591
Do you want to know how to save $1,000 a month (or more!) with simple spending and saving tweaks? Today, we’re giving you the BEST money hacks for 2025 from the expert, Chris Hutchins of All the Hacks ! Some of these smart money moves will save Chris over $20,000 just next year, and that’s not even including all the other hacks he shared in this episode. The best part? These money hacks can help you retire early by substantially reducing your cost of living. Chris starts by sharing one of the mo...
Dec 17, 2024•54 min•Ep. 590
Alex Preziosi wants to reach financial independence by the age of forty-five , and with several hundred thousand dollars in retirement accounts , brokerage accounts , and savings , she’s on pace to do just that. But now, she’s thinking about quitting her W2 job . Can she still hit her FI goal? Today’s guest has good problems, but problems, nonetheless! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Since we last spoke with Alex, she has made two major leaps on her journey to financial indepen...
Dec 13, 2024•51 min•Ep. 589
Many people struggle with money anxiety , even those in the FIRE community . Your money fears could keep you on the sidelines, or it could have the opposite effect, making you ultra- conservative with your retirement savings . Today, we’re diving into five of the most common financial fears , whether they’re worth fretting about, and what to do about them! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Do you ever worry about your finances? You’re not alone! Maybe you’re concerned about your ...
Dec 10, 2024•39 min•Ep. 588
Dion McNeeley retired in just ten years after starting from not just zero but NEGATIVE. He was forty years old with $89,000 in debt , had no assets, a low-paying job, and zero investing experience. Thanks to his “lazy” method of building wealth , he was able to amass millions of dollars in assets, create over $200,000 per year in passive income streams, and retire just ten years after starting his journey to FIRE . Can you do it, too, even in today’s markets? Yes! Dion did what most people aren’...
Dec 06, 2024•32 min•Ep. 587
Are you beating the average American in personal finances? Today, we’re sharing the average net worth by age to see where exactly you stack up. Whether you’re in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties, we have the data showing whether you’re behind (or ahead of) the norm. What do you do if you feel like you’re falling behind? Don’t worry; we’re also giving tips on how every age bracket can improve its net worth. Don’t know how to calculate your net worth ? It’s easy, and you can do it in m...
Dec 03, 2024•50 min•Ep. 586
There’s a “ middle-class trap ” that can keep anyone from FIRE —yes, even high-income earners . Today’s guest has a sizable nest egg that should allow her to retire early , but there are a few roadblocks in her way! At forty-seven , Allie has already built a net worth of $3,800,000 . She would like to retire, and most people would assume she has enough to retire, but there are two problems. First, she lives in Orange County, California , one of the most expensive areas in the U.S. , and has no p...
Nov 29, 2024•59 min•Ep. 583
Is frugality overrated? Is hustle culture a waste of time? Do we over - save for retiremen t ? You don’t have to look very far to find a hot take online, but is there some truth to these opinions? Today, we’ll wade through bad financial advice , bust common money myths , and (hopefully) find some personal finance tips we agree with! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Personal finance is personal for a reason. Spending , saving , and investing vary from one person to the next based...
Nov 26, 2024•45 min•Ep. 584
If you follow the almost unbelievable path of today’s guest , you, too, could achieve financial independence in your thirties . Would we recommend mimicking his strategy step-by-step? No! Because if you get it wrong, you could be further from FIRE than when you started. Only the most prudent, risk-tolerant, and financially savvy among us could do what Andrew Schrader did. After racking up six figures in car loans and student debt , Andrew knew something needed to change quickly. Thanks to his fi...
Nov 22, 2024•50 min•Ep. 583
Would you move abroad to reach FI faster ? That wasn’t Brooklin Nash ’s original goal when he left the US and began freelancing from afar. But now, years later, he realizes how much of a leg up he has financially by going all-in on “geo arbitrage.” He’s saving a boatload in Guatemala , paying less to live the life he loves, and enjoying a tiny tax bill . Now in his mid-thirties, he’s already Coast FIRE and works when and where he wants. But Brooklin’s money story didn’t start so stable. Being ra...
Nov 19, 2024•42 min•Ep. 582
Could a few years of aggressive saving put you in the fast lane for financial independence ? Is the grind even worth it? Today’s guest was well on his way to a comfy retirement but had never thought about retiring early . Then he discovered the FIRE movement , and with just four years of all-out hustle, he was able to retire at fifty ! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! In 2020, Eric Reinholdt experienced a financial “awakening” that set him on a death march to FI and early retire...
Nov 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 581
Is paying off debt or investing (and potentially using more debt) the best way to reach FIRE ? The average American has $104,215 in mortgages , student loans , credit cards , and other debt. Where do YOU stand? If the end goal is FIRE, you need a game plan for your debt, in which case this episode is for you! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Not all debt is bad. When used responsibly, it can be a powerful tool that allows you to buy appreciating assets and hedge against inflatio...
Nov 12, 2024•55 min•Ep. 580
Yes, it’s possible to retire early , even if you’re just now diving into the FIRE movement . Early retirement could be within reach whether you’re in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties. Imagine having complete freedom in a decade or less: no office politics, no boss, and, best of all, no spreadsheets! That’s the life Arik Peterson built when he retired early at forty-four , leaving behind a demanding career in corporate investing. After reading Mr. Money Mustache ’s unmatched FIRE blog...
Nov 08, 2024•22 min•Ep. 579
Should you move to reach FIRE ? And if so, where to? In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain and revealing the best places to retire in the US in 2024 . Living in one of these states could help fast-track financial freedom , and moving there for retirement could help your nest egg go further and improve your quality of life ! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Alex Gailey , a lead data reporter at Bankrate , has ranked all fifty states for retirement based on five weighted...
Nov 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 578
Are you saving TOO much for retirement (or early retirement)? Could you retire years sooner than you think? Will retirement expenses be even less than what you spend now, allowing you to reach FIRE faster with a smaller nest egg? Today, we’re getting into that exact question as Finance Friday guest Ethan asks how he can ensure he’s on the right track for early retirement by age fifty-five . And if you’re like Ethan, you could retire RIGHT NOW…but should you? Ethan is spending a LOT of money ever...
Nov 01, 2024•54 min•Ep. 577
You can attack financial independence from one of two angles. You can create a strict timeline for achieving FIRE , or you can calculate your FIRE number and take your time with it. Which approach works best, and should you ever move the goalposts? Stay tuned to find out! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Today, Scott and Mindy are reflecting on their journeys to financial freedom —how they started, set realistic objectives, and allowed those objectives to evolve. They’ll also sh...
Oct 29, 2024•42 min•Ep. 576
Everyone wants to become “work-optional” at some point. Having enough money in investments and the bank would allow you to choose the job you love most , whether that’s running your own business, working part-time, or today’s guest, Travis ’ dream, becoming a mountain biking guide. With a solid salary, dual income, and no plans for kids, he and his wife are on the fast track to FIRE , but can they get there by his goal of forty years old ? Travis’ wife may have an option to get a significant sal...
Oct 25, 2024•48 min•Ep. 575
The combination of saving money and buying rentals is a recipe for reaching financial independence much faster than you thought possible. Just ask today’s guest, who started with tens of thousands of dollars in debt but was able to achieve FI in just a few years! Henry Washington is a real estate investor , author of Real Estate Deal Maker , and co-host of the On the Market podcast , but he doesn’t have your typical “rags-to-riches” money story. Despite an upper-middle-class upbringing and landi...
Oct 22, 2024•52 min•Ep. 574
Just a short while back, Marisa Mae was caught in the paycheck-to-paycheck trap, her credit cards stretched to their limits with no emergency savings to speak of, all while wrestling with constant financial stress. Today, she’s on a clear path to retire as a millionaire . Her secret? Mastering the art of debt repayment without succumbing to severe frugality. Marisa managed to eliminate five-figure consumer debt , not by cutting out her cherished coffee runs, but by smart financial planning. Isn’...
Oct 18, 2024•28 min•Ep. 573
Should you sell your house or keep it as a rental property in 2024? What you do with your home today could create a million-dollar swing in your portfolio ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. Fortunately, we’ve developed a powerful new tool to help you make the best decision for your financial future ! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! If you refinanced your mortgage around 2021, chances are you’re sitting on a low interest rate the likes of which we’re unlikely to see again. T...
Oct 15, 2024•43 min•Ep. 572
Real estate investing is one of the best vehicles for building wealth , reaching financial independence , and saving for retirement , but you don’t need to become a full-time investor to reap the benefits. If you have no plans to leave your W2 job or manage rentals , there are several ways to use real estate for passive income ! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! When Devon Kennard entered the NFL, he ran into more money than he had ever made. But with no guarantee of a pay raise ...
Oct 11, 2024•54 min•Ep. 571
How Much Do You Need for Early Retirement? (How to Calculate Your FI Number) Podcast Description What’s your financial independence number (FI/FIRE number)? Are you being too conservative, or are you cutting things close? Do you even have one? Today, we’re taking a deep dive into this hotly debated topic to help you build a nest egg that will support your early retirement! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! How much money do you actually need to retire ? For years, the four-percent...
Oct 08, 2024•37 min•Ep. 570
Why do many wealthy people wait so long to retire ? Despite earning a physician’s salary, living frugally , and saving what most would call “more than enough” money, today’s guest worked for another four years before pulling the trigger on early retirement . Is he on to something? Does the four-percent rule no longer work in 2024? Stay tuned to find out! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Leif Dahleen, MD , the “ Physician on FIRE ,” was already financially independent when he dis...
Oct 04, 2024•36 min•Ep. 569
