107R | A year-end episode featuring voicemails and messages from the ChooseFI community sharing successes, progress, exciting discoveries, and hopes for next year of our journey toward financial independence. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/107R
107 | Craig Attkinson, owner and founder of Green Side Up , a landscaping company in Richmond, Va., explains how he started his business in his mid-20s, what it took to grow and optimize the business, and how he’s optimized other aspects of his life as well. Craig started out his career on a golf course, with a degree from Virginia Tech in turf grass and horticulture. Green Side Up started in one weekend when Craig bought a truck, a trailer and a mower all at once. Craig mowed lawns since he was...
106R | A series of suggestions and questions from the ChooseFI community, including HSA funds, capital gains distributions, and Traditional versus Roth IRAs, and follow up from Monday’s episode with Deanna. Jonathan raves about battery-powered chain saws, and a great bonding experience with his dad. Brad’s in-laws enjoy helping Brad’s family with landscaping and gardening. Pursuing financial independence gives Jonathan the opportunity to plan his family’s schedule first and work around that. The...
106 | Deanna, blogger at msfiology.com, shares her journey from drug and alcohol addiction to recovery, paying off six-figures of personal debt, and getting started on her path toward financial independence. For more information, visit the show notes at https://choosefi.com/106
105R | Brian Feroldi joins the show to talk about the costs and benefits of installing solar panels and answers questions about his investment strategies, and Brad and Jonathan recap Monday’s episode with Paula Pant before announcing a new ChooseFI project on the horizon. For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/105R
105 | Paula Pant, creator of Afford Anything podcast and blog, dives into her love for travel, her rejection of the traditional 9-5, and how she built an income to match her lifestyle. Paula moved to the U.S. as a baby, just after being born in Nepal. Her only travel growing up was between Ohio and Nepal. Travel has become a large part of Paula’s life, but her desire to travel only grew in her adult life. Rebellion is a form of seeking identity. Once Paula started traveling did she fall in love ...
104R | An update from Marla Taner on 2018’s best travel reward options, a hack for keeping your bills low, a review of Monday’s episode with Doc G. Jonathan tries out a new service to ensure that his bills are staying low. Billfixers.com is fixing a ‘pain point’ for Jonathan. How can someone balance simplicity, and a willingness to say yes to opportunities? Review of Monday’s episode: Purpose, Identity and Connection. Finding your identity – the story you tell yourself, about yourself – is cruci...
104 | Doc G, writer at DiverseFI.com, shares his experience and mindset as he considers stepping away from his career as a doctor, and highlights the value of building purpose, identity and connection. For more details, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/104
103R | Captain DIY returns to recommend some accessible projects for the beginning DIYer, Jonathan highlights two recipe and meal organization apps, and several messages from the ChooseFI community. For more details, visit the extensive list at https://ChooseFI.com/103R
103 | Tinian Crawford, blogger at DIY2FI and licensed electrician, talks about his path to licensure, the advantages of trade jobs and his transition to pursuing financial independence. What jobs are represented in the FI community? Base salary for an electrician is $70 minimum. Many people go to trade school in high school or immediately after, so there’s very little financial education in the trade-work community. Tinian’s father built his childhood house, and Tinian was enlisted to help with ...
102R | Brad and Jonathan explain the long-term tax benefits of using a Health Savings Account to pay for medical expenses, discuss the benefits of new index fund investing options, review Monday’s episode with Timika Downes. Brad and Jonathan are getting back to traditional health insurance, and excited about the Health Savings Account (HSA). Most companies offer health insurance options, typically including: Low monthly premium + high deductible High(er) monthly premium + low(er) deductible. Th...
102 | Blogger and podcaster Tamika Downes reveals how she went from $94K of debt to owning a six-figure income-earning side hustle while continuing her job as a school nurse and raising three children. Timika’s early financial experiences came through immigrant parents, from Barbados, hustling and saving. Having a side hustle was common place in Timika’s family. Despite her family’s habit of saving, Timika finished her education with $94K of debt. After her undergraduate Timika had $24K in debt....
101R | Brad and Jonathan talk about their experiences with W2 jobs and building side hustles, Jose shares his own side hustle tip, and Alan and Tallis wrap up the 4-part Side Hustle Coaching Series. Brad and Jonathan are jumping into planned spontaneity. Do your actions align with your values? Brad recounts how the accounting firm he worked for right after college, one of the biggest in the U.S. at the time, folded and within 9 months no longer existed. W2 jobs aren’t all that risk-free after al...
101 | Nick Loper, founder of Side Hustle Nation , talks about the benefits of developing a side hustle, and methods to actually develop a good side hustle idea. You can only cut so much from your expenses; a side hustle helps you expand your earning potential. Nick thinks working just a 9-5 job is risky – what happens if you get fired? Nick advocates several methods for developing side hustle ideas. Method 1: Intersection Method Write out three columns with lists that include what you can do, wh...
100R | Brad and Jonathan explain how simply knowing the rules can save you thousands on taxes and college financing, Brad talks through the IRA Conversion Ladder and Capital Gains Harvesting, and a few updates from the community. The financial independence movement is growing, and seeing a lot more press coverage. Messaging matters: The Wall Street Journal published one article with two different headlines. Pursuing financial independence isn’t about buying brown bananas, despite what some media...
100 | Brad and Jonathan look back at the ChooseFI’s growth during the past 100 episodes and hit the highlights of financial independence for new community members and recap their own financial independence journeys. Jonathan considers himself a reluctant frugalist, but the idea of not having to work won him over. Brad and his wife were natural savers, but chose to move from Long Island, NY, so that they could save more and work toward financial independence. If you want to take back your years a...
099R | Brad and Jonathan review Monday’s episode about generous giving and resource stewardship, then catch up on voicemails and updates from the community about dental school, fall activity ideas, and the recent dip in the stock market. Jonathan recaps his recent family vacation and travel to FI Chautauqua Greece. Chautauqua was most importantly about community. Jonathan saved nearly $1,200 on a bill for his son’s broken leg just by asking for an adjusted cash-pay price. The Playing with FIRE K...
099 | Michael Peterson, owner of a bacon-themed concession stand in California, talks about downsizing his family expenses, spending 8 months of the year managing a non-profit in El Salvador, and why generous giving is important to him. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/099 ——————- Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community! 🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways: 1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes 2) Use our page t...
098R | An exciting conversation with Jared about his path to FI as a traveling physical therapist and his current 5-month trip abroad, as well as a voicemail about healthcare planning and a review of Monday’s episode. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/098R
098 | Samantha Keith, author of The Debtist blog, explains what it means to have more than half a million dollars of student debt, and how she plans to pay it off in less than 10 years. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/098
097R | A conversation with Larry Hagner from The Good Dad Project updating Brad on the recent financial changes he’s made in pursuit of more financial independence and his family’s budgeting strategies, as well as highlight’s from Monday’s episode from The White Coat Investor. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/097R
097 | Dr. James Dahle, founder of The White Coat Investor, talks about getting his start as a doctor and a blogger, setting up inheritance funds for his children, thinking through his investing strategies, and the motivation that keeps him working on the White Coat Investor. For more information, visit the show notes at https://choosefi.com/097
096R | An in-depth conversation with JL Collins about a recent controversial interview given by Suze Orman, and clarification of what concepts are truly at the heart of the financial independence movement. Frugal wins of the week from Brad & Jonathan: garbage pickup and cell phone batteries. What questions did Dominick Q, from Monday’s episode, ask that were most impactful for Jonathan? Jonathan explains how he uses a planner at night to set himself up for success the next day. What three th...
096 | Dominick Quartuccio defines life ‘drift’, advises Brad & Jonathan on how to take inventory of their habits, and evaluates the role technology plays in helping or hindering progress toward our goals. For more information, visit the show notes at https://choosefi.com/096
095R | Brad and Jonathan get an update about the “Playing with FIRE” documentary, they recap FinCon 2018, and review feedback from the community about Monday’s episode with the Military Dollar. For more information on this episode, visit the show notes at choosefi.com/095r ——————- Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community! 🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways: 1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes 2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards ...
095 | The author of the Military Dollar joins Brad and Jonathan to discuss the various ways that service members can optimize their finances and choose financial independence, including retirement plans, financial planning, health care benefits and the GI Bill. Working in the military can set someone up to retire after 20 years with a pension and the ability to pursue whatever interests them. Why do many young members of the military actually have financial problems? Has Military Dollar ever see...
094R | The logistics of estimating and paying taxes as an entrepreneur, Brad’s frugal win of the week, and emails from the ChooseFI community. Brad and Jonathan are at FinCon in Orlando, Fl. Brad describes his family’s frugal win of the week at Old Navy. Review of the tax implications of winning a non-cash prize. How do some entrepreneurs put themselves in a position to fail because of taxes? Case study: how to make estimated tax payments as a new entrepreneur. Brad wants to pay the least amount...
094 | Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday (WoW) talk about winning on a TV game show, starting their own business, learning the tax code to maximize 401K contributions, and volunteering internationally. How did Ray win on the Price is Right, and what did he win? What were the tax implications of his winning? How was Ray’s experience at the IRS building in Los Angeles? Why did Jonathan receive a tax penalty last year, and how did he respond? How did Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday decide to start...
093R | Brad, Jonathan and Joe Saul-Sehy, from Stacking Benjamins, talk about what is rewarding to your soul, give feedback to a ChooseFI community member who’s considering selling his business, and recap Harry, the Ride Share Guy’s strategies for become the center of a niche. Hurricane Florence’s path didn’t go near Brad and Jonathan, but there were tornadoes. FU money is better than FI money. Meet up in Florida during the week of FinCon 2018. How did Harry (from Monday’s episode) become the go-...
093 | Harry Campbell, The Rideshare Guy, talks about what it takes to be a successful Lyft and Uber driver, the strategies he used to start his blog, and how he transitioned from aerospace engineering to full-time blogging. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/093 ——————- Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community! 🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways: 1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes 2) Use our page to sign up for...
