111R | Jillian from Montana Money Adventures gives advice for laying out roadmap in your life, right after and Brad and Jonathan review Monday’s episode and highlight activities from several local groups around the globe. Brad and Jonathan reflect on last week’s episode with Billy Banholzer. A video inspires Brad to learn swimming from his daughter. Your current behavior or mistake doesn’t have to define you for the rest of your life. One of the first steps to Billy’s success was setting goals. ...
Jan 25, 2019•58 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast 111 | Billy B., a writer, entrepreneur and blogger at Wealth Well Done, shares his story of finding freedom in prison, starting over in his 30s and pursuing financial independence despite the setbacks. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/111
Jan 21, 2019•48 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast 110R | Voicemails from the ChooseFI community about saving on grocery bills, making life changes to optimize your circumstances, and a travel suggestion, as well as a review of Monday’s episode and updates from Brad and Jonathan about bills, travel, solar panels and more. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/110R
Jan 18, 2019•58 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast 110 | Rocky Lalvani, blogger at Richer Soul, shares his story of growing up as an immigrant’s child, learning how to save money in his early years, and how he’s teaching his own children about finances now. Rocky’s parents came to the U.S. in 1968, when Rocky was 2 years old. Among Rocky’s parents’ friends and their community, money was an open topic, and in pursuit of the “American Dream” his family consistently climbed the financial ladder. When Rocky was 7 his father became a single dad, and ...
Jan 14, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast 109R | Big ERN from Early Retirement Now joins the show to talk about the current market climate: How is it impacting investors, who could benefit, and what markers he uses to evaluate its actual condition? We also share a voicemail from Abby, who provides a few more helpful hints for teaching abroad. Highlights from the show: Brad maxed out his HSA for 2019, and talks about how he’s prioritizing fitness. Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life. Preview of who will be at the coming Camp...
Jan 11, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 109 | Scott, a math teacher in Santiago, Chile, and Rob, a blogger at Getting Canned, share their experiences teaching abroad, including the financial and lifestyle benefits, and the how-to for making it happen. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/109
Jan 07, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 108R | Brad and Jonathan talk through the various methods of calculating a yearly savings rate and the numbers necessary to do so, and review Monday’s episode about setting up special needs accounts. Jonathan is back from 20 days with family in Zimbabwe, and Brad recaps his Christmas vacation. Brad and his family added 12 board games to their collection. William, from Monday’s episode, set out a road map for people who want or need to safe guard finances for special needs children or other depen...
Jan 04, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast 108 | William McVey, ChooseFI’s Chief Technology Officer, walks through investment options available to meet the financial demands of special needs children, and the strategies he’s used to prepare for his children’s future. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/108
Dec 31, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Dec 28, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Dec 24, 2018•46 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Dec 21, 2018•46 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Dec 17, 2018•56 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Dec 14, 2018•1 hr•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Dec 10, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Dec 07, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Dec 03, 2018•52 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Nov 30, 2018•52 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Nov 26, 2018•55 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 23, 2018•50 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast 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....
Nov 19, 2018•48 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 16, 2018•52 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 12, 2018•55 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 09, 2018•44 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 05, 2018•49 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 02, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 29, 2018•57 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 26, 2018•58 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 22, 2018•55 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 19, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 15, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast 
