It forced me to ask a bigger question: if the goal of FI is freedom with your time, why was I still waiting to start living that way?

In this solo episode, I share why Fridays might be the best place to begin practicing financial independence before you reach your FI number. After years of working full-time while also running my business, I started experimenting with taking Fridays off, and eventually Mondays too, and discovered that freedom is something you can practice in small doses.

You’ll learn why Fridays are the perfect low-risk “tiny quit,” how reclaiming just one day can help you escape the weekend crunch, and why experimenting with flexibility now can build confidence in your FI plan long before you hit your number.

Key Takeaways:

• Why financial independence is a skill, not just a number
• How taking Fridays off can help you practice freedom before reaching FI
• Why Fridays are the lowest-risk day to experiment with flexibility at work
• How reclaiming your time can prevent burnout and create more life balance
• Simple ways to ask your employer for Fridays off or more flexibility
• Why small “tiny quits” can help you build confidence and design your ideal life

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

The Hardest Skill in FI: Knowing When to Stop | E190 Joel Larsgaard

How to Create a 3-Day Workweek (Before You Reach FI) | E187 Andy Hill

What’s on Your FI Bucket List? | E186

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Financial planner and tax expert Cody Garrett explains why Traditional contributions often outperform Roth for people pursuing FI. The key insight: during retirement, it’s not your income that drives taxes, it’s your spending. That shift changes everything about how tax planning should work for early retirees and those working toward financial independence.

In this conversation, we break down the three major reasons Traditional contributions often win, why retirees benefit from a surprisingly friendly tax code, and how locking yourself into Roth contributions too early can limit your future flexibility. You’ll also learn how strategic tax planning can help you reach your FI number faster and create more options once you stop working.

Key Takeaways:

• Lower today’s tax bill during peak earning years
• Optimize tax brackets and avoid costly phase-outs
• Retirement taxes depend on spending, not income
• Preserve flexibility to convert to Roth later
• Avoid overpaying taxes during high-income years
• Use Traditional savings to accelerate your FI timeline
• Take advantage of the retiree-friendly tax code

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

50/30/20 Budget: Does This Popular Guideline Actually Work for FI Seekers? | E184

3 Hidden Traps That Make FIRE Feel Empty | E182 Jordan Grumet

Optimal Tax Strategies for Your Early Retirement | E180 Cody Garrett & Sean Mullaney

Guest Summary:

Cody Garrett is a financial planner, tax specialist, and the founder of Measure Twice Financial. A former professional musician turned financial advisor, Cody specializes in tax planning strategies for people pursuing financial independence and early retirement. His work focuses on helping high earners optimize tax strategies during their working years while creating flexible withdrawal strategies for retirement.

Book: Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement

Website

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Joel Larsgaard shares what it looked like to recognize that “doing it all” was no longer sustainable, even when the work was meaningful. After front-loading years of effort through saving, investing, and building How to Money, Joel began intentionally pulling back: working fewer hours, prioritizing family and health, and even taking a six-week sabbatical. This conversation explores why doing less isn’t laziness, but a necessary evolution after years of striving.

You’ll hear how financial independence can be used as a tool for time, not just wealth, along with practical ways to say no, resist constant expansion, and create space without losing ambition. If you’ve reached a point where more effort isn’t improving your life the way it used to, this episode offers a healthier path forward - one built on balance, presence, and intentional choices.

Key Takeaways:

• Doing more eventually stops improving your quality of life
• Financial independence is a tool to reclaim time, not fill it
• Burnout can exist even when work is meaningful
• Saying no protects energy for what matters most
• Over-committing quietly erodes family and personal time
• Small boundaries can create disproportionate freedom
• Doing less doesn’t kill ambition—it refines it
• Success should feel sustainable, not exhausting

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

4 Rules That Will Help You Spend Money Without Stress & Regret | E188

How to Create a 3-Day Workweek (Before You Reach FI) | E187 Andy Hill

3 Hidden Traps That Make FIRE Feel Empty | E182 Jordan Grumet

Guest Summary:

Joel Larsgaard is the co-host of How to Money, one of the most popular personal finance podcasts, where he helps listeners build wealth while living well. Through his own FI journey, Joel has shifted from relentless optimization toward a more intentional, balanced life—focusing on family, health, and long-term sustainability without abandoning ambition.

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Aaron Thomas, divorce lawyer, Harvard Law graduate, and founder of Prenups.com, shares what he learned from seeing marriages fail up close, and how those lessons completely reshaped how he approached his own relationship. Instead of ignoring the risks, Aaron reverse-engineered the most common emotional and financial breakdowns couples face and built systems to prevent them before they ever show up.

This conversation explores practical tools couples can use to strengthen trust, reduce money-related conflict, and stay aligned on big goals like financial independence, early retirement, and lifestyle design. You’ll learn how to run a marriage check-in that actually works, why prenups can be healthy (not hostile), and how clear financial agreements can protect both your relationship and your FI journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify repeating conflict patterns before they escalate
• Schedule an annual relationship check-in on your calendar
• Set a shared spending limit to prevent daily money tension
• Create financial guardrails for helping family and friends
• Align on FI timelines before resentment builds
• Talk through risk tolerance differences, not past each other
• Use a prenup to clarify values and expectations early
• Learn your state’s default divorce rules before you marry

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

How to Have End-of-Life Conversations with the People You Love | E185 Tess Waresmith

When You and Your Partner See Money Differently | E162 Brian Page

When Your Spouse Makes More Than You | E151 Ed Coambs

Guest Summary:

Aaron Thomas is a divorce lawyer, Harvard Law graduate, and founder of Prenups.com. After representing hundreds of couples through emotionally and financially costly divorces, Aaron became passionate about helping couples proactively design healthier relationships. His work focuses on clear communication, financial transparency, and practical systems that reduce conflict and support long-term partnerships, especially for high-achieving couples pursuing financial independence.

Aaron’s website: https://prenups.com/

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Many people pursuing financial independence don’t struggle with discipline. They struggle with permission. We have endless advice on saving and investing, but far less guidance on how to actually enjoy the money we’re working so hard to build.

In this episode, I’ll share my personal Spending Playbook: four spending principles I use as a super saver to spend confidently, reduce stress, and still stay on track toward financial independence. These principles are designed to help me enjoy my money without sabotaging my long-term goals.

This isn’t about spending more; it’s about spending intentionally, so saving stops feeling like a sacrifice.

The 4 Spending Principles Covered

1. The Fun Fund

A simple way to give a portion of your money one clear job: enjoyment — without competing with your investing goals.

2. The Oops Budget

A no-questions-asked buffer for unplanned, non-fun expenses so money doesn’t add stress during already stressful moments.

3. The “Moments That Matter” List

A short list of life events and experiences where you pre-decide money won’t have an outsized influence on your choice.

4. Guilt-Free Spending Categories

A few high-impact categories where spending creates outsized happiness — and where under-spending isn’t necessarily a win.

Key Takeaways:

• Being good at saving doesn’t automatically make spending easy
• Guilt around spending is often a permission problem, not a math problem
• Pre-deciding how you’ll spend removes stress in the moment
• Spending rules can create freedom, not restriction
• Enjoying your money is a skill you can practice
• Intentional spending supports FI — it doesn’t sabotage it
• The goal isn’t to spend more, but to spend with confidence
• Financial independence should make life feel bigger, not smaller

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Smart Frugality: The Frugal Mindset That Actually Feels Good | E183 JC Rodriguez

Is Saving Too Much Holding You Back? | E179 Jesse Cramer

You’re Financially Free, But It Doesn’t Feel Like It | E165 Shannah Game

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Andy Hill shares how he and his wife redesigned their lives to work just 20–25 hours per week while still supporting their lifestyle and long-term goals. Through practical examples and mindset shifts, Andy breaks down what it really takes to transition away from a traditional five-day workweek without feeling reckless or irresponsible. The focus isn’t on escaping work. It’s on intentionally designing it.

You’ll learn how CoastFI, part-time work, and solopreneur models can create flexibility long before you reach your FI number. This episode explores how to test reduced hours safely, set boundaries with employers or clients, and identify the moment when “more money” stops being the thing worth optimizing. If you’re craving more time but don’t want to derail your financial future, this is your blueprint.

Key Takeaways:

• How to work fewer days without waiting for full financial independence
• CoastFI can unlock flexibility long before retirement
• Time freedom is built gradually, not all at once
• One reclaimed day can transform how life feels
• Part-time work can reduce burnout without killing progress
• Clear boundaries protect your time and income
• Small experiments lower the fear of cutting hours
• Shifting your priorities toward time and health

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Is Saving Too Much Holding You Back? | E179 Jesse Cramer

Mini-Retirements: Retire Often, Not Just Early | E177 Jillian Johnsrud

How to Live a FI Life Without the FI Bank Account | E170 Jess from Fioneers

Guest Summary:

Andy Hill is the creator of Marriage, Kids, and Money and the author of Own Your Time. After years of juggling a full-time job and a side hustle, Andy designed a solopreneur lifestyle that prioritizes time freedom while maintaining financial security. His work focuses on helping families align money with what matters most: time, flexibility, and intentional living.

Check out Andy’s new book: Own Your Time

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

You’ll also hear how shifting from a “save now, live later” mindset to a “design a meaningful life today” approach can completely change the way your journey feels. We break down how to choose bucket-list items that fit your values, your current season of life, and your budget. You’ll walk away with clear steps for creating your own version, whether you want more adventure, more connection, or simply more joy in your week.

Finally, the conversation highlights what the FI Bucket List reveals about the bigger purpose behind financial independence: freedom, flexibility, and the chance to build a life you actually want to live. If you’ve been feeling behind, bored, or disconnected from your "why," this episode will help you reconnect with the possibility, purpose, and excitement that originally drew you to FI.

Key Takeaways:

• Why a FI Bucket List is one of the most effective ways to stay motivated on a long FI journey
• How to design bucket-list items that fit your values, energy, and current season of life
• The mindset shift from delaying joy to intentionally integrating it into your journey
• How to balance saving aggressively and creating meaningful experiences today
• Why your FI “finish line” isn’t the real point—and what actually matters more
• How a bucket list helps reduce burnout, boredom, and the fear of “doing FI wrong”
• Practical examples of small, low-cost wins that build excitement and momentum
• The difference between running away from work and running toward a fulfilling life

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Is Saving Too Much Holding You Back? | E179 Jesse Cramer

Mini-Retirements: Retire Often, Not Just Early | E177 Jillian Johnsrud

How to Get the Courage to Travel More Adventurously | E174 Jon Otero

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

In this episode, Financial Educator Tess Waresmith (Wealth With Tess) walks us through how to approach these conversations with compassion and confidence. Tess has navigated caregiving and loss firsthand, including the passing of her stepfather and aunt. She brings a personal and practical approach to preparing families for the future.

You’ll learn how to make these conversations feel less overwhelming, how to use Tess’s 3-Layer Talk Framework to guide your discussion, and which estate-planning essentials every FI-minded person should have squared away. More than anything, this episode will help you strengthen connections, reduce uncertainty, and create peace of mind for yourself and the people you love.

Key Takeaways:

• How to start end-of-life conversations in a way that feels natural, not heavy
• The 3-Layer Talk Framework for discussing logistics, values, and legacy
• Essential estate-planning documents every family needs (Will, POA, Healthcare Directive)
• Questions that help uncover a loved one’s hopes, fears, stories, and wishes
• Why acknowledging mortality can lead to more intentional spending, saving, and FI planning

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

3 Hidden Traps That Make FIRE Feel Empty | E182 Jordan Grumet

How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills | E161 Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington

Does My FIRE Number Account for Inflation? | E140 Jesse Cramer

Guest Summary:

Tess Waresmith is a financial educator, speaker, and the creator of Wealth With Tess, where she teaches women how to build confidence with money and investing. Through her workshops, courses, and content, she shares clear, compassionate financial guidance to help women reduce stress and prioritize what truly matters.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wealthwithtess/

Talking About Death: https://www.moneyconfidentclub.com/talkdeath

Deathly Yours Workbook ($60 off with code FIMINDED):

https://www.moneyconfidentclub.com/offers/BkfzyzKV?coupon_code=FIMINDED

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

You’ll learn what the 50/30/20 rule was originally designed for, where it breaks down for people on the path to FI, and how your own needs, wants, and savings ratios might shift as you move closer to financial independence. Justin also shares his FI-friendly version of the guideline that better supports intentional spending, lifestyle design, and long-term financial freedom.

Whether you’re in your first year of the FI journey or optimizing for Coast FI, this episode will help you rethink your spending percentages, understand your true savings rate, and build a budgeting approach that matches your work-optional goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the traditional 50/30/20 budgeting rule often breaks down for FI seekers, early retirees, and anyone aiming for financial independence.
• How Justin’s actual 2020–2025 spending data compared to the guideline — including needs, wants, and savings percentages.
• The difference between budgeting for traditional retirement vs budgeting for financial independence or Coast FI.
• What your savings rate reveals about your FI timeline and why it matters more than a fixed budget ratio.
• How an FI-minded spending framework can help you design a flexible lifestyle, reduce money anxiety, and stay aligned with your long-term goals.
• A simple FI version of the 50/30/20 rule you can adapt to your income, values, and personal financial independence path.
• Why intentional spending beats rigid budgeting - and how knowing your own numbers can help you reach work optionality faster.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Smart Frugality: The Frugal Mindset That Actually Feels Good | E183 JC Rodriguez

How to Save Thousands on Groceries (Without Giving Anything Up) | E176 Bryan Suddith

Money Moves That Sound Smart…But Aren’t (Part 1) | E172

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

In this episode, I’m joined by JC Rodriguez, financial coach and creator of The Frugal Rich, to explore how to build a values-based spending system that feels good, lasts long term, and supports your FI goals.

We’ll unpack practical hacks from grocery savings to “buy for life” strategies and talk about how to balance conscious spending, frugality with purpose, and joy along the journey to financial freedom.

If you’ve ever wondered whether saving money is helping or hurting your quality of life, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How values-based spending helps you save money without losing joy
• Why cutting too far in the name of frugality can backfire
• Simple hacks to save money on everyday expenses like groceries
• Use tools like CamelCamelCamel to track prices and shop smarter
• The difference between short-term savings hacks and lasting frugal habits
• Why “buy for life” products often save more money long-term
• Balancing frugality with happiness in everyday spending decisions
• Why some people thrive on frugality while others struggle with it
• How to spend confidently on big purchases without guilt
• How to balance financial independence goals with living well today

Guest Summary:

JC Rodriguez is a financial coach and creator of The Frugal Rich, a community of over 1.5 million people learning how to live better with less. His work helps people embrace frugality with purpose, adopt sustainable money habits, and build long-term financial freedom without sacrificing happiness.

Check out JC on:

YouTube

Facebook Group

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Grumet (Doc G), author of The Purpose Code and host of the Earn & Invest Podcast, to explore how the FIRE movement can sometimes turn from a tool for freedom into a trap that leaves people feeling empty.

We unpack three hidden pitfalls that can derail your FIRE journey and how to realign money, purpose, and meaning once you’ve “made it.”

Jordan has been a longtime voice in the Financial Independence movement, through his blog, DiverseFI, his book, The Purpose Code, and his podcast, Earn & Invest.

But after a decade in the movement, he started asking some deeper questions:

• Has FIRE become the destination instead of the launchpad?
• Are we optimizing our finances at the expense of meaning?
• And how do we bring purpose back into the FIRE movement?

Key Takeaways:

• Why FIRE can accidentally make money the goal instead of the tool
• The trap of “Perfect is the Enemy of Good” in personal finance
• Endless optimization (Roth timing, iBonds, chasing interest rates) can distract from what truly matters.
• How optimization can distract us from the hard emotional work
• Real fulfillment comes from pursuing purpose, not FIRE.
• What Jordan still loves about the FIRE movement (and what he’s outgrown)
• How to redefine success beyond spreadsheets and savings rates

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Is Saving Too Much Holding You Back? | E179 Jesse Cramer

How to Live a FI Life Without the FI Bank Account | E170 Jess from Fioneers

Find Purpose Beyond Financial Independence | E157 Jordan Grumet

Guest Summary:

Jordan Grumet (Doc G) is a physician turned writer, speaker, and host of the Earn & Invest Podcast. His books, Taking Stock and The Purpose Code, explore how to align money, meaning, and legacy. Jordan has been part of the FIRE community since 2014, helping thousands rethink what financial independence really means.

Connect with Jordan:

• Book: The Purpose Code
• Podcast: Earn & Invest Podcast

Connect with Justin:

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded:

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Nick Loper, host of The Side Hustle Show, joins me again to share smart ways to find a side hustle that actually fits your life, skills, and Financial Independence goals.

We explore creative frameworks like “Rip, Pivot, and Jam,” “Intersection,” and “Shovels in the Gold Rush,” and how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to uncover ideas faster than ever. Nick also shares how to narrow your list to just one idea you’ll be excited to work on for years to come.

If you’ve been overthinking your next move or waiting for the “perfect” side hustle, this episode will help you find clarity, confidence, and direction.

Key Takeaways:

• Find side hustle ideas at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what people need, and what they’ll pay for.
• Use frameworks like Rip, Pivot, and Jam or Shovels in the Gold Rush to generate creative and practical ideas.
• Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm and refine your concepts.
• Ask questions like “Does this fit my lifestyle?” or “Would I still enjoy this in three years?” to narrow your choices fast.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

How to Start a Side Hustle in One Month | E167 Nick Loper

How to DOUBLE Your Income in One Year | E164 Andrew Giancola

How to Launch a Side Hustle While Working Full-Time | E132 Genuinely Genesis

More of Nick:

The Side Hustle Show

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Mine was creepy dolls. After watching a movie called Teacher’s Pet, I became so terrified of dolls that my dad had my sister box up hers and store them in the basement.

I’ll be honest, I’m still not a huge fan of dolls, but I’ve mostly outgrown that fear. Along the way, though, I’ve picked up some new ones like running out of money, being left without health insurance, and probably the biggest of all… taxes.

I’ve been saving and investing with the fear that Uncle Sam will take a huge chunk of my money. That mindset has me padding my investment accounts and inflating my FI number. But after reading Sean Mullaney and Cody Garrett’s book, Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement, I’m starting to rethink that - and I think you should too.

To help us all navigate this, I invited Sean and Cody to walk us through strategies to optimize taxes before and during early retirement. We’ll cover things like which accounts to deplete first, how to control your taxable income through strategic selling, ways to minimize sequence-of-return risk, and even how you could pay almost nothing in taxes some years without cutting expenses.

If you want practical strategies for optimizing taxes on your path to early retirement, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mr. Measure Twice and the FITaxGuy…Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney.

Key Takeaways:

• How to fund an early retirement lifestyle tax-free with drawdown strategies.
• Which investment accounts to tap first to optimize your retirement withdrawals
• How to sell specific brokerage lots to precisely manage taxes and cash flow
• A drawdown approach that protects against the sequence of returns risk in retirement
• How to maximize ACA premium tax credits for affordable early retirement healthcare
• When to use Roth and HSA withdrawals for tax-efficient income flexibility

Mentions:

Selling Specific Lots in Fidelity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cft7dLLP7_U&feature=youtu.be

More of Sean & Cody:

Check out the book “Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement”:: https://www.measuretwicemoney.com/book

Cody’s website: https://measuretwicefinancial.com/

Sean’s website: https://fitaxguy.com/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Justin and the FI Minded podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services.

A few years ago, things felt simpler because I was in full accumulation mode. Most of my decisions came down to one thing: delay spending so I could save and invest more. Looking back, maybe I would’ve splurged a little on experiences or time-saving purchases, but honestly, I don’t regret much.

These days, though, I’m learning to focus more on my current self. I’m loosening up, spending a bit more, and not being so uptight about every dollar. Talking with friends further along in the FI journey, I’ve realized this shift is pretty natural, and perhaps you’re experiencing it too.

It’s not always easy, which is why I wanted to talk it through with a friend and frequent guest, Jesse Cramer. Jesse’s navigating the same changes himself, and as a financial advisor, he also brings perspective from helping clients through similar situations.

In this episode, we dive into the balance of spending on your current self while still enjoying the growth of your investments. We talk about how we’ve loosened up around money habits like budgeting, and why we’re not stressing about hitting our exact FIRE numbers anymore.

I always enjoy my conversations with Jesse, and if any of this resonates with you, I think you’ll get a lot out of this one too.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the host of The Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors Podcast… Jesse Cramer.

Key Takeaways:

• Shift from always accumulating to finding balance and enjoying life now.
• Redefine “pay yourself first” to include meaningful spending today.
• Build a portfolio that grows in bull markets and feels safe in bear markets.
• Loosen up on strict budgeting without losing financial control.
• Let your spending evolve to reflect your values and priorities.
• Don’t let your FIRE number dictate every life decision.
• Factor in Social Security - you may be further ahead than you think.
• Learn from retirees: smooth transitions come from people and purpose.
• Take smart risks that push you beyond your comfort zone.

More of Jesse:

Check out Jesse’s podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/personal-finance-for-long-term-investors/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

That curiosity came to a head when the nozzle on my garden hose started leaking. My first instinct was to hop on Amazon and buy a new one. It was only $20. But then I paused. I looked up what might cause the leak and found out it’s usually a worn-out rubber washer. I took the thing apart, and sure enough, that was it. I hopped back on Amazon to order a new washer…until I remembered I had another broken nozzle in the garage. I swear I have the worst luck with these—but this one wasn’t leaking. I had just dropped it and snapped the trigger handle. I took the rubber washer from that one and used it to fix the current nozzle.

And it worked! No money spent. Nothing added to a landfill. And honestly, I felt proud of myself.

I share that story because it’s easy to assume we’re already frugal or intentional enough—especially in the FI community. But that moment made me realize how often I default to “buy new” without even questioning it. And I want to become more intentional, especially when it comes to physical things.

That’s why I invited Ashlee Piper on the show today. Ashlee is a sustainability expert and author of the new book No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity. She’s also the creator of the #NoNewThings Challenge, which she personally followed for two years, which is just insanely impressive.

In this conversation, we dig into how to creatively meet your needs without always reaching for your wallet. Ashlee shares her SUPER system for thoughtfully navigating purchases, and we run through a few real-life scenarios like getting ready for a wedding or gearing up for Halloween.

If you want to bring more intentionality into how you consume, this episode will leave you feeling inspired.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the always resourceful, wildly entertaining, and sustainability-driven…Ashlee Piper.

Key Takeaways:

• How to skip buying new without giving up what you love
• A system to make smarter, more intentional buying choices
• Find practical ways to fix, borrow, or swap before buying something new
• How consumer culture encourages excess (and how to resist it)
• Balancing intentional spending and restriction

More of Ashlee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleepiper/

Newsletter: https://substack.com/@theethicaledit

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

You probably have a list of things you’re saving for after FI—but what if you don’t want to wait another decade to start? Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. The challenge is that your career eats up most of your time and energy, and since you’re not financially independent yet, walking away isn’t an option.

But what if you didn’t have to choose between all work now and all freedom later? What if you could work for a few years, take a break, then return to work—and repeat that cycle? Instead of one long career followed by one long retirement, what if you took mini-retirements along the way?

It’s not just a theory—today’s guest has done it. Jillian Johnsrud has taken over a dozen mini-retirements throughout her life and now helps others do the same.

In this episode, Jillian shares how to organize your time off, why some employers actually say yes to these breaks, and how a mini-retirement might even improve your career. She also provides examples of how mini-retirements speed up, rather than slow down, people’s path to FI.

Mini-retirements are one of my favorite concepts—I’ve taken one myself, and I always encourage my friends to consider them too.

So today, I’m making the case to you: maybe it’s better to retire often than to retire once.

Key Takeaways:

• What a Mini-Retirement Actually Looks Like
• How to Plan a Mini-Retirement with Purpose
• A framework for organizing your mini-retirement using Jillian’s “Dream To-Do List”
• Signs It’s Time to Step Away
• How to Talk to Your Employer About Taking Time Off
• Why some employers say yes to mini-retirements—and how to make your case
• Tips for framing the request in a way that shows mutual benefit
• Making the Financial Trade-Off Worth It
• Surprising ways mini-retirements can actually improve your career or lead to new income opportunities.
• Why “Retire Often” Might Be Better Than “Retire Once”

More of Jillian:

Read Retire Often: https://lnk.to/retireoften

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

The best part? I’m not asking you to start a side hustle or cut out your favorite purchases.

Instead, we’re talking about saving money by wasting less, specifically, food waste.

Yes, that’s right. The average American throws out over 200 pounds of food a year. For a family of four, that’s about $3,200 straight into the trash. Think wilted spinach, moldy bread, and forgotten leftovers. Any of this sound familiar?

Here’s the good news: with a little planning and a few habit shifts, you can cut that waste dramatically and keep more money in your pocket without sacrificing lifestyle.

Today’s guest, Bryan Suddith, took this challenge seriously. Over the last five years, he’s tracked every bit of food that ended up in his trash. And the total? Less than $100. For a family of four.

We’ll share practical tips for meal planning, a framework for eating through your groceries, his favorite go-to food-waste saving meal (which surprised me), and even how to avoid food waste after hosting a party.

If you’re ready to trim your grocery bill and stretch your FI dollars further without really sacrificing anything, then you’re going to like this episode.

Key Takeaways:

• The impact of tracking your food waste
• How to avoid aspirational grocery purchases
• Which groceries to prioritize eating first
• Creative ways to turn soon-to-expire food into tasty meals
• A go-to food-waste-saving meal everyone will enjoy
• How to cut down on food waste after hosting a party
• What to know about food waste legislation

More of Bryan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryansuddith/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Matt and Yana from CoastFI Couple share their honest experience with shifting from a strict save-only mindset to learning how to enjoy their money after reaching Coast FI.

We talk about how even couples who agree on big-picture goals can still face daily money disagreements — and the tools and conversations that help keep things on track.

Plus, we explore how to teach kids healthy money values without passing on anxiety or scarcity.

Whether you’re struggling to spend guilt-free or want to raise money-smart kids, this episode offers practical insights and encouragement.

If you have a question you'd like me to answer on a future episode, just shoot me an email at justin@fiminded.com.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s totally normal to struggle with spending after years of saving.
• Start with small upgrades to ease into enjoying your money.
• You and your partner can be aligned overall and still clash on daily spending.
• Using tools and talking openly can help you avoid constant money arguments.
• You can teach your kids to be smart with money without making them anxious.
• Modeling a balanced approach helps your kids build confidence around money.

More of Matt & Yana:

YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/@CoastFICouple

Qube Money: https://qubemoney.com/ (Use code COAST for a free trial)

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Lately, I’ve been getting more comfortable with international travel, and I’m starting to feel the itch to push beyond my comfort zone. Up to this point, most of my trips have been to first-world countries, major metropolitan cities, and usually with a group of friends or my partner.

But I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous to push the boundary. That’s why I invited Jon Otero on the podcast to help me break through those fears and build the confidence to travel more adventurously.

Jon is the definition of an adventurous traveler. He has visited 35 countries and all 50 U.S. states, and he has done some incredible things, such as riding a camel in Egypt, scuba diving to sunken ships, and paratriking in Peru. His fearless approach to travel is seriously so inspiring, and I’m hoping to tap into a little of that mindset myself.

In this episode, we talk about everything from navigating language barriers and understanding cultural differences to safety tips, solo travel, and ideas for your next adventure.

Before we jump in, I want to say this: adventurous travel is defined by you. If you’ve never left the country before, going anywhere new might feel like a big leap, and that’s awesome. Even exploring a new part of the U.S. can feel adventurous if you’ve never been out of your home state. Don’t let social media or someone else’s definition shape what a great trip looks like. Go at your own pace, and most importantly, have fun.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the adventurous traveler and host of The Globetrotters Podcast…Jon Otero.

Key Takeaways:

• How to navigate language barriers when you don’t speak the local language
• Tips for learning cultural customs before your trip
• Staying aware without being overly paranoid while traveling
• Making solo travel fun (and not lonely)
• How to pick your next travel destination
• Underrated countries that deserve a spot on your list

More of Jon:

Listen to the Globetrotters Podcast: https://www.gtspodcast.com/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

This is Part 2 of our special series where six personal finance experts share strategies that sound smart but rarely are. In this episode, you’ll hear from:

• Larry McMahon (Uncontrollable Me) on why doing everything yourself can be a costly mistake
• Sean Mullaney (FI Tax Guy) on when Traditional 401(k) contributions might not be the best choice
• Jeremy Schneider (Personal Finance Club) on why whole life insurance is rarely the financial win it's pitched to be

Missed Part 1? No problem - each episode stands alone, but you’ll want to go back and queue it up next.

Key Takeaways:

• DIY-ing everything can limit your growth and lead to costly errors
• Traditional 401(k) contributions aren’t always the most tax-efficient route
• Whole life insurance rarely lives up to the hype
• Even experienced money nerds make mistakes—and learn from them

More of Our Guests:

Check out Larry’s coaching practice at https://www.uncontrollable.me/.

Watch Sean’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@SeanMullaneyVideos.

Follow Jeremy’s Instagram account at 

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Disclaimer

The content shared by Sean Mullaney in this episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax advice for any specific individual. Neither this podcast nor its host endorses Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc., or any of the services they offer.

In part one of this special two-part series, we’re diving into real stories from personal finance pros who once made money moves that seemed like great ideas... but turned out to be anything but.

You’ll hear honest reflections from:

• Diana Merriam (EconoMe) on the allure, and pitfalls, of credit card churning
• Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors) on rethinking Roth conversions
• Joel Larsgaard (How to Money) on why 529 plans aren’t always the no-brainer they seem

I’ll also share my own story of trusting the wrong financial “expert” and how it led me to open a whole life insurance policy I didn’t need.

We’ve all made money moves we later questioned. This episode is here to help you learn from them and avoid making the same ones.

Key Takeaways:

• Whole life insurance isn’t the wealth builder it’s often sold as.
• Credit card churning can be more trouble than it’s worth.
• Roth conversions aren’t always a smart tax move.
• 529 plans can limit financial flexibility.
• Even smart-sounding strategies deserve a second look.
• Mistakes are part of the journey - learn and keep going.

More of Our Guests:

Check out Diana’s EconoMe Conference at https://economeconference.com/

Listen to Jesse’s podcast Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors at https://bestinterest.blog/personal-finance-for-long-term-investors/

Listen to Matt’s podcast How to Money at https://www.howtomoney.com/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

In this episode, I talk with Spencer Reese from Military Money Manual about how to make generosity part of your FI plan without derailing your financial goals. We explore how charitable giving can reduce your taxes, align with your values, and help you overcome money scarcity by building an abundance mindset.

Whether you’re early in your FI journey or already financially independent, this conversation will help you give with purpose — and make a real difference along the way.

Key Takeaways:

• How to get more comfortable donating your money
• Ways to balance your FI goals while supporting causes you care about
• How charitable tax deductions actually work
• What a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is and why it might be right for you
• The easiest DAF platform for first-time donors
• Why donating appreciated stock can be a powerful giving strategy
• How to find ethical, effective nonprofits to support
• Tips for deciding how much to give (and when)
• Whether it’s better to donate now or wait until you’ve reached FI

More of Spencer:

Check out Military Money Manual Podcast: https://militarymoneymanual.com/podcast/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

It could be living a more adventurous life filled with travel or doing work you love, regardless of the pay. Whatever your dream looks like, it probably comes down to two things: freedom and flexibility.

We want to be in the driver’s seat of our lives. And we know money is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way. So we save, invest, and make sacrifices now, hoping it’ll give us more control over our choices later.

But let’s be honest, it can feel like a grind. And sometimes, we want to enjoy more freedom now, not just someday. So... is it possible to live a FI life without the FI bank account?

Jess from The Fioneers says yes. As you move through your financial independence journey, you unlock more freedom. All of the freedom doesn’t magically happen after you hit your FIRE number; it happens along the way.

In today’s episode, Jess breaks down the five stages of FI, what kind of freedom comes with each one, lifestyle shifts to consider, and common traps that could leave you stuck in one of the stages. Jess shares a lot of alternative paths to financial independence that balance enjoying the moment while setting up your future self.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the sourdough maker and pioneer of SlowFI…Jess from the Fioneers.

Key Takeaways:

• How to use the incremental freedom you gain as you get closer to FI
• Adopting a SlowFI mindset
• 5 stages of FI
• Why you’ll spend less than you think in CoastFI
• Creating memories in van life

More of Jess:

CoastFI Calculator: https://thefioneers.com/free-resources/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

In this episode, I share the wild true story of Audrey, a woman who vanished in 1962 and was just found alive, 63 years later. Her story sparked a thought experiment: if you had to reinvent yourself, new city, new career, new hobbies, what path would you choose?

We’ll explore what reinvention could look like through the lens of financial independence. I also share a sneak peek from my upcoming interview with Jillian Johnsrud and reflect on the passions and missed opportunities that still tug at me.

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Now, I’m past the days of budget airlines and sketchy motels but I’m also not flying first class with lay-down seats or staying in luxury hotels in the city center that leave chocolates on the pillows.

Financial independence has given me the freedom to enjoy travel with simple comforts, and I’m perfectly happy in that Goldilocks zone.

But what if, once a year, you could take a truly glamorous vacation - without spending anything extra?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Chris Hutchins, host of All the Hacks. He shares practical travel tips to help you take those bucket-list vacations. Chris has earned tens of millions of points, traveled all over the world, and even took a 7-month trip with his wife, spending just $30 a day on average. Chris is a total travel savant and has a hack for just about everything travel-related.

I do have to admit, though, I went into this conversation a little skeptical. I thought it might sound like a part-time job - chasing sign-up bonuses, juggling credit cards, and spending hours hunting for deals. But I was surprised by how simple many of Chris’s tips are and how much money they can save. Some of his hacks don’t even involve points or miles, just smart ways to get upgrades or better deals.

I’m excited to try these out and travel more luxuriously without spending more - and I’m guessing you are too.

So buckle up and enjoy my conversation with Mr. All The Hacks himself…Chris Hutchins. 

Key Takeaways:

• Which travel hacks might not be worth your time anymore
• How to use positioning flights to score better deals
• Easy ways to boost your points and miles with “points side hustles”
• How to get free gifts and perks from hotels
• A trick to find the same vacation rental for a lower price
• How to save money on car rentals
• Why slow travel can save you money and make the trip more enjoyable

More of Chris:

All The Hacks Podcast: https://www.chrishutchins.com/episodes/

50+ Ways to Earn More Points and Miles Without Spending More: https://www.chrishutchins.com/50-ways-to-earn-more-points-and-miles/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

That’s where side hustles come in. Not only can they give your FI plan a serious income boost, but they also let you explore projects that could become meaningful ventures in your post-FI life.

But how do you find the right side hustle? How do you price your services, land your first clients, and balance it all with your career and personal life?

That’s where today’s guest, Nick Loper, comes in. He’s the host of The Side Hustle Show and the creator of Side Hustle Nation, and he’s helped thousands of people start and grow successful side gigs.

In this episode, Nick shares his go-to frameworks for generating side hustle ideas and strategies for pricing, finding clients, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Plus, he’ll break down the habits that set successful side hustlers apart.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a side hustle, or want to make yours more sustainable, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the side hustle explorer and expert himself…Nick Loper.

Key Takeaways:

• Why side hustles are a perfect fit for the FI journey
• How side hustles have evolved over the past decade
• Frameworks to generate profitable side hustle ideas
• How to price your product or service effectively
• Strategies for landing your first clients
• Balancing your side hustle with your full-time job and personal life
• Healthy habits to sustain your side hustle long-term

More of Nick:

7 Proven Ways to Come Up with New Business Ideas: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/how-to-come-up-with-new-business-ideas/\

The Side Hustle Show: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/side-hustle-show/

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

As we gain more financial freedom, how we spend and make money should evolve too. In this short and reflective episode, I explore the idea of personal tariffs and how I have applied this to things that may seem like a good deal on the surface, but actually come at a hidden cost to my time, energy, or well-being.

I share three categories where I’ve started mentally “taxing” the lower-cost option. This isn’t about spending recklessly - it’s about making intentional choices that align with the life you’re building.

If you’re on the journey to financial independence and want to feel better about spending in ways that support your health, happiness, and values, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• “Personal tariff”- a mental cost you assign to choices that drain you, even if they save money.
• Building a life you’re proud of means prioritizing alignment over optimization.
• Financial independence isn’t just about money - it’s about creating space to live in a way that feels good.

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

But you don’t.

Because even though the math checks out, the feeling doesn’t. The scarcity mindset, the one that pushed you to save relentlessly, doesn’t just disappear when you achieve FI. Instead, it lingers, making you question if it’s really enough.

That’s why I’m excited to have Shannah Game on the show today. She’s a Certified Financial Planner and host of Everyone’s Talkin’ Money. Shannah has helped countless people break free from the mental traps that keep them feeling financially insecure, even when their numbers say otherwise.

In this episode, Shannah is going to help us tackle that nagging sense of “not enough” and share strategies to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of confidence and abundance.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the cupcake-making, money-talking millennial…Shannah Game.

Key Takeaways:

• Why you never feel like you have enough (even when you do)
• How to unlearn financial habits you inherited from your parents
• Why transparency in the FI community might fuel the comparison trap
• Strategies to shift from scarcity to abundance
• A powerful journal prompt for overcoming scarcity
• How to practice mindful money moments

More of Shannah:

Podcast: https://everyonestalkinmoney.com/episodes/

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

I was cutting costs everywhere - negotiating bills, rarely eating out, even walking instead of driving. Frugality was helping but man, the real game-changer was focusing on growing my income. Since then, I’ve switched jobs, negotiated raises, launched a business, and built a five-figure side hustle. Now, I earn three times what I did at 25, and that extra income has made all the difference.

I’m funding my financial independence goals while also enjoying life more.

Quickly growing my income made such an impact and that’s why I brought Andrew Giancola on the podcast - to help me break down exactly how you can double your income in just one year. Andrew is a pro at this. He’s built multiple businesses, invested in real estate, tested different side hustles, and even helped his wife negotiate multiple raises and promotions.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you increase your income fast. So if that is something you want to do, let’s dive in!

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the financial educator and host of The Personal Finance Podcast…Andrew Giancola.

Key Takeaways:

• Why increasing your income is key to financial independence
• A 6-month strategy to negotiate a raise
• Exactly what to say when asking for a raise
• How to become indispensable at work
• Ways to actively earn more outside your job
• The best passive income investments for busy professionals

Mentions:

Andrew’s first appearance on FI Minded: www.tsirpodcast.com/133

More of Andrew:

www.MasterMoney.co

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

FI Minded is for anyone who wants to achieve financial freedom, live life on their own terms, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey along the way!

Whether you’re just starting to think about financial independence or already deep into the process, FI Minded gives you the tools and inspiration to make FI a reality - without giving up the things you love.

Each episode, we’ll cover topics like:

*Financial Independence Strategies: Simple, actionable advice to reach FI faster (if that’s your goal).

*Work Optionality: Transitioning from the corporate grind (no more "one more year syndrome") to a life of freedom and flexibility.

*Lifestyle Design: How to build a life that aligns with your values, goals, and dreams.

*Stories from the FI Community: Real people sharing their journeys to FI and what they’ve learned.

*Fun with FI: How to save your future and enjoy your current life through CoastFI, mini-retirements, travel, or just making the most of your time.

*Fighting Burnout: Balancing saving for your future while staying mentally healthy.

As a die-hard index fund investor, I used to have a clear answer. But after researching Chad Carson’s “small but mighty” real estate philosophy, I’m starting to see the potential.

While I still prefer the hands-off nature of index funds, especially as I focus on growing my income - I can see real estate playing a role in my future. It offers steady cash flow, diversification, and even scratches my entrepreneurial itch.

When that time comes, I’ll be turning to Chad Carson’s content. With two decades of real estate investing experience, Chad knows how to find, analyze, and buy solid investment properties.

In this episode, Chad breaks down the fundamentals of real estate investing, including how to find quality deals in a high-priced market, red flags to watch for, and key financial metrics to evaluate before buying.

I learned a ton from this conversation, and I’m already looking forward to a part two.

Key Takeaways:

• How real estate fits into Chad’s investment portfolio
• Pros and cons of real estate investing
• Finding quality deals in a high-priced market
• Defining your "buy box" to focus your search
• Red flags to watch for in properties
• Key financial metrics to evaluate before buying
• The “small and mighty” real estate philosophy
• Aligning real estate with your life goals

Mentions:

Create Your Buy Box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ORTQ_2S-mE

DealMachine: https://www.dealmachine.com/

More of Coach Chad Carson:

Real Estate Investing with Coach Carson: https://www.coachcarson.com/coach-carson-podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

If only it were that simple. Money is personal for everyone. We grow up with different values, learn different money habits from our parents, and develop our own financial preferences.

So when two people with unique money mindsets come together, disagreements are bound to happen. Maybe one of you is a saver while the other loves to spend, leading to frustration over “wasting” or “hoarding” money. Or maybe you can’t agree on whether to play it safe with savings or take financial risks.

If you love your partner, the last thing you want is constant fights about money. You want to figure this out together. That’s why in today’s episode, I’m talking with Brian Page about how to find common ground when you and your partner have different financial perspectives.

Brian is the Founder of Modern Husbands, an organization that helps busy dual-career couples manage money and home life as a team.

We dive into some really practical topics like how spenders and savers can find peace, what research says about combining vs. separating finances, and how to create a fair balance with household responsibilities.

This conversation was especially helpful for me because my partner, Gaby, and I have been navigating these conversations ourselves as last summer marked 5 years of dating.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the lead dad and modern husband…Brian Page.

Key Takeaways:

• How couples with different money mindsets can find common ground
• What to do when you and your partner have conflicting financial goals
• What research says about combining finances vs. keeping them separate
• How to fairly divide financial responsibilities as a couple
• Ways to optimize your finances together
• How to share household responsibilities as a team

More of Brian:

Modern Husbands: https://www.modernhusbands.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Yeah, this was new to me too. Maybe it was the confusing medical jargon or the assumption that hospitals charge fair prices, but negotiating never crossed my mind…and you know I love to negotiate just about everything.

Not only should you be negotiating your medical bills, you should be scrutinizing them for errors. As you’ll learn in this episode, 80% of medical bills have errors, and go figure, they almost always work out in the favor of the medical provider.

Today, Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington joins me to share her three-step process for negotiating medical bills. As an internal medicine physician and former health insurance executive, Dr. Virgie thought she understood the system - that was until she was diagnosed with cancer and saw firsthand how patients get crushed by medical debt.

After witnessing her hospital roommate get taken advantage of by balance billing, Dr. Virigie had had enough. Now she is on a mission to help Americans fight back against excessive healthcare costs, one bill at a time.

If you want to protect yourself from medical debt and take control of your healthcare costs, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with medical billing expert and 2-time cancer patient…Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington.

Key Takeaways:

• The devastating impact of medical debt on Americans
• How to identify errors on your medical bills
• Why the first bill from your provider isn’t the final bill
• How to research fair pricing for medical services
• A step-by-step script for negotiating lower costs with your provider’s billing department

More of Dr. Vrigie:

Website: www.crushmedicaldebt.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Turns out, after 15 years of working hard to build wealth, it’s not so easy to let go. Add in some good old financial insecurities, and suddenly, I’ve got money, but I’m too nervous to spend it.

And guess what? We are not the only ones. A lot of people in the FI community deal with this too, including Carl Jensen.

Carl, known for his blog 1500 Days, has a net worth of $6 million. Yet, he still found it hard to spend money. That was until he started challenging himself to do it. Through these spending challenges, Carl figured out what really brings him joy, whether it’s something small like treating a friend to dinner or big like a $10,000 private concert with his favorite band (don’t worry, we’ll talk about that one!).

So, if you’ve ever struggled to spend on things that would actually make you happy, this episode is for you. Hopefully, it inspires you to push past those money hang-ups and challenge yourself a little more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Telsa fantastic, dinosaur-loving, early FI trailblazer…Carl Jensen.

Key Takeaways:

• How to recognize if you’re frugalism is hurting or helping
• Using spending experiments to uncover what is important to you
• One commonality of Carl’s favorite purchases
• What you can learn from the wrong purchases

Mentions:

Taming the Mammoth: Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think: https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/06/taming-mammoth-let-peoples-opinions-run-life.html

More of Carl:

Read Carl’s Blog: https://www.1500days.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Today, we’re joined by Justin Brown-Woods, Financial Coach and Co-Host of The Price of Avocado Toast. Justin not only helps his clients reach their financial goals but he has also walked the walk himself. After accumulating $220,000 in debt, Justin and his wife, Haley, decided to rewrite their financial story. In just 18 months, they paid off more than half of their debt and began rebuilding their wealth.

And when I say “rebuilding,” I mean rebuilding. Before accumulating 6-figures of debt, they had $600,000 in the bank! It’s a story you don’t want to miss but I’ll let Justin spill the details in this episode.

If you’re ready to fast-track your 2025 financial goals (without selling a kidney), this episode is packed with tips and inspiration to get you started.

Key Takeaways:

• Opportunities that come with tightening your budget
• Practical ways to earn extra income that align with your lifestyle
• A simple side hustle you can start today
• Reward systems to keep you motivated and on track
• Tips for aligning financial goals with your partner

More of Justin:

Listen to the Price of Avocado Toast: https://www.priceofavocadotoast.com/podcast

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

On one hand, there’s the technical side: What’s the best way to withdraw from my nest egg? This is something I hadn’t given much thought to until now.

But beyond the finances, the bigger question is: What changes in life? Will I still scrutinize every expense? Do I worry about major market news? And most importantly, how do I want to spend my time?

I need some guidance, and I’m guessing you do too, so I asked Jeremy Schneider to come to demystify life after reaching financial independence. Jeremy Schneider is the creator of the popular Instagram account, Personal Finance Club. He’s also the co-founder of Nectarine, a marketplace for advice-only financial advisors.

Before launching Personal Finance Club and Nectarine, Jeremy built and sold a technology company for $5 million, achieving financial independence. This sum of cash catapulted him into financial independence. He had to answer the important questions quickly and in this episode, he shares what he learned from that experience.

Whether you’re nearing your FIRE number or simply curious about what life looks like after financial independence, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the man trying to bring light on the financial advising industry…Jeremy Schneider.

Key Takeaways:

• A simple draw-down strategy for post-FI
• Finding purpose when work becomes optional
• Making peace with your life-long frugal habits
• What’s broken about the financial advising industry

More of Jeremy:

Get Financial Help: www.hellonectarine.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

When you save and invest, you’re sharing financial resources with your future self. This means your future self won’t have to worry about earning money. With that financial freedom, you gain time—the time you would’ve spent working. And with more time, you have more freedom to choose how to you spend your time.

You might ask yourself, "What do I want to do with my time?" Maybe it’s traveling, exercising, or catching up on sleep. But then what? That question often leads to something deeper—finding your purpose.

That’s a topic my friend Jordan Grumet, aka Doc G, knows a lot about. As a hospice doctor and the author of The Purpose Code, Jordan has explored purpose, connection, and identity in depth.

In this episode, he shares insights from his latest book and helps answer the big question: “How do I find my purpose?”—or if it even needs to be found.

If you’ve been reflecting on your purpose, well buckle up, this episode is for you.

Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation with the hospice doctor and author of the newly minted book, The Purpose, Code..Jordan Grumet.

Key Takeaways:

• How collections can bring you joy
• Little P purpose vs big P purpose
• The importance of the climb
• The 3 levers to create a more purpose-filled job
• How to create your purpose instead of find it
• Using a life review to identify what’s important to you
• Prioritizing community and connection

More of Jordan:

Order Jordan’s book, The Purpose Code at https://jordangrumet.com/books/.

Listen to Earn & Invest at https://www.earnandinvest.com/.

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

What do I mean by creative frugality? It is a two-part process. Number 1, identify the things you value and stop spending money on the things you don’t. That is what today’s guest calls value-based spending. Number 2, get creative with the rest of your spending.

Let me give you an example. I have a friend that loves to try new restaurants but she hates spending money on dining out. So what did she do? She started an Instagram page where she reviews new restaurants that opened up in Austin. She reaches out to restaurants she wants to try and many of them invite her in and comp her meal. Sure it takes a little hustle but you know what that friend told me? She loves creating this content for her Instagram and she is enjoying getting to know the people who make up the restaurant scene in Austin.

I’m not advocating you do this for every one of your spending categories. I’m just saying, think outside the box and experiment a little.

This is exactly what Jill Sirianni did. While she was working to pay off $60,000 of debt on a social worker's salary, Jill knew she had to get creative. Housing cost is nearly unavoidable for everyone but Jill stepped back and asked “How could I spend less on housing but still have a home I love?”

She found an opportunity to house-sit in a friend’s log cabin while they did some extended traveling. After that, Jill did two different stints living in an RV. She saved a ton of money, and similar to my friend, she actually enjoyed it.

Now that her debt is paid off and Jill is financially well off, she bought a home in St. Petersburg FL but Jill told me she still cherishes the years she lived in the RV with her husband and it really made an impact on how she lives today.

Nowadays, Jill is doing some cool stuff co-hosting the Frugal Friends Podcast and authoring the soon-to-be-released book, Buy What You Love Without Going Broke.

It was a blast talking to Jill. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the licensed clinical social, gardener, and lover of the simple things…Jill Sirianni.

Key Takeaways:

• How to identify what you want
• Values-based spending
• Frugality vs scarcity mindset
• Limitations lead to creative problem-solving
• How to give during the holidays without breaking the bank
• Affordable housing alternatives
• The benefits of frugality outside of saving money 

More of Jill:

Frugal Friends Podcast: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/episodes/

Buy What You Love Without Going Broke: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/pre-order-buy-what-you-love-without-going-broke/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

In October, I attended FinCon, a conference for personal finance content creators. I know it is super nerdy of me but here you are listening to a personal finance podcast so you have no room to judge me.

This was my fourth time attending and my favorite part is all the friends I’ve made over the years. So like when any group of friends get together, we had to play a game. The only difference is since we are a bunch of podcasters, it also had to be recorded.

So in today’s episode, you are going to hear me and 3 friends play my version of Money Jeopardy. My three friends are Joel Larsgaard from How to Money, Jackie Cummings Koski from Catching Up to FI, and Justin Brown Woods from Price of Avocado Toast. These contestants will be choosing questions from 4 categories:

• Binge or Cringe - are you in or out on this personal finance topic
• History of Money - a tough money-related trivia question
• Frugal or Cheap - are you being a good steward of your money or just a cheapo
• Fill in the blank - complete this statement 

You will chuckle and laugh throughout this whole conversation but you’ll also pick up tips and tricks along the way. Joel, Jackie, and Justin really crushed it. I’ve been thinking about adding some segments to the show that incorporate questions like this episode, send me an email at justin@simplepodstudios.com. 

So kick back and get ready to have some fun. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Team J and fellow money nerds…Joel Larsgaard, Jackie Cummings Koski, and Justin Brown Woods.

More of Guests:

How to Money (Joel Larsgaard): https://www.howtomoney.com/

Catching Up to FI (Jackie Cummings Koski): https://catchinguptofi.com/financial-independence-podcast/

Price of Avocado Toast: https://www.priceofavocadotoast.com/podcast

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Let's set aside the bad ones for a minute (for example, stop buying avocado toast) and discuss the helpful ones. What comes to mind? I went through this practice and wrote down a bunch in preparation for an episode with Jesse Cramer on The Best Interest.

I realized many would only be helpful for a certain group of people or at a particular time in someone's personal finance journey. One that comes to mind is to "avoid credit cards." This would be a great rule for those struggling with credit card debt. Probably not so great for everyone else.

But through this process, I did land on 5 golden rules that I think would be helpful for everyone regardless of their situation...and Jesse did the same.  Of course, as two podcasters would do, we took to the mics and debated our list.

This conversation first aired on Jesse’s podcast, The Best Interest. Jesse is a good friend and has been on the show many of times. If you haven’t done so yet, go check out his podcast. He does a great job breaking down complex, financial topics and simplifying them through analogies and stories. You’ll get a taste of his style in this episode.

Key Takeaways:

• Why do you need to track your money?
• How gift cards trick you into spending more
• The best investment is in yourself
• Simple is better than complex (almost always)
• Why and how you should prepare for risk.
• Why you MUST automate your finances, as much as possible
• Think long-term, but don’t forget the present

Mentions:

The original episode on The Best Interest: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-informative-debate-the-most-important-rules/id1553180943?i=1000651974649

More of Jesse:

Blog: www.bestinterest.blog

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

The thought of leaving your job has you nervous though. Even after running the numbers and knowing you have enough, there are still a lot of emotions tied up in financial insecurity. “Do I really have enough? Maybe I should work for one more year.” On top of that, maybe you enjoy your job, don’t want to leave your team down a member during a busy period of work, or unsure what life will feel like without a regular 9-to-5 job.

Setting all of that aside, deep down you know it is the right thing to do, you just can’t seem to pull the trigger. That is why I wanted to chat with my friends Tess Waresmith and Nicole Franklin. Both recently left their careers to pursue something else.

If you listened to episode 138, you know Tess is a financial educator and money coach for women. Nicole Franklin and her husband Tyler are the creators behind the blog, Not Your Ordinary Plan, where they document their journey traveling the world while coasting to FI.

In this episode, both Tess and Nicole share a ton of practical knowledge such as a checklist to prepare for your leave, how to tell your employer you’re quitting, and what to do about that pesky medical insurance. We also get into the mindset side of things such as how to feel confident this is the right decision and embrace the serendipity of a job-free life.

If quitting is something you’ve been working towards, this is the episode for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with world travelers and early retirees…Tess Waresmith and Nicole Franklin.

Key Takeaways:

• How to know when it is time to leave your corporate job?
• Understanding money dysmorphia
• Test-driving retirement
• What to do before you tell your employer?
• How to let your employer know you’re quitting
• Embracing whitespace and serendipity of a job-free life

Mentions:

Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life

More of Tess & Nicole:

Instagram: @wealthwithtess and @notyourordinaryplan_

Tess’s Free Course: https://www.wealthwithtess.com/fi

Nicole’s blog: https://notyourordinaryplan.com/start-here/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

For example, let's look at one popular idea, “spend less than you earn and invest the difference.” My friend Jeremy Schneider says this all the time and for the most part, he’s right. This is a great principle and one of the pillars of building wealth. But where we go wrong is when we get too fixated on a rule and let it box us in. Do we have to spend less than we earn…every year? No, we realize that is a silly idea. If you want to plan a year of travel, take off time to raise a newborn, or work on launching a business, that might be a year you spend more than you make…and that’s okay.

I’m not saying Jeremy hasn’t had a year where he’s spent more than he’s earned. Knowing him, I’m guessing he’s had a couple but sometimes these general guidelines create a limited mindset. Another example is the 4% rule. This one boxed me in for years making me think I needed to reach my FIRE number before I could retire.

I’ve been rethinking that a lot recently and one person who has impacted me is Diania Merriam. Through her 20s and early 30s, Diania worked in sales. In the midst of one of her peak earning years, she decided to take a 2-month sabbatical to walk 500 miles across northern Spain. A few years later, she quit that job entirely and retired from her corporate career at 33. Diania then founded the EconoMe Conference, a party about money. The conference wasn’t profitable the first few years but Diania didn’t care because she felt like organizing this event was her calling. She is the definition of rewriting the rule book which is why I wanted to have her on the show.

I’m hoping through her story, you identify a personal finance rule that might be limiting your thinking. We get into topics like how to get your employer to say yes to a sabbatical, getting comfortable leaving a high-paying job, right-sizing work, and more.

Key Takeaways:

• How to get your employer to say yes to a sabbatical
• Getting comfortable leaving a high-paying job
• Embracing an abundance mindset
• How to right-size your work
• Finding FI-lexbility

More of Diania:

EconoMe Conference: ​​https://economeconference.com/

Optimal Finance Daily: https://oldpodcast.com/optimal-finance-daily-podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

This change is great and has led to many positives for both men and women. However, our culture is still caught up in traditional gender roles, especially when it comes to money. Many people expect a man to be the primary breadwinner in a relationship. This leads to awkwardness, confusion and tension.

In today’s episode, we are going to talk about those feelings, especially from the lens of men. There is no better person to have this conversation with then my friend Ed Coambs. Ed is a financial therapist and has over 20 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families experiencing a wide range of money-related distress.

In this conversation, we dive into topics such as overcoming your internal feelings about contributing less financially, managing money with your partner without feeding resentment, and responding to friends when they joke about the income disparity in your relationship.

A lot of juicy topics, so if you’re ready for it, I hope you enjoy my conversation with firefighter turned certified financial therapist…Ed Coambs.

Key Takeaways:

• What happens when your partner is making more than you
• Handling resentment when one partner makes significantly more money
• Managing your internal emotions when your significant other has the career spot light
• Understanding your money origin story
• Societal messaging about gender norms and money
• Responding to your friends make jokes

More of Ed:

www.healthyloveandmoney.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Some argue that the national debt almost guarantees higher taxes in the future and that you should choose Roth and pay your taxes now. Others argue that flexibility and low-earning retirement years should lead you to choose traditional. And of course, some “professionals” highlight that retirement accounts are a scam and you should be investing in their life insurance product to avoid taxes altogether…for the sake of this conversation, we are ignoring that one.

At the end of the day, we all know the correct answer…it depends. It wouldn’t be a controversial topic if there wasn’t nuance in the decision. Multiple factors make it a personalized decision for everyone.

In today’s episode, we dive deep into many of those factors to help you feel equipped to make this decision for your situation. To help me with this goal, I invited on my friend and CFP Rachael Camp.

Rachael recently appeared on the podcast in episode 143, so if you want to learn more about her story and her thoughts about work optionality, get that episode queued up.

In this conversation, we jump straight into it, debunking bad advice, sharing a rule of thumb to decide if Roth or Traditional is the right option for you, discuss how unique factors such as which state you live in, RMDs, and medical subsidies might impact your decision, and ultimately, a case for why this decision should be revisited every year.

So if you want to get deep into the weeds about Roth vs Traditional, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the owner of Camp Wealth…Rachael Camp.

Key Takeaways:

• The math behind bad advice
• If taxes are bound to increase, how does that change our decision?
• A Roth or Traditional rule of thumb based on your tax bracket
• Changes in your life that might impact how you should be investing
• How and why to create flexibility in your retirement accounts
• A year-by-year approach to maximize your tax savings

More of Rachael:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampWealth/videos

Website: https://www.rachaelcampwealth.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

They have also been positively impacting much of the growth in the US stock market. Just last year in 2023, these 7 companies’ stocks grew 73% while the rest of the S&P 500 grew 8%. These companies are routinely showing up in many of the financial headlines and it got me wondering, is the US stock market too reliant on a few large companies?

So I reached out to my friend and fellow CPA Erik Baskin, to see what he thought. He had a ton to say. Of course, as any podcaster would, I asked if he would be up to record a conversation about it.

In this episode, Erik shares his thoughts about The Magnificient Seven’s impact on the stock market. We discuss if this concentration is new. We also explore what changes, if any, you should make to your investments because of this.

Erik and I also had this awesome conversation near the end of the episode about when being a super-saver doesn’t make sense anymore. It really had me rethinking a few things in my life currently.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Airman turned Financial Advisor…Erik Baskin.

Key Takeaways:

• Has the US market become too reliant on a few large companies?
• Is this kind of concentration new?
• Equal weighted vs market cap
• Impacts of investing only in the S&P 500
• Should we be investing at all-time highs?
• When being a super-saver doesn’t make sense anymore

Mentions:

Morning Star Portfolio X-Ray: https://www.morningstar.com/help-center/user-guide/x-ray-overview

Die with Zero: https://www.amazon.com/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358099765

The Gap and The Gain: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362

More of Erik:

Website: https://www.baskinfp.com/

BLUF Finance Podcast: https://www.baskinfp.com/podcast

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Let’s take investing for example. There are different strategies including but not limited to passive index investing, value buying, the 3-fund portfolio, rental real estate, stock picking, target date funds, 70/30 splits…Honestly, I could rattle off a hundred different options which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if you got overwhelmed by all of the choices.

The more experience I get, the more I realize, that simple is usually better. Although the word simple can mean different things to a lot of people, at the heart of the meaning, it means something is easily understood and easily done.

So how can we simplify money? Well, my friend Peter Lazaroff wrote a whole book about the topic called Making Money Simple and he is on the show today to share some of those tips. In particular, we focus on investing and budgeting.

On the investing side, we discuss why Peter chose to invest his personal portfolio into one index fund although he has gained a ton of knowledge managing six billion dollars as the Chief Investment Officer at Plancorp. And if you hate tracking every dollar you spend, we discuss an alternative to traditional budgeting, the reverse budget, which is a simplified way to make sure your spending is aligned with your income.

Key Takeaways:

• What matters whenever it comes to successfully investing
• Why Peter invests in only one mutual fund
• The most important factor in investing
• How to simplify spending by reverse budgeting
• How to enjoy your money as it grows

Mentions:

Making Money Simple (free book): https://peterlazaroff.com/freebook

How Peter Invests Guide: www.HowPeterInvests.com

More of Peter:

The Long-Term Investor Podcast: https://peterlazaroff.com/podcast

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Imagine a scenario where you and your friends are booking an Airbnb for an upcoming trip. The group isn’t progressing, and you can tell by the tone people are getting frustrated. Half of the group wants a cheap option while the other half wants a nice place closer to the city center.

This kind of situation happens all of the time and if you zoom out, you can probably understand both perspectives. Someone might be trying to pay off their credit card debt, or student loans, or saving for an upcoming wedding but wants to go on the trip if it can fit within their budget. Another person might be buried in work and this is one of the few weeks they have gotten to take off and enjoy. Spending an extra couple of hundred dollars is worth it to them if it means the weekend turns from a good time to an unforgettable trip with their friends.

At the end of the day, both people want to spend time with their friends but there is conflict because they have other goals that need to fit into their plans. This is messy.

Layer on the fact that people make different amounts of money and that our upbringing makes us value money differently, you can see why these aren’t always straightforward decisions.

It’s not just friends either. These kinds of situations happen with our partners, family members, roommates, and more.

So how do we discuss money with these important people in our lives? And how do we stand up for ourselves whenever we are being asked to do something we don’t want to do?

Well, that’s why I interviewed Allie Volpe today. Allie is a senior reporter for Vox and recently covered a story on how to fight without ruining a relationship. The headline immediately caught my attention as I think this topic isn’t discussed enough in personal finance.

If you’re pursuing financial independence, you are probably aggressively saving or at least very aware of how you’re spending your money. There will be moments when you’ll have to make a decision and have an awkward conversation about money with someone close to you. Allie is going to be sharing language you can use during these situations, mistakes to avoid, and what to do whenever you just can’t see eye to eye.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between a good fight and a bad fight
• Mistakes people make in an argument that leave the other side feeling terrible
• Questions to ask to get to the root of what you’re really arguing about
• How to listen and make someone feel heard
• How to get to a compromise
• Ways to handle your emotions whenever you’re getting upset
• What to do if you can’t see eye to eye

More of Allie:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/allieevolpe

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

So in today’s episode, Jackie Cummings Koski is back on the podcast to discuss five of her secrets for making your FIRE journey fun.

If you missed episode 64, first download it to listen to after this episode, and second, let me share a little about Jackie with you.

At 49 years old, Jackie reached financial independence and retired from “Corporate America.” This was an impressive feat in itself but even more impressive for someone who grew up poor, became a single mom in her 30s, and never had over a $100,000 salary. Jackie created her first net worth statement at 38 years old and went on a tear for the next decade saving and investing to comfortably retire before  50.

Now Jackie spends much of her time as a personal finance educator and recently wrote the book, FIRE for Dummies to help others retire early on their terms.

So if you want to reach financial independence and have some fun along the way, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the dealer of $2 bills…Jackie Cummings Koski.

Key Takeaways:

• Where to cut expenses but more importantly, where to not
• Smart ways to integrate what you enjoy into your FIRE plans
• Understanding your why behind FIRE
• Where to start in your journey to FI
• Milestones to celebrate
• Why you don’t have to be flawless

More of Jackie:

FIRE for Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/FIRE-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/1394235011

Catching Up to FI: https://catchinguptofi.com/financial-independence-podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Then other times, we sit down to write and the words effortlessly flow onto the page. Your thoughts are coming together nicely and you feel so focused.

You may have heard this term before but psychologists call this flow state. Signs of a flow state include focus, enjoyment, and persistence. You can be in flow while playing sports, reading, gardening, and many other activities.

Flow can be beneficial whenever it comes to work. It can help you accomplish challenging tasks, accelerate learning, and experience fewer distractions. All of these characteristics are important for being a high performer.

But can we put ourselves into a flow state rather than just relying on in-the-moment energy? Luckily there is and my friend Justine Elizabeth is here to share how we can do that. Justine is a Flow Coach who makes flow trainable so you can reach new heights without burning out.

I was a little skeptical about flow training. Of course, I’ve experienced flow states in the past but I was unsure if it was truly trainable. But as someone who is always looking to step up my performance both with work and my hobbies, I had to dive in and learn more about it. I should have never doubted her but I was pleasantly surprised with what I learned from Justine and I’ve already implemented her tips to enter a flow state whenever I know I have an important task to finish.

Justine is a student of this craft. I think she is a perfect teacher to introduce you to the power of Flow. 

Key Takeaways:

• What is flow?
• Benefits of flow
• The flow cycle
• Examples of flow aids and ailments
• How to more easily achieve a flow state
• Differentiating between a productive flow state and unhealthy overwork

More of Justine:

Website: https://theflowcodes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflowcodes/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

We all have irrational behaviors when it comes to money and a lot of this has to do with psychology. Common biases impact our ability to make logical decisions. You’ve probably heard of a couple of these biases before. Some examples include the sunk-cost fallacy, anchoring, mental accounting, the status quo, and the bandwagon effect.

Although we’ll never be able to truly rid ourselves of these biases, there are practices that you can put into place to make more rational decisions.

My friend Paco de Leon is on the show today to talk about some of the reasons why we do the things we do and she’ll share exercises you can do to recognize and recover from situations that are impacting how you think and behave when it comes to money.

Paco is the perfect partner to have this conversation with because she is thinking and talking about this subject all of the time. She is the host of Weird Finance, a podcast for creatives who are looking for explanations of complex financial concepts in a friendly, approachable way. 

I know you’re really going to enjoy this one so buckle up. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the 1st gen immigrant, TED speaker, and founder of The Hell Yeah Group…Paco de Leon.

Key Takeaways:

• Why we are built to pay attention to scarcity and how that impacts our relationship with money
• How we can make better decisions by understanding our window of tolerance
• Curbing impulse buying with the $100 buy list
• Enjoying simplicity
• How to get comfortable with money
• Mine Yours and Ours budget

More of Paco:

Podcast - Weird Finance: https://thehellyeahgroup.com/weird-finance-listen-now

Book - Finance for the People: https://thehellyeahgroup.com/finance-for-the-people

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

But this idea might not be as far away as you think. Regardless of your timeline, as your wealth grows even before you hit financial independence, I think you should be itching closer to a life designed by you, not your employer or clients.

This might include changing your hours, taking more time off work, participating in mini-retirements, pivoting careers, or starting a business.

This is an idea that Rachael Camp, Founder of Camp Wealth, is routinely discussing both online and with her clients. And I asked her to come on the podcast to do the same. Rachael is a financial planner who helps young professionals maximize their money for financial freedom. She has also redesigned her life over the last few years and she told me it feels way more aligned.

In this episode, we break down the nuance between traditional FIRE and work optionality. Rachael shares steps you can take to start progressing towards a work-optional life and she shares questions to ask yourself to uncover what that life would truly look like. Also at the end of the episode, I ask Rachael to break down some of her most popular tweets from the last month.

This is a really fun, wide-ranging conversation and you can probably tell, I had a lot of blast getting to know Rachael.

So if you’re ready to do the same, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the former Hoosier turned Denverites…Rachael Camp.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between traditional FIRE and work optionality
• Important questions to ask yourself to get closer to your ideal life
• Rules to help you spend more
• Why you should take more risks in your 20s
• How to make a plan for your money

More of Rachael:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampWealth/videos

Website: https://www.rachaelcampwealth.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Setting the hard work aside, we also have to ask ourselves, what are we racing towards? Yes, of course, financial independence and freedom, but what would you do with that newfound free time?

This is where I’d like to insert the idea of mini-retirements. This intentional time off work can help us reenergize and explore what retirement life would look like. This is actually what our guest, Jillian Johnsrud, did. During her journey to financial independence, Jillian embraced 12 mini-retirements and now she coaches others on how to take a mini-retirement themselves.

I love the idea of mini-retirements. I’ve already taken one in 2020 and plan to take many more throughout my life. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made in my 20s but it didn’t come with some doubts. Most notably, is this temporary time off worth delaying financial independence? 

This is a question I asked Jillian and what she told me surprised me….mini-retirements didn’t delay FI for her, they did the opposite. They expedited it. Stick around if you want to hear that story and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the master of retiring often…Jillian Johnsrud.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of taking breaks on your path to financial independence
• What a mini-retirement is…and isn’t
• Different intentions for mini-retirements
• How to propose a mini-retirement to your manager
• How to structure mini-retirements so they don’t feel wasted
• Crafting your mini-retirement story
• Reconciling embracing mini-retirements and delaying your path to financial independence
• How to reduce costs during a mini-retirement
• Creating your mini-retirement go-bag

More of Jillian:

Website: www.RetireOften.com

Retire Often podcast: www.retireoften.com/podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Well, the good news is that isn’t 100% true. There are ways to withdraw from these retirement accounts early without paying a 10% penalty and some of these strategies are fairly simple.

Sean Mullaney, President of Mullaney Financial & Tax and writer behind the informative blog, FITaxGuy.com, is here to share how to do this.

In this episode, we deep dive into a couple of the strategies to ensure that your money can be accessible to you if you retire before 59.5. Sean also shares a tax-efficient strategy for which accounts you should withdraw from first.

This is Sean’s 3rd appearance on the show. He also appeared in episodes 39 and 40 where we discussed what you need to know about taxes in your 20s and the mechanics of an HSA.

Every time Sean comes on the show I learn something new. Through this conversation, he actually changed my mind about how I am currently funding my Roth and Traditional accounts. He’s such a wealth of knowledge whenever it comes to the tax code and tax planning.

If you also want to learn from Sean, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with FI Tax Guy…Sean Mullaney.

The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Justin and The Struggle is Real podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services. 

Key Takeaways:

• A tax-efficient ladder for funding your life post-FI
• How to manage “uncontrolled income” in your brokerage account
• Long-term vs short-term capital gains and how they’re taxed
• Roth basis: contributions and conversions
• Other exceptions to withdrawing money penalty-free from your retirement accounts

Mentions:

Accessing Retirement Accounts Prior to 59.5: https://fitaxguy.com/accessing-retirement-accounts-prior-to-age-59-%c2%bd/

IRS Exceptions to tax on early distributions: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-exceptions-to-tax-on-early-distributions

IRS Publication 502: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-502

More of Sean:

Blog: https://fitaxguy.com//

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanMullaneyVideos

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

But then I started thinking about this equation. Instead of using my current expenses should I use an inflation-adjusted number that would more realistically match my future expenses? Also, now I’m second-guessing my average return rate. Does that include inflation or should I be adjusting that rate too?

All of a sudden, I’m a little turned around. Not knowing if the number in front of me is an undershot or overshot. I don’t want to be so far off the mark that my calculation isn’t giving me a realistic path to financial independence.

So what is the right way to account for inflation whenever running our numbers? Luckily Jesse Cramer is back so tell us the right way to go about this calculation.

Jesse has a way of simplifying topics. He is routinely doing this through his podcast, The Best Interest. Jesse takes complex financial topics and puts them into layman's terms. Jesse is so good at doing this that this is the 3rd time I’ve invited him on The Struggle is Real.

In this episode, we get straight into the topic of inflation and answer questions like why products get more expensive over time, 2 ways to correctly calculate your FI number, and how to protect your portfolio from inflation.

So if you’re ready for that, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with TSIR’s most frequented guest (for now)...Jesse Cramer.

Key Takeaways:

• How products and services get more expensive over time
• How inflation is measured
• 2 ways to calculate your FI number without mistakenly leaving out or double counting inflation
• Does the 4% rule account for inflation?
• How to inflation protect your portfolio
• How concerned a 20-something should be about inflation whenever retirement planning

Mentions:

Accounting for Inflation in Retirement and FIRE Planning: https://bestinterest.blog/accounting-for-inflation-in-retirement-and-fire-planning/

More of Jesse:

Podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/the-best-interest-podcast/

Blog: https://bestinterest.blog/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

The first $100,000 of your net worth is a lot of hard work: you need to make income, live below your means, and aggressively save. And through all of this, your career will be the backbone of this process.

Improving the skills that will make you more valuable is an important journey throughout your 20s. If you put effort in the right places, you will quickly become a high performer and be paid accordingly.

So with that in mind, what should you be focusing on? There are technical skills that will be in high demand in the future (think AI, cybersecurity, logistics) but these are industry-specific. There are also a set of skills that no matter what career path you pursue, will always pay dividends.

Today, I’ll be talking about the latter with Dave Lamont. Dave knows a thing or two about this subject as he’s built an incredible career for himself and not slowing down anytime soon. Dave is the CEO of Renfrew Business Group and president of Renfrew Chrysler, Lloydminster Nissan, and Royalty RV. In this episode, Dave shares 6 essential skills that led him to his success with the hope that you’ll find career success as well no matter how you define that.

So let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with former hockey player, car enthusiast, and Author of Crank It!...Dave Lamont.

Key Takeaways:

• Learning work ethic through role models
• How hard work creates luck
• Simply strategies for effectively managing your time
• How to build rapport with colleagues twice your age
• The importance of learning
• Embodying true confidence
• Why looking out for others will pay off

More of Dave:

Crank It! A Playbook for Succeeding in Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Crank-Playbook-Succeeding-Business-Life-ebook/dp/B0CBL2J76J

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

It’s not easy to break up with someone especially if they have treated you well, answered your phone calls, and have been sending you an annual Christmas card.

But I help you with the hard things and it’s time. With this in mind,  how can we make this a smooth process, set ourselves up for success, and respectfully and professionally break up with our financial advisor? Well, that’s today’s conversation.

To help me unpack this topic, I invited on Tess Waresmith. Tess is a financial coach that helps people feel confident with investing. But this wasn’t always the case. After socking away a ton of money working on cruise ships after she graduated, Tess hired a financial advisor to help her turn her savings into real wealth. But after some bad advice and other financial mishaps, Tess lost $80,000 and had to reset. Through a lot of self-education, she learned how to invest on her own through simple, yet effective methods.

In this episode, Tess shares the math behind the real cost of a financial advisor. She shares an easy step-by-step process for breaking up with your advisor and how to handle objections if they push back. We also talk about when it might be appropriate to hire help and who might be the right person for that situation.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the aerial aerobatic and high diving financial coach…Tess Waresmith.

Key Takeaways:

• How much a 1% advisor fee costs you over 40 years
• How to compare your advisor’s performance against the average
• A step-by-step process for breaking up with your advisor
• Responding to objections from your advisor
• Financial situations that might require professional help and who to hire
• Simple definitions of common financial jargon

Mentions:

Free Guide: 26 need-to-know investing terms: https://www.moneyconfidentcoach.com/optin1656350743725

More of Tess:

IG: WealthWithTess (https://www.instagram.com/wealthwithtess/)

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Even as someone in a long-term relationship where Gaby and I have similar financial goals, and the advantage of using coupons and hitting happy hours without social ridicule, we still spend a fair amount on dates.

It is because creating shared memories is important to us…but so is financial independence. So whenever it comes to dating, how can we maximize fun without breaking the bank? Well, that’s what I have in store for you today.

My friend Samantha Vigneau and I created a list of 5 affordable and fun date ideas. My challenge to her was each of these ideas had to be less than $50 for two people and she hit the mark with many ideas being little to no money at all.

This was a fun episode to make. I know many of us are dating right now let it be you’re looking for someone or in a relationship and going out and making memories together is important. So how do we find the balance between that and our financial goals? This episode will answer that.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Host of Single Status…Samantha Vigneau

Key Takeaways:

• Elements of bad first date ideas
• 5 affordable yet fun date ideas
• How do you discuss money with a new romantic interest?
• Signs to look for to understand someone’s money values
• What to do if you feel like you’re falling behind in life

More of Samantha:

Website: https://www.singlestatuspodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthavigneau/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I don’t know how we’ve gone 135 episodes without extensively discussing investing in real estate. It may be because it isn’t something I currently participate in but it has my attention. When I think about my draw-down method, there is hesitation on what I would do if I felt like we were in a down market and I’m wondering if rental income would give me much-needed stability through my early FI years.

So I’m putting some effort into learning about it and if you do the same, there is one educator you will likely run into: Dustin Heiner. Dustin is the Host of Master Passive Income and is on a quest to help one million people get started investing in real estate. He is of course a real estate investor himself and at the age of 37, was able to quit his job because he had enough passive income from his real estate investments.

In this episode, we discuss three common mistakes that Dustin wants you to know about before you buy your first property. Our goal in this conversation is to prevent you from making mistakes that Dustin had to learn the hard way early on.

So if you’re interested in real estate investing, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the father of 5 and successfully unemployed…Dustin Heiner.

Key Takeaways:

• What you should do first before worrying about finding or financing your first property
• Rules you can set in place to make your real estate business more passive
• How to estimate the cost of common real estate expenses
• One rule to put in place so your property makes you money no matter what happens with the property value
• How to negotiate your offer
• How to create passive income through real estate

Mentions:

Free Course: https://masterpassiveincome.com/freecourse/

More of Dustin:

Website: https://masterpassiveincome.com/dustin-heiner

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedustinheiner/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Throughout that journey, how do we stay committed and follow through with our goals?

This is not an easy answer, especially in the age of instant gratification and social media.

So I turned to my friend Matt Worthington who has followed through with many impressive goals. When he started college, he committed to graduating debt-free. This required working multiple jobs, saying no to distractions, and an unhealthy amount of frugality but he made it happen. Then he wrote a book about it which is a feat in itself. Finally, over the last year, he’s accomplished several physical challenges including completing a half-ironman, finishing 75 hard, and running an ultra marathon, which required a focused training plan and a lot of mental toughness.

It is easy to write off Matt as someone born with these gifts but I promise you that wasn’t the case. Don’t worry, we’ll get into that story.

My hope with this episode is you pull out inspiration to continue following through with your commitments, financial goals, or anything you have your mind set on right now.

So if you’re looking for that inspiration, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mister Reinvention himself…Matt Worthington.

Key Takeaways:

• Creating the belief that you can change
• Following through with your commitments even when they get hard or you hit an obstacle
• How to cultivate disciple
• Surrounding yourself with the right people
• Getting creatively thrifty 

More of Matt:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_worthington/

Riser Network: https://www.risernation.org/

Riser Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6WWt0CNuhVg5HSyKlEERWf?si=ix0gHEjFT72OXAKZcWVN3w&utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree&nd=1&dlsi=3f4d5462c135468c

Ultra Productive: https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Productive-Graduating-Debt-Free-Getting/dp/1946277835

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Do you think of your penny-pitching sibling? Or your coupon-clipping aunt? Your co-worker that always brings their lunch? The reality is, frugal means something different to everyone.

Frugality is a spectrum, and I believe it can be extremely beneficial to live your 20s with a healthy amount of frugality. Split rent with roommates. Shop at value-based stores. Avoid overspending on luxuries like new cars or fancy clothes. Winning these battles early on can pay dividends, literally and metaphorically, down the road.

But frugality can go too far. Your 20s aren’t the time to deprive yourself of everything at the expense of saving money.

So how do we find that balance? What are some signals that we’ve gone too far? And what can we be doing now so we don’t have to worry about frugality so much in the future?

Joel Larsgaard, Co-Host of How to Money, will be answering those questions today. Joel is a recovering frugalite. After experiencing his parents going bankrupt when he was 12, he vowed not to let money impact him in the same way. In his 20s, he worked two jobs, used his bike as a primary source of transportation, and scoured the internet for the best deals. As Joel entered his 30s, he realized he might have taken frugality a little too far. At times, being frugal tested his relationship with his wife and had him make short-sided decisions that might be considered cheap versus frugal. Joel will admit that he doesn’t have it all figured out now but I can tell he’s found a much healthier balance today. He still loves riding his bike but works less and isn’t afraid to spend money on quality items he loves.

I enjoyed my conversation with Joel because I can see myself following in his footsteps. I can often get lost in the bigger picture of financial independence. FI is not a number but instead, the flexibility to reimagine what life could look like.

So if you’re ready to experience what life could look like, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the craft beer lover and co-host of How to Money…Joel Larsgaard.

Key Takeaways:

• A case for frugality: frugality gives you options
• Defining frugal (and when frugal becomes cheap)
• Frugal strategies for saving lots of money in your 20s
• The diminishing returns of frugality
• Frugality isn’t the only tool to use in order to reach FI
• Finding balance by identifying your craft beer equivalent

Mentions:

HTM Money Mission Statement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IhrgSguUq7A3-5OoqF8-0XaX65M2ixyc/view

More of Joel:

Website: https://www.howtomoney.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Even with this information though, you haven’t gotten the courage to talk to your manager. Maybe your company is going through a difficult period or you have a great relationship with your manager and you’re afraid this conversation would add some tension or awkwardness.

So what are you going to do?

This episode is going to kick off with my friend Andrew Giancola breaking down some of the math behind why you can’t continue to ignore this problem. I’ll let him share the details but essentially, negotiating a raise every few years will make a drastic impact on your earning power. We are talking mid-6 figures or more!

This can’t be ignored…but it also needs to be handled professionally. Busting into your manager’s office demanding a raise because you’re fed up with being underpaid isn’t the solution either. So once again, what are you going to do?

The good news is you don’t have to answer that question because Andrew will do it for you. Andrew Giancola hosts The Personal Finance Podcast, where he helps listeners discover how to easily save, invest, and grow their money to build generational wealth. One of Andrew’s favorite topics to discuss is how to ask for a raise because he knows how impactful yet sensitive it can be.

In this episode, we are going to walk through his step-by-step process of asking for a raise including initiating the conversation, proving your worth, making the ask, and getting a yes. I love his system because it is built around intentional communication and it is going to make it easy for someone that is nervous to approach their manager. I also think his step-by-step process won’t leave you looking like someone ungrateful but instead, treated like a professional that knows their worth.

If you’re interested in making more money and getting on the path to early financial independence make sure to hit the follow button because we will be covering both of those topics extensively this year.

Alright, I hope you enjoy my conversation with…the man who went from living paycheck to paycheck to becoming a millionaire by 32…Andrew Giancola.

Key Takeaways:

• How a small raise compounds into a 7-figure accumulation
• When to start the conversation about a raise
• Script for opening the conversation with your manager
• How to demonstrate your value during the process
• Avoiding an awkward conversation with your manager
• How to make it so easy they have to say yes
• Common objections and how to handle them
• What to do if your manager or company says no
• How to ask for a raise when you work from home

Mentions:

Asking for a Raise E-Book: https://mastermoney.co/get-that-raise-ebook/

More of Andrew:

Website: https://mastermoney.co/

Podcast: https://mastermoney.co/podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

You’re trying to pay off student loans, graduate from a college lifestyle, and invest for their future all while working with an entry-level salary. While I believe the fastest way to increase your income is focusing on your primary source of income, aka being a top performer at work and negotiating salary increases because of that, I’m also a fan of rolling up your sleeves and hustling to make some additional income on the side.

Not only is side hustling a great way to make some extra cash to deploy against whatever financial goals you have right now, it is also a great way to learn about business, develop additional skills, explore other career paths, and most importantly, learn how to independently make money.

So with all of this in mind, I invited my friend Genesis on the podcast to discuss side hustles. Know as genuinelygenesis on Instagram and TikTok, Genesis has been hustling since she was a kid selling coconut popsicles on the side of the road in Bolivia. Growing up low-income, she learned firsthand how to turn her hard work into cash. Now in her 20s, she’s graduated from selling popsicles to working in big tech full-time but she’s still hustling on the side, growing a real-estate empire and content business.

In this conversation, Genesis and I are going to answer a ton of questions about side hustles including whether are side hustles even worth it, how to make time for your side hustle, how to convert this hard work now into passive income in the future, and most importantly, ideas for your first side hustle.

What should I do is always the biggest question I get when discussing side hustles. So aside from some of the side hustles Genesis discusses in this episode, here are 5 other ideas you can consider for your 1st side hustle:

1. Retail arbitrage: find undervalued products in one market and sell them in another. My personal favorite is garage sales. I find underpriced items at local garage sales and resell them on Facebook Marketplace.
2. Deliver food and groceries: Popular apps like Grubhub, Doordash, and Instacart have made it easy to find this kind of work and fit it into your schedule. Plus you don’t have to interact with people.
3. Get paid for your creative talents: if you learned a particular skillset through your day job or a hobby such as graphic design, writing, or voice-over work, you can get paid to help other people with the same service through sites like Fiverr and UpWork.
4. Offer lessons: are you well-versed in a musical instrument or a sport? You can put that knowledge to use and teach other people to play.
5. Sell baked goods: people love cakes, cookies, and pies. If you’re good at baking, you could put your talents to use. You can start with friends and family and expand to farmers' markets over time.

This is going to be a great episode. One of many that we have planned for this year so if this is the year you get serious about your financial future, hit the follow button because there are a whole lot more of these episodes coming.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with…Hispanic-American, first-generation college student, and miss poor but no more…Genuinely Genesis.

Key Takeaways:

• 5 side hustle ideas you can start today
• Why side hustles are worth it
• How side hustles support your primary career
• Defining what a side hustle is
• Popular side hustles people start first
• How to convert side hustle money into passive income
• The first step to getting started
• Upcoming scarcity mindset

Mentions:

Side hustle workbook: https://stan.store/genuinelygenesis/p/commit-to-your-financial-dreams-today-6feto

More of Genesis:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genuinelygenesis/

Website: https://www.genuinelygenesis.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Although these frugal practices are simply a journey all 20-somethings need to live through, it’s not what I want to be doing forever. But what if I told you you could live it up now while also accomplishing your financial goals like paying off student loans or heavily investing to reach financial independence early? This could be a reality with a strategy called geo-arbitrage.

Ignore the fancy words, the concept is simple. Have a steady income in a strong currency, then spend money in a cheaper country.

Imagine this, you live in New York City, making $70,000 a year and your monthly costs are $5,100. You work from home and can easily pack up and leave so then you move to Mexico City where your monthly costs are $1,900. That’s a difference of $3,200 or over $38,000 a year. A decision like this magnifies your savings rate and allows you to make some serious progress on your financial goals in just a few short years without sacrificing your comforts like a spacious apartment or trying new restaurants a couple of times a week.

If you are open to an idea like this but don’t have a portable job or you are not ready to move, the same strategy could be applied to reduce your final FI target number. Instead of needing $1.5M dollars maybe you only need $700,000 to retire to a more affordable city.

This is what today’s guest did. Rachel Covert retired early at the age of 36 from her high-stress job in fashion and decided to move away from expensive NYC. She’s been fairly nomadic the last few years but currently resides in Portugal.

In this episode, we dive deep into geo-arbitrage. Rachel will share examples of low-cost-of-living cities you could move to, prices you can expect to pay, how to prepare for a change like this, and more. Once again, if you are adventurous and have career flexibility this could be a really powerful strategy you could employ.

Let’s learn some more about it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the early retiree and world traveler…Rachel Covert.

Key Takeaways:

• What is geo-arbitrage and is it right for me?
• Best low-cost-of-living cities to consider
• The power of the American passport
• The impact of time freedom
• How to escape golden handcuffs
• Staying focused on your financial goals and avoiding social pressures
• How to apply geo-arbitrage domestically

Mentions:

Compare the cost of living: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/oaxaca?currency=USD

More of Rachel:

Get the Free Lifestyle Spotlight Spreadsheet: https://www.electrifiwealth.com/optin1654273482604

Instagram: @rachel_talksmoney

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

But maybe those ideas come with some discouragement. If it is something you want to change now, it is probably something you’ve been thinking about changing for a while. I’ve been there. I make empty promises to myself that “next Monday is whenever I start” and of course, that day comes and for some reason, I’m still acting the same way and not taking action on that promise.

2024 is going to be different for both of us though. No more empty promises. We are going to prove to those who have been doubting us, our parents, friends, partners, but most importantly, ourselves.

And there is no better story to end our 2023 content with and leave us feeling empowered like my friend Nake Dukes. This guy has gone through a lot from hugely successful business owner to being behind bars after getting caught stealing a car. I don’t want to ruin this reinvention story so I’m going to leave it there. This one is a great one to play in the car for everyone to hear out loud as you’re headed to Grandma's house for the holiday celebrations. This story originally aired years ago as episode 41 and has been a fan favorite ever since.

This is the last episode of 2023. Thanks for an amazing year. I had so much fun creating content for you in 2023 and I’m even more excited about 2024. As a reminder, moving forward we’ll be publishing bi-weekly on Wednesdays to make some space for some other projects we have in the works. You’ll see our content shift in 2024 with a major focus on money so if this is the year that you are dedicated to taking control of your finances, make sure to hit the subscribe button. I’m working on February content right now and our guest lineup is so incredible so far so you don’t want to miss out.

Oka, enough teasing. I hope you have an amazing end of your year and happy holidays. Let’s get to the interview. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the innate turned author…Nate Dukes.

Key Takeaways:

• How a broken mindset can impact you
• Nate’s initial feelings when he found himself in jail
• The power of kindness
• Where to find inspiration for personal development
• The impact of spending time with the right people
• How to repair the damage of your past

Mentions:

Pay it forward program: www.youllneverchange.com/payitforward

More of Nate:

Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Change-Create-comeback/dp/057888996X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3UP25N90ZRNZ9&dchild=1&keywords=you%27ll+never+change+book+nate+dukes&qid=1628715127&sprefix=you%27ll+never+change%2Caps%2C1219&sr=8-2

Website: www.youllneverchange.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

But there is something about a fresh calendar year that gives me hope and naturally makes me prioritize the changes that I’ve been putting off. I think with intentionality and some realistic level setting, New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be something you feel guilty about by February.

But what do I mean when I say intentional and realistic level setting? Have you heard the quote, “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade?”

Well, that summarizes why New Year’s resolutions get their bad rep. We set unrealistic expectations - to completely reinvent our career path, pay off 6-figures in student loans, or to go from super spender to super saver. These goals are just impractical - at least in a short timeline such as a year.

Here is the thing - you don’t need to solve all of your money problems in one year. You just need to point the sail in the right direction. So what would be more practical New Year's resolutions related to money?

Well, that’s what we are going to talk about today. Here are 4 realistic financial goals that if accomplished in 2024 will set you up for a decade of success.

Key Takeaways:

• How to accomplish your 2024 New Years’ resolutions
• 4 realistic money goals you can set for yourself
• How to create a simple budget to manage your spending
• A simple side hustle that you can start this weekend
• How to save up for your first emergency fund
• The power of compound interest

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

One thing that I’m not sure I’m ready for is the cost of children. I was reading a survey and apparently, the average cost of raising a kid from 0 to 18 years old in the United States is $237,000. And I’m not quite sure I would be on the low end of the average.

I agree with Maya Corbic, our guest today, that you can’t put a price on the love that you’ll have for your child but the financial impact has to at least be considered in your decision-making progress.

How much does a pregnancy cost? What financial milestones should I accomplish before having a child? Can I realistically afford to take care of a child right now?

These are all questions that will be answered in today’s episode. As I mentioned, we’ll be talking to Maya Corbic. She is the creator behind the popular Instagram page teach.kids.money where she is helping parents raise financially savvy children. She is also the author of “From Piggy Bank to Stocks: The Ultimate Guide for a Young Investor” where she introduces children (and honestly parents) to the exciting world of investing.

This is a great episode for anyone considering parenthood and also soon-to-be parents as we discuss a lot of early childhood cost savings tips.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the 1st gen immigrant, CPA, and energetic mom of 2…Maya Corbic.

Key Takeaways:

• The average cost of raising a child
• Financial milestones to consider hitting before becoming a parent
• Financial to-dos to prepare for an addition to your family
• How to reduce your child-related expenses and find great deals
• How to invest in your children's education through a 529 account
• The sneaky benefits of a custodial account
• The importance of aligning your family and financial values

More of Maya:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teach.kids.money/

From Piggy Bank to Stocks: https://dinariiwealthykidsclub.lpages.co/from-piggy-banks-to-stocks/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Being a fellow money nerd, this year provided many interesting headlines that were fun to follow and watch play out. And looking back at it all, these stories reminded me of an important lesson that I’ll share at the end of this episode.

Key Takeaways:

• The Federal Reserve continues its interest rate hikes
• The new Federal borrowing benchmark
• The impact of the global banking crisis
• Reflecting back on the debt ceiling deadlock
• How the debt ceiling works
• Are tech industry layoffs behind us?
• What you can do when faced with negative news?
• Should I change my investing approach in 2024?

Mentions:

The Best Interest (Does the Debt Ceiling Affect Your Finances? - E57): https://pod.link/1553180943/episode/697707e884c01785b397166817ac6d91

More of The Struggle is Real:

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This happens to me all of the time. I see someone else’s life: the promotion, the new house, a fancy vacation, their business success…and start frantically wondering why I don’t have that yet. Setting aside dismissing my own successes, never once did I stop and think…is that something I actually want?

With the highlight reels and the constant moving of our own goalposts, it is easy to see how our definition of success would start to get muddy. We slip into allowing others to define it for us and fall back into the never-ending loop of the comparison trap.

It’s time to take back control, use comparison as inspiration, not envy, and define success on our own terms. To help us do that is my friend Hayley Dawson, Founder of The Blocks.

Hayley and I immediately connected over many of our shared interests including unpacking the unique struggles of today’s 20-somethings. On top of overcoming the Comparison Trap, we discuss why your goals aren’t timebound to your 20s, why quitting should be celebrated, and how to make decisions based on what matters to you.

Key Takeaways:

• Today’s unique struggles of people in their 20s
• How social media has exasperated comparison and self-doubt
• 5 powerful ideas for overcoming the Comparison Trap
• How to change jealousy and envy into inspiration
• Your dreams don’t have deadlines
• Defining success on your own terms
• The false definition of success
• Why quitting should be celebrated
• How to make up your own mind

Mentions:

Tenants: The People on the Frontline of Britain's Housing Emergency by Vicky Spratt (https://www.amazon.com/Tenants-Frontline-Britains-Housing-Emergency-ebook/dp/B094DTJLZR)

More of Hayley:

Instagram: @_theblocks

More of The Struggle is Real:

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In today’s episode, I’m going to give you a financial checklist of 8 tasks you may want to consider doing by Dec. 31 to tidy up your finances. Don’t worry, all of these tasks take 30 minutes or less so you can get back to enjoying the holidays.

So if you’re ready to set yourself up for financial success in 2024, let’s get into the 8 tasks on the end-of-the-year financial checklist.

Key Takeaways:

• 8 easy and essential year-end tasks to complete
• Reviewing your retirement accounts and adding additional contributions where you can
• Rebalancing your assets to stay aligned with your investment strategy
• Creating a debt payoff plan for 2024
• Conduct a year-end tax review to maximize your savings
• Applying tax loss harvesting to offset capital gains
• Completing a Roth conversion to take advantage of a low effective tax rate
• Reviewing your budget and finding areas to cut costs
• Where to get your free credit report and a simple task to improve your credit score

Mentions:

www.annualcreditreport.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

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Significant life changes like moving out of your hometown, changing career paths, or ending a significant relationship are terrifying even if you know it is what you should do. It takes proper planning and a lot of courage to follow through with these major milestones.

These decisions have never come easy to me. I was terrified to quit my first job. It took me over 6 months to pull the trigger on moving out of my hometown. And I don’t even want to talk about the countless relationships that drug on because I didn’t have the courage to end them.

At the end of the day, they were all the right decisions. The only thing I regret is not making those decisions sooner.  I needed some encouragement from my friend and today’s guest Kay Cote.

Kay knows a thing or two about change. Growing up outside of Fargo, North Dakota, she’s learned to embrace these big life decisions. She’s lived in South Africa temporarily, tried RV life, quit her corporate job to become an entrepreneur, relocated to Austin, and most recently, decided to take a chance on a career change by jumping into the music industry.

Through Kay’s story and her PIVOT method, by the end of this episode, we’ll be feeling equipped to say yes to that hard decision and embrace the change that comes with it.

So if you’re ready for that, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the minimalist, storm-chasing fanatic, and shuffle dance queen…Kay Cote.

Key Takeaways:

• Building the courage to move out of your hometown
• Communicate without verbal language
• The benefits of moving to a new city or country
• Breaking out of the mundane
• Building confidence and independence by moving
• How to use the PIVOT method when thinking through major changes
• How to get more opportunities by staying open-minded
• Using reflection to figure out what you want to do with your career
• Nothing in this life is permanent

More of Kay:

Website: www.kaycote.com

Instagram: thekaycote

More of The Struggle is Real:

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Or maybe you want to expedite your professional growth as you’re looking to take the next step?

Well, this is the episode for you because we are going to be talking about how starting a side project can solve these feelings and 8 ideas for projects that you can start today.

Key Takeaways:

• 3 reasons why side projects are helpful
• Using side projects to foster learning
• Building a network through your side project
• Finding a sense of identity outside of your 9-to-5
• 8 ideas for side projects you can start today

More of The Struggle is Real:

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This is a handful of the top thinkers from the last decade and the great news is, we can receive their mentorship.

No, unfortunately, they don’t have a special lottery program where you can enter to win a free mentoring session but they do have something even better, a book.

Yes, all of these top thinkers are also authors and they’ve condensed the knowledge they’ve gained from decades of experience into an organized format that costs less than $20 even free if you’re savvy about it.

Today we are talking about the power of books. My friend Nick Hutchison from BookThinkers is going to teach us how to boost your career through effective reading. Nick and I get into all kinds of reading techniques like note-taking strategies, how to read faster, finding time to read, and when to stop reading a book that isn’t serving you.

If you’re ready to take your career and life to the next level by reading impactful books, then this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the creator of BookThinkers a massive online community of book lovers and the author of the newly minted book, Rise of the Reader…Nick Hutchison.

Key Takeaways:

• How to make time to prioritize reading books
• One easy shift that will allow you to read 26 books in a year
• How to get access to books for free
• The importance of reading wide when you first start reading
• Why it is critical to set an intention before reading a book
• Note-taking strategies to maximize retention
• Short-hand note-taking strategies
• How to read faster
• A mathematical framework for deciding when to stop reading a book

Mentions:

$100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No (https://www.amazon.com/100M-Offers-People-Stupid-Saying/dp/1737475731)

More of Nick:

Personalized Book recommendation: DM Nick at www.instagram.com/bookthinkers

Buy the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/c9dE0ln

Learn more about Nick: www.nickhutch.com

Learn more about BookThinkers: www.bookthinkers.com

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Assembling a personal board of advisors and reading books are amazing avenues for taking steps forward in your career but we also want to be playing defense and ensuring we aren’t taking any steps backward.

We don’t want to be putting all of this hard work in only to be paddling upstream. Over the first decade of my career, I’ve noticed 3 career-killing habits that can set young professionals back regardless of their talents.

If you want to ensure that you aren’t slipping into one of these habits and what to do if so, well, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• The line between arrogance and confidence
• Specific examples of arrogance in the workplace
• What to do if you find yourself slipping into the habit of arrogance
• How complacency can flat-line your career
• Recent trends show concerns about complacency in the workplace
• How to break out of complacency
• Why a negative attitude at work will isolate you
• How to correct negativity and become a coworker people like to be around again

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Many companies have a board of directors who help advise and guide them on key decisions. Why shouldn’t we have a similar group to rely on?

Especially as early career professionals, we face many critical questions about career pivots, job opportunities, work-life balance, purpose, leadership moments, and more.

When I started thinking about it, assembling a personal board of advisors is a must for high-performing professionals. We can’t do this all alone. We need guidance and support from a diverse group of professionals.

But I have so many questions about how to actually execute this concept. Who should be on my board? How do I ask them? How often do we meet? How do I make sure it is meaningful for my board members too?

So I invited my friend Pete Schramm to the podcast to tell us how to assemble a personal board of advisors and to get all of our questions answered.

Pete is the CEO and Founder of Latitude, a software company focused on employee connection, and the author of Pathfinders, Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors.

This is a really powerful concept so I am hoping you take what you learn today and run with it.

Key Takeaways:

• How a personal board of advisors differs from a group of mentors
• How a personal board of advisors can help guide you through a career transition
• 10 different seats and functions you can recruit for your personal board of advisors
• SMARTY goals
• Why one individual shouldn’t be responsible for multiple seats
• How often do we meet with our personal board of advisors
• How to ask someone to be on your personal board of advisors
• Pre-qualifying questions to make sure someone is a good fit for your board
• How to get an easy yes from a potential board member
• What’s included in your career map
• How you can add value to your board members

Mentions:

Episode 108: 7 Local Events Where You’ll Meet Your Next Boss, Mentor, or Business Partner www.tsirpodcast.com/108

More of Pete:

Book: Pathfinders, Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-schramm-pmp/

More of The Struggle is Real:

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But all of these tools are useless, just like a map, if you don’t know where you want to go.

With that in mind, it seems fitting to kick off this series with a conversation about setting professional goals for yourself. In particular, there are 3 types of goals that we are discussing to help you give clarity to your career and define your Northstar.

Having a sense of your professional goals and what you want from your career, at least in the near term future, is going to give you a starting place when implementing the strategies that we will be talking about in the rest of this series.

So if you’re ready to get serious about your professional growth, understand the map ahead, and pick a direction that is going to get you excited, let’s get into it.

Key Takeaways:

• 3 types of professionals goals to set for yourself
• 4 questions to ask yourself to decide what skills you need to focus on
• Deciding on the next stop of your career path
• Putting numbers to your financial targets

Mentions:

E117 - The Career Conundrum: Follow My Passion or the Money www.tsirpodcast.com/117

More of The Struggle is Real:

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I just get overwhelmed and I’m not really sure where to start. What cards should I have in my wallet? Which card should I use on what? Are cards with annual fees worth it?

These questions and more are all going to get answered in today’s episode and to give us those answers, I invited my friend Danielle Desir Corbett who is the creator of The Thought Card, a travel and finance blog and podcast.

Danielle is quite the expert when it comes to traveling cheaper through credit card hacking. My approach up until this point with credit cards has been pretty elementary. I take my 1% cash back and call it a day but Danielle has me really excited to move up to the next level and start getting more from my credit card provider.

I thought this was an excellent capstone episode for our series on Mastering Money at Work. We’ve covered 401(k)s, asking for a raise, employee perks that can make you money, HSAs, and most recently the passion versus paycheck conundrum. If you missed any of those episodes, download them now so you have something to listen to after this one.

Key Takeaways:

• Why are credit card companies giving away such lucrative deals
• The potential risks of credit cards
• Criteria for what credit cards right for you
• How to maximize your spending categories
• Should I use a free card or an annual fee card?
• Danielle’s favorite credit cards
• An app that helps you determine which credit card you should be using at checkout
• A DIY approach to keeping your credit cards organized
• How to make sure you always get the sign-up bonus
• Earn and burn mentality
• Creative ways to boost your points
• Popular brand partnerships to link your credit card to
• How to stretch your PTO to take more vacations

Mentions:

CardPointers: https://cardpointers.com/

Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.com/

More of Danielle:

Thought Card Blog and Podcast: https://thoughtcard.com/

Blog: 7 Easy Ways To Earn Thousands of Points and Miles a Year

Blog: 6 Travel Hacking Mistakes To Avoid

Book: Traveling With a Full-Time Job

Book: Affording Travel: Saving Strategies For Financially Savvy Travelers

More of The Struggle is Real:

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I’ve thought a lot about whether I should follow a practical career path with a stable income and obvious earning power or take a chance on a path that will be filled with passion and fulfillment but the money and stability aren’t quite as obvious.

At some point in the first decade of your career, this will probably be a decision that you have to consider.

I don’t know why it is that some of the most stable and practical careers lack excitement and the thrilling and purposeful choices always come with huge question marks when it comes to money, stability, and freaking health insurance.

It would be very easy for me to be the optimist and daydreamer and say go for it. Follow your dreams. You only live once but money and stability are significant factors and your job is only one dimension of your whole life that doesn’t have to be optimized for fulfillment.

This choice is daunting, if not downright overwhelming. But I’m here to offer some thoughts on which path might be right for you at this current moment or even better, how one might find a balance of passion and practicality.

Key Takeaways:

• 6 reasons to choose money over passion
• Lacking passion for your work can come at cost
• 6 reasons to choose passion over money
• Why passion with no money can add unnecessary financial stress
• 3 approaches to have a career filled with passion and money
• How your perspective and priorities can change your approach over time

Mentions:

Passion Or Profit? Crafting A Career That Honors Both (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathymillerperkins/2023/07/26/passion-vs-pragmatism-decoding-the-career-conundrum/?sh=39807bf02d75

More of The Struggle is Real:

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Today we are discussing the Health Savings Account, or HSA, and why the HSA is not only a financial game-changer for managing your medical expenses but also a powerful tool to build wealth for your future.

This episode is a replay of episode 40 where I interviewed Sean Mullaney Financial Planner, and the voice behind FITaxGuy.com. I needed to recast this episode because it is hard to cover Mastering Money at Work if I don’t talk about HSAs.

You’ll uncover how HSAs offer a triple tax advantage, giving you tax deductions when you contribute, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses.

But here’s the real kicker: an HSA can become a pseudo-retirement fund by delaying your reimbursements and investing your contributions for the long haul.

If you want to learn how to do that along with if you qualify for an HSA, how to keep your expenses organized, and what to do if your company doesn’t offer an HSA, well then you’re in the right place.

Also, note this episode is originally from 2021. All of the information is still relevant and helpful but the HSA contribution limit has increased from $3,600 to $3,850 and increasing to $4,150 in 2024.

Alright, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with FI Tax Guy himself…Sean Mullaney.

Key Takeaways:

• What is a HSA
• How do you qualify for a HSA
• Tax benefits of an HSA
• Is a HSA my health insurance?
• Who a HDHP the right for you
• How to figure out if your insurance qualifies for a HSA
• How to get a FICA tax break when funding your HSA
• Examples of qualified medical expenses
• How to use your HSA as a pseudo-retirement account
• The HSA contribution limit (increased to $3,850 in 2023)
• How to keep your HSA expenses organized
• How to set up an HSA independently if your employer doesn’t offer one

Mentions:

IRS Publication 502: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf

More of Sean:

www.MullaneyFinancial.com

www.FITaxguy.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

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These were two topics that I really wanted to cover because I believe they can be huge game changers for your career-earning power and lifetime take-home pay.

This week though, we are going to get a little more…creative and scrappy.

We are talking about employee perks and how these seemingly nonchalant offerings can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

These fringe benefits that go beyond normal salaries could include awesome perks like snacks, yoga classes, summer Fridays, flexible hours, company time off for volunteering, and unlimited PTO. The list goes on and on.

But today, I’m going to throw at you 9 employee perks that I think you should be aware of they could significantly save or make you money which is of course, what this series is all about.

So if that sounds like something you want to learn about, let’s get into it.

Key Takeaways:

• 9 money-making or saving employee perks
• Finding win-win-win situations with employee referral bonuses
• Cover your education with tuition reimbursement
• Jumpstart your HSA funds with an employer match
• Hard work and get recognized through employee achievement awards
• Make some commission money by referring clients to your company
• Get your gym membership paid for with a wellness stipend
• Subsize your transportation costs with commuter benefits
• Find a great deal through your employee discount catalog
• Make a bigger impact with employer matching charitable donations

Mentions:

https://www.tsirpodcast.com/113 - 4 Steps to Setting Up Your 401(k) l E113

https://www.tsirpodcast.com/114 - How to Negotiate a Raise l E114 Jesse Cramer

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But on the flip side, asking for a raise is intimidating. The fear of rejection is real and rejection does hurt. You don’t want to say the wrong thing, that makes you appear ungrateful or puts tension in a relationship with your manager. Asking for a raise is a tricky situation.

Luckily, in today’s episode, Jesse Cramer will be discussing how to ask for a raise in a respectful yet effective way that maximizes your chances of getting what you ask for.

Jesse is the voice behind The Best Interest, a popular personal finance blog and podcast. Jesse has first-hand experience with negotiating a raise and understands the feelings that come with it. He’s going to give us a strategy for getting the conversation started well in advance of the ask, talk through how to overcome the fear of rejection, and how to respond if told no.

Jesse has been a guest on the podcast before and I appreciate how he shares applicable advice, not theoretical nonsense that doesn’t actually work in the real world. If you’ve been wanting to ask for a raise, get ready.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the chess savant, fizzy lover, and the man with a voice like butter….Jesse Cramer.

Key Takeaways:

• Why is it even important to ask for a raise? What a small raise early on can compound over a 30-year career.
• How to start the conversation about a raise 3-6 months in advance of the ask. Building your case for a raise.
• Your performance might not match your salary positioning. You have to be an advocate for yourself on top of being a great performer.
• The importance of aligning your role and work with what your manager and company find important.
• The Commitment Consistency Principle and being clear with your manager about the plan.
• How to overcome the fear of rejection by defining what rejection really is.
• How to respond if they say no. Staying positive while making your disappointment clear.
• Option of last resort = going nuclear. How to decide when to use your final piece of leverage and if it is the right situation for you.
• Is there a right or wrong time to ask? Some considerations: the fiscal health of the company, layoffs, and interest rate hikes. Making sure you don’t come across as tone death.
• How to advocate for yourself without coming across as a brag or brown noser. 
• The power of staying positive and language to use whenever you’re getting stubborn pushback.
• Creative solutions for other benefits when negotiations can’t raise salary.

Mentions:

Is Investing Still a Smart Choice During this Recession? I’m Feeling Discouraged. | E75 Jesse Cramer: www.tsirpodcast.com/75

More of Jesse:

Best Interest podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/the-best-interest-podcast/

Best Interest blog: https://bestinterest.blog/

More of The Struggle is Real:

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If you grew up in a household like mine, the importance of investing in your 401(k) account was hammered into you but let’s say you didn’t set up your 401(k) account right away.

Maybe the thought of investing for your future seemed like a pipe dream when student loans, car payments, and buying furniture that isn’t Grandma’s hand-me-down was looming in your mind. Or the process and decisions of setting up a 401(k) account felt intimidating and overwhelming to you.

The first point is trickier. Money is typically pretty tight in our 20s as we are building our earning power. I totally understand why prioritizing our current needs seems to be more important than our future needs. But hopefully, through this conversation, I can convince you that even starting with a small amount can go a long way.

The second point though, being intimidated by the setup process, is something I can help with. This is definitely a topic that should be taught in school, but now having gone through this multiple times, I can assure you that setting up a 401(k) account is an easier process than you think.

In today’s episode, I am going to walk through 4 steps to setting up your 401(k) account, discuss decisions you are going to have to make, and share some guidance along the way.

Key Takeaways:

• Why 401(k) accounts were established by Congress
• How to initiate the setup process
• The difference between a Traditional and Roth 401(k)
• How to choose which account is best for your situation
• How to calculate your employer match
• 2023 401(k) employee contribution limits
• How to decide how much to contribute to your 401(k)
• How to choose an investment option that is right for you
• How much should I be paying in investment fees
• How to automate investing using target-date index funds

Mentions:

How to Get Started Investing, the Cost of Actively Managed Funds, and a 2-Step Plan to Retire in 15 Years | E57 Jeremy Schneider - https://tsirpodcast.com/57

Hidden Cost of Investing: 3 Common Fees and How to Stop Paying Them | E94 - https://tsirpodcast.com/94

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With all of this knowledge, you’ve been busy meeting new people. But we don’t want the payoff from all of this hard work to disappear by this time next year.

We need to make sure to stay on top of and continue to strengthen these relationships. We need a process and that’s what we are going to be talking about in today’s episode.

This is a replay from my friend Dan Brodsky podcast, Career Focus. Dan invited me on his show to discuss networking and honestly, we geeked out hard. Come on, what did you expect from me?

Dan and I both shared our process for organizing our key professional contacts and the system we use to remind ourselves when an important relationship has gone too long without some attention.

I also share a lot of other networking tips, many of which I’ve shared throughout this series, which is why I feel like this is a perfect capstone episode to the series. I want to make sure we reinforce what we’ve learned over the last month.

Also, go give Dan and his show some love. Career Focus is a new podcast that launched in July and we have very similar missions to equip young professionals with the skills they need to succeed in their careers. If you’re looking for more content like that, go follow Career Focus in your podcast player.

That’s enough from me. I hope you enjoy my conversation with a former St. Louisian now turned Austinite…Dan Brodsky.

Key Takeaways:

• A key element of job satisfaction 
• How to develop your networking skills
• How networking can help you
• How introverts can network without fatiguing themselves
• The power of active listening
• Do’s and dont’s of networking
• A process to help you stay organized when networking
• How to break the ice when you start a conversation with a stranger
• How to politely exit a conversation
• How to leave a good impression when virtually networking
• Follow-up techniques
• What to do when you flop at a networking event
• The joy of career serendipity

More of Dan:

Listen to Career Focus: https://linktr.ee/danbrodsky

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careerfocuspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@careerfocuspod?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-brodsky-ms-166314107/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtqWfpKnCj0kT-ccSh0vMkQ

More of The Struggle is Real:

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I love attending conferences. I typically plan to attend at least 3 a year. In the spring, I attended a podcast conference called Podcast Movement and this coming fall I’ll be at a personal finance creator conference called FinCon along with 2 other conferences on behalf of my 9 to 5.

I attend these conferences to learn from the speakers and stay on the pulse of industry changes but the biggest benefit of them all is networking.

In such a condensed, short period of time, I meet a lot of amazing people along with seeing some friends from attending similar conferences in years past. I always come home with many collaborations and follow-up conversations that I know will help me with my business and career.

After attending a few conferences, I’ve learned a few things that have really helped me maximize how to meet other people at conferences. I’m not a seasoned vet though but my friend Mark Herschberg is.

If that name sounds familiar, that may be because you’ve heard Mark on the podcast before. In episode 35, Mark came on the show to discuss how to gain clarity with your career path and now he is back on to discuss how to network like a pro at your next conference.

In this episode, he shares tips on how to get started networking before the conference even begins, opening lines to break the ice with attendees, how to meet conference VIPs, and so much more. This conversation left me feeling both excited and prepared for my upcoming fall conferences, and if you want to feel the same way, this is the episode for you.

So let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the tech founder, shot glass collector, and author of The Career Toolkit…Mark Herschberg.

Key Takeaways:

• How to decide which conference is worth your time
• How to get your manager to say yes to you attending a conference
• Hidden negotiation factor: education budget
• How to start networking before the conference even starts
• Opening lines to break the ice with another attendee
• How to look more inviting
• Ideas for hosting an event at a conference
• Techniques for politely exiting a conversation
• How to meet the conference VIPs
• An efficient way to track post-conference action items
• How to pass along what you learned to your colleagues

Mentions:

MIT Professor Explains How to Gain Clarity on the Next Steps in Your Career | E35 Mark Herschberg: www.tsirpodcast.com/35

The Ultimate Guide to Attending a Conference - Part 1 of 2: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-attending-a-conference-part-1-of-2

The Ultimate Guide to Attending a Conference - Part 2 of 2: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-attending-a-conference-part-2-of-2

What to Say at a Conference or Networking Event: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/blog/what-to-say-at-a-conference-or-networking-event

More of Mark:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hershey/

Brain Bump: www.BrainBumpApp.com

The Career Toolkit: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

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Having rapport with someone means you understand each other's feelings and communicate well. This happens over time as you build a relationship with them. The frequency and proximity allow you to establish trust and you slowly get to know them better.

But with some people, this happens quicker. Have you ever walked away from a conversation and felt instantly connected to the other person? Maybe meeting them felt natural and easy. It’s likely that’s because you were able to build rapport quickly.

I have no bulletproof method for getting this right a 100% of the time but I have noticed things in myself and others that have really helped. I want to share a couple of ideas and habits that you can put into practice especially when virtually connecting with another person for the first time.

Key Takeaways:

• How online networking is different than in-person
• Why building rapport is important
• 10-minute preparation guide
• Using video to your advantage
• How to make a good first impression with a strong start
• 3 tips for cultivating an amazing conversation
• The power of a smile
• The art of active listening
• How to share more
• Reminding yourself that you’re worthy

Mentions:

7 Ways to Discover Great In-Person Networking Events Worth Going To: www.tsirpodcast.com/108

The Secrets to Throwing a Great Networking Party: www.tsirpodcast.com/110

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

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But nobody wants to throw a bad event. The host wants to make sure everyone is having a good time and leaves having made meaningful connections. The problem is that nobody taught us how to throw a great networking party.

That was until Nick Gray wrote The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, a step-by-step handbook that teaches you how to build big relationships by hosting small gatherings.

Nick is a firm believer that hosting these simple, lightweight gatherings will accelerate your network. And he’s given us the playbook for how to do just that.

In this conversation, we cover how to make sure people show up, 4 secrets for hosting a great event, and how to politely kick people out at the end of your party. Nick also gives me an answer for the perfect number of attendees and the best day of the week to host your networking party.

And actually, since this recording, I’ve been to two cocktail parties that used Nick’s book to host their event, and they have both been far superior to the typical networking events. But they weren’t flashy events with paid bartenders, catering, and a DJ, no they were well-run events and a great use of my time. I met a lot of incredible people and left feeling excited to continue those conversations.

If you want to expand your network and know how to throw a simple yet amazing networking event, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Why hosting consistent, small gatherings is the ultimate networking tool
• NICK: 4 secrets for hosting a great event
• The importance of name tags even when you know everyone at the event
• How to run icebreakers and an easy example to use at your event
• Why you shouldn’t host dinner parties
• The perfect number of attendees to have
• How to politely kick people out
• The perfect day of the week to host your networking party
• Nick’s recommendation for event-hosting platforms
• How to ensure people show up to your party
• When to send and what to include in your reminder communication

Mentions:

Nick’s event hosting platform recommendations: Partiful (https://partiful.com/) and Mixily (https://www.mixily.com/)

More of Nick:

The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings: https://www.amazon.com/2-Hour-Cocktail-Party-Relationships-Gatherings-ebook/dp/B0B2KW6T7J

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickgraynews

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/