097 | Dr. James Dahle, founder of The White Coat Investor, talks about getting his start as a doctor and a blogger, setting up inheritance funds for his children, thinking through his investing strategies, and the motivation that keeps him working on the White Coat Investor. For more information, visit the show notes at https://choosefi.com/097

096R | An in-depth conversation with JL Collins about a recent controversial interview given by Suze Orman, and clarification of what concepts are truly at the heart of the financial independence movement.   Frugal wins of the week from Brad & Jonathan: garbage pickup and cell phone batteries. What questions did Dominick Q, from Monday’s episode, ask that were most impactful for Jonathan? Jonathan explains how he uses a planner at night to set himself up for success the next day. What three things does he want to accomplish tomorrow? Shutting off notifications on his phone allows Brad to step away from him phone more effectively. One of Dominick’s strategies for breaking the tie to various technology is a ‘digital detox’. Leaving his phone at home during a family walk each morning helps Jonathan give quality, undivided attention to his family. JL Collins, a.k.a., the Godfather of FI, talks about two recent interviews on the “Afford Anything” podcast with Suze Orman (personal finance expert and former CNBC talk show host). Although Suze opposes the overall idea of FIRE, she advocates for many similar personal finance concepts and principles. Brad and Jonathan wonder whether anyone would ever be able to retire based on the FI numbers that Suze suggested. JL suggests that fear of what might happen in the future informs Suze’s mindset more than necessary. Continuing to work doesn’t mitigate uncertainty about the future. The only truly non-renewable resource is wasting decades of your life. Is the FI community more prepared than most for bad things that might happen in the future? Jonathan and JL wonder if Suze’s wealth has been accumulated through sound investing, or from a variety of businesses and her work as a TV personality. It’s easy to sell books and products based on fear. Was Suze’s interview actually good for the FI community? The amount of money someone actually needs to retire is entirely dependent on the lifestyle that someone chooses to live. Does the “FIRE” acronym add some concern and confusion about the FI community? Being financially independent just means that you can do whatever you want. Trying to pick individual stocks is a loser’s game.   For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/096R

096 | Dominick Quartuccio defines life ‘drift’, advises Brad & Jonathan on how to take inventory of their habits, and evaluates the role technology plays in helping or hindering progress toward our goals. For more information, visit the show notes at https://choosefi.com/096

095R | Brad and Jonathan get an update about the “Playing with FIRE” documentary, they recap FinCon 2018, and review feedback from the community about Monday’s episode with the Military Dollar. For more information on this episode, visit the show notes at choosefi.com/095r  ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"  

095 | The author of the Military Dollar joins Brad and Jonathan to discuss the various ways that service members can optimize their finances and choose financial independence, including retirement plans, financial planning, health care benefits and the GI Bill.   Working in the military can set someone up to retire after 20 years with a pension and the ability to pursue whatever interests them. Why do many young members of the military actually have financial problems? Has Military Dollar ever seen any specific education for new servicemen? How could a young person change his/her mindset to make more frugal choices and pursue FI? Why did Military Dollar decide to pursue financial independence? How did she get started? What was MD’s savings rate early on? How has MD set herself up to potentially retire by 41? What was the moment that changed MD’s mindset and approach toward finances? How do most military members approach debt? What does the optimized path to FI look like in 2018. What’s the difference between the old Legacy Retirement and new Blended Retirement System? What advantages does the Blended Retirement System have for people who don’t stay in the military for 20 years or more? What is the biggest difference between the enlisted and the officer’s route to FI? How can people plan for and understand relatively predictable promotions and pay raises? If someone starts young and doesn’t increase their lifestyle spending, getting to a 50% savings rate is very possible. Within the military retirement system, what investment options are available? Active duty health care = free for you and your family. How does the GI Bill work, and how does that help with college expenses? The GI Bill can be passed onto family members, but does include a service commitment. If the GI Bill is used by a service member’s children, or after separating from the military, there is a housing allowance available. GI Bill will cover all tuition and fees as an in-state student for public universities. GI Bill will cover approximately $22k for private universities. What is the Yellow Ribbon program, and how does it help cover the difference? What is the minimum time of service to qualify for the GI Bill? What’s next for the MD whenever she retires from the military? How does MD balance her commitment to the military with her interest in serving her community? How will MD know when it’s time to retire? For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/095

094R | The logistics of estimating and paying taxes as an entrepreneur, Brad’s frugal win of the week, and emails from the ChooseFI community. Brad and Jonathan are at FinCon in Orlando, Fl. Brad describes his family’s frugal win of the week at Old Navy. Review of the tax implications of winning a non-cash prize. How do some entrepreneurs put themselves in a position to fail because of taxes? Case study: how to make estimated tax payments as a new entrepreneur. Brad wants to pay the least amount of money in taxes, but ensure that he definitely pays the minimum amount to avoid incurring penalties. Knowing due dates and technicalities is important. It’s key to have money set aside in case you do owe more at the end of the year. What is the safe harbor provision? If you have blended W2 and non-W2 incomes, you do have to estimate based on previous pay stubs. Why would someone owe payroll tax? Brad uses a different bank account to reserve money he thinks he’ll need for taxes, and uses an eftps.gov account to submit his taxes. It’s important to know that you’ll owe a lot of money on April 15 every year. Email from Ally reporting two life wins: Keeping an inventory for what’s in her freezer by writing on the front like a white board. Using checkboxes to keep track of the three things she accomplishes every day. Is FI getting to the UK? Playing with FIRE documentary has been submitted the film to Sundance. Scott, writes an email, to explain how pursuing financial independence and information from ChooseFI has changed his life.   Links: “How to retire in your FORTIES without earning a fortune” – Daily Mail

094 | Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday (WoW) talk about winning on a TV game show, starting their own business, learning the tax code to maximize 401K contributions, and volunteering internationally. How did Ray win on the Price is Right, and what did he win? What were the tax implications of his winning? How was Ray’s experience at the IRS building in Los Angeles? Why did Jonathan receive a tax penalty last year, and how did he respond? How did Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday decide to start a blog, and how did they decide on a name? Why do we have to just live for weekends? How did Ray win-over Mrs. WoW to financial independence? What decisions did Mr. & Mrs. WoW make after they chose to pursue financial independence? How did the pursuit of FI change their careers? What type of business did Mrs. WoW open, and how did she keep her overhead costs down and ultimately increase her income? What is a Solo 401K and why did Mr. WoW choose that option? What is the advantage of a Solo 401K for owner and spouse, and how does the math work? How important is it to control your tax rate? What happened to the Mr. & Mrs. WoW’s retirement accounts when they opted to bring on an employee? What is a Mega Backdoor ROTH?   How did Mr. WoW find a plan administrator who could help him set up his accounts? Does Mr. WoW manage his own taxes, or use an accountant? What adjustments has Mrs. WoW made in the past four years that made a positive difference in her life? How does someone volunteer for international aid organizations? Do Mr. & Mrs. WoW add some site seeing or vacation to the volunteering they do? How do they plan for these trips?   For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/094

093R | Brad, Jonathan and Joe Saul-Sehy, from Stacking Benjamins, talk about what is rewarding to your soul, give feedback to a ChooseFI community member who’s considering selling his business, and recap Harry, the Ride Share Guy’s strategies for become the center of a niche.   Hurricane Florence’s path didn’t go near Brad and Jonathan, but there were tornadoes. FU money is better than FI money. Meet up in Florida during the week of FinCon 2018. How did Harry (from Monday’s episode) become the go-to guy for ride-share drivers? What strategies would help someone become the go-to person in a particular niche? How can you solve a problem that you, and other people, have? Find people who like and trust you. How is retail changing in 2018? How did Harry pursue unusual opportunities to make extra money? Could the “destination filter” as an Uber or Lyft driver and the potential to deduct you commute drop someone into a lower tax bracket? How did Joe from Stacking Benjamins become a financial advisor? What did the phrase “other mountains to climb” mean to Joe and how did it impact his career? What did Joe value about going back to school to be a teacher, but not actually becoming a teacher? What does it mean for something to be “rewarding for your soul”? How did Joe need to adjust his business in order to sell it? Where does financial independence stand within the personal finance world? Is financial independence about playing defense or offense? Voicemail from Jon, looking for advice about whether he should sell his business to become FI, or continue working with a few side hustles. Could Jon restructure his business to reduce stress and create a more positive working environment? What’s wrong with a life well worked? Is there value in purchasing a business that is inextricably tied to a single person? Coming up soon, Stacking Benjamins is doing live shows in Orlando, Kansas City and Ferndale, Mich.   For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/093R   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

093 | Harry Campbell, The Rideshare Guy, talks about what it takes to be a successful Lyft and Uber driver, the strategies he used to start his blog, and how he transitioned from aerospace engineering to full-time blogging. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/093   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

092R | Plans for ChooseFI to support education, the value of a life resume, travel rewards tips for active duty military, and hurricane preparation.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/092R

092 | CarLotz co-founder Will Boland talks about making the leap from investment banking to entrepreneurship, the challenges and benefits of leading a growing company, and what it means to build a life resume. How did Will become an entrepreneur? What was the inspiration for CarLotz? What experience during his work in investment banking gave Will the motivation to become an owner/manager? Will is 2nd generation FI. What did his journey look like? How did Will present and convince his family that it was a good idea to pursue entrepreneurship instead of continuing with his well-paying job? Did Will accumulate significant student loans while completing his undergraduate degree and master’s? What is a life resume, and does Will keep track of his? What role have mentors played in Will’s career? Will has been very open and honest with mentors and co-workers about his specific goals. How does he create an environment at CarLotz to encourage the same from his employees? Why didn’t Will’s mentor want to see his business plan? What was the thought process when Will and his co-founders could only secure small startup investments?   What is the advantage of selling a car on consignment? What hiccups did CarLotz overcome in their early days of business? “If you aren’t embarrassed by the first iteration, you’re launching too late.” How does Will encourage employees to share good ideas? Why do pursuing FI and starting a business complement each other well? How did Will and his co-founders create space to share work-place challenges within their partnership? Has Will caught up, financially, to where he’d be if he had continued his job in investment banking? Is he happy with where he’s at? Does CarLotz need to be a financial success in order to keep Will on track to reach financial independence? Why is running Will’s favorite life hack?   For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/092

091R | An overview of how to own a house with an IRA, Jonathan attempts to optimize his recipes and shopping list, a list of the top 5 ChooseFI episodes and a travel rewards win. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

091 | Rich Carey, officer in the U.S. Air Force, talks about learning to live frugally, buying his first townhouse, and building his real estate empire from one to 20 houses in Montgomery, AL. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

090R | Brad gets back from vacation, Jonathan talks about bringing vegetarianism into his diet, and voicemails from the community highlighting CLEP tests and a 401k win. Brad is back from a month-long vacation in the U.K. Is this Brad’s first experience with “slow travel”? Where will Brad’s family go next? If you can optimize small things, they add up. Brad joined a ChooseFI meet up in London, with Barney from The Escape Artist and Ken from The Humble Penny. Is there a more efficient way to be active than slaving away on the treadmill? Are your health and exercise habits actually adding value to your life? Brad thinks maybe he’ll try a vegan diet for a short time, as was recommended on Monday’s episode. How has Jonathan incorporated additional spices into his family’s meals? “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” – Michael Pollan How much money could Jonathan save if his family went vegetarian? What is intermittent fasting? Email from Alex, confirming the advantage and benefits of veganism. Does veganism have a PR issue? What tools will Jonathan use to increase his vegetable diet during the next few weeks. Voicemail from Ben, about using CLEP tests, which are free for members of the military, to decrease the time it takes to complete a university degree. Voicemail from Michael: strategically moving money from taxable investment accounts into non-taxable accounts will move him into a 0% tax bracket.   Link to Jonathan's InstaPot: Instant Pot

090 | James and Steven pull back the curtain on veganism, talking about the health, lifestyle and financial benefits of veganism, alongside the practical details of how to actually make it work. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

089R | An introduction to the Family Bank and what ChooseFI’s accountant-on-call thinks about it, as well as how to navigate rental car insurance, and what soft skills are crucial to a career in retail? ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

089 | Robert, from The College Investor, talks about his lucrative job as a Target store manager, building his blog into a highly profitable side hustle, his relationship with frugality, and the keys to success in a retail interview. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/089

088R | Cities that are the best for pursuing financial independence, how to hack your career, ideas for building a side hustle and how to assess the return on your college investment. For more information, including resources, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/088R   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

088 | Millennial Boss and FIRE Drill podcaster, J talks about becoming a creator, career hacking, and salary negotiation, alongside of pursuing FI, side hustles, and a growing podcast. ——————- Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways: 1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes 2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page 3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place) As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!" For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/088

087R | How to teach children lessons that set them up for success, discussion about using duel-enrollment and university co-ops to optimize college, and a strategy for cash flow balance transferring. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/087R

087 | Don Wettrick, CEO and co-founder of StartEdUp Innovation program, and a current high school teach, talks about the cultivating innovation and creativity in the classroom, harnessing a learner’s internal motivation, and giving students opportunities to solve problems they’re passionate about.   Why and how did Don create an Innovation course at his school, and ultimately the StartEdUp Innovation program? What was challenging about getting his students involved during the early stages, when it was just extra time during his class? When do students lose their curiosity or learning? How much does a reward really motivate students? What would the process look like to develop and nurture internally motivated learners through elementary school? What’s the difference between creativity and imagination? How can a parent help their child be more innovative outside of school? What does Don recommend as a good consumption v. production ratio? How does changing consumption habits – how much, and what – impact the way Don’s students and own children think? How does building community within a cohort of “creators” impact a student’s relationship? Does participation in Don’s high school class impact his students other grades? How do mastery, autonomy and purpose mix together best? What does it look like to be in Don’s Innovation Class? 6-7 weeks of class Basics of innovation How to think creatively Building a professional social media presence Remainder of class is “open source learning” Volunteer with struggling non-profits, to see problems close up Statewide student “Pitch” competition Helping struggling local businesses What sort of projects have his students build? What story do you tell yourself, about yourself? Is there a difference between improvement and new opportunity? How would Don hope to integrate innovation development into schools in his 10-year dream? Contact: @DonWettrick on Twitter What did Don’s father mean when he told him to “Pay himself first”? Why does Don think it’s important to fail?     Links: “Daniel Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation” Freakonomics You Will Lose Your Job to a Robot—and Sooner Than You Think

086R | A live-recorded conversation with Roger Whitney, the Retirement Answer Man, from Podcast Movement, questions for a potential accountant, and takeaways from Monday’s live case study with Allison Goddard.   Brad is departing for a month-long family vacation to the U.K. What is “global entry” and how/why did Brad get it before his trip? Jonathan had a chance to meet up with Allison., from Episode 86. If money was no longer an option, what would change for Brad and Jonathan? Brad and Jonathan are super impressed with Allison’s grit and tenacity, to change the trajectory of her life. Sometimes encouragement from someone else is the motivation we need. You don’t have to know where your life is going to go, you just have to get started. How can someone overcome “imposter syndrome”? Voicemail from Angela at Tread Lightly/Retire Early – if Allison’s house is a place that makes her happy and brings her joy, maybe there are other ways that she can adjust her spending to be more efficient. An article in the “Journal of Accountancy” addressing specific strategies for those pursuing financial independence: FIRE-d up for early retirement. At what point is Turbo Tax not sufficient for your taxes? What questions would Brad ask of a potential CPA? Brad and Jonathan participated in Podcast Movement in Philadelphia, and participate in a ChooseFI meetup. Brad is attending a ChooseFI meet up in London as well. A live recording from Podcast Movement, with Roger, the Retirement Answer Man: The tension between wanting to have a good life and wanting to enjoy today never really goes away. Most baby-boomers don’t really want to never work again, but rather they want freedom in their time. What are people running toward in retirement? Instead of comparing retirement to a light switch, think of it more like a dimmer switch. How does Roger talk to someone about making adjustments to move toward the life that you want? Roger’s suggestion for have conversations: go for a walk, or a road trip, or something that creates space and time to have conversation. Pretirement: what can you do now to start setting yourself up for what you want? Strong relationships with your colleagues and superiors can give you the ability to adjust your job to meet your needs. Five things to do with money: Give it away, spend it, pay down debt, save it, or invest it.   Links: U.S. Customs Global Entry Building My Castle Tread Lightly, Retire Early Rock Retirement

086 | Allison Goddard, a dermatologist from Chattanooga, Tenn., chats with ChooseFI and Physician on FIRE to review her journey through medical school and receive advice to clarify the next steps in her path toward financial independence. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!" ——————- For more information about FI, go to https://choosefi.com/086

085R | Catch up with Alan and Tallis as they zero in on the key elements of a successful pitch, and the importance of uncomfortable silence, as well as a home improvement update from Jonathan and review of Monday’s episode with author M.K. Williams. What you'll hear in this episode: Jonathan reports a wallpaper challenge/ DIY fail in his kitchen. Recommendation: use drywall mud to fix blemishes in drywall after removing wall paper. What home-improvement projects are worth hiring out? MK, from Monday’s episode, noticed that through persistence she has not only produced more content, and that with each release, her previous work sells even better. Check out Episode 59 about persistence. How to build your personal brand and get start building your sidehustle and/or passion? Sidehustle Coaching episodes so far: Episode 30: Introduction to Alan Donegan Episode 56: Part 1 – meet Tallis and hear about her new business idea Episode 77: Part 2 – check in about Tallis’ progress and initial feedback Update since the previous episode: Chris, from the fundraising department at the Northwestern Hospital, is interested in hearing Tallis’ pitch. If you can’t sell your business, you don’t get any customers, and therefore you don’t get any money. “Sales” is the process finding someone with a problem you can solve and explaining that you can fix that problem. Why did Alan struggle to sell his own business at the start? What is the problem that Tallis’ business is solving? How has Tallis clarified her business’ goal? The triad: include three points when you make your pitch. How do people accidentally overwhelm listeners during their pitch? What’s the best way to start a pitch? Never end your pitch with Q&A. How can you set up a strong close if you have to include Q&A? At the close, it’s important to actually ask the potential customer to buy the product. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” What does Tallis want to ask at the close of her pitch to Northwestern? How did Alan help a group of students pitch for an advertisement with a really strong open? How to deliver a strong pitch on the phone? Your moments of impact as a speaker are actually when the audience is thinking. How does Alan get someone’s attention at the start of his pitch conversation? Creative intro Confirm he’s talking to the right person Tallis’ product isn’t right for everyone. It’s important to ask questions to determine whether her product meets the need of a potential client. How and when does Alan suggest delivering the price? What part does the uncomfortable pause play in selling a product? Why doesn’t lowering prices always equate to increased sales? Tallis sets a measurable goal for number of pitches and sales. Want a copy of MK’s book? Leave a review!   Links: DIY to FI My $3,500 Tiny House Explained Caboose Rental   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

085 | Science-fiction author M.K. Williams talks about her journey toward financial independence, the decisions she’s made along the way, and self-publishing her first three novels. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/085 ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

084R | The essential steps to a FI mindset, travel rewards updates from Brad, voicemails from the community, and highlights from Monday’s episode with Jillian with Montana Money Matters. ——————   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"   —————— For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/084R

084 | Jillian, from Montana Money Adventures, talks about simplifying her life while raising five children, valuing grit and resilience, taking risk, and the value of financial independence. What you'll hear in today's episode: What does Jillian mean by “big family minimalism”, and why did she consider it a survival tool? How did Jillian decide to adopt several children? What role do grit resilience play in her story, and how does that play out in her life? How does Jillian manage the chaos that she invited into her live? What is a “Quit List”? What is the process for deciding what things to quit? How does Jillian pursue minimalism with children? What does life minimalism look like to Jillian? How much involvement do Jillian’s children have in the decision-making process? What does the ideal day look like to Jillian’s family? How does good conversation become a part of Jillian’s life? What did Jillian’s combined income look like during their journey toward financial independence? What was Jillian’s “flash point”? How did her childhood experiences impact the way she approached life and finances as a young adult? What are the highlights of Jillian’s journey toward financial independence? How did Jillian and her husband get to the point of purchasing a house with cash? What did friends and family think of Jillian’s $50k home purchase? How does Jillian teach people to lean into discomfort and own their choices? What does Jillian think about a culture that values comfort and safety? How many things can go wrong before someone will walk away from a pursuit? When did Jillian start to plan her life? Best way to connect with Jillian: email list. How is Jillian learning to be more generous?   Links: Montana Money Adventures Big Family Minimalism Sportive Cyclist Essentialism, by James Latham The One Thing, by Gary Keller    

083R | A checklist to optimize your hobbies, a highlight on the San Diego local group, and messages from the ChooseFI community: All of this while we recap Monday's episode with Cody Berman. For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/083R

083 | 22-year-old recent college graduate and second generation FI, Cody Berman, talks about embracing frugality, saving and investing in his youth, optimizing a path through college, and getting his Disc Golf business off the ground. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

082R | Discussion of Brad and Jonathan’s purchasing habits, messages from the ChooseFI community, benefits and drawbacks of roboadviors, and a summary of capital gains harvesting. Jonathan gives a review of some travel hacks on a recent trip to Chattanooga, TN. Capital One Venture Card allows users to redeem miles for nearly any travel cost. PSA: bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate if you’re traveling. Review of Monday’s episode with Dani and Laura, Jonathan and Brad’s wife. Jonathan is excited about the way Brad and Laura cut down on choices, purchases and decisions for themselves and their children. Brad aims to keep his life simple, particularly in regard to purchases. Enjoying the journey is crucial; obsessing over small purchases probably takes away from someone’s enjoyment of life. During your pursuit of FI, it’s important to remember your “why”. Laura shops for the future, by purchasing clothes, presents, etc., way before they’re necessary, often finding items for a fraction of the normal cost. Batch processing: blocking your time off to maximize efficiency. Facebook Message from Jimmy:  met a friend on airplane, introduced him to ChooseFI, and that friend reduced expenses and put himself on the path to FI in less than a month. There are options for almost every financial position, to get yourself moving in the direction of FI. Jeff, on Facebook, reports that he’s paid off $105k of student loans. ChooseFI San Diego has a real estate meeting recently – informing people about real estate options and discussing rent vs buy, among other topics of conversation. ChooseFI local groups will be as good as the participants want them to be. Voicemail from Ryan: question about using roboadvisors? Fees matter: managing accounts directly saves money. Benefits of a roboadvisor – automated services can help with some calculations that it’s difficult to do yourself, and it sometimes make investing more accessible   Jonathan prefers and recommends M1 Finance. Voicemail from Bonnie: selling used items through the online Varagesale platform helps her bring in a little extra income as a stay-at-home mom. Voicemail from Anthony with questions about increasing your capital gains basis. Capital gains are typically taxes, but if you’re in a low tax bracket, long-term capital gains are not taxed. Previous episode about capital gains harvesting in episode 18 and 18R.   Links: The Paradox of Choice Betterment Wealthfront The Simple Path to Wealth Design Your Future Freelance to Freedom _______________________________________ For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/082R

082 | Brad and Jonathan’s wives, Laura and Dani (respectively), talk about their introduction to FI, combining finances, budgeting with children, and maintaining balance. How did Dani and Laura approach saving before meeting Jonathan? How did Laura’s parents change careers to improve their financial status? How was growing up in Zimbabwe different from a typical American upbringing? What did saving money mean to Dani when she started working? How did Dani respond to Jonathan’s initial proposal to combine finances? When and how did Brad and Laura merge finances? What does a typical day in Dani and Laura’s lives look like? How does “busy” look different from when Dani and Laura were working full-time jobs? Are kids expensive? How do Laura and Dani budget with the extra and unexpected costs of children? What is a “Buy Nothing” group? How does Laura advance purchase things for her children? Do Brad and Laura give their children many choices? How do Brad and Laura create space in their lives to not be consumed by FI? By saving money on unnecessary expenses, Brad and Laura can be generous and unconcerned with some of the smaller expenses that come up in life. How does the 72-hour-rule, introduced by the Frugalwoods, make a difference for Dani and Jonathan? How did Laura and Dani respond when Brad and Jonathan decided to leave their jobs and start ChooseFI? Does the pursuit of FI ever get too intense? How do Dani and Laura plan their meals and prepare ahead of time?   Links: Stay at Home Chef Smitten Kitchen Kitchn Why (and how) I Became a Work-At-Home Mom – The Frugalwoods A letter to my 22-year-old self – Joel from FI 180

081R | Strategies for decluttering and living with less (reflecting on Cait Flander's interview with us on Monday), life hacks from the community, and a winner for the free ticket to CampFI in Joshua Tree! The ChooseFI community is growing and gaining national attention. How This Couple Saved $1 Million in 11 Years and Became Financially Independent Before 40 Nine Money Podcasts You Should Be Listening To Local Groups are really effective in some parts of the ChooseFI community. Jonathan joined some members of the Richmond local group to purchase a mosquito fogger to share between them. What else could be a shared purchase? Cait Flanders, from Monday’s episode, talked about taking control of your life, and decluttering her whole life. How do you take control of your life? Could you live with less? Why doesn’t Brad use a budget, and how does he still manage his finances well? Why does Brad hope his daughter reads Harry Potter? Voicemail from Kristyn, from fortheloveoftidy.com and the Spark Joy podcast, talks about her FI progress, and tips for decluttering: Map out your ideal living environment; think about how your clutter fits into that. Ask yourself tough questions about the clutter in your life. What is tough about decluttering for Jonathan? How does Kristyn keep track of her “bit-sized wins”? Why did Jonathan finally get rid of his grad-school notes? Voicemail with a suggestion based on advice from The White Coat Investor, to employ children as models for his website, to add legitimate money to his kids’ retirement accounts. Facebook post from Heather about how her son found a job without a car. Message from Louima, who was inspired by Cait’s Monday episode, and is contemplating a reduction of her FI number. Email from Mark with some FI hacks: Food: Choose smaller dishes Put chips, pretzels, etc., in a dish, don’t eat directly from the bag Don’t eat alone: Why Eating Alone May Be Bad for You Don’t eat while watching TV: The Danger of Eating in Front of the TV Finances: Use credit cards for travel rewards Shopping portals – some opportunities to earn 4-10x more points Earny: a price drop protection app Feex.com: finds hidden fees in your investment accounts Update: Brad is working to establish a scholarship for a Treehouse student to learn coding, in partnership with Every Child’s Hope. Winner of the ticket to CampFI in Joshua Tree: Danielle!   Links: The Simple Path to Wealth Design Your Future Freelance to Freedom

081 | Cait Flanders, author of “The Year of Less”, talks about building $30k of consumer debt, challenging herself to go two years without shopping, and learning how to be comfortable in her own skin without the distractions of consumerism. For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/081

080R | Conversation about teaching your children to save and invest, healthcare options, and an argument in favor of home gardening and composting. Brad contemplates applying for “Survivor”. Review of Monday’s episode with Khai from AlabaMalaysia. How does Jonathan use the idea of “anchoring” in his own life: setting big goals so that even if he misses, good things still happen? Brad and Jonathan talk about how they would set little, achievable goals, to reach a larger, long-term goal. Jonathan talks about answering the question “What do you do?”, with comments from the Facebook group. How does Brad have bank account and investment accounts set up for his children? Is there a better way to have those accounts set up? Blain, from the Facebook group, wonders whether his son should start investing with a Vanguard account, or an M1 account? Contributions made to a Roth can be withdrawn penalty free. What are the best ways to support your children and help them save money, as 2nd generation FI? Voicemail from Jacqueline asking about financial education apps for youth. “7 Fun Money Apps for Kids” from U.S. News PiggyBot FamZoo How important is it to teach your children about not only budgeting to save money, but to be generous? What is Brad considering in regards to his family’s health insurance: HSA, health share, or considering health insurance for a small business? What are some complications with a health share? Email from Karen, about the value of gardening and composting. Gardening Tips from Karen Is composting addicting? Jonathan tries to convince Brad that gardening and compositing is simple enough to start now. Leave a ChooseFI review to enter the drawing for a ticket to CampFI in Joshua Tree, or to receive a book.   Links: The Simple Path to Wealth Design Your Future Freelance to Freedom

080 | Khai Shing, a former contestant on The Amazing Race, and blogger at ALABA+MA+LAYSIA, talks about balancing her pursuit of FI while finding ways to travel, worldwide, at discount prices. Did Khai start with global travel, or with The Amazing Race? Took about 3 months from applying to The Amazing Race with her twin brother, to being selected for the show - traveling all over China. Khai grew up in Malaysia, and plans to return there for retirement, once she achieves FI. How did Khai and her brother set themselves up to be selected from their video application? What was the highlight of The Amazing Race for Khai? Is it easier to achieve FI living in Malaysia versus living in the US? When Khai calculates her FI number, does she base her living expenses off US expenses, or the expected cost of living in Malaysia? Why does Khai use 35x as her multiplier for calculating a FI number? How long is Khai’s FI path? How does world travel fit into Khai’s lifestyle and financial plan during the next 8 years of her path? How and when did Khai and her husband embrace the FI mentality? How does budgeting and saving work for Khai’s family? How do Khai and her husband manage travel with family and work? How does Khai travel the world for $1,600? A layover is less than 24 hours, but a stop over a has much more relaxed time frame. United Airlines had an “excursionist” perk - a free stopover in a city within the same region: Excursionist Perks. Where will Khai go next? What perks still exist with Alaska Air? What does Khai like to see and do when she travels to a new country? Why does Khai like to document her trips on her blog? What are Khai’s favorite experiences from her travels? Khai met her husband during an exchange program to the US. What advice does Khai have with regard to keeping life balanced? Gratitude: “when we focus on appreciating and being content with what we have in life, it helps us to focus on what's truly important.” “The fact that we can even dream about FI, and a good chance to make it a reality is a great privilege that we should be thankful for.”   Links: MadFIentist The Lifetime Table   For more, go to http://ChooseFI.com/080

079R | Highlights of Monday’s episode with Tim & Amy Rutherford, discussion about healthcare, additional podcast recommendations, and voicemails from the ChooseFI community. For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/079R

079 | Tim & Amy Rutherford talk about early retirement, living with lower expenses and a busier schedule of fun, free activities, and what life changes they made to get there.   How did Amy and Tim meet and what were their spending habits at the time? What did “frugal” look like for Amy and Tim initially? With enough money in the bank, cutting their spending gave them an opportunity to retire almost as soon as they became aware of financial independence. Managing spending is equally as important as replacing income when it comes to reaching financial independence. Optimizing life is one of the most enjoyable things Amy & Tim ever did. What factors did Tim & Amy consider prior to leaving the workforce? Physical health Mental health How did a chart help Amy get excited about saving? “What’s tracked and measured can be improved.” There are fun, free activities in every part of the world. How do Tim & Amy fill up their days now that they’re retired? Walking Inviting friends for dinner Finding local activities Who are Tim & Amy’s “tribe” and how do they find them in new cities? What does it look like for Tim & Amy to be house sitters? They watch houses and pets, for free, with a place to stay for free. How much are Tim & Amy spending now, and how did they get there from $115k? Tim & Amy are actually living below their current budget – they aren’t missing out on things they wish they weren’t. “I want to walk the world while I still can.” How do Tim & Amy describe their retirement? Would Tim & Amy consider selling their house and traveling full time? How would people get started with house sitting? House Sitting Magazine House Sitting World Tim & Amy buy experiences instead of things.   For the links to resources mentioned in this episode, go to http://ChooseFI.com/079

078R | Lots going on in this episode with a recap of Episode 78 with Travis Hornsby about Student Loan Debt Repayment Options. But also, Brad sold his house and Jonathan has become a “rockstar” at selling things on Craigslist. For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/078R

078 | Travis Hornsby, founder of StudentLoanPlanner.com, talks early retirement, traveling Europe, and developing a passion for helping people crawl out of student loan debt. What you'll hear on today's show: Why did Travis attempt retirement at 25? If you’re unhappy before reaching FI, will you be happy afterward? Where did Travis’ frugal tendencies come from? How did Travis get paid to go to college? Do many universities offer full scholarships, and where should students find that information? Does attending an Ivy League university make a difference? Travis retired with $230,000 saved, with a plan to spend just 20k a year. Did Travis have a long-term plan for his retirement? Living expenses in the United States are high relative to many other places in the world if you’re an adventurous person. Why did Travis’ job performance improve after he decided to quit his job? If you’re on the path to FI but haven’t made it yet: develop a product or service that you’re passionate about and give yourself a year or two of buffer during which you don’t depend on income from your venture. How did Travis commit himself to helping people with student loan debt, having never been in debt himself? How much research did Travis have to do in order to ensure his student loan spreadsheets were accurate? Why didn’t Travis’ father-in-law give his initial blessing to Travis marrying his daughter? How did the Student Loan business grow? If you have less than 100k of student debt, your best option is likely to refinance for the lowest possible interest rate and pay it back as quickly as possible? If you owe less than double your salary and you’re not working at a not-for-profit or for the government, you should probably refinance. If owe more than twice your income with federal loans, there are loan forgiveness options, depending on your type of work. Is loan forgiveness guaranteed, and who can qualify? Adjustment to loan forgiveness policies will impact students taking loans beginning in July 2019. How do Travis’ suggestions change if someone has private loans? Federal loans provide the most flexibility for repayment or forgiveness. Two recommended choices: Pay back loans as aggressively as possible Pay minimums, maximize forgiveness   Resources mentioned: Student Loan Planner [email protected] Physician on Fire Mr. Money Mustache: From Zero to Hero     For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/078

077R | An second part to the conversation between ChooseFi community member Tallis, who teaches dance classes in retirement facilities, and Pop-Up Business School founder Alan Donegan, to help get Tallis’ side hustle off the ground. Precursors to this episode: Episode 30 and Episode 56. Tallis gives an update on her side hustle to-do list. Client feedback: the questions you ask impact the results you’ll get. What is the best way to sell Tallis’ dance classes to the retirement facilities. Tallis continues to wonder how to best monetize her service? Tallis hopes to facilitate workshops to train dance-class teachers. Alan and Tallis previously discussed securing sponsorship, potentially from pharmaceutical companies. Currently, Tallis’ dance class is endorsed (and paid for) by the American Parkinson's Disease Association, so classes are free for participants. Could Tallis collect a fee from participants? Most important considerations right now: how is going to pay, and how much to charge? Different payment models can impact clients’ commitment to the classes. Training an organization to facilitate its own courses will pay significantly more than providing courses directly to individuals. How can Tallis decide on a price for her workshops? People equate cost to value: if you charge too little, they’ll think the product isn’t valuable. Alan recommending contacting potential clients (retirement communities) that are well outside her target geographical location in order to practice her pitch and get feedback on potential pricing. Pricing has a lot to do with confidence. Successful business models have repeatability. Marketing is rarely starting from the ground up: find other businesses in a similar space, or businesses that are doing something that you think would be really effective the space you’re targeting and start there. Pitch tip: don’t allow your voice pitch to go up when giving your price. Use a statement tone that sounds confident – even from beginning to end of your sentence. What’s up next: get feedback from local contact about other offerings. Go big! Don’t offer your service to just a few potential clients. Expect that it’ll take 1-5 months to get the program from start to point of sale. The only way to know if your business will be successful is to ask people to buy; before that moment, feedback is hypothetical. Tallis is part of the Des Moines ChooseFI local group – contact her there.

077 | Experienced travel hacker and world traveler Marla Taner shares story of reaching financial independence, and her best tips for getting to Hawaii, Costa Rica and the Caribbean with minimal expenses, using credit cards points and air miles. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

076R | Brad and Jonathan brainstorm ways to implement local adventure into their own lives and the lives of the ChooseFI community. Also, achat about high school reunions, local libraries, and a few clarifications about 401k contributions. Jonathan's 26-year-old sister just hit an 85% savings rate. Living at home can be super helpful to the recent college graduate, or young person entering the workforce. Getting to $100k net worth is the hardest part: after that, compounded interest starts working for you. Brad signed up his daughter for www.code.org, a website that teaches coding paired with Minecraft. Review of Monday’s episode with Mrs. Adventure Rich. Getting the right mindset is the most important part of getting on the path to financial independence. How does Brad feel about not having a FI number or date? Is the pursuit of financial independence a race or a journey? What was positive about the way Mrs. Adventure Rich’s coworker introduced her to FI. How has Mrs. AR lowered the barrier of entry for local adventures? How can local ChooseFI groups apply these ideas to exploring their own cities? How does the idea of exploring your own city connect with the idea of intentionally creating memorable moments, as introduced by Chris in ChooseFI episode 71. Adventure is anything that makes you feel like, “Hey, this is really living.” Have we traded adventure for convenience? How can someone plan for those things that truly bring value to their life? Check out ChooseFI episode 37, with Scott, talking about rolling out the red carpet for the valuable things in your life. Follow up from Robert, from The College Investor: how much student loan debt has the ChooseFI community paid off? Voicemail from Suzanne: in addition to physical books, her local library often provides access to online newspapers, to online language programs, STEM programs for students, as well as actual after-school programs for students from the public schools. Voicemail from the Peerless Money Mentor : the local library in Baton Rouge, LA, provides some access to Treehouse coding courses. How would Brad or Jonathan describe their lives at a high school reunion? Once you have all your financial needs taken care of, what do you want to do? What's your purpose? Email from Danny: how do employer contributions impact a 401k? Employer matched contributions do not count toward the $18,500 yearly limit for your 401k. There are some additional ways to maximize full contributions to your 401k, up to $55k a year.   Additional links: The Reluctant Frugalist

076 | Mrs. Adventure Rich talks about making the choice to live an adventurous life, her family’s pursuit of financial independence, and finding a balance between maximizing financial opportunities and living a happy, fulfilling, high quality of life. ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"   ——————- There are a lot more details over at http://ChooseFI.com/076

075R | “Personal finance is becoming financial independence.” Financial independence doesn’t necessarily mean retiring early; it means allocating your resources in the way you see fit. This is just a taste of what we discuss in this recap from Monday's interview with Brian Feroldi from The Motley Fool. Jonathan talks about blowing his budget on breakfast at the cold bar in Wegman’s, while Brad thinks that grocery shopping at Wegman’s is the same cost as Walmart. Brad talks about meeting strangers who also in the FI community. Brad and Jonathan wonder if financial independence is on the edge of mainstream adoption? “Personal finance is becoming financial independence.” Financial independence doesn’t necessarily mean retiring early; it means allocating your resources in the way you see fit. Review of Monday’s episode with Brian Feroldi, about individual stock investment. Do Brad and Jonathan own individual stocks? What are the challenges to getting started with individual stocks? Are individual stocks better as a hobby? What are the strengths of the way Brian described investing in individual stocks? A comment from Ray, in the ChooseFI community, that individual stocks requires too much individual management. Cody wonders whether the current bull market might be playing in favor of individual investors, without having yet felt the consequence of the inherent risk? How does Jackie, another ChooseFI community member, evaluate investment opportunities, and how did she get comfortable making investment decisions? Tim reiterates the value of the Motley Fool, and the recommendations they make. Frank, another community member, is concerned about a new investor’s learning curve: the time and money it takes to learn enough about individual investing to find success. Is it possible to recognize large-scale Enron-type fraud by looking at investment research? If you hold stocks from companies in similar fields, would it be better to simply hold a sector index stock? Mr. 1500, Karl, worries about long-term investing with individual stocks. Knowing when to sell individual stocks is an almost impossible task. How are Brad and Brian getting their children started with investing? How much did the ChooseFI community respond to the Treehouse scholarship proposal?   How can ChooseFI potentially connect students to mentors?   For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/075R

075 | Brian Feroldi talks through the advantages and disadvantages of individual investing, the realistic expectations for performance, and his strategies for beating Wall Street. Professional money managers operate under different parameters and mindsets than an individual investor Stockbrokers must make decisions based on short-term returns What other disadvantages do professional money managers face, in contrast to individual investors? How do professional money managers truly spend their time and earn their money? ...and more at https://ChooseFI.com/075   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

074R | An update the community on recent activities, discussion about the opportunity cost of college and potential alternatives, a ChooseFI scholarship announcement, and a few voicemails from the ChooseFI community. Brad recaps his trip to the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, and a visit with the ChooseFI local group in Omaha Jonathan shares how he recently cut his grocery costs by nearly $700 ...and more can be found at http://ChooseFI.com/074R ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

074 | Ryan Carson’s tech-education company, Treehouse, teaches computer coding as a trade skill, giving students an opportunity to enter the work force, or change careers in nine months, at a fraction of the cost of a four-year degree.   Ryan considers coding a trade skill, rather than profession that requires a four-year degree. Ryan founded Treehouse to help people avoid student debt, get a job sooner and start saving for their 401k sooner. There will be 1.4 million new jobs in tech, and only 400,000 will be filled by college graduates. A trade job is composed of acquired skills, or “stackable skills”, like a mechanic or electrician. Will the future be primarily trade jobs? How is Treehouse different from other coding schools? How does apprenticeship work in the tech industry? What is TalentPath, and how does it help develop young coders? For a skilled job, such as coding, landing a job is more dependent on a portfolio than a degree. How does apprenticeship impact a person’s retirement savings, compared to earning a college degree? Are there any degrees that are more valuable to a new professional than a year of on-the-job experience? An apprentice has four more years of experience than a college graduate. How can companies create talent, rather than hire talent, in order to compete with big tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, etc.? How do employers measure a coder’s skill? What development language is most in demand? Trying out a school – traditional four-year university, or trade school, or treehouse – is important. How does TreeHouse allow students to do that? Ryan started a company that facilitated large-file sending, but ultimately decided to pursue business that he felt contributed more on a human level. TreeHouse originated from a desire to make coding education available and financially accessible to more people. Students can trial for free. Basic treehouse course is $25 a month. Full coding school is $200 a month. Success in life is mostly related to the ability to keep going when something is hard. Most people are going to quit something because their internal “why” isn’t strong enough. Coding is hard; it’s like going to the gym. Pursuing coding will require a certain amount of grit – but once you find your “why”, the grit comes. Links to resources:   Treehouse TalentPath How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life Basecamp Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance How to Win Friends and Influence People Wait But Why SpaceX’s Big Freaking Rocket – The Full Story Large Rubber Duck   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"

073 | How do you make money online? We discuss the 7 most common ways to make money online, plus a review of Monday's interview with Jamila Souffrant from Journey To Launch. We dive deep into making money with: Membership sites Digital courses Create a product or service Advertising Sponsorships Listener/Reader supported Affiliate marketing ...and (BONUS) grow your brand and watch what opens up to you. For more information, visit the show notes at http://ChooseFI.com/073R   ——————-   Thank you for being a part of the ChooseFI community!  🙂 If you want to support us, here are some easy ways:   1) Leave an iTunes review: http://www.choosefi.com/itunes   2) Use our page to sign up for travel credit cards   Note: We may receive a commission if you are approved for cards on this page   3) Most importantly, find your friends, coworkers, and family members who may be open to this message and tell them about the podcast! (Episode 21 is a great starting place)   As Jonathan would say, "The FIRE is spreading my friends!"