213: Retiring in 6 Years After 20 Years of Money Mistakes

Growing up in Mexico, Saul Tijerina didn’t fully understand the concept of financing. It wasn’t that he couldn’t conceptualize financing, it was more that he wasn’t around it enough to think of it as an option. In Mexico, everything was sold for cash, whether it was a home, a car, or a new TV. Owning something meant that you really “owned it”, not just “I’m paying this off.”

It’s no surprise that when Saul came to the United States to work, he was in for a financial shock. New car? Finance it. New house? Finance it. Want to eat out every day? Charge it to your credit card and finance it! This was the cycle that Saul was in for close to two decades, before discovering the FI movement.

Once he started digging around online forums, blogs, and YouTube channels, he found a community that not only hit financial independence but hit it at an impressively young age. Now, about two years into his FI journey, Saul has made monumental progress with saving and investing. He’s on track to retire as a millionaire in 2026 and will live off of his taxable accounts until he is old enough to take out funds from his tax-advantaged investments.

In This Episode We Cover

Why lifestyle creep can be incredibly dangerous for young adults 

Paying attention to the interest credit cards charge and never falling into high-interest debt

Why financing a brand new car can be a huge blow to future wealth accumulation

Staying away from the “two-income trap” and keeping expenses low

Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, Conversion Ladders, and other retirement accounts

Saul’s 72 Hour Rule for spending (especially online shopping)

How to get your partner on board for FI when they may not know about financial possibilities 

And So Much More!

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