The Financial Independence Show

In today’s episode, you’ll hear how Nate created a site to help people navigate student debt called LendEDU. You’ll hear how this website was born during college and now makes over $1M per year. Joining Nate is one of his employees named Mike. We cover their specific site, the industry, and tips for students today. Listen and read below to hear this awesome business transformation. Episode Summary Colin’s upbringing led him to be frugal In high school, Nate had some jobs He didn’t really care about finance until college His freshman year he took on a good bit of debt in 2012 Mike still has student loans He didn’t take it seriously until graduation Nate also worked during college He started paying off his debts immediately He graduated with $60 debt $45k came after 2 years then he changed it up He started mixing in community college Nate and Mike met in college Nate starts LendEDU and brings on Mike By the time they graduated in 2016, it became a full-time job They both highlight how little finance information is available to high school and college students They also realize others cover their material But they try to present it in ways more consumable by younger people Mixing in video and shortening length We dive into some tips for incoming freshman Question really why you’re going to college Do you already know your profession? Is trade school a better option? Then exhaust every grant and scholarship Students should also look at what their total debt bill with be, not just year one Nate saved $10k by mixing in community College while at a 4yr university Then we jump into the business side of the website They started off making $200 per month from advertisements in 2014 By the end of 2015, they were making $10k per month By the end of 2016, they reached $50k per month The team has scaled to 15 people Today LendEDU makes over $1M per year working with 120 advertisers Their reviews are all unpaid and therefore objective Separation between the income and the rankings of products is important to them Then we talk about unique new ways to avoid student debt One is payback programs where you commit a percentage of your future salary The other is where you don’t need a co-signer for your loans Under this model, it is based more on your degree choice and time left ’til graduation Key Takeaways Don’t wait for success: It was awesome to see how Nate didn’t put this business off until he graduated Hire who you trust: The team has grown to 15 and 10 of those were college classmates. Trust is often more important than qualification White Space Can Be a Style: Plenty of companies were covering these topics but none in a way that resonated with 20-year-olds Call to Action Take a look at your student loans and see if there is a refinancing option or anything to make those payments fly by. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Connect with the LendEDU Crew Via their website LendEDU.com Check out our Sponsors Skillshare is an online learning platform with 30,000+ classes in design, business, and more.  Join the 5+ million students currently on Skillshare and make yourself a MVSH (more valuable side hustler)! Use our custom URL Skillshare.com/FiShow for 2 free months of premium membership access.  There are no commitments, it’s free to start, all the classes are free, and all the material is taught by experts. Check out Skillshare today to see how you can level up your skillset. Learn More About Your Hosts Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, you’ll hear how to get to financial independence via Blackjack (wait, what?). Yep, that’s right. Cody and Justin are joined by Colin Jones from Blackjack Apprenticeship. Colin got an education in mathematics and started out as a teacher. A buddy introduced him to card counting and changed his financial path forever. He turned a couple thousand dollars he and his wife had saved and tried his hand at the card tables. That small amount of seed money would lead to millions in earnings, a team of prolific card counters, a documentary and his website where he looks to train the next great card counters. Listen and read below to hear this incredible story. Episode Summary Colin’s upbringing led him to be frugal He really just wanted to be in a band and wasn’t interested in college His parents urged him to go He decided he’d rather go to school than go out on his own Colin ended up studying mathematics which was a great foundation to card counting When he was 22 a friend gave him a book about card counting to win at blackjack Colin then talks about his practice schedule went After his friend started ramping up his earnings to $80 an hour, Colin decided to give it a real try He took $2k of the $6k he and his wife had saved to seed his efforts For the first few months, he wasn’t really making much His friend got picked up by a national card counting team Then, later on, that same friend transferred all that knowledge to him and that really upped his game After a bit, they realized they could make $200+ per hour if they had $100k in money to play with For his career-high, he earned $434 dollars per hour It took them 6 months of 30 hour weeks to get to six figure earnings After a couple years they had formed a team that was making $500k per year Colin opens up about how his profession was viewed by his family which were missionaries Then Colin talks about the legality of card counting at a casino Spoiler alert: it’s perfectly legal Colin also gives us a brief overview of how card counting works One interesting thing is Colin has never put money into the stock market He prefers to invest in real estate and grow his online business His online business is Blackjack Apprenticeship The site has online forums, software, and training videos to help you learn card counting yourself On top of that, he does three or four live events where he helps polish fellow card counters’ skills Colin signs off by challenging everyone to question why they want to be financially independent Key Takeaways Money can be made everywhere: This is just another example of the limitless ways you can earn money in today’s world. Easy money is hard: Colin can repeatedly walk into a casino and earn money but it took countless hours of hard work and practice. Tombstones: We absolutely loved his statement about the goal isn’t to have financially independent on your tombstone. Life is bigger than that. Call to Action Write out five things you envision you’ll do in retirement and then elaborate on why you actually want to do those things Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Connect with Colin: Via his website Blackjack Apprenticeship Also, check out his book 21st Century Cardcounter Documentary Snippet   Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Ben Le Fort. Ben is Canadian and has an awesome back story. His parents were financially unstable even to the point of needing Ben to help with the mortgage as a teenager and bankruptcy. Ben would go on to turn things around and is now on the financial fast track. He and his wife now own two properties and are saving aggressively towards retirement. Fun note, one of those properties is actually the home that his parents now live in. Listen and read below to hear his amazing journey. Episode Summary Ben grew up upper-middle class but then 2008 happened Both of his parents were realtors and the recession crushed them leaving them bankrupt His parents had no savings and the housing market crashed Looking back he saw some flags that they hadn’t been saving One of those flags was being asked to help pay the mortgage as a teenager  The problems his parents went through caused him to choose economics as a major Ben would end up graduating with about $30k in student debt This was  a rough go because he was having to use student lines of credit His parents’ income made him ineligible for financial aid or government student loans in Canada Ben would go on to miss some payments which took a toll on his credit Upon graduation, he couldn’t find a good job because of the recession (2010) This drove him to going back and getting his masters degree Ben got roommates in a run-down apartment for $350 a month He tried to continue living the college lifestyle so he could pay off his debt Ben became debt-free in 2015 Then Ben talks to us about meeting his wife She was very risk-averse and investing scared her After tackling stocks they moved on to real estate Ben now has two properties and has done very well on both Fun note, his parents actually rent a property from him Ben’s financial world is now off the charts and he’s looking to help other That’s what started his venture into blogging online via Medium That writing has now turned into a legitimate side hustle We then tackle Canadian investing vs American investing Key Takeaways Be prepared for the unthinkable: His parents were so used to their income and the stability of the housing market. When it crashed, they certainly weren’t prepared. Your start doesn’t define you: The thing that really jumps out in this episode is that his parents’ bankruptcy didn’t mean Ben couldn’t be successful. It actually benefited him through the motivation it gave him. Currency Matters: There was a really tangible discussion where Ben called out the tactics of someone in Canada investing and how it differs from the United States. Call to Action Whether it is a parent, cousin, or just a friend. Find a loved one who could use a talk about finance and open up and talk to them. Keep it simple and make them feel comfortable if you can. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Connect with Ben: Via his publication on Medium called Making of a Millionaire Via his writing at Wealthtender   Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) Check out our Sponsors Skillshare is an online learning platform with 30,000+ classes in design, business, and more.  Join the 5+ million students currently on Skillshare and make yourself a MVSH (more valuable side hustler)! Use our custom URL Skillshare.com/FiShow for 2 free months of premium membership access.  There are no commitments, it’s free to start, all the classes are free, and all the material is taught by experts. Check out Skillshare today to see how you can level up your skillset.

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Taylor Offer from FEAT Socks. This 26-year-old has been making millions since he was 22 from selling socks. Yes, you heard us right…Socks. But FEAT Socks aren’t your average socks and Taylor isn’t your average entrepreneur. Taylor gave up a prestigious investment banking internship to follow his dreams and create a business. There was failure and even an unhealthy amount of success. Today Taylor has streamlined business and his life and ready to show you how. Listen and read below to hear his amazing journey. Episode Summary We welcome Taylor from FEAT Socks This business now makes millions annually From a young age, Taylor was fascinated about price arbitrage — this is where you can buy something and sell it for a big markup Taylor doesn’t remember one moment that made him interested in money He was more focused on value even as a child Going into college he was only focused on a lucrative degree He got a coveted internship in banking Then realized how unhappy everyone in this business was That made him realize that entrepreneurship was going to be his path People were hard on him for dropping his coveted internship His first business venture was a marketplace for college kids It was called Market Loco and got over 500k hits in a month The infrastructure costs were too expensive, so it failed His next venture was making custom print t-shirts for frats / sororities He started door-to-door but did a huge cross-country spree It was really successful at the beginning and seemed too easy Then one of his orders got ruined by the manufacturer on a $7k order Taylor realized custom business was really tough Great quote – “There’s a million ways to get it wrong, and only one way to get it right” He meets his soon-to-be business partner his senior year His partner parker had done $1M+ in custom lacrosse jersey sales They brainstormed and settled on crazy socks as the next idea This would become FEAT Socks They sold $2k worth of socks out of a backpack on campus the first day Over their senior year they sold 20k pairs of socks They were making these by hand with a heat press Eventually they hired out college friends Imagine college kids in an unheated workspace, drinking and making socks They really grew their list through Instagram and Facebook Things really turned when they got their angel investor Overnight they get $250k as seed money and FEAT Socks is legit Then through some connections they get Aly Raisman as an influencer It was during the Olympics and she sells $500k worth of socks and FEAT Socks goes viral Originally, they were going to give away 50% of the company for $50k Instead they raised the $250k at a $1.5M evaluation Then we start talking about how the business got away from them At age 23 they are making millions, move to LA and hire 20 entry-level employees They get a 5k square foot warehouse all decked out Taylor and Parker get named to Forbes 30 under 30 and life seems perfect Then, their logistics company misses Christmas delivery dates for a ton of customers They also spiraled into depression and worked 16 hour days all week Taylor just broke down one day and took a one way to Thailand He saw these poor kids in the streets who were happy That moment made him really realize what was important They also realized they had $75k in overhead — this caused them to let go of more than 75% of their workforce and to automate everything It was cheaper, better quality, and way less stressful FEAT is now very successful with only 1 hour of work per day for the founders With FEAT Socks running on its own, they started a marketing company Taylor actually has like three other businesses going on (serious entrepreneur!) He feels like he’s happy but always finding the balance Oh, and not to mention Taylor was featured in a Justin Beiber video! (Check it out here at 4:34) Key Takeaways Don’t get greedy: Taylor was lured to the a major only because of how much money it would make and almost ended up miserable Always be ready: Taylor constantly had 6 pair of socks ready to sell. That’s what made FEAT Socks successful Misery isn’t selective: It would be easy to be jealous of Taylor but realize that depression can come calling for any of us Call to Action Go automate your life and reduce some stress. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Taylor: Via his business Instagram Via his personal Instagram Connect on LinkedIn Check out his businesses: FEAT Socks My Last Bottle Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Carl and Mindy Jensen from 1500 Days. This power couple is a staple in the financial independence space. We had a blast recording live at FinCon and can’t wait for you to hear. Discover the origin of the 1500 day blog, the dinosaurs, and why Carl will never be a plumber Listen and read below to get all the wisdom from Carl and Mindy. Episode Summary Carl discovered FIRE after having a bad day at work at age 37 He ended up setting a goal of retiring in 1500 days He met his goal at age 43 Mindy and Carl write over at 1500 days Mindy is also a co-host of the Bigger Pockets Money Podcast They live next to Mr. Money Mustache in Colorado After becoming friends they went in together in a co-working space We start unwrapping Carl and Mindy’s upbringing Carl’s parents weren’t very good with money He also was the first in his family to go to college Carl became a work-a-holic and a money hoarder He would wake up with nightmares about money and getting fired Mindy actually is the one who still works though She loves her job, which has nothing to do with her education Mindy and Carl had their kids before they discovered FIRE They were three and five years old Both kids are still in school With that, Mindy doesn’t miss valuable family time by working We then discuss how the kids perceive them as retired parents Mindy recalls growing up spending all Saturday going to garage sales She said her parents had money but didn’t let the kids know Carl recalls picking individual stocks when he first started working He doesn’t recommend this approach now but got lucky with it Mindy didn’t utilize the stock market until she got married But she did start investing in real estate right away Her first place was a $50k condo She sold it a little later for $75k We go back to hearing how Carl started his blog 1500 days It was based on the days left he had to work after discovering FIRE The blog was a way to keep him accountable Currently, they invest in real estate including a Maine trailer park They also do index funds, solo 401ks, and a syndicate deal They still do live in flips and are about to start a new one We then discuss the things they do for fun Carl’s favorite thing about retirement is the uncertainty The next big project they have is starting a brewery Mindy discusses not moving around even with no job holding them down Then we dial into the final three questions Trust us you won’t want to miss these Hint… Carl gets sprayed with feces  Key Takeaways You may not change: Carl was addicted to working and staying busy. Just because he doesn’t have to work, doesn’t mean it changes that natural instinct to look for the next project. You may work for fun: Most people get nervous about retiring early out of fear. In reality, most people still end up making money in retirement. Just look at Mindy who’s killing it at Bigger Pockets Have fun people: Our favorite thing about Carl and Mindy is just how much fun they have with life. Don’t stress yourself out. Enjoy the ride. Call to Action The call to action this week is in honor of our guests… DRINK A BEER!    Non-Alcoholic is just fine 🙂 Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Carl and Mindy: Via their 1500 Days Listen to Mindy at Bigger Pockets Money Follow them on Twitter In our Facebook group! Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) Check out our Sponsors Skillshare is an online learning platform with 30,000+ classes in design, business, and more.  Join the 5+ million students currently on Skillshare and make yourself a MVSH (more valuable side hustler)! Use our custom URL Skillshare.com/FiShow for 2 free months of premium membership access.  There are no commitments, it’s free to start, all the classes are free, and all the material is taught by experts. Check out Skillshare today to see how you can level up your skillset.

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Alex Fasulo who is the queen of Fiverr. This 26 year old makes insane money as a copywriter all online. Alex came from a family of entrepreneurs but sought a job in politics or law. After graduation, she found herself in a job she hated and quit soon after. Alex turned to a little site called Fiverr to start trying to earn money online. Fast forward a while and she’d become a Fiverr pro who travels the world and makes over $350k per year risk-free. Listen and read below to hear how she did this and how you can too. Episode Summary She really started paying attention to money after moving to NYC and being out of a job just a few weeks later The job didn’t turn out to be at all what she was expecting So she quit She comes from an entrepreneur family Her mom has done hand-painted clothes Her dad has made board games She went to school for political science and aspired to be a lawyer or politician In the house, they were smart with money and savers However, there wasn’t conversations on investing or anything more complicated Before she quit her job she had been on a site that was still pretty small called Fiverr After a few months, she started having some traction with it Alex recalls the first day she ever made $100 in one day and felt like this could work Then we start discussing how she grew her rates and found her value After a year of taking things really seriously, she was earning around $32k Alex talks about how important the review is during this growth stage She said if you’re early on, it’s best to just create a new account if hit with a bad review Now we unravel the origin of Fiverr Pro and how Alex’s earnings exploded Alex was invited to a photoshoot for Fiverr and then told she was invited to this new program The minimum rates would be four times what she was currently selling Keep in mind that there’s no pro membership or risk to Alex Eventually, she was making over $300k per year and money was piling up We then discuss what Alex plans to do with all that money Then we discuss the drawbacks like all the sitting, bad backs, and carpel tunnel While the business is crazy successful for Alex, it isn’t really possible to scale further Currently, Fiverr doesn’t have a team version but it may be in the future Alex isn’t ready to leave Fiverr anytime soon because they bring her so many clients Even though they take 20% of the profits, she doesn’t believe she could find the number of gigs We then talk about some of her biggest or craziest deals including the royal family She’s also starting other side hustles like converting horse trailers into mobile bars and ebooks Key Takeaways Brace yourself for change: It was awesome to see how well Alex did with the change that happened when she found herself in a job she hated. We have to be ready for what life hands us and make the most of it. Income can be exponential: Much like investments, income can also grow exponentially as you build a reputation Online doesn’t mean easy: We often romanticize working online but it’s obvious Alex has put in countless hours to build her dream. Don’t expect easy money to just fall in the sky Call to Action Go browse Fiverr and look for inspiration to start selling your own gig! Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Alex: Via her blog and grab her book Catch her on Facebook Follow her Instagram In our Facebook group! Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Chad Methner from Little Brother Life Coach. Chad really wants to encourage people how to reach FI even if they’re nowhere near a six-figure salary. We discuss his battles during the recession, finding himself in a job he hated, and how he came through it all. You’ll catch Chad now helping others through coaching and setting up local meetups. It’s a unique angle so go listen and follow along with the summary below and make sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page. Episode Summary Chad first discovered financial importance from a Dave Ramsey book he stumbled across The parts about debt pay off really hit Chad He’s still $20k in debt from college After high school, he just did some manual labor while he tried to figure out what to do for college He got half off tuition thanks to his dad’s job at Ohio State After college, he couldn’t land a job because it was 2009 and the recession was in full swing He didn’t rack up any debt from college until he got his masters in 2015 While the job he had did some tuition reimbursement, it still cost him $25k in debt That along with a car and some other loans left him with over $40k worth of debt He continues at this job making under $11 per hour After he got his masters he went to try and get a promotion Unfortunately, they didn’t give him any options After six years there he had maxed out at $13.25 an hour and decided to leave He landed a new job and almost doubled his income to just under $50k and in a role where he was more comfortable We asked why he staid at that first job so long unhappy and underpaid For Chad, it was just comfortable and easy but he finally had enough The discussion swapped to how he saves money on this lower-income The biggest thing for him was cooking at home It turned into a full-blown hobby instead of just a money saver He plans to be out of debt in 3-5 years His big goal is to retire before age 55 and hit that $1M mark Chad is also trying to build up side hustles including coaching and writing a book Then we discuss the “poverty-tax” and the importance of an emergency fund Key Takeaways Everyone can benefit from this journey: Chad began this journey on as little as $10.75 per hour and it’s changed his life. Your velocity may be different but the impact is still extremely meaningful. We can always help: Although Chad is still working through his debt payoff, he still has a lot to teach other low-income individuals chasing FI. Don’t settle for misery: Chad obviously stayed at his first job too long. After 6 years he was still underpaid and forced into positions he hated. Regardless of pay, working in a job you hate is never worth it. Call to Action Start planning some frugal activities and trips. Maybe even take a look at activities you currently do and find a frugal alternative. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Chad: Via his blog Little Brother Life Coach Catch him on Twitter In our Facebook group! Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by the incredible duo of Kristy and Bryce from Millennial Revolution. Their story is so inspiring. They start at the most traditional lifestyle route of a professional career and seeking homeownership. Then one day they realize the housing costs are simply out of control and they’d rather retire instead. Three years later they quit their jobs and have been traveling year-round since then. They’re keeping busy though with projects like their new book Quit Like a Millionaire. This will certainly be one of the most entertaining episodes we’ve had to date so go listen now. Listen and follow along with the summary below and make sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page. Episode Summary Bryce wasn’t focused on saving money in college…beer took priority When they graduated they were just solely focused on saving for a home They lived in a modest apartment while chasing a home The house prices kept outpacing the housing Before they could find a home, they realized they’d saved $500k Then Bryce came up with the idea to ditch the house idea and retire instead Kristy saw the value in this after seeing a coworker collapse from stress They hit a million at the age of 31 We then dig into how they actually got the $500k in the first place Kristy credits the scarcity mindset she got from being raised in poverty in China They moved to a cheaper apartment, used public transportation, and reigned in their eating out splurges They weren’t naturally frugal at the start with Bryce dropping hundreds on booze and Kristy collecting high-end purses.  Kristy even got into unboxing videos for these purses Bryce then starts discussing the differences between how he and Kristy see things Kristy is much better at being frugal but was much less comfortable getting started with investing They really fill in each other’s gaps to make the perfect financial independence duo Kristy said what helped get comfortable with investing was understanding how much she’d lose to inflation in savings accounts Then Bryce starts covering their investment strategy and how they navigated the 2008 recession That strategy is a big cornerstone of their book which seeks to show how to handle every rough situation you may encounter Kristy covers how they started out with salaries in the $60k range but would get several raises along the way Their savings rates began around 50% and would get up to 72% before retiring Kristy then covers how to use a number centered approach to choosing your major in college Bryce and Kristy then start covering all the work they’re doing now in retirement with the book and blog They credit being in a position where the focus didn’t need to be money as their key to side hustle success Kristy then starts telling the backstory to how her video about millennials and money went viral At this point, we shift gears to understanding how they continue to travel the world year-round for under $40k per year They prefer Air BnB over a hotel for the kitchen and laundry access Then they discuss how they build a schedule when constantly traveling and some of the bumps to expect along the way Currently, they’re staying in a location a little over a month but plan to start rotating between locations quarterly Those three-month stints will allow them to build real lasting relationships Key Takeaways Create your own trend: It was amazing to see them realize that they didn’t just have to follow the path everyone else was following. Why buy a house if that house was going to anchor you to a job for decades. Handling the worst: Too often we only tell success stories and don’t give enough focus on preparing for non-ideal scenarios. Kristy and Bryce nail this topic. Millennials are misunderstood: Millennials aren’t pampered or lazy. They just consistently choose to follow lifestyles that their parents could never dream of and that makes some people uncomfortable. Call to Action If you were to lose your job tomorrow, what types of safety nets do you have in place to hedge against that risk? Formulating a game plan will make your personal finances much more resistant to difficult situations. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Kristy and Bryce: Via their blog Millennial Revolution Catch their on Twitter Join them on Facebook Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In today’s episode, Cody and Justin are joined by the magnificent Military Dollar. Justin really had a blast getting to vent the military money misunderstandings  with someone who could relate. Everything gets covered here. Military housing, insurance, investing and of course retirement. Listen and follow along with the summary below and make sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page. Episode Summary When she was in college she didn’t have a lot of money Her parents were also draining on her finances some in college It was clear to her that she needed to get her finances together and started tackling finance books She ended up commissioning as an Air Force officer through the ROTC program She also got a scholarship but because it was a private school, it didn’t cover everything When she graduated she had $20k in student debt, credit card debt and a car payment Both of her parents are entrepreneurs but aren’t very good with money Upon graduation she got a new car and had a total of $42k in debt After four years in the military she was debt free Her degree was in political science but she ended up in a very different career field Now she’s making great headway towards financial independence She loves her job and never wants to work for pay after she retires Then we discuss the flaw with just choosing a job you love We then discuss why it can be beneficial to live in a high cost of living city Mil dollar then starts breaking down exactly what she makes in the Air Force Justin and Mil dollar then break down common money mistakes military make The big ones include housing and comparing military to civilian pay Then we unravel the military 401k also known as the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) This includes some big changes coming to the TSP this year! Now the moment you’ve been waiting for…retirement We go over both the traditional retirement and the new blended retirement system Military Dollar finished the episode with how she plans to travel the world with free flights in retirement Key Takeaways Military is a really solid FI path: Unfortunately people think the military is something people do because they didn’t have any options. In reality it’s full of some of the smartest people you’ll ever meet and certainly one of the most sure fire ways to retire between 38-43. People will find an excuse: Military members often spend all of there housing allowance on a house even if they could get by just find spending  a third. The mentality doesn’t make any sense but it’s an easy excuse for sure. FI lifestyle possibilities are endless: During the wild card question, Mil Dollar talks about this magical retirement community. That’s the beauty is you can do whatever you want and there’s no reason to live a cookie cutter life you don’t want. Call to Action If you know someone in the military or considering the military please share this episode with them. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Contact Military Dollar: Via her blog Military Dollar Catch her on Twitter Join her Facebook group Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Kim's journey from debt to financial independence took a pivotal turn after a transformative year at Disney World and the encouragement from a math professor. She discovered the power of budgeting through Dave Ramsey's teachings, leading to a lucrative side hustle that allowed her family to thrive. Now, both Kim and her husband are self-employed, emphasizing joy over financial stress. The conversation also dives into their strategic relocation choices, revealing insights on health insurance, community assessment, and the benefits of lower property taxes for boosting retirement savings.