The Financial Independence Show

Back in January of 2018, I (Cody) attended my first in-person FI event — CampFI in Florida. I was 21 years old at the time, and my mind was blown. I was meeting real people who retired in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The guys from ChooseFI decided to record a community episode featuring some folks from the event, and to my surprise, they asked me to come up to the microphone. What you hear in this episode is my first podcast appearance, ever. And then “future Cody” comes in and comments on what 21-year-old Cody said. The craziest part? Is actually how little has changed in terms of philosophy and strategy. This stuff works, and you’ll see just how well from this podcast. It was a lot of fun digging up this episode from the archives, and I hope you enjoy it! Links from the Episode Retire by 30 (my book!) – https://retireby30book.com/ ChooseFI – https://choosefi.com/ CampFI – https://campfi.org/ Get Rich Slowly Guest Post – https://www.getrichslowly.org/cody-berman-story/ 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today’s episode is a long-overdue follow-up with Cory Jacobson of The Wealth Juice Podcast. Four years ago, Cory and his business partner Ryan joined us while still working their day jobs, building a real estate portfolio on the side, and documenting every step of the journey. A lot has changed since then. Cory has since left his W-2 behind, grown the portfolio to 80-90 units, become a licensed real estate agent, and launched a mentorship program helping others buy their first and second investment properties. He’s also gotten engaged and is navigating the realities of full-time entrepreneurship for the first time. In this episode, Cory shares the honest income journey since quitting — including a tough first year and why he’s projecting a much bigger 2026. You’ll also hear his tactical take on managing lumpy self-employment income, how he still finds deals that hit the 1% rule, and why he believes the “you missed the window” crowd has it all wrong. Whether you’re still in your W-2 grinding toward your first property or trying to figure out how to make the leap, Cory’s story is a great reminder that the timeline is long and that planting seeds is the whole game. Links From the Episode Cory & Ryan’s First Appearance on The FI Show (2022) The Wealth Juice Podcast Wealth Juice Instagram (@wealthjuiceofficial) Wealth Juice YouTube Wealth Juice Mentorship Program YouTube Interview = 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! <a href="https://thefishow.

Cody wrote a book! That’s right, the secret is out, and you’re getting all the details here, folks. Retire by 30 is a guide to reaching financial independence as fast as possible. In this episode, Justin gets to pepper Cody with questions about the book, including: Why was Cody living the American Nightmare rather than the American Dream What it felt like to hear that he was “a waste of time and resources.” What did saving 80% really look like Did he ever struggle to know what he actually valued versus what he’d been conditioned to want? How to decide when to kill a hustle versus double down? How to choose between the “be an intrapreneur and negotiate raises” path vs. the “quit and side-hustle” path What it felt like to hit FI at 25 Which FI is most underrated— Coast FI, Barista FI, Lean FI, Cash Flow FI, etc. Which What was most surprising once money was no longer the forcing function in life? What is it that he wants readers to feel after closing this book What’s next for Cody And much more! Have you been looking for a book to help you find your path to early retirement? Or maybe you know someone who could use this kind of guidance? Give this episode a listen, check out the book, and share with friends and family! Links from the Episode Retire by 30 (https://retireby30book.com) The ebook is just $0.99 through the month of May, and Cody is giving away an iPhone to one lucky buyer. YouTube Interview 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Andrew Giancola, host of the award-winning The Personal Finance Podcast, joins us today to talk all things (you guessed it)… personal finance. This guy has read over 576 books on money and business (more since we’ve recorded), and he shares everything he’s learned. Can we trust the 4% rule? Do budgets actually work? What’s the biggest personal finance mistake most people make? It’s always fun to cover crazy stories and fringe tax hacks, but it’s important to remember the fundamentals. Andrew is one of the best out there, sharing these fundamentals with the masses, and we’re so lucky we got to have him on the pod. If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Andrew’s Podcast: The Personal Finance Podcast (https://www.thepersonalfinancepodcast.com/) Andrew’s Website: Master Money (https://mastermoney.co/) Andrew’s YouTube: Master Money (https://www.youtube.com/@mastermoneyco) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/fC6_6KVBGX0?si=chuwbJxXdQ2xrOTr 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In this episode, we dive into the concept of “Comprehensive Coveting” and why you can’t cherry-pick the best parts of someone else’s success without accepting their sacrifices. For example, maybe squeezing into a 375 sq/ft apartment or forgoing children isn’t something you’re comfortable with, even if those are huge reasons why Justin retired at 33. We pull back the curtain on tons of real-world trade-offs, especially with early retirement. Plus, we run the numbers on what upgrading your lifestyle actually costs in years of your life Finally, we leave you with a quick “Covet Audit” to help you turn financial envy into actionable clarity. What things in life are you coveting? Can you use it as motivation, or is it time to move on and let go? If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from the Episode Comprehensive Coveting Blog Post (https://saving-sherpa.com/blog/comprehensive-coveting) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/kgH6b4WZOBY 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Aaron Hurd joins us today to share a more rational, math-based approach to the world of credit card rewards. Aaron is a long-time expert in the space who has written for major publications like Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Points Guy. After years of writing for others, he recently shifted focus to become an independent content creator with his Cards and Points YouTube channel. In this episode, we dig into Aaron’s unique backstory—from buying $250,000 in dollar coins to rack up rewards to his “economist” philosophy on point valuations. We also cover: The “Hustle” Origins: How Aaron got his start stacking rebates on Dell computers and exploiting the U.S. Mint’s dollar coin program to generate massive rewards. The Economist Approach: Why focusing on “cents per point” is often a trap. Aaron explains why you should value points based on what you would actually pay in cash, rather than the inflated retail price of a luxury flight. Rational Decision Making: The key questions you should ask yourself before redeeming, such as “What is my alternative?” and “Can I earn cash back instead?” Wallet Strategy: A breakdown of how Aaron categorizes his cards into three buckets: Daily Spenders, Benefit Buyers, and Free Night Earners. And so much more. If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Cards and Points YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@cardsandpoints) Cards and Points Blog (https://cardsandpoints.com/) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/TcR2V7RxxH0 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 commun

Andy Hill joins us today to give you the step-by-step playbook to own your time. This is Andy’s second appearance on the show, and this time it coincides with the release of his new book -> Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind. In this episode, we cover each step from the new book: Step 1 – Define the life you want to live Step 2 – Eliminate high-interest debt Step 3 – Protect your family (insurance, emergency fund, etc.) Step 4 – Investing until you reach Coast FIRE Step 5 – Eliminate your mortgage Step 6 – Stockpiling FU Money Step 7 – Create your 3-day workweek Step 8 – Embrace the simple life Step 9 – Use your 4-day weekend wisely Step 10 – Show your children the way And so much more. If you want to go back and get more of Andy’s backstory from our previous episode, you can find that in episode 27. If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Own Your Time (Andy’s New Book) Marriage Kids & Money (YouTube Channel) Marriage Kids & Money (Podcast) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/sGwr_ISlKI8 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

It’s a new year, and that means new goals! Cody and Justin share their top tips and tricks to help you set yourself up for success in 2026. The guys are already hitting the ground running with their 2026 goals: Cody is already testing out snowbirding down in Florida Justin is actively recruiting for his first international group trip Don’t forget to share your goals with us in the Facebook Group. To kick off the episode, the guys break down how the methods they’ve used to successfully meet their goals, which include: Tracking is Key “What gets measured, gets managed.” You need to know how you’re doing currently to improve For finance, use apps like YNAB, Monarch Money, or a spreadsheet For fitness, use apps like MFP, TrainHeroic, etc. For any goal you want to actually reach, there needs to be tracking Inputs vs. Outputs “I’m going to invest $1,000 every month” vs “I’m going to increase my net worth by $25K” “I’m going to work out 5x per week” vs “I’m going to lose 20 pounds.” Accountability Join online groups or local groups Groups that have people ahead of where you currently are are a big bonus Share milestones/goals with friends Keep talking about it to the point where you’d be embarrassed if you didn’t finish

Eric Dingler and his family of 6 travel the world full-time for just $8,000 per month. He runs multiple businesses, “worldschools” his kids, and chooses to live life a bit differently. In this episode, we cover: How to travel with a large family Eric’s digital nomad toolkit Wordschooling and alternative education Business marketing 101 A full budget breakdown for each spending category How he left his job for entrepreneurship And so much more. If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Eric’s Resources (https://ericdingler.com/FIS) InTransit Studios (https://intransitstudios.com/) Eric’s LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdingler/) Eric’s Podcast (https://familyofdashes.com/podcast/) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/7VXxuCuFijE 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Wow, how time flies! Justin has officially been retired for two full years. Today, we’ll dig into how year 2 was different, get life and financial updates, and also look forward to year 3. You’ll notice a big fitness theme, and Justin will discuss an upcoming fitness retreat he’s organizing in Spain. We’ll briefly skim over Justin’s 6-month international trip, but if you want a deeper dive into how traveling the world technically saved him money, check out these episodes: Asia Recap & Full Trip Recap Justin also gives us a transparent view of his financial updates. We hope this inspires listeners to see how truly powerful compounding interest is. His High-Level Financial Stats: Net Worth at retirement: $1.7M Net Worth after 1 year retired: $2.1M Net Worth after 2 years retired: $2.7M We also ended this episode in a similar way that we ended his year 1 review of retirement, with a quick blast overview of how he spent his time, which includes: December 2024 Spent the month in Mississippi visiting family January 2025 Going-away party Departed for the Philippines Island-hopping boat tour Feb Indonesia Ubud, Uluwatu, Gili Air, Nusa Lembogan, Nusa Penida Mar Vietnam Birthday on Ha Giang loop Apr <

Brandon Ganch, aka The Mad Fientist, joins us to share how he’s trying to break some of the frugal habits that allowed him to retire at the age of 34. He is one of the earliest analytical voices in the FI movement, known for treating FI as a systems problem. He leverages his background in computer science, strong preference for systems thinking, experimentation, and automating FI decisions to bring unique perspectives and ways of thinking to the FI space. Brandon retired extremely early, then realized he needed to redesign his post-FI life, not just his finances. Most people in the world can’t imagine training themselves to spend more money, but in this space, we totally get it. Brandon walks us through all the experiments he’s done around spending money to retrain how he thinks about spending decisions. He covers specific examples of how he is reframing things as well as the increased happiness he’s experiencing thanks to these purchases. Topics covered include: How to recalibrate your brain to determine which spending decisions are really worth your time based on net worth Setting aside “Cash Machines” for future purchases Running spending experiments and setting spending rules Breaking old psychological traps to overcome frugality And so much more. If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Wealth Machines (https://wealthmachines.co) – Join as a beta tester before December 12th Mad Fientist Website (https://madfientist.com) Financial Independence Podcast (https://www.madfientist.com/podcast/) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/mrWl40q_K64 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Cody & Justin are here to flood your ears with thanks! Your very own Financial Independence Show co-hosts are here with a special Thanksgiving episode. It’s hard to believe we’re rounding out yet another year, and there’s so much to be thankful for as always. Fitness improving, relationships strengthening, comfort level with retirement steadily increasing, and so much more. Some general categories include: Health Relationships Finances Lifestyle Gratefulness Hang around until the end to hear Cody’s big announcement, and Justin’s not-so-standard Thanksgiving dish that you can wow your friends and family with. You might be shocked at just how little money comes up, and we think that’s the clearest sign we’re living our best lives. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/dz_ThEE_YYU 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Allison Baggerly from Inspired Budget joins us to share her journey from $111,000 in debt to creating a life of freedom through budgeting. Topics covered include: How to change your spending habits Paying down debt as quickly as possible Different types of budgets and how to implement The power of increasing your income Knowing your “enough” How kids can actually reduce your expenses Planning for early retirement Routines, time blocking, and managing your schedule And so much more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Inspired Budget (Allison’s Website) Inspired Budget Podcast Allison’s YouTube Allison’s Instagram Money Made Easy (Allison’s Book) Allison’s Budgeting Spreadsheet Allison’s Daily Budgeting Video YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/59scOklc9jc 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Garrett Brown, author of The Glamping Investor, joins us to talk all about building a glamping business. He shares his own journey from $0 to $700,000+ in revenue, and his best tips on how you can get started yourself. Topics covered include: Finding the right plot of land Understanding “landhacking” and why it’s so powerful Setting up utilities and amenities Zoning and building laws Different types of glamping structures and their cost Financing and how to buy these types of structures Scaling and improving your glamping business And so much more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode The Glamping Investor (Garrett’s Book) Garrett’s Instagram Garrett’s YouTube BiggerStays YouTube  Pacific Domes (mention The FI Show for best pricing) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/1oCuixGBYsw 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Sathish Gajula from the Compounding Project joins us to talk about compounding your health, wealth, and mindset. He shares some mindblowing stats, along with plenty of tactical advice. Topics covered include: Why investing early matters so much How to cut back on the “big 3” expenses The most important part of the compound interest equation How compounding affects health and fitness Curating the right information diet Hacks for maintaining motivation and discipline And so much more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode The Compounding Project (Instagram) The Compounding Project (YouTube) The Compounding Project Podcast Compound Interest Equation: Sathish’s Favorite Books: Outlive – Peter Attia The Simple Path to Wealth – JL Collins Sapiens – Yuval Noah Harari The Compound Effect – Darren Hardy I Will Teach You to Be Rich – Ramit Sethi Atomic Habits – James Clear Sathish’s Favorite Podcasts: Diary of a CEO The Tim Ferriss Show Colin & Samir Sathish’s Favorite Apps: Fantastical Calendar Chat GPT Todoist YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/yCded1Kz61I 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet <a href="https://faceboo

Seth and Tori Bolt from Bolt Farm Treehouse join us to share their story of a wedding gift that turned into a $32.5 million business. It’s been truly incredible to see what they’ve built together, and more importantly, just how down-to-earth both of them are despite their tremendous success. Inside the episode, we discuss: Scaling a short-term rental business How hospitality is everywhere Creating a memorable experience Working with your partner Goal setting and the concept of “enough” Attracting top talent Showing up on social media Knowing when to add/cut things And so much more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Bolt Farm Treehouse @boltfarmtreehouse (IG) @drsethbolt (IG) @toribolt (IG) Bolt Farm Workshop Retreats YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/kL5-g3yGqt0 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Jillian Johnsrud, a friend and multiple-time guest on The FI Show, joins us to discuss her latest book, Retire Often. Specifically, we cover: Why mini-retirements are so important How mini-retirements can accelerate your FI timeline The art of negotiation Finding meaning from taking breaks Retiring with intention The math behind mini-retirements Why FIRE shouldn’t be your first retirement And so much more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Retire Often Book Jillian’s Website Overcoming Adversity (Jillian’s 1st Episode on The FI Show) Managing Goals and Avoiding Mediocrity (Her 2nd Episode) Fire the Haters and Create Content Online (Her 3rd Episode) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/2fN3UOOVqBw 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Justin is back! Your very own Financial Independence Show co-host is here to give you all the financial details from his six-month journey around the world. Spoiler alert, he actually turned a profit and increased his net worth by $100k+ while abroad. The numbers might be shocking, but as always, Justin kept detailed records of expenses and walks you through exactly how he pulled off this incredible trip. Specifically, we cover: Most overrated and underrated places Where he wishes we spent more time First place on his “going back” list Where he’d be most likely to live long term Best bang for your buck experience Where he wishes he had spent more money Accomplished and unaccomplished goals Airbnb income, other income, and creative ways to save Hang around until the end to hear Justin’s top 3 tips for someone looking to do something similar! This is an episode you’ll want to come back to if you’re looking for a blueprint for traveling the world on a budget. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Justin’s Travel Blog Spreadsheet with all the expenses Some photos highlighting the European travels $46 to Travel the World (Pre-Trip Episode) $2,052 for 5 Weeks in Southeast Asia (1-Month Recap) $1,500 per Month to Travel in Southeast Asia (3-Month Recap) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/ThTLDOj1A7A 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You ca

Tony J Robinson, co-host of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie podcast and one half of The Real Estate Robinsons, joins us to talk real estate strategy. Tony has experience with many creative financing options and buying properties all around the country. Specifically, we cover: 100% mortgage loans through small credit unions The BRRR strategy Finding equity partners to finance deals Seller financing Lines of credit against stocks How to identify a “good” investment property Systems for managing your properties Building a team anywhere in the country And so much more. This is definitely an episode you’ll want to come back to if you’re looking to set up a system for managing your properties. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Tony’s Instagram Tony’s YouTube Channel The Real Estate Robinsons BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie Podcast Finding Properties: AirDNA PriceLabs Managing Properties: PriceLabs Guesty Hostfully Breezeway Monday Turno YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/4lojE8R18Ks 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

If you’ve ever searched for something travel-related, you’ve probably stumbled onto Nomadic Matt’s website at one point or another. He started travel blogging back in 2008 and quickly became one of the biggest names in the space. As you can imagine, after traveling and gathering information for 15+ years, he has a lot to share about travel! In this episode, we cover: How to find cheap flights How to find cheap accommodation How to find a cheap phone plan Why slow travel can save you money Overrated and underrated travel destinations The biggest mistakes most travelers make Taking a sabbatical and/or quitting your job and a whole lot more. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode NomadicMatt.com How to Travel the World on $75 a Day Matt’s Instagram Cheap flights: Going Thrifty Traveler Airfarewatchdog The Flight Deal Google Flights Redeeming points: Seats.aero Point.me Cheap stays: Couchsurfing Trusted House Sitters Airbnb (rooms) Home Exchange Booking.com Rakuten (for money back on booked stays) Cheap phone plans: Airalo Saily Holafly No-fee Banking: Charles Schwab Investor Checking YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/a9TrvTIlogw 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group <a h

Who said building wealth had to be complicated? In this episode, we’re joined by JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth (recently revised). JL was one of the pioneers of the FI space as we know it today, and has been coined “The Godfather of FI”. During this interview, we cover: If the Simple Path to Wealth still works in today’s economy How to navigate a market downturn How to build your investment portfolio The power of compound interest Why fees can destroy your returns How to spend in alignment with your values The real reason we accumulate money And so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, check out the links below for more content, and don’t forget to share this podcast with a friend! Links From the Episode The Simple Path to Wealth JLCollinsNH.com The One Thing That Determines Your Success in the Market (blog post) The Wasting Asset Retirement Model (WARM – blog post) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/hr7_ZfbKMno 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today, we bring you our second episode covering Justin’s six-month journey across Asia and Europe. Luckily, Justin loves documenting the numbers, so you’ll get the most in-depth breakdown of expenses you could hope for. Listen in to see how he’s living it up in paradise for $45/day. That number includes accommodation, restaurants, groceries, gyms, activities, government fees, random purchases…literally everything. Here’s a high-level breakdown for Justin’s half of the full Southeast Asia portion of his 6-month trip: Transportation: $582 Accommodation: $1,368 Activities: $1,543 Restaurants: $299 Groceries: $242 Gov Fees: $32 Misc: $42 Gym: $80 Some highlight activities include: 4-day/3-night island hopping tour Mount Batur sunrise jeep excursion 10-hour private driver tour So many beaches and waterfalls Three separate hour-plus massages Three additional days of boat tours in the Philippines 5 separate 1hr+ massages 2 cooking classes Gili Island Snorkeling 8-hour private Nusa Penida tour Ha Long Bay yacht Trang An river + Ninh Binh tour Bai Dinh temple complex 4-day Ha Giang motorcycle loop (Vietnam) Koh Lanta Island hopping 2-day Elephant Nature Park stay 12-hour Chiang Rai temple tour and more… Want all the data? Check out Justin’s detailed spreadsheet We hope you enjoyed this in-depth check-in and look forward to periodically bringing you these over the next few months. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Traveling the World for $46/day $2,052 for 5 Weeks in Southeast Asia (Justin’s 1-Month Recap) Justin’s Detailed Trip Expenses Justin’s Substack (to follow along with his travels) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/HPzIkEmhkTA 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our

Entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be sexy. In today’s episode, Nick Huber, author of The Sweaty Startup, talks about how to get rich doing boring things. Instead of building the next AI tool, how about a painting business? Or landscaping? Or HVAC? Or one of the hundreds of services that everyday people need? Topics covered include: Finding your next business idea Why Shark Tank is a lie The easiest way to tell if an idea will work Getting your first customers When to “legitimize” your business Marketing strategies that actually work When to start scaling and branching out and more! This episode covers a lot, so get ready to take some notes. If you enjoyed this episode, check out the links below for more content, and don’t forget to share this podcast with a friend! Links From the Episode The Sweaty Startup (Nick’s Book) Nick’s Twitter Nick’s Instagram Nick’s last appearance on The FI Show (episode 228) Nick’s businesses: Personal Brand – https://sweatystartup.com/ Self Storage – https://boltstorage.com/ Overseas Staffing – https://supportshepherd.com/ Cost Segregation – https://recostseg.com/ Insurance – https://titanrisk.com/ Business Brokerage – <a href="https://nickhuber.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noref

Grant Sabatier, the bestselling author of Financial Freedom, returns to the show for the third time to talk all about entrepreneurship. Inside the episode we cover: How to come up with business ideas What makes a successful entrepreneur Why 9/10 small businesses fail Grant’s perfect business formula Growing, scaling, and marketing a business The biggest mistakes made by entrepreneurs Following your passion vs. following the money and so much more. Grant’s latest book, Inner Entrepreneur, is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to advance in business. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Inner Entrepreneur GrantSabatier.com Grant’s Community Grant’s Instagram Grant’s First Appearance on The FI Show YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/dw5pxLC7CYQ 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today we bring you our first episode since Justin hit the road on his six-month journey across Asia and Europe. Luckily, Justin loves documenting the numbers so you’ll get the most in-depth breakdown of expenses you could hope for. Listen in to see how he’s living it up in paradise for $55/day. That number includes accommodation, restaurants, groceries, gyms, activities, government fees, random purchases…literally everything. Here’s a high-level breakdown for Justin’s half of the first 37 days expenses: Transportation: $305 Accommodation: $590 Activities: $838 Restaurants: $134 Groceries: $82 Gov Fees: $32 Misc: $20 Gym: $51 That’s only $2k for 37 days! Some highlight activities include: 4 day/3 night island hopping tour Mount Batur sunrise jeep excursion 10-hour private driver tour So many beaches and waterfalls Three separate hour-plus massages Three additional days of boat tours in the Phillippines and more Want all the data? Check out Justin’s detailed spreadsheet We hope you enjoyed this in-depth check-in and look forward to periodically bringing you these over the next few months. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Traveling the World for $46/day Justin’s Detailed Trip Expenses Justin’s Substack (to follow along with his travels) YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/39w8PfTLmcg 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blo

Dustin Heiner returns to the show after a long 5 years to share what he’s been up to since his last appearance (a lot!). We discuss His recent 355-unit apartment building and multiple hotel acquisitions How he’s built a podcasting network His fast-growing real estate conference His daily and weekly routine and how he balances work and life What it really takes to build passive income And so much more. Dustin’s goal is to help 1,000,000 people start investing in real estate, and he’s already made huge progress. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode REWBCon (Use code “Cody” for 10% off) Dustin’s Free Real Estate Investing Course Dustin’s Instagram Dustin’s YouTube Master Passive Income Dustin’s First Appearance on The FI Show YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/5ok7JGOhVwE 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today we bring you our goals for 2025 along with some upcoming changes to the podcast. Every year, we like to map out some of our goals and what we aim to accomplish. We break these down into the following categories: Money/Finance Fitness Family/Relationship Other Some examples of Cody’s goals include: Doubling down on what works for business and finance Completing an Ironman Cutting out bad relationships and doubling down on good ones Completing the build for his “forever” home Some of Justin’s Goals include: Running a sub-22-min 5k and completing a half-marathon Simplifying the investment account sprawl Coming away from his trip with a short list of slow travel locations Writing more In the episode, you’ll get the full breakdown of all the goals and why some of these are the focus for 2025. We hope you enjoyed this goal-setting episode and are inspired to make some big moves in 2025. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Traveling the World for $46/day 2023 Recap and 2024 Goals 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today we bring you a Christmas special of sorts. The 12 money lessons as a play on the 12 days of Christmas. These are some of the most foundational takeaways we’ve realized during our financial journey. We truly believe if you master these lessons, you’ll have a clear path to hitting your money goals. 12 Money Lessons We Cover: Retirement is a number, not an age 4% rule or cash flow method Your first investment should be in yourself $10K toward self-betterment will likely go a lot further than it will in the S&P or RE at the beginning of your journey Compound interest is insane  Investing $500 a month from 25 – 45 and then stopping will give you ~$1M in retirement at 65. Investing $1,000 a month from 45-65 will give you only $500,000. Start Early. The 80/20 of spending Focusing on the “big 3” (housing, transportation, food) will do way more for you than penny-pinching in other categories There’s no “right way” to reach financial independence If someone tells you the X is the only way, they’re lying or trying to sell you something. Can be done via index funds, RE, corporate job, digital products, etc. Action > Information You will learn way more by actually doing the thing, than reading books, listening to podcasts, or watching YouTube videos about it. Now is not a bad time to start Almost anytime you look back 4 years at investing you’ll wish you would have bought even more which is just a sure sign that if you feel like you need to wait to invest, you’re probably wrong <spa

Jordan Grumet aka Doc G brings his brilliant insights to help listeners find answers to one of the hardest questions we battle with, what is our purpose? That gets broken down in this episode and his upcoming book, The Purpose Code. He has a history as a physician which brings amazing perspectives, especially from his time as a hospice doctor. Jordan recounts his life lessons to explain how to find purpose and shed the anxiety that normally comes with that search. He also breaks down the difference between regret and disappointment. Jordan does a phenomenal job of incorporating exercises at the end of each chapter to put what you read into practice. The book and discussion don’t just stop with your life but also discuss how to leave a lasting legacy for others. There’s no doubt that Jordan has some of the most thoughtful and insightful conversations anywhere in the personal finance space. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode The Purpose Code Book Jordan’s Website Earn and Invest Podcast Jordan’s First Episode on The FI Show YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/DunvVz_JdTc 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Someone recently asked me: “How did you reach FI?” I didn’t have a great answer for them that didn’t take 30+ minutes to explain. So, I recorded a podcast episode outlining my entire FI Journey – all the numbers, all the income streams, all the expenses, year over year. Below are the notes I created to guide the episode. 2016 Read the 4-Hour Workweek Started my first real business, Arsenal Discs Learned how to build a website, marketing, sales, networking, negotiations, pricing, product design… all the HARD way 2017 Discovered FI through Mr. Money Mustache Started listening to podcasts like ChooseFI and Afford Anything Read books like Simple Path to Wealth and Your Money or Your Life Learned about side hustles, taxes, the 4% rule, etc. Despite all this, didn’t really have any money since I was paying for college Locked in job for July 2018, plan was to work 7-10 years to hit FI 2018 Went to CampFI in January and FI became “real” Lived in Australia with lots of time on my hands and started side hustling after being unable to find a regular job Blog launched in April 2018 to document my journey Started working as a commercial RE lender in July 2018 once I returned to the U.S. All-in comp was $80-85k Knowing that FI existed was a blessing and a curse Launched podcast in August 2018 (nothing else like it) <li style="font-weight: 400;"

Justin retired 1 year ago today! What did he do? How does he feel? Did the numbers work out as expected? Luckily for you, he’s dropped all the answers to that in the show with the highlights below. Read on for Justin’s notes: Numerical Highlights from Year 1: Averaged around $2500/mo or $30k/yr  spending Networth increased by ~400k ($1.7M -> $2.1M) Continued to save money 4% SWR + Passive Income = ~13k/mo or $156k/yr if I wanted Retirement Feelings Explained: Relaxed:  just being yourself and no corporate coating,  Awkward: Realizing every American interaction with someone starts off with work followed by me trying to explain the situation and balancing the outward perception from to Proud: as someone who is often hard on themself for not sticking to things, financial independence took real commitment for ~9 years.  Scared: that I’ll have great ideas I want to try, memories I want to make, relationships I want to strengthen, or  things I want to discuss… but discover that those I want to do it with don’t want those things at all Relieved: After a year, I find similarities to the relief I felt over telling everyone I gave up alcohol. Saying aloud that I’ve done something that 99% of people will never do felt very weird at first, but then I adjusted to that 1% weirdo being my story, and the people who truly care about me let you be that 1% weirdo. And that exchange ends with a lot of relief.  Responsible: I feel a responsibility to push the people I love the most to take ownership of their financial lives  Satisfied: Not from a mentality that everything that needs to be accomplished is accomplished. My sense of satisfaction comes from knowing that the first year of retirement was worth every decision and delayed gratification even if it’s the only year of financial freedom I ever get. Detailed Breakdown of Year 1 Activities: December 2023 Hosted my niece for a week in Austin <li style="font-we

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss what they’re thankful for and the importance of focusing on what you can control. We recorded this episode shortly after Election Day. Elections leave a lot of people feeling defeated and a lot of people feeling like they’ve won. The reality is that neither is true. You are the most critical variable in your financial independence journey, regardless of who’s sitting in the Oval Office. The key is to focus on what you can control and to appreciate the privilege that you have. Even if things don’t seem rosy, the hardest experiences often shape us the most and transform us into better versions of ourselves. We hope this inspires you to evaluate your life, appreciate your advantages, spend some time in gratitude, and get inspired for your next chapter in life. If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend! Links from the Episode The Purpose Code 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

It’s open enrollment season, meaning making healthcare choices for the upcoming year. So for today’s episode, we’re featuring FI healthcare experts Lynn Frair and Jackie Cummings Koski. We cover: HSAs Healthshare Ministries Subsidized Care Deductible and Out-ot-Pocket Maximums Open Enrollment State Healthcare Exchanges End-of-life Care Emergency Funds and more! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links and Resources Lynn’s Instagram Jackie’s Instagram Heatlhcare.gov WexInc HSA vs Traditional Calculator Mad Fientist article on HSAs 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Cody joins Amy Porterfield on the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast to talk all about digital products. He covers topics such as: The best platforms to sell digital products How to find digital products you might already own How to get more subscribers using printables How to make more money with digital products How to add digital products to your existing business And all about what’s inside his E-Printables course. Hope this helps someone else start their digital product journey. If you enjoyed this, please share this episode with a friend! Links from The Episode E-Printables Course (with FI Show discount) Original episode on Online Marketing Made Easy YouTube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ELCryyjEM 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Our friend Sunitha Rao came from humble beginnings. Her parents spent most of their lives in one of the poorest regions in India. Despite all odds, Suni became a professional tennis player and traveled the globe playing in different tournaments. Years later, she turned her competitive nature toward real estate. Her real estate career quickly started to explode, and she’s been addicted ever since. This episode originally aired in 2019, but it was so good, we decided to replay it. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Suni’s Original Episode from 2019 Suni’s LinkedIn Suni’s Instagram 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

2,000,000 downloads! And it’s all thanks to listeners, viewers, and readers like yourself. In today’s episode, we reflect on everything that has changed and everything that hasn’t. Cody & Justin have increased their net worths by a combined $5,000,000! Justin retired 10 years sooner than he ever imagined. Cody created a multi-seven-figure business around an idea he never even considered. Those are just a couple of big highlights with other highlights including: New Investment Strategies Flips AirBnB – ownership and management Covered Calls Syndications Hard Money Loans Lifestyle Changes Girlfriends have become Wife/Fiance Justin stopped drinking Cody and Justin are in even better physical shape than 6 years ago They both focus more on value than purely price Justin listens to EDM and drinks coffee….never saw that coming What Hasn’t Changed Keeping the “big 3” expenses low The majority of our investments are still total stock market funds Experiences are still the priority over material objects We continue to do this show because of you all. Every time we hear a story of how we inspired someone or introduced them to a concept that is now helping them live the life they dreamed of, it pushes us to keep going. We hope you found value in the episode, if you did, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend! Links from The Episode 2018 Reflection, 2019 Goals episode 2019 Valentine’s Day episode 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Jane Kanizay went from financial freedom to divorce to financial freedom again while achieving amazing physical feats along the way. Jane is an adventurer, educator, activist, speaker, artist, and ​mother of four who successfully climbed Mt. Everest ​with her 19-year-old daughter on May 14th, 2022. Jane climbs with the message of Teach Us Consent to campaign for ​holistic consent education in the school curriculum and to ​advocate for the prevention of violence against women. This mission helps push her to her physical and mental limits. High-altitude mountaineering is one of the deadliest sports in the ​world. It’s also very expensive and hard to imagine being possible for most teachers. That’s where Jane’s background in real estate shines. She built a portfolio that is now funding her amazing adventures. She also gives us an in-depth breakdown of the financial abuse she tries to educate on and advocate against. Some signs of this abuse from a partner might include: Controls access to finances, won’t let you access bank accounts or credit cards Expects you to pay for bills, groceries, and other basic necessities but gives you little or no money to cover those costs Forbids you from working or deliberately sabotages your ability to get or hold down a job Refuses to work or contribute to family expenses Takes out loans or accrues debt in your name Doesn’t include you in significant investment or banking decisions Refuses to pay or evades child support Hides assets Incurs fines or infringements in your name then expects you to pay them Jane’s story is so inspirational and we hope that she helps you get out of your comfort zone and achieve the seemingly impossible. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Jane’s Instagram Jane’s Website Teach Us Consent YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/JUHxxcX8AKY 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet <a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/"

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss how Justin will travel the world for 6 months at a shockingly low price. In total, the trip will cover 161 days as currently planned. The cost is only $46 per day! That cost includes flights, trains, ferries, accommodation, and activities for one person. Below you can find the locations Justin will be visiting, We’ve also included the packing list since Justin is only taking a small backpack for the entire trip. Locations include: Philipines Manila Coron El Nido Indonesia Ubud Gili Islands Nusa Islands Vietnam Hanoi Ninh Binh Cat Ba Thailand Krabi Koh Lanta Chiang Mai Bangkok Amsterdam Chur, Switzerland Italy Milan Rapallo Monterosso al mare Florence Rome Naples Ischia Lipari Palermo Sardinia Barcelona Packing List: Backpack Rainjacket 5 shirts 4 pair of socks 5 pair underwear Midlayer <a href="https://www.fab

One of the questions we get asked most often is for guidance on what someone should and should not spend money on. The answer is always… it depends. What’s important to me, may not be important to you. Jen Smith is here to give everyone the framework to make those tough decisions. This framework is called Value Based spending. Jen lays it all out in her new book, “Buy What You Love Without Going Broke“. Long-term listeners may remember Jen from episode 58, “Frugality without Deprivation,” in 2019. She’s also still rocking things over at the Frugal Friends Podcast. In today’s episode as we discuss the book you’ll find answers to the following: Why is it so hard to stop spending money? What is values-based spending and how is it different? What’s the problem with telling someone a budget will solve their spending problem? What’s the point of learning values-based spending when the bigger issue is that we don’t earn enough money? And so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Pre-order the book! Frugal Friend’s Podcast YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/dsl4EQekk4M 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

You never know how close you are to a great story. I (Justin) learned that on my recent trip to Africa on my way to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro. Boarding my flight I met Caitlin James as she was on her way to climb the very same mountain. The more I heard from her, the more I realized I had come across a truly amazing story. Caitlin was paralyzed in a boating accident. Through surgery and rehab, she eventually regained the ability to walk. Walking was just the start though. She jokingly said if she could walk again she’d climb a mountain in a banana suit…and that’s exactly what she did. That first mountain hooked her, and she has racked up an insanely impressive list of summits in just a couple of years. This story may not seem relevant to some for this show, but we thought it made perfect sense. Many people want to do something adventurous, travel, and spend their days outside instead of behind a computer. These reasons are what drive them to retire. But Caitlin isn’t waiting for retirement to live out her dreams and pursue her passions. Instead, she is making her passions her career. Caitlin reinvented herself and her career. Check out her expeditions over the last couple of years: NORTH AMERICA DENALI Alaska 20,310 MT WHITNEY, California 14,505 MT RAINIER, Washington 14,411 MT HELEN, Washington 10,786 SOUTH AMERICA ACONCAGUA 22,837 (Normal route) Ojos del Salado 22,615 (Argentinian side) PERU Cordillera Blanca Range; Huascaran 22,205 Chacraraju 20,039 Salkantay 20,574 Ausangate Nevado trek; Machu Picchu 7,972 Huayna Picchu 8,835 Rainbow Mountain 17,060 Nevado Ausangate 20,945 Nevados Ojos del Salado 22,569 ECUADOR Chimborazo 20,549 EUROPE MONT BLANC 15,777 MATTERHORN 14,692 The EIGER 13,642 The ALPHUBEL 13,799 DOLOMITES 10,968 MONTE ROSA 15,203 BRITISH COLUMBIA MT LOGAN 19,551 MT FAIRWEATHER 15,325 MT ROBSON 9,281 FT AFRICA Kilimanjaro, 19,341 (3x in two years) Umbwe, Marangu, Machame Route Mt Meru 14,980 Cape Town 3,563 CHILE Torres Del Paine (Patagonia) JAPAN MT Fuji 12,388 MT Tsurugi 9,839 NEPAL EBC TREK 17,598 LOBUCHE 20,062 ISLAND PEAK 20,252 MANASLU C3 23,622 INDONESIA SUMATRA 12,484 AUSTRALIA MT KOSCIUSZKO 7,310 MT TOWNSEND 7,247 GREAT OCEAN WALK 240 Kilo/149miles We hope this inspires you to consider how you can chase your dreams now and not feel as though your li

Cody shares his digital product journey on the How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy podcast with Lizzie Smiley. He covers topics such as: How to find profitable products Keyword research and SEO Strategies for making more sales Student success stories Why Etsy is the best platform for beginners And all about what’s inside his E-Printables course. Hope this helps someone else start their digital product journey. If you enjoyed this, please share this episode with a friend! Links from The Episode E-Printables Course (with FI Show discount) How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy podcast YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/wm-_wRkh16g?si=S1tyaVbGjU6g8UMJ 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

If you love the personal finance space, chances are you’ve heard of FinCon. Today, we bring you Philip Taylor who created and grew FinCon into the massive pillar of the community it is today. For loooong time listeners, you may remember Cody interviewing PT at FinCon back in 2018. You’ll hear the origins, the heights, the COVID-19 survival, and the future of FinCon in this episode. PT isn’t stopping with one conference and is now running a second called TravelCon in addition to expanding his family’s accountant business. Don’t forget to snag your ticket to FinCon while you still can. This year’s event will be in Atlanta, October 23-26. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode FinCon TravelCon The Creator CPA PT Money YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/hhCSECSDJag 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Long-time listeners may remember Nick’s episode from Episode 56 way back in 2019. We felt like this classic episode and fundamental topic needed to be brought out of the archives and revisited. Nick Loper is the side hustle king from Side Hustle Nation. Nick got an eye-opening opportunity in college and knew he had to be his own boss. He would eventually work for three years in the corporate world. During that time he was building his side hustle. It was quickly covering his expenses and he never looked back. We really help you focus on how to choose the right side hustle for you. Nick recommends finding two areas you’re in the top 50% in Then find a way for those two things to intersect He also suggests trying out things to experiment You’ll often find your true golden idea once you get started on a project If you begin to dread the work, it may be time to stop working on that side hustle Listen and learn all about side hustles and let us know what you think. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Side Hustle Nation List of Side Hustle Ideas Nick’s YouTube Channel Follow Nick on X 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss Justin’s recent summit of Kilimanjaro. You’ll learn all the details, pricing, and considerations if you’re interested in this major summit, as well as the mental growth and lessons learned from pushing your body to the extreme and living without your normal luxuries. Some topics include: What to pack Cost of the trip A typical day on the hike Overcoming mental hurdles Embracing simplicity Even though he battled sickness every day of the hike, Justin would highly recommend trying this summit. And even if you don’t, hopefully this episode inspires you to try something that challenges you. Please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend! Links from The Episode Company Justin Used for the Kilimanjaro Summit Recommended rinse-free bathing wipes YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/ALrPVFNOUDc 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Cody shares how he’s able to earn over $75,000 per month in passive income on the Forget About Money Podcast. His big four are: Digital Products Real Estate Affiliate Marketing / Sponsorships Stock market investments (doesn’t really count, but we explain) If you enjoyed this, please share this episode with a friend! YouTube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1bh6ZIld6w&t=1276s 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

What would you be willing to do to hit financial independence early? Michael Alberse lived differently for 2+ years to save over 90% of his income as a Google employee. In this episode, we talk about: Living in a van Managing finances with a significant other Landing a 6-figure job (with insane perks) Starting an agency Small business investing Finding your “why” And so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode Michael’s Instagram YouTube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoR3Ae1oYtQ 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss one of the most heated investing arguments. Should you hand-select the “best” companies, or invest in the total stock market? Some topics include: Individual stocks are often investors’ first exposure to the stock market The mental drag of stress from volatility How individual stocks can scratch the itch Setting non-negotiable limits More certain path to FI vs the potential for a home run Bad bets we’ve made on individual stocks As part of this discussion, we compared several individual stocks against VTSAX. VTSAX is an index fund Vanguard offers and tracks the total stock market. List of stocks including present-day value and annualized return if you invested $1,000 on Aug 9, 2004, and reinvested dividends: VTSAX $5,807 9.19% average annual return Intel $1,623 2.45% average annual return 7th Market Cap Abercrombie and Fitch $4,679 8.02% average annual return Couple of years after Hollister’s launch Apple $396,562 34.85% average annual return Released iPod Mini <span sty

In this episode, Cody and Justin talk about something we thankfully haven’t had to deal with for the majority of the last 10 years. We’re talking Bear Markets and Recessions. We originally aired this episode back in 2022. This goes to show that there will always be cycles. Should your investment strategy change? Is there anything you can do to lessen the blow? How do inflation and mortgage rates factor in? Can you spin a recession into a positive thing for you? We’re going to cover all this and more. We hope you found value in the episode, if you did, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend! 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Long-time listeners may remember Brooke from her feature in Episode 134 way back in 2021. Brooke had already begun to build some impressive businesses but was still spending her days as a teacher. Since then, she’s gone all in on her career as a real estate agent. But Brooke didn’t simply become an agent, she quickly rose to the top 1% in MA, CT, and RI. To put some numbers on that, Brooke has sold over $100M in real estate! Now she’s helping to show other realtors how to copy her success and grow their business. She’s doing that through her book and community, She Closes Deals. Even if you’re not looking to enter the real estate space, Brooke’s mindset and general frameworks can help anyone. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! Links from The Episode She Closes Deals Brooke’s Instagram Brooke’s Previous Episode YouTube Interview https://youtu.be/WexdmhwIfHg 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

What kind of wild advantages do you need to retire at 33 comfortably? How extreme must the deprivation be to do this without a miracle? What if we told you that there’s no inheritance needed and you can thrive while on the journey? Justin shares his full journey (including all of the numbers) and how he retired at age 33 on BiggerPockets Money. Some topics include: Low-Income to FI Searching for Time Freedom Starting to Invest Calculating Your FI Number How Much He Spends Income and Savings Rates What He’s Investing In Create Your FIRE Plan!  If you enjoyed this, please share this episode with a friend! Links From the Episode Justin on BiggerPockets Money 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! Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here  Learn More About Your Hosts CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)