friends on FIRE

In this week’s episode, we talk with the Wealth Twins, also known as Nadia and Nicole. Nadia and Nicole both went to Columbia University and spent decades working in investment banking and financial services. They retired early in their 30s and are now entrepreneurs, investors, and passionate about teaching others how to reach financial independence. We discuss the advantages of growing up poor, w...

In this week’s episode, we delve into a discussion on friends, family, and money. We started this podcast because we both learned first-hand that talking to your friends about money can improve everyone’s finances. Yet, for some reason, most people do not talk to their friends or family about money? It’s a taboo topic. But it shouldn’t be. We discuss why friends don’t talk about money, the benefit...

It’s our 100th podcast episode, so this week we’re having a 100th episode extravaganza! We ask each other some surprise questions and share our reflections from podcasting 100 episodes over the last year and a half. We also share our favorite episodes, read some recent reviews, answer some listener questions, and share a mid-year goal check-in. And Mike finally unveils that he’s been saving up 99...

In this episode, we talk about a summer purge to rid your house of all the worthless or unnecessary stuff you’ve accumulated over the years. We all have those items that we’ve moved from house to house and just won’t let go; but have you stopped and asked yourself why it’s so unthinkable to get rid of those things? We discuss the psychology behind attachment and provide some tips for decluttering...

In this week’s episode, we discuss eleven tips for planning your dream “vaxication”, which is a post-vaccination vacation. People are excited to travel again, but there are some new challenges to navigate when it comes to transportation and hospitality and some great opportunities! We share our summer vacation plans and tips for making the best of cost-effective summer travel during this unique ti...

In this week’s episode, we discuss the emerging trend of revenge-spending. As vaccinations increase and our year of the world being in quarantine starts to show signs of opening up, consumers have a pent-up need to do things and buy things. People feel like their opportunity to live life and spend money was taken from them, and now they are out for “revenge.” But don’t let this hurt your finances...

In this week’s episode, we discuss the less-known path of financial freedom, what it is, why you might want it, and how to attain it. The FIRE, or “financial independence retire early,” movement isn’t about retiring early to do nothing; it’s really about seeking financial freedom. And financial freedom attained on many different levels gives you options in life. And options and freedom bring with...

In this week’s episode, we discuss how nobody cares and how realizing and accepting that can save you a lot of money! You’ll be truly happy when you’re spending money on what makes you happy, not what you think other people will admire or respect. People are not thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are; they are busy thinking about themselves. Yes, they might notice when something i...

In this week’s episode, we share 10+ tips for creating a frugal home office to get ready for the new normal. We discuss the future of working from home after major companies have started to minimize their office space and establish more clear long-term plans for remote work. We share our advice for how to establish an effective home office that will keep you working productively and comfortably, a...

In this week’s episode, we talk to Haley and Justin from the Price of Avocado Toast podcast. Haley and Justin share their story of inheriting $600K, quickly spending it and getting in more debt, and then completing a total 180 and turning around their finances. They share their thoughts on lifestyle inflation, fulfillment and what creates happiness, and how they are still paying for their past dec...

In this week’s episode, we dive into our biggest financial pet peeves that drive us crazy, and then our best financial power moves that make us happy. These pet peeves range from slightly annoying to the type of things you should try to avoid at all cost, and these power moves can have such a positive impact on your financial situation. Our pet peeves include shaming others, not taking your compan...

In this week’s episode, we talk to Jose Hernandez from Millennial Money Mentor. Jose and his family came to the US as hard-working immigrants with little money and even less understanding of money. After ending his baseball career earlier than he had hoped, he landed his dream job with a large financial firm. He then made the brave decision to leave that job and grow The Millennial Money Mentor fu...

In this week’s episode, we discuss why we think you do not need a financial planner. We explain the different types of financial planners, why we believe you can do better on your own, and how to get started without one. We also share our personal stories of experiences, and what we’ve learned over the last two decades. In our experience, financial planners cost a lot and that money could instead...

It’s the official one-year anniversary of covid quarantine in the US, and when covid sent many of us to work from home. Happy anniversary, and what a year it’s been! We don’t want to make light of the devastating impact the pandemic has had on people; so many people have died, so many jobs lost. But it’s also important to use difficult times to take a moment to step back and reflect and grow. So i...

This week we discuss tactical advice for buying a house or any home that you want to own vs. rent. This is a part 2 follow-up to last week’s episode on whether you should buy a house vs. rent. If you’ve decided to buy a house, it’s important to understand what the process will look like. We dig into the more tactical steps and advice in the home buying process to ensure you have a smooth experienc...

In this episode, we discuss the benefits of renting vs. buying a house and if you should buy a house just because interest rates are low right now. We start with a voicemail from a listener and discuss her question about buying a home for the first time. There is a lot of pressure on renters to buy homes right now, but it’s not unique today. There is always pressure on people to buy homes like buy...

We talk with Kiersten and Julien, the power couple behind Rich + Regular. They created Rich + Regular in 2017, and it has grown into an award-winning blog, social platform, media brand, and they are now in the process of writing a book with the world's largest publisher, Penguin Random House. Their mission is to inspire better conversations about money, and so we do just that, we have a conversati...

In this episode, we discuss Glennon Doyle’s amazing book Untamed and talk about our feelings on being caged and how to use money to get free. Maggie recommended Untamed to Mike in 2020 because she thought it was relevant to him raising two daughters. But after reading and discussing, there are many deeper narratives about life and money. The book is really about being trapped in your own life and...

In this week’s episode, we talk about how you can avoid being a victim of over-scoping or upselling. Have you ever taken your car to a dealership to fix a headlight and leave with $2,000 of repairs you didn’t know you needed? Or did you ever hire someone to mow your lawn and end up with $100 a week of chemical treatments? Or perhaps you called AT&T to lower your cell phone bill and end up with fib...

We talk with Julia Menez, who is a travel hacking coach, speaker, and founder of Geobreeze Travel. Travel hacking is the art of getting free travel, using loyalty programs set by hotels and airlines, and credit cards. Julie traveled to more than 30 countries before she was 30, and has saved thousands by travel hacking. We think Julia has her Ph. D. in travel hacking, but we hope this discussion en...

In this week’s episode and with Valentine’s day around the corner, we talk about love and how to show it for free or on a budget. Lots of people like to show their love through gifts and spending money, and that’s great sometimes, but it’s also not necessary. Flashy things can often be distracting, and true love doesn’t need much money to show. We talk through learning your love languages, the imp...

In this week’s episode, we talk about all things life insurance. What type of life insurance do you need, and what type should you avoid? (hint: you need term, avoid whole life) When should you get life insurance? How much life insurance do you need? How much will life insurance cost you? How can you get the best rates? We think life insurance is ideal for most people to have, and you should under...

In this episode, we talk about how to workout for free or on a budget, from clothing and gear to equipment to access to motivation and classes. Working out and staying fit is like a lot of things; it can cost you a lot of money, but it also doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Like we suggest with all things in life, decide on the importance of spending money in different areas of your life, and t...

In this week’s episode, we discuss what to do with all the very thoughtful but potentially unwanted gifts from the holidays or any time of year. Sometimes it truly is the thought that counts, and you can do without the gift itself. Or maybe it breaks immediately, and you or your kids are stuck with a piece of junk. We talk through the strategies for managing clutter and getting money back when you...

In this week’s episode, we talk to the original friends on FIRE, Mike’s dad Jack and his long-time friend Mark. Jack O’Leary retired at 42 in 1992, and Mark Sullivan retired at 55. They met at work, learned they had similar values and goals and became fast friends. They then collaborated on their finances and personal goals for 35+ years. We can all learn so much from the generation ahead of us on...