ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Most people drift through their finances on autopilot until something forces them to wake up. Jonathan and Brad map the journey from that first "hair on fire" moment of financial awareness through specific milestones that turn abstract goals into achievable wins. The hosts break down financial independence into distinct stages: hair on fire (urgent financial awakening), drift (financial stagnation...

Cryptocurrency is not the casino you think it is — it's far more dangerous because it feels legitimate. Brad and Jonathan explore pump and dump schemes through the cryptocurrency lens, dissecting the psychological forces that drive irrational investor behavior. Using recent gasoline shortages as an example of scarcity-driven panic, they examine how fear, social media influence, and hype create per...

Most people wait until a crisis to rethink their finances. Dennison's pandemic disruption forced him to rebuild from scratch—and what he discovered changed everything. When his plans fell apart, he learned that the real path to financial independence wasn't following a rigid blueprint, but mastering adaptability itself. Dennison's journey began with his immigrant parents from the Philippines, who...

The pandemic forced millions to confront a question they'd been avoiding: Why am I doing this? For many high earners on the path to financial independence, the answer suddenly became uncomfortably vague. Jonathan and Brad explore how the past year's workplace upheaval has exposed cracks in traditional career thinking—and created rare opportunities to renegotiate the terms of work itself. They exam...

A single Roth IRA contribution made when your child is young could grow to over a million dollars by the time they retire. That's the power of time and compounding working together—and it costs far less than you'd think. Equipping children with financial independence tools starts with teaching them the importance of saving and investing. The episode emphasizes using vehicles like Roth IRAs to enco...

A single $2 decision at dinnertime might be costing you financial independence. In episode 318, Brad and Jonathan demonstrate how dozens of seemingly minor optimizations—from digital billing to library cards to meal planning—compound into transformative wealth-building habits. They walk through specific actions across finances, health, learning, and community that each deliver small wins, showing...

Most people stop hunting for life hacks when kids arrive—Chris Hutchins doubled down by launching an entire podcast about them. The "All The Hacks" founder joins Brad and Jonathan to share the optimization strategies that save time, money, and mental energy in the chaos of daily life. Key Topics & Timestamps [00:01:19] The Importance of Life Hacks Jonathan shares how discovering life hacks can str...

Most pension advice focuses on contribution rates and vesting schedules — but what if you're looking at the wrong metrics? For Troy and Lindsay, measuring the true health of Lindsay's Virginia Retirement System pension meant examining funding ratios, cost-of-living adjustments, and even post-retirement healthcare — factors that could reshape their entire FI timeline. Troy and Lindsay, part of the...

Today's investment options would have been unimaginable just a few decades ago — when actively managed funds charged 3% fees and you paid $100 per trade. Brad and Jonathan dissect what it actually means to live in investing's "golden age," examining how expense ratios, index funds, and technology have fundamentally reshaped what's possible for everyday investors. The conversation explores the shif...

Your paycheck already has concentration risk — why compound it with your investments? Christy participates in her company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, buying shares at a 15% discount, but wonders whether to hold them long-term or sell immediately. Brian Feroldi walks through the tax math, explains how to use the Price-to-Earnings ratio to evaluate whether 3M stock is actually worth holding, and...

Ray Dalio calls holding just 15 uncorrelated assets "the Holy Grail of investing" — yet most portfolios contain hundreds of correlated bets masquerading as diversification. Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett team up with Frank Vasquez from Risk Parity Radio to examine whether your portfolio is actually diversified or simply different. They explore the real purpose behind diversification, the mecha...

Most homeowners believe their house is an investment—but what if it's actually one of your largest recurring expenses? Brad and Jonathan sit down with Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen from BiggerPockets to reframe the conversation around first-time home buying. Instead of asking "how much house can I afford?", they walk through a decision framework that treats housing as a lifestyle expense first, in...

Most people think budgets are about saying no to what they want. Tiffany Aliche, the Budgetnista, is here to flip that script entirely. In this conversation about her book Get Good with Money, she introduces the concept of financial wholeness — a ten-component framework that goes far beyond just tracking expenses or paying down debt. Key Topics Discussed: Introduction of Tiffany Aliche [00:00:00]...

The typical college degree now costs $110,000-$120,000—yet first-year salaries average just $50,000. That math hasn't worked for a decade. Brad and Jonathan unpack whether college is still a wise investment or if alternative paths like dual enrollment, CLEP testing, and geo-arbitrage offer better ROI. Drawing on listener strategies and pandemic-era shifts, they examine how to evaluate education ch...

Most kids dream up wild business ideas in the shower — then let them evaporate just as quickly. Rob Thielen, founder of The Simple Startup, has coached hundreds of young entrepreneurs to actually launch, and he's distilled the process into a framework any parent can use at home. The secret isn't a million-dollar idea; it's identifying a problem someone else actually wants solved. Rob returns to sh...

The job market has fundamentally changed, and what worked in 1990 will waste your time today. Jonathan and Brad break down how to adapt your job search strategy in an economy that no longer rewards resume submissions. They cover the Chase Sapphire Preferred's updated 80,000-point bonus, explore how Google's certificate programs are challenging the necessity of traditional degrees, and explain why...

Financial independence is actually easier to achieve than most people think — but it's also wildly misunderstood. Diana Merriam returns to dismantle the most persistent myths about the FIRE movement: that it's only for tech workers making six figures, that it requires eating ramen for a decade, or that it's fundamentally about greed. Brad and Jonathan join her to challenge these stereotypes and re...

You wake up every morning, drink coffee, check your bank balance, and feel fine. But what if "fine" is costing you years of your life? In this pandemic-era interactive session, Brad and Jonathan tackle listener questions on everything from sneaky recurring charges to the surprising connection between health and wealth. They reveal why reviewing your subscriptions isn't just about saving money—it's...

In a world where interest rates hover near zero, every dollar in your emergency fund loses purchasing power daily — yet pulling it out could leave you vulnerable to the next crisis. Brad and Jonathan tackle this financial tightrope and the art of marginal gains during uncertain times. Key Topics Discussed Aggregation of Marginal Gains [00:02:38] Small, consistent changes compound into significant...

Your partner says you can't afford to retire early—but they're still spending $200 on brunch every weekend. Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett continue their relationships and money series with Jillian Johnsrud, tackling the financial conflicts that strain even the strongest partnerships. Through listener voicemails, they unpack how to handle parental financial support as an adult, combine finance...

Most people know they should invest, but they freeze when staring at $6,000 in savings, unsure whether to pay down debt, bulk up emergency funds, or finally open that brokerage account. Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa tackle this exact paralysis in a live interactive format, fielding real-time questions from listeners navigating their own barriers to financial independence. From understanding r...

Most people think wealth building requires a six-figure income or a finance degree. Julian and Kirsten from Rich and Regular prove otherwise — their approach centers on habits, community, and the creativity of financial independence rather than raw earning power alone. Brad and Jonathan explore wealth-building through a conversation with Julian and Kirsten, who share their personal experiences nav...

A furloughed hospitality worker landed a high-paying Salesforce role within months—with zero tech background. Anita's career pivot started during the pandemic lockdown, when she turned to online resources and the Talent Stacker program to retrain herself. Within a short time, she completed her certification and secured a job that dramatically increased her income. Her success demonstrates that car...

Military pensions act as lottery tickets for retirement—but only if you understand how to use them effectively while you're still in service. Matt and Megan, a dual military couple navigating their careers alongside financial independence, sit down with Doug Nordman, author of "Raising Your Money Savvy Family for Next Generation Financial Independence," to tackle the financial and emotional comple...

Most people sit on piles of cash "for emergencies" while inflation slowly erodes its value — but what if that safety net is actually costing you money? Brad and Jonathan challenge the sacred rule of keeping 3–6 months of expenses in cash, examining how your emergency fund should evolve as your financial situation changes. As you build wealth, gain income stability, and develop multiple liquidity o...