ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

A single percentage point in fees doesn't sound like much — until you realize it could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime of investing. Brad and Jonathan break down why expense ratios matter more than most investors think, covering everything from low-cost index funds to house hacking strategies. This mashup episode tackles listener questions on investing fundamentals, real...

Women who don't negotiate their salaries could forfeit a million dollars over their careers—but Drea Harris-Matenko argues the real cost of poverty isn't just money lost, it's the resilience you never knew you had. A social policy expert who grew up navigating food and housing insecurity in urban Boston, Drea reframes struggle not as a deficit but as a hidden strength. She joined Brad and Jonathan...

Most people underestimate what saying "yes" to a lowball job offer really costs them. Tori Dunlap reached $100,000 by age 25 through strategic salary negotiation and early investing. Brad and Jonathan explore her approach to advocating for higher pay, the mechanics of compounding wealth, and why financial conversations need to start younger than most parents think. Key Insights: Advocating for You...

Women who negotiate earn, on average, a million dollars more over their careers than those who don't. Tori Dunlap from Her First 100K shares her journey of reaching $100K by age 25 and her mission to help women close the wage gap through better negotiation skills. Brad and Jonathan explore why women often hesitate to negotiate, how to research salary data effectively, and practical strategies like...

Most people think building a diverse skill set is about padding a resume — but what if your random collection of abilities is actually your most valuable asset? Brad and Jonathan tackle listener questions on talent stacking, choosing skill development over traditional degrees, and spotting financial scams. They also sit down with financial journalist Chuck Jaffe to discuss what the FI movement get...

A Guided Meditation for When the Stock Market Is Dropping With JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth.

Most people believe passive income means money for nothing. But what if it's actually about working harder now to work less later? This episode covers multiple listener questions and hot topics, including actionable strategies for deploying windfalls, turnkey real estate due diligence, and managing market volatility. Brad and Jonathan also introduce a guided meditation by JL Collins designed to he...

Most rental property investors skip the spreadsheet and chase appreciation—Paula Pant explains why the opposite approach built her path to financial independence. Paula Pant returns to break down real estate investing as a numbers-first business, not a speculative bet. Rather than hoping for property value increases, she reveals how to build reliable income streams through careful analysis, strate...

One listener's simple question to their employer eliminated a two-hour daily commute and saved thousands in childcare costs. At FinCon this year, Brad and Jonathan watched the FI community grow from a dozen early adopters to over 500 people swapping stories about how they redesigned their lives around what matters most. This Friday Roundup spans multiple listener wins and tactical advice. The core...

Andrew Luck walked away from a $58 million contract at age 29 — what does that say about prioritizing health over money? Jonathan and Brad unpack the NFL quarterback's stunning retirement decision, connecting it to broader questions about values and financial independence. They also tackle investment strategies during market swings, the real-world benefits of college co-op programs, and listener w...

Real estate looks easiest when you're not doing it — and scariest when you finally run the numbers. Brad and Jonathan tackle listener questions on cap rates, property decisions, and automating personal finances to the point where money management takes minutes, not hours. Key Topics: Understanding Real Estate Investment [00:01:00] Real estate as an investment vehicle, not speculation The math behi...

Brad Barrett lost close to $100,000 on a speculative real estate deal — a mistake that kept him away from property investing for years. Paula Pant, who built her real estate portfolio through hands-on experience, returns to help Brad (and listeners) understand where speculation ends and informed investing begins. [00:00:41] Introduction of Paula Pant Paula returns to discuss real estate investing...

Most middle-class families can't imagine taking a three-week vacation — yet Brad just pulled it off while running a business. This week's roundup explores that exact trip to Maui, dissects actionable concepts from David Sawyer's book 'Reset,' and celebrates listener wins in the financial independence community. Timestamps and Key Topics [00:02:20] Brad's Maui Experience: Brad shares his three-week...

One in four people actively hate their jobs, and six in ten are just going through the motions at work—likely while expenses climb and technology shifts faster than they can keep up. If you're in your 30s or 40s and feel trapped in a career that no longer fits, David Sawyer's book Reset offers a practical roadmap to reclaim control. David, a public relations consultant based in Glasgow, addresses...

One student applied for scholarships even after landing a full ride — and banked thousands extra. Brad and Jonathan unpack that surprising strategy alongside a broader conversation about how financial independence is reshaping traditional personal finance advice. They reflect on Nick True's episode from Mapped Out Money, where topics ranged from designing a life on your own terms to the shifting r...

Most people wait until they hit their magic FI number to start living life on their own terms. Nick True didn't. He and his wife graduated college debt-free, moved into a 2007 Airstream trailer, and built a remote lifestyle that gives them the freedom FI promises — without waiting 15 years to get there. Nick and his wife live full-time in their Airstream, working remotely and traveling while stayi...

Most people lose money on cars — Sonny Burns turned car flipping into a repeatable profit machine in just three hours. Brad and Jonathan unpack how a listener's side hustle story reveals hidden opportunities in everyday transactions, plus practical wins like timing your DMV visit and opening a Roth IRA for your kid. Timestamps & Topics: 00:00:41 – DMV strategy: How to skip the wait by avoiding Fri...

By 28, Sonny Burns owns over a million dollars in real estate, generates six figures in annual rent, and is months away from quitting his engineering job for good. Most of his peers are still paying off student loans. Burns, a project engineer who writes at famvestor.com, didn't inherit money or get lucky with crypto — he made a series of calculated decisions that compounded into financial freedom...

What if a Friday night swim meet could teach you more about achieving financial independence than a semester of economics? Brad's daughter Anna slashed six seconds off her personal record through one simple mental trick — and the same principle could transform how you approach your money goals. This mashup episode covers multiple listener questions and stories, from Anthony's blueprint for graduat...

Over 500 people gathered in one room to watch a documentary about quitting their jobs—and nobody thought it was crazy. Brad and Jonathan recap the Richmond screening of Playing With Fire, where the financial independence community turned a movie night into a movement. But the real story comes from listener voicemails: a couple who lost nearly everything and rebuilt their lives stronger, faster, an...

Most newlyweds worry about merging their Netflix accounts. Christine Huey and her husband watched 85% of their income vanish six weeks after the wedding—$115,000 gone overnight. Instead of spiraling, they turned a financial crisis into the launchpad for A Little Local Flavor, a thriving Nashville food tour company built on hustle, creativity, and community. Christine walks through the resourceful...

What if paying your kid to work for you could slash your tax bill and set them up for life? Brad and Jonathan break down a little-known strategy that lets parents reduce taxable income, skip payroll taxes, and teach their children entrepreneurship—all at once. The episode also covers listener voicemails, sustainable tech experiments, and the long-term wealth power of a Roth IRA started in childhoo...

Tax laws don't exist in a vacuum — they shape every dollar you earn, save, donate, and invest. When Sean Mullaney, an accountant who speaks the language of financial independence, deep-dives the intersection of tax strategy and FI, he reveals moves most people miss: employing your kids to fund their Roth IRAs, bunching charitable donations to beat the standard deduction, and establishing residency...

You should be maxing out your savings rate—or that's what everyone tells you. But what if you don't make six figures? A high school graduate earning $40,000 proves you can accelerate toward financial independence through house hacking and unconventional real estate moves, even when traditional advice feels out of reach. This episode breaks down the mortgage-versus-investing debate through listener...

Watching his parents lose everything in bankruptcy at 12 flipped Joel Larsgaard's entire relationship with money—but not in the way you'd expect. Instead of pursuing high-paying work, he chose passion over paychecks, earning in the low $20Ks while building a five-property rental portfolio through sheer hustle and extreme frugality. Joel shares how witnessing financial collapse taught him to prepar...