ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Most people chase early retirement to escape work—Tanya from Our Next Life flipped the script and made headlines for it. Her story blew up not because she saved aggressively or optimized her portfolio, but because she asked a question most retirement planners ignore: What am I retiring to? Brad and Jonathan unpack that question in this Friday Roundup, reflecting on Tanya's interview and their exci...

Most early retirees worry about running out of money—but what if the real challenge is running out of purpose? Tanya, known to the FI community as Mrs. O.N.L., spent years blogging anonymously while building her path to financial independence as a political consultant. In this reveal episode, she pulls back the curtain on her identity and shares why the emotional transition from a structured caree...

JD Roth's return to blogging after years away proves personal finance isn't just about money—it's about the stories that make the numbers matter. His comeback to Get Rich Slowly sparked a conversation about why vulnerability and shared experience often teach more than any investment strategy ever could. Brad and Jonathan reflect on how Roth's original blog launched countless financial independence...

Walking away from $35,000 in consumer debt changed J.D. Roth's life—and shaped an entire movement. The founder of Get Rich Slowly returns to discuss his evolution from broke blogger to financial independence pioneer, revealing the six stages of financial freedom most people don't know they're progressing through. Key Topics Discussed: Introduction of J.D. Roth [00:00:00] Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad...

Want proof that entrepreneurship can buy freedom, not just money? Brandon Pierce built a business model that funds his family's globe-trotting lifestyle — proving that the four-hour workweek isn't myth but blueprint. This mashup episode unpacks his journey while tackling listener wins, savings strategies, and the mental shifts required to turn comfort into fulfillment. Brandon's Business Journey [...

Most people's side hustles fund weekend hobbies. Brandon Pearce's bought him eight years of global freedom. After recognizing his call center job offered no real security, Brandon built Music Teacher's Helper — software to manage his piano lessons — and turned it into the ticket for his family to experience life across 36 countries. He joins Brad and Jonathan to unpack the practicalities of runnin...

Most people planning retirement obsess over the accumulation phase—but what happens when you actually reach your number and need to start spending it? Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett tackle the shift from wealth accumulation to wealth preservation, where having a robust drawdown strategy becomes just as critical as the portfolio you built. Key Topics Covered Community Feedback – Drawdown Strate...

Most retirement podcasts obsess over building wealth — but almost nobody talks about the harder part: spending it without running out. Fritz from Retirement Manifesto tackles the decumulation phase that conventional advice ignores, sharing his blueprint for strategically withdrawing from decades of accumulated assets while managing taxes, healthcare costs, and sequence of returns risk. Fritz share...

Most people have never questioned whether they need to live paycheck to paycheck—until they see it challenged on film. Scott Rickins brought his documentary crew to film with the ChooseFI hosts, capturing the anti-consumerism message at the heart of the financial independence movement. Beyond the cameras, the conversation turns to building real-world FI community connections, launching a Slack gro...

Most people stumble into the FIRE community through personal finance blogs. JW's entry point was a $5 million life insurance pitch right after his first child was born—a moment that launched him from passive saver to active entrepreneur building passive income streams through business acquisitions. JW from thegreenswan.org shares how he and his brothers acquired and revitalized an existing busines...

Living in Los Angeles with negative net worth and below-average income, Paige turned financial disadvantages into a blueprint for reaching FI through shared housing and community resources. Through her story and listener questions, Brad and Jonathan tackle multiple topics: navigating high-cost areas without moving, collecting skills instead of possessions, and cutting through the psychological exc...

Starting later doesn't mean you're behind — it means you skip the years of trial and error. Paige and Sam prove that financial independence works in high-cost areas and on modest incomes, even when conventional wisdom says otherwise. Paige challenged the hosts after they accepted the limiting belief that FI isn't achievable in expensive cities. Living in a high-cost area on $30,000 while earning t...

Most people think you need decades of saving before taking a year off work—Noah and Becky did it in five. This episode explores how they and others are reframing financial independence not as a distant "retire early" goal, but as "retire often"—building in career breaks while still accumulating wealth. Brad and Jonathan unpack the gap year mindset alongside stories from community members who've us...

A couple in their twenties grew their savings rate from 6% to 58% in just a few years — then decided to quit their jobs and travel for a year. Noah and Becky share how they went from conventional financial practices to leveraging scholarships, travel rewards, and FI strategies to fund their gap year adventure. Noah, a moderator in the ChooseFI Facebook group and creator of Money Metagame, initiall...

A single millennial could retire at 30 by making a handful of smart money moves in their 20s — that's the math Brad and Jonathan break down in this week's roundup. But the conversation goes deeper: how do you pass those lessons to the next generation before they rack up debt? This episode explores listener stories of strategic early financial decisions that create outsized long-term wealth. Key to...

Gwen graduated college with $10,000 saved—not borrowed, saved—while her peers were drowning in five-figure debt. She did this without wealthy parents, inheritance, or a trust fund. Her secret? She refused to accept the default path everyone else was sleepwalking through. In this episode, Gwen from Fiery Millennials walks through her unconventional approach to college and early career. She used dua...

The hosts of a podcast with millions of downloads just admitted they were "stressed out" recording an episode about finding your purpose in financial independence. That vulnerability alone signals why Monday's deep-dive struck a nerve with listeners—and why today's roundup digs into the reactions, including one person who finally got their spouse on board after years of resistance. Brad and Jonath...

Most people spend decades chasing a bigger house, a nicer car, and a promotion that demands even more hours — only to realize too late they've been running in place. Brad and Jonathan break down why the conventional path to "success" is fundamentally broken and how financial independence flips the script. Instead of trading time for money to buy things you don't need, FI lets you reclaim your time...

Brad's wife Laura pulled off 16 nights of free lodging across a 17-day family vacation—no hostels, no camping, just strategic coordination and a stack of credit card points. This mashup episode covers how they made it work, why rushing to see everything kills the travel experience, and tackles listener questions on achieving FI in expensive cities, navigating lifestyle creep, and making the most o...

Scott Rickins didn't stumble into financial independence because he was broke—he found it while earning six figures, living in a California beach town, and working with brands like Facebook and Microsoft. His problem wasn't a lack of income; it was that more money kept leading to more spending without any additional happiness. Scott Rickins, founder of 99Bravo Productions, shares his journey towar...

One listener slashed their grocery bill in the first month — then asked, "What took me so long?" Brad and Jonathan round up listener wins, struggles, and creative hacks from the ChooseFI community, proving that financial independence is built on shared experiments and borrowed gear. The FI movement is spreading beyond U.S. borders, with J.L. Collins sparking international meetups and events like C...

Most people pursuing financial independence feel isolated—like they're the only ones saying "no" to lifestyle inflation. J.L. Collins and the ChooseFI hosts tackle that loneliness head-on, revealing how finding your tribe accelerates your path to freedom. In the second part of their extended conversation, they discuss the origins of the Chautauqua gatherings where FI seekers connect in person, the...

Most early retirees obsess over how much they need to retire—but the real danger isn't your portfolio size, it's when the market tanks. Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa break down sequence of return risk, the often-overlooked factor that can make or break your retirement in the first five years. Building on their conversation with Big Earn, they explore why market downturns can be a saver's best...

The 4% rule might fail you—but not for the reason you think. Average market returns matter far less than when those returns happen, especially in your first decade of retirement. Brad and Jonathan sit down with Big Earn from Early Retirement Now to unpack sequence of return risk: the hidden danger that can derail even a well-funded retirement if you're unlucky with market timing. Big Earn breaks d...

Most investors panic when the market drops 20%. Brad and Jonathan argue you should celebrate. This episode tackles the counterintuitive truth that market crashes can supercharge your path to financial independence — if you're young and still accumulating. Brad and Jonathan unpack the psychology of investing through market volatility, exploring why downturns are opportunities rather than disasters...