From Paychecks to Purpose

In the lead-up to my 50th podcast episode (I can't believe we're here!) I am re-broadcasting my very first episode, which discusses my backstory and explains FIRE or FI (Financial Independence) to a newbie in an approachable way. Sometime in the next few weeks, I will be reflecting on the podcast's origins, how things have grown and improved, and where I am headed in the future. Pardon...

In this week's episode, I discuss the math of day trading or individual stock picking over buying and holding index funds, and why those stock pick wins in the short term are surprisingly misleading & don't tell the full story (much like rent vs. buy, where similar issues can occur). At the end of the day, you have to do the math for yourself and compare net gains to the alternatives,...

In this week's From Paychecks to Purpose episode, I continue answering beginner personal finance questions with my friend, Pink! In Pt. 2, we discuss beginner-level considerations for real estate, as she is just beginning to think about it from an investment perspective. From primary residences to rental real estate, hopefully this will give a primer on how to think about it. In Pt. 1 linked b...

In this week's episode, I get to chat with my friend Pink about her beginner personal finance questions! In Part 1, we discuss 401k's, asset allocation, and buying/selling stocks (should you buy or sell individual stocks?). In Part 2, we will actually be going through beginner questions about real estate and rent vs. buy. Many of these questions are ones everyone has. Hopefully you or some...

In this week’s episode, I return to my normal format and discuss some updates to my Japan/Korea trip plans and lessons learned from this complex points booking (and rebooking). I also discuss booking a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese hotel) for my stay in Kyoto and that general process. Tune in for more! For media of the week, I highlight Andrew Xu, a Youtuber who leadFIREd 3-5 yrs ago, as well as...

In this week's episode, I continue my 2-part conversation with Meghan from EverydayFI on going From Paychecks to Purpose. In Part 2, we round out our discussion on going from paychecks to purpose in our careers, and then we talk more broadly about how we define and live a good life. We also briefly discuss our mutual interest in the Money with Katie and Diabolical Lies podcasts. Part 1: https:...

This week's episode is part 1 of a new Paychecks to Purpose series with Meghan of the EverydayFI podcast. In this series (initially kicked off with Aubrey Williams last year), I have 2-way conversations with people on the FIRE journey. We discuss going from paychecks to purpose in our careers, as well as how we define and live a good life. In this episode, we discuss our respective childhoods...

In this week’s episode, I discuss how mainstream media misunderstands FIRE. I debunk a lot of the common mainstream critiques of the movement and talk about how I interpret it. I also briefly review of my new e-reader and I tease media of the week (two media that misinterpret the FIRE movement and an episode of This American Life where you learn about the host’s relationship with his parents throu...

In this week's episode, for my main segment I cover all sorts of ways I "hack my brain" (or get myself to do things that are good for me) with technology (i.e. reminders, widgets, streaks, etc.) and I also cover some key psychological tactics that I have used to hack my brain as well (i.e. gamification, boundaries, task pairing, etc.). For my Did You Know? segment, which is a small h...

In Pt. 2. of a 2-part episode all about books, Liz Gets Loaded and I discuss where we get good book recommendations and how we get books affordably or for free. We also discuss tracking & reviewing books, e-readers, and when we use audio books vs. physical ones. In Pt. 1 (linked below), we discussed why we love books, favorite genres, and pivotal books that changed our perspective or gave us s...

In part 1 of this 2-part episode, Liz Gets Loaded and I discuss all things books! From favorite genres to pivotal books that changed our perspective or gave us something we needed in the time that we read them, we discuss it all! In part 2, we will discuss how we get book recommendations and where we get books for free or affordably. Liz Gets Loaded: https://open.spotify.com/show/2t6FJB5zk7Du2fpH5...

This week's episode is a grab bag of things I have been thinking about recently, from navigating competing interests in your 30s (or 40s) to Roth vs. Traditional allocations. I also highlighted What Went Wrong, a podcast about movies from script to screen, and I shout out Money with Katie's Substack. What Went Wrong: https://open.spotify.com/show/15lonNfWzHLbMepKo0EDjs?si=58b17e341bc54edc...

In this episode, I am doing a deep dive to unveil all of the personal finance secrets that FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) people know about. I am going to tell you about all of the crazy secrets FIRE people use to do everything from career pivots and retiring early to retiring their kids for cents on the dollar. Along the way, you'll learn a bit about why FIRE is awesome and the vario...

Hello all! In this week's episode, I return to more life topics, including a review of the Brick, a device to help control screen time habits, and a love letter to Asian food, from the access we are privileged to have more of in modern day, as well as some approachable recipes to try! I also unveil a new segment where I give small explainers/tips and this week I discussed what I consider to be...

In this week's episode, I give a brief educational overview on how to file your taxes, from filling out your W-4 form or making quarterly estimated tax payments to W2s, 1099s, and credits vs. deduction. If you have never filed your own taxes before, or you are looking to build confidence in self-filing, this episode is for you! Disclaimer: this episode is for educational and entertainment purp...

In this week's episode I expand on insurances one may get outside of employer benefits (hello, self-employed listeners!), as well as deep dive into some nuances of 401k (or Solo 401k) vs. Roth IRA as savings vehicles. P.S. You got double personal finance media this week - think of it as a special bonus! Topics Covered: ​Long-Term Disability Update ​Health Insurance through ACA ​Car Insurance ​Home...

This week's episode is all about employer benefits, from health insurance to stock options! I go through each benefit listed below, giving a 101 overview of things to pay attention to, as well as a tax overview since it is tax season! Benefits Reviewed: Health Insurance Dental/Vision Insurance Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Life insurance Disability Insurance (short-term and long-t...

In lieu of a regular episode this week, I am re-running an old deep dive I did on travel hacking. It goes in depth and is a great resource for people looking to save a lot of money on travel. Give it a listen if you haven't already!

In this episode, I discuss a term I coined called "Deep Pursuits". In short, Deep Pursuits are special kinds of of hobbies, activities, or callings that allow us to do one or more of the following: 1. Find purpose 2. Find or foster community (and give back!) 3. Find the flow state 4. Build skills and use creativity (Bonus points if you can do multiple!) I go in-depth to describe examples...

Today in lieu of a regular episode, I am going through an info-graphic I made a while ago on how to save for different goals in a simplified way and explaining it step by step! I also have the info-graphic posted on my Instagram account, so follow it to access the visual! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frompaycheckstopurpose?igsh=bHVrNHVqdDd1cTUx&utm_source=qr

This week I jump on the Instagram trend of reflecting back to 2016. I share some about my finances and a lot about important life lessons I learned that year. Aja Dang - I Regret Buying a House: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ii2yBYCzk&feature=youtu.be Brooklyn 99: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icTOP9F17pU

Join me this week to learn all about my goals for the year, from career path exploration to podcasting, piano, local adventure and a Colorado trip! Note: I edited out our family dog's name - so pardon the abrupt jump cuts! ChooseFI Local Adventure List: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kEPWBZndLrzFxLWNCNUEo?si=S4EPLz_ESvuOniTwU4AgqA Studio Ghibli: https://www.hbomax.com/channel/studio-ghibli...

Join me today as I debunk several myths about buying a home and reflect on the pros and cons of renting vs. buying. I also go through when the math actually supports buying over renting, and issue a PSA for anyone's parent's out there who's kids are buying a house soon (spoiler alert: be gentle, please!). For media, I highlight Paula Pant's Afford Anything and Poirot by Agatha Chri...

Join me today to learn a bit about some intentional life planning I have been thinking about recently in the fields of career, family, and places (in the US) to live! Media: FIRE Takes: https://open.spotify.com/show/03U4qFWm1QTTqtLCqhojct?si=6f82526ac2ab4958 Delicious in Dungeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5JEoD7keVo

This is a quick episode about my biggest lessons learned and progress 4 years into my FIRE journey. Tune in to hear what I have learned! For media this week, I highlighted First Gen Money on Youtube and Karate Kid (the original movie). First Gen Money - 4 Yrs of FIRE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK5XiOm_Zl4 Karate Kid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_8Rw16uscg