037R | The Friday Roundup

Podcast Episode Summary

Discussion of Episode 37 with Scott Rieckens, the documentary filmmaker behind the upcoming FI documentary called Playing With FIRE

The great American Eclipse and our viewing

Brad’s vacation and how they spent $0 on hotels for 16 nights

The value of slow travel and why it makes vacation dramatically better. Vacation doesn’t have to be stressful

How expectations management is so crucial to life and on vacation

Time is such a crucial tool

Scott’s slow travel with his family and the yearlong adventure they are on visiting family and friends while filming the documentary

There should be creativity and excitement in your future and your decisions

The list of things that made Scott’s wife happy on a weekly basis and how this was an inspired decision by Scott

Sell your value first and then grow your network. How Scott did a masterful job at this by creating a network and even leaning on our network

How Brad connected instantly with Scott and wanted to help him

This documentary can help take the concept of FI to the mainstream

Email from Paige on limiting beliefs and how it isn’t “impossible” to live in a high cost of living area for under $50,000 per year

Paige thinks that you may need to be a “little more intense” to hit FI on a low income, but that it is certainly possible and it is all about savings rate

How we all have limiting beliefs that we need to work through to “think about a problem a little bit differently”

Brad’s decision to leave Long Island, and how that helped the path to FI. But could they have been more intense and stayed and still reached FI?

You can be on the path to FI moving forward no matter where you’ve been or what “bad” decisions you’ve made in the past

There’s no perfect person or situation for FI – just try to be a little better going forward to make positive changes

Email from Art Vandelay and how they love the show and have made a lot of positive changes since listening. Should we stop the FIRE from spreading?

We need local leaders for ChooseFI local meetups so please reach out to us

Voicemail from James about his successful trip from Nashville to Europe using travel rewards points

Voicemail from Rachel about how to hack your TSP to save money on your student loans

Itunes reviews and giveaways for Camp ticket plus books

Life Optimization

FI Frugal Hobbies | Chris Terrell | Ep 429

Whether you’re years into your FI journey or just beginning, evaluating your finances and spending, you may feel like you have to make some cuts into your favorite hobbies in order to reach your goal quicker. However, deprivation and cutting out the things that bring enjoyment into your life should never be the only option. This week we are joined by friend of the podcast Chris Terell to talk frugal hobbies, new experiences, and the parallels between strategies in board games and the strategies employed while on the journey to FI. While trying to optimize your experiences may mean changing hobbies and evolving, while doing so you may find new enjoyment, new communities, and values that come with these changes. Not everyone may have the same approach to a game, just as not everyone will have the same approach to achieving FI, but as long as you remember that being open to changes will allow you to not only optimize your experiences on that journey but optimize your FI.

Life Optimization

Fees, Frugality, and 401K Fears | Ep 428

On what is considered a very personal journey, how do you handle changes that feel like setbacks? Whether its spending more when you feel you should be saving, or re-evaluating goals based on what needs immediate attention, do you feel equipped to handle it with confidence? This week we are having a weekly roundup, and are re-joined by Ginger to not only answer listener’s questions, but discuss travel rewards, retirement accounts, and breaking away from the ultra frugal caricature often depicted alongside FI. While saving is an important factor on this journey, the main purpose of FI is to learn and live your life with intention as it relates to your money, goals, and values. Remember that it’s okay if some of your goals and values will change along the way! Allowing yourself to be flexible as it relates to external factors, like market volatility and your investments, will give you more power and control to continue ahead with confidence and optimism!