Most financial independence surveys don't show electricians, plumbers, or carpenters — yet these tradespeople can earn $70+ per hour without student debt. This is the FI path hiding in plain sight.
Tinian Crawford (Captain DIY) walks through the trades route to financial independence: how the apprenticeship process actually works, why networking with other tradespeople multiplies your income, and how to balance a day job with side gigs. The conversation covers starting pay versus long-term earning potential, the lack of financial literacy in the trades, and the flexibility that makes this career path particularly suited to FI.
Chapters
- Introduction
- The Value of Trades in FI
- Tinian's Story
- The Apprenticeship Process
- Building a Network
- The Hot Seat
- Conclusion
Key Topics
-
Why trades are underrepresented in FI communities
Despite high earning potential, trades professions rarely appear in financial independence surveys alongside doctors, engineers, and lawyers. -
Tinian's career shift
His path from graphic design to trades, and how labor experience reshaped his career trajectory. -
Becoming licensed
The apprenticeship process, including pathways to licensure and balancing school with work. -
Financial literacy gap
The lack of financial education among tradespeople and strategies to close it. -
Networking effects
How connecting with other tradespeople creates job opportunities and collaborative work. -
Day jobs plus side work
Managing full-time employment while pursuing side gigs to maximize income and flexibility.
Notable Quotes
- "Starting pay in trades may be low, but income increases significantly over time."
- "Tradespeople can earn a minimum of $70 an hour or more, depending on their skill level and demand."
- "The more trades that I network with, the more jobs I get through them."
Resources
- The Simple Path to Wealth
- Mad Scientist Podcast
- Tinian Crawford (Captain DIY): diy2fi.com, Twitter @DIYCaptain
Definitions
- Hindsight Bias: The tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.
- Apprenticeship: A method of training in which a novice learns a trade from an experienced worker.
- Trades: Careers that involve skilled labor, often requiring specialized training and physical work.
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