Explore every episode of the podcast The Financial Independence Show
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retired at 37: The Quiet Millionaire | Lucy Hinds | 04 nov. 2026 | 00:43:52 | |
What if building wealth meant buying a smaller house, driving a used car, and ignoring what the neighbors think? Lucy Hinds, known online as The Quiet Millionaire, left her corporate HR career at 37. After paying off $30,000 in student loans, she built a portfolio of index funds and rental properties while growing the gap between what she earned and what she spent. Lucy shares how she bought three houses in three months, downsized her home by 1,000 square feet, and nearly tripled her base salary from $58,000 to $147,000. She also breaks down her current $40,000 personal annual budget, including how a paid-off home, shared expenses, and lower childcare costs help make it work. Today, she’s embracing FINE: Financial Independence, Next Endeavor. For Lucy, freedom means choosing the work she enjoys and building a schedule around her life. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlq6i-nvkV4 Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| The Great Money Debates | Paula Pant | 29 oct. 2026 | 00:49:00 | |
Should you pay off your mortgage or invest? Choose Roth or traditional? Buy rental properties or stick with index funds? Paula Pant, host of Afford Anything, joins us again to work through some of the biggest debates in personal finance. Instead of giving everyone the same answer, she shares frameworks for making decisions based on your income, your goals, and the risks you’re already taking. She also opens up about her own portfolio, including why she paid off all seven rental properties and moved beyond a simple VTSAX strategy. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://youtu.be/31k632WLFTw?is=HNnEZgFIdREW3lZr Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| Quiet Quitting His Own Business | Doug Cunnington | 22 oct. 2026 | 00:48:36 | |
Could you walk away from a business that was still making money? Doug Cunnington joins us again to share what happened when he started doing about 20% less work each year—and eventually retired. Six years after our first conversation about affiliate websites, we’re catching up on his portfolio, his spending, and what life actually looks like on the other side of FI. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6dHKNjlkTk Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! You can do that by clicking here Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| Freedom First, Money Second | Vincent Pugliese | 16 sept. 2026 | 00:46:50 | |
What’s more important than money? Freedom. In this episode, Vincent Pugliese explains how and why he prioritizes freedom above all else. More specifically, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPMVRqb-Lnk&feature=youtu.be Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| $1M by 33 While Enjoying the Journey | Justin Peters | 03 sept. 2026 | 00:48:59 | |
What if you could reach financial freedom and enjoy the journey? That’s exactly what Justin Peters has done so far, and he’s been able to amass a $1M net worth by age 33. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZFxlu-bPZY Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| Financial Independence from ONE Product | Jason VanDevere | 25 août 2026 | 00:44:54 | |
Jason VanDevere reached financial independence by selling essentially ONE product. And then reinvesting those profits into real estate and the stock market. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxz-haX6d30 Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| The Healthcare Heist: Will Healthcare Derail Your Retirement Plan | Jordan Grumet | 18 août 2026 | 00:47:02 | |
Jordan Grumet (a.k.a. Doc G) joins us again to unpack his latest book, The Healthcare Heist, and explain just how broken the American healthcare system is. But most importantly, he shares what we can do about it. In this episode, we cover:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0IjSPixt8c Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| $2M Net Worth in 6 Years as a Travel Nurse | Sophia Khawly | 12 août 2026 | 00:40:00 | |
Sophia Khawly (The Traveling NP) is an optimizer in the true sense of the word. Not only has she landed a travel job that pays her $200K+, but she also spends just $1k per month and has multiple other side hustles. In this episode, she covers:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uRWXog6Pi8&feature=youtu.be Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| Coast FI with $500K by Age 30 | Evan Lawler | 30 juil. 2026 | 00:41:47 | |
Evan Lawler is a man with a plan. At 25, he’s already invested $200,000 and is aiming to hit his Coast FI number of $500,000 before his 30th birthday. In this episode, we discuss:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWky9lIIdzI Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| How to Legally Avoid Taxes with Real Estate | Josh Mettle | 13 juil. 2026 | 00:54:45 | |
Today’s guest is Josh Mettle from Neo Home Loans. This is the type of episode where you’ll want to take plenty of notes (we sure did!). Josh is a master at understanding the tax code and how to use it to legally avoid taxes through real estate. In this episode, you’ll hear him explain:
And much more. If you got value from this episode, the best things you can do are to subscribe and share it with a friend! Links From the Episode YouTube Interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyBxo3WNbUw Join the CommunityWe’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review! >> You can do that by clicking here << Learn More About Your HostsCodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| From Book Tour Manager to Retire by 30 with Grant Sabatier | 06 juil. 2026 | 00:47:45 | |
In this episode, the tables are turned.
Grant Sabatier interviews Cody about his new book, Retire by 30, and everything that's changed since he's reached FI.
At the beginning of the podcast, you'll hear a clip from 2019, just a few days into their 3-month book tour together.
And wow, so much has changed since then.
We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did putting it together!
Links from the Episode
Retire by 30 (Cody's book) - https://retireby30book.com/
Original Episode with Grant - https://grantsabatier.com/podcast/
Grant's Website - https://grantsabatier.com
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| From College Dropout to 8-Figure Entrepeneur | Chandler Bolt | 22 juin 2026 | 00:46:26 | |
Today's guest is Chandler Bolt, founder of SelfPublishing.com
That's the company that helped Cody publish Retire by 30 and hit bestseller status in three categories within 16 hours of launch.
Chandler dropped out of college with three months of runway, moved across the country to live with his mentor, and was a millionaire by 21.
Today, he's built an 8-figure business that has helped over 7,000 people publish their books.
His latest book alone generated roughly $7 million in revenue over the past year. He still drives his 2004 Nissan Altima.
In this episode, you'll hear Chandler explain:
The mindset behind his financial decisions
Why he kept his expenses near zero even as his income exploded
How he thinks about delayed gratification
The investment mistakes he's made along the way
Why a book is one of the highest-leverage things an entrepreneur can do
How self-publishing differs from traditional publishing
Why the most valuable thing you can do this week is spend 15 minutes mind-mapping your book idea
And much more!
Whether you're thinking about writing a book or just want to hear how someone compounds money and opportunity at an unusual pace, this one's worth your time.
Links From the Episode
SelfPublishing.Com
Book a Call with Chandler's Team
Self-Publishing School YouTube
Chandler Bolt on Instagram
Chandler World YouTube
Cody's Book — Retire by 30
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kYPbvTxXxU
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| $5M Exit, 700K Followers, and Now THIS | Jeremy Schneider | 11 juin 2026 | 00:44:57 | |
Today's episode is a long-awaited return visit from Jeremy Schneider of Personal Finance Club.
Five years ago, Jeremy joined us fresh off selling his tech company for over $5 million, already retired at 36, and just starting to build what would become one of the most trusted personal finance Instagram accounts online.
Today, he has 700k followers, has grown his net worth to roughly $7 million, almost entirely from index fund growth, and has launched a brand new company called Nectarine.
Nectarine is a marketplace of flat-fee financial advisors with no commissions, no assets under management fees, just transparent pricing listed directly on the site.
Jeremy explains how it works, who it's actually for (and who probably doesn't need it), and why he's been building the whole thing in public.
You'll also hear
Why the most important piece of the "how to get rich" pie chart isn't what you invest in
What the Dunning-Kruger curve looks like for the average investor
Why the best investors might just be the ones who forget they have an account
And much more!
As always, if you found this episode helpful, let us know and/or leave a review. If you know someone who would enjoy it, sharing is caring!
Links From the Episode
Hello Nectarine: https://thefishow.com/nectarine
Personal Finance Club: https://personalfinanceclub.com
Personal Finance Club IG: https://www.instagram.com/personalfinanceclub
Dunning Kruger post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOHIX5jksco/
Nectarine transparency post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTLVrppD7RS/?img_index=1
How to get rich post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT8BvNLEgRc/?img_index=1
Stock market history post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DW35p0liMte/
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEN8KlUtG28
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Living a Life Well Worth It (+ Justin’s New Business) | 05 juin 2026 | 00:38:34 | |
Today's episode is a little different as Justin pulls back the curtain on his and Leslie's new venture, Life Well Worth It.
This passion project is a fitness and wellness retreat business that started with one big idea: what if they could take the unique lifestyle they created and the passions they've picked up along the way, and bring others along for the ride?
You can actually join them on their next retreat in Nice, France, October 28 - November 3 (Early Bird pricing until June 9)
The name Life Well Worth It comes from the concept of designing the life that's best for you instead of simply falling in line with what society tells you to do.
It also tries to highlight the mindset that Justin always used with his finances, where he never skimped on the experiences and expenses that were truly worth it and stripped away the rest.
The idea all started with a realization after their six-month international trip.
They loved the way they traveled, but they still found themselves missing community. So they combined their love of adventure, fitness, and community and booked a villa in Malaga, Spain, with 11 people.
No prior retreat experience. Just a non-refundable Airbnb and a group chat.
They cover the full breakdown of how the first retreat came together, from the near-cancellation moment, the structure of the Spain retreat (6 days, 5 nights, catamaran cruise, a gorge hike, race day, and a lot of home-cooked meals), and how the rave reviews left them with the desire for their next trip in Nice, France.
You'll also get a full explainer on what Hyrox actually is and why it's more accessible than it sounds.
They'll also help you recognize how the skills you've built without even realizing it might be worth more than you think.
If you've ever wondered what FI actually unlocks in everyday life, this episode is a pretty good answer.
Links From the Episode
Life Well Worth It
Life Well Worth It on Instagram
Full Recap of Spain Retreat
What Is Hyrox? (Official Site)
Previous Episode: Our 2025 Goals
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHRIWRUYhUs
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Cody’s Very First Podcast (And What’s Changed) | 25 mai 2026 | 00:19:50 | |
Back in January of 2018, I (Cody) attended my first in-person FI event — CampFI in Florida.
I was 21 years old at the time, and my mind was blown. I was meeting real people who retired in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
The guys from ChooseFI decided to record a community episode featuring some folks from the event, and to my surprise, they asked me to come up to the microphone.
What you hear in this episode is my first podcast appearance ever.
And then "future Cody" comes in and comments on what 21-year-old Cody said.
The craziest part? Is actually how little has changed in terms of philosophy and strategy.
This stuff works, and you'll see just how well from this podcast.
It was a lot of fun digging up this episode from the archives, and I hope you enjoy it!
Links from the Episode
Retire by 30 (my book!) - https://retireby30book.com/
ChooseFI - https://choosefi.com/
CampFI - https://campfi.org/
Get Rich Slowly Guest Post - https://www.getrichslowly.org/cody-berman-story/
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Website)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s Website) | |||
| He Quit His Day Job by Doing This | Cory Jacobson | 20 mai 2026 | 00:42:11 | |
Today's episode is a long-overdue follow-up with Cory Jacobson of The Wealth Juice Podcast.
Four years ago, Cory and his business partner Ryan joined us while still working their day jobs, building a real estate portfolio on the side, and documenting every step of the journey. A lot has changed since then.
Cory has since left his W-2 behind, grown the portfolio to 80-90 units, become a licensed real estate agent, and launched a mentorship program helping others buy their first and second investment properties. He's also gotten engaged and is navigating the realities of full-time entrepreneurship for the first time.
In this episode, Cory shares the honest income journey since quitting — including a tough first year and why he's projecting a much bigger 2026.
You'll also hear his tactical take on managing lumpy self-employment income, how he still finds deals that hit the 1% rule, and why he believes the "you missed the window" crowd has it all wrong.
Whether you're still in your W-2 grinding toward your first property or trying to figure out how to make the leap, Cory's story is a great reminder that the timeline is long and that planting seeds is the whole game.
Links From the Episode
Cory & Ryan's First Appearance on The FI Show (2022)
The Wealth Juice Podcast
Wealth Juice Instagram (@wealthjuiceofficial)
Wealth Juice YouTube
Wealth Juice Mentorship Program
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfWQFUnHbRE
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Retire by 30 (Cody Wrote a Book!) | 12 mai 2026 | 00:53:46 | |
Cody wrote a book!
That's right, the secret is out, and you're getting all the details here, folks.
Retire by 30 is a guide to reaching financial independence as fast as possible.
In this episode, Justin gets to pepper Cody with questions about the book, including:
Why was Cody living the American Nightmare rather than the American Dream
What it felt like to hear that he was "a waste of time and resources."
What did saving 80% really look like
Did he ever struggle to know what he actually valued versus what he'd been conditioned to want?
How to decide when to kill a hustle versus double down?
How to choose between the "be an intrapreneur and negotiate raises" path vs. the "quit and side-hustle" path
What it felt like to hit FI at 25
Which FI is most underrated— Coast FI, Barista FI, Lean FI, Cash Flow FI, etc. Which
What was most surprising once money was no longer the forcing function in life?
What is it that he wants readers to feel after closing this book
What's next for Cody
And much more!
Have you been looking for a book to help you find your path to early retirement? Or maybe you know someone who could use this kind of guidance?
Give this episode a listen, check out the book, and share with friends and family!
Links from the Episode
Retire by 30 (https://retireby30book.com)
The ebook is just $0.99 through the month of May, and Cody is giving away an iPhone to one lucky buyer.
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OWBHL3i5Rs
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| He Read 576+ Finance Books… Here’s His Best Advice | Andrew Giancola | 19 mars 2026 | 00:48:20 | |
Andrew Giancola, host of the award-winning The Personal Finance Podcast, joins us today to talk all things (you guessed it)... personal finance.
This guy has read over 576 books on money and business (more since we've recorded), and he shares everything he's learned.
Can we trust the 4% rule? Do budgets actually work? What's the biggest personal finance mistake most people make?
It's always fun to cover crazy stories and fringe tax hacks, but it's important to remember the fundamentals.
Andrew is one of the best out there, sharing these fundamentals with the masses, and we're so lucky we got to have him on the pod.
If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Andrew's Podcast: The Personal Finance Podcast (https://www.thepersonalfinancepodcast.com/)
Andrew's Website: Master Money (https://mastermoney.co/)
Andrew's YouTube: Master Money (https://www.youtube.com/@mastermoneyco)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/fC6_6KVBGX0?si=chuwbJxXdQ2xrOTr
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| The Hidden Cost of the Life You Envy | 25 févr. 2026 | 00:30:47 | |
In this episode, we dive into the concept of "Comprehensive Coveting" and why you can't cherry-pick the best parts of someone else's success without accepting their sacrifices.
For example, maybe squeezing into a 375 sq/ft apartment or forgoing children isn't something you're comfortable with, even if those are huge reasons why Justin retired at 33.
We pull back the curtain on tons of real-world trade-offs, especially with early retirement.
Plus, we run the numbers on what upgrading your lifestyle actually costs in years of your life
Finally, we leave you with a quick "Covet Audit" to help you turn financial envy into actionable clarity.
What things in life are you coveting? Can you use it as motivation, or is it time to move on and let go?
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from the Episode
Comprehensive Coveting Blog Post (https://saving-sherpa.com/blog/comprehensive-coveting)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/kgH6b4WZOBY
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Travel Hacking Like a Pro | Aaron Hurd | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:42:45 | |
Aaron Hurd joins us today to share a more rational, math-based approach to the world of credit card rewards.
Aaron is a long-time expert in the space who has written for major publications like Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Points Guy. After years of writing for others, he recently shifted focus to become an independent content creator with his Cards and Points YouTube channel.
In this episode, we dig into Aaron’s unique backstory—from buying $250,000 in dollar coins to rack up rewards to his "economist" philosophy on point valuations.
We also cover:
The "Hustle" Origins: How Aaron got his start stacking rebates on Dell computers and exploiting the U.S. Mint's dollar coin program to generate massive rewards.
The Economist Approach: Why focusing on "cents per point" is often a trap. Aaron explains why you should value points based on what you would actually pay in cash, rather than the inflated retail price of a luxury flight.
Rational Decision Making: The key questions you should ask yourself before redeeming, such as "What is my alternative?" and "Can I earn cash back instead?"
Wallet Strategy: A breakdown of how Aaron categorizes his cards into three buckets: Daily Spenders, Benefit Buyers, and Free Night Earners.
And so much more.
If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Cards and Points YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@cardsandpoints)
Cards and Points Blog (https://cardsandpoints.com/)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/TcR2V7RxxH0
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Own Your Time (10 Steps to Family Financial Freedom) | Andy Hill | 21 janv. 2026 | 00:45:28 | |
Andy Hill joins us today to give you the step-by-step playbook to own your time.
This is Andy's second appearance on the show, and this time it coincides with the release of his new book -> Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind.
In this episode, we cover each step from the new book:
Step 1 - Define the life you want to live
Step 2 - Eliminate high-interest debt
Step 3 - Protect your family (insurance, emergency fund, etc.)
Step 4 - Investing until you reach Coast FIRE
Step 5 - Eliminate your mortgage
Step 6 - Stockpiling FU Money
Step 7 - Create your 3-day workweek
Step 8 - Embrace the simple life
Step 9 - Use your 4-day weekend wisely
Step 10 - Show your children the way
And so much more.
If you want to go back and get more of Andy's backstory from our previous episode, you can find that in episode 27.
If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Own Your Time (Andy's New Book)
Marriage Kids & Money (YouTube Channel)
Marriage Kids & Money (Podcast)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/sGwr_ISlKI8
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
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Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| How to Crush Your 2026 Goals | 08 janv. 2026 | 00:45:45 | |
It's a new year, and that means new goals! Cody and Justin share their top tips and tricks to help you set yourself up for success in 2026.
The guys are already hitting the ground running with their 2026 goals:
Cody is already testing out snowbirding down in Florida
Justin is actively recruiting for his first international group trip
Don't forget to share your goals with us in the Facebook Group.
To kick off the episode, the guys break down how the methods they've used to successfully meet their goals, which include:
Tracking is Key
“What gets measured, gets managed.”
You need to know how you’re doing currently to improve
For finance, use apps like YNAB, Monarch Money, or a spreadsheet
For fitness, use apps like MFP, TrainHeroic, etc.
For any goal you want to actually reach, there needs to be tracking
Inputs vs. Outputs
“I’m going to invest $1,000 every month” vs “I’m going to increase my net worth by $25K”
“I’m going to work out 5x per week” vs “I’m going to lose 20 pounds.”
Accountability
Join online groups or local groups
Groups that have people ahead of where you currently are are a big bonus
Share milestones/goals with friends
Keep talking about it to the point where you’d be embarrassed if you didn’t finish
Set punishments and rewards for your actions
Goal Sizing
Goals shouldn’t be so big that they paralyze you
They also shouldn’t be so easy that you hit them without much effort
A “good” goal should require quite a bit of effort, but still be possible
If you hit your goal too early in the year, you may lose steam (you can always level up your goal, too; it's just important to know your personality)
A / B Goals
Many runners/athletes in competition have an A and a B goal, maybe even a C goal.
A -> The stars align perfectly, you can see a path to it, you’re putting in the work, but it’s a reach
B -> Fairly confident, little room for error, still can be very proud of the outcome
C-> as within your control as possible, room for error, a backstop to avoid just giving up if your more aggressive goal fails
Becoming a person who ____
“I’m the type of person who saves 50% of my income.”
“I’m the type of person who runs marathons.”
“I’m the type of person who volunteers.”
Let go of the fear of failure by playing the tape forward
If you can look yourself in the mirror and be proud of your effort, what is really the biggest drawback to you trying and failing?
Celebrate the wins along the way
Maybe your goal is a 10k this year
Celebrate your first 5-mile run
Celebrate your new 5k PR
Cody and Justin's 2026 Goals!
Here's a sneak peek into the goals we shared publicly in this episode:
Cody’s Goals:
Fewer decisions driven by money
Make decisions bc I want to do them (regardless of money)
More regular fitness challenges
Ironman, Hyrox, 100k steps, etc
Spontaneous adventures
Always discovering and exploring new places (even at home)
Book launch
Goal is April/May release, podcast tour, book tour, etc
Gold City Ventures
Nail down an ad strategy, continue to grow business
Real estate
Keep running existing properties, only “buying” new properties via syndication. Scaling back a bit feels good
Justin’s Goals:
Run a Marathon in December (CIM)
A goal -> sub 3:15
B goal -> sub 3:30
C goal -> sub 4hr
New PRs
5k / 10k / half marathon / Deadlift
Hyrox Double with Leslie
Lead a group fitness-focused trip
A goal -> 12+ person international
B goal -> any number domestic
C goal -> any number in Austin
Build Fitness Community
Host 6+ in-person fitness meetups
Design 12 12-week beginner Hyrox guide
Post weekly fostering community
This goal is in support of the fitness trip goal
Hang out with at least one friend every week we’re in Austin
Run the greatest number of annual miles of my life
A goal -> Avg 30 miles per week post Achilles rehab
B goal -> Avg 25 miles per week post Achilles rehab
C goal -> Avg 20 miles per week post Achilles rehab
Finish House Remodel in Mississippi
A Goal - Full remodel, landscaped, short-term rental
B Goal - Full remodel, long-term tenant
C Goal - Liveable for personal use
Complete another amazing multi-month International trip with Leslie
Build out Recipes
A Goal - 50+ fully documented recipes posted on Substack with social posts
B Goal - 50 Recipes Designed, 25 documented and posted on Substack
C Goal - 50 Recipes Designed
Finish documenting the 2025 trip on Substack
We hope you enjoy getting these tried and true methods for hitting your goals.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from the Episode
Spain Fitness Retreat
Share Your Goals With Us
The Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXe07xlJzRA
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| $8,000/Month Digital Nomad Family + Business Marketing 101 | Eric Dingler | 02 janv. 2026 | 00:44:27 | |
Eric Dingler and his family of 6 travel the world full-time for just $8,000 per month.
He runs multiple businesses, "worldschools" his kids, and chooses to live life a bit differently.
In this episode, we cover:
How to travel with a large family
Eric's digital nomad toolkit
Wordschooling and alternative education
Business marketing 101
A full budget breakdown for each spending category
How he left his job for entrepreneurship
And so much more.
If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Eric's Resources (https://ericdingler.com/FIS)
InTransit Studios (https://intransitstudios.com/)
Eric's LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdingler/)
Eric's Podcast (https://familyofdashes.com/podcast/)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/7VXxuCuFijE
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
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Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Justin’s 2-Year Retirement Anniversary: Reflections, Updates, and Looking Forward | 17 déc. 2025 | 00:44:48 | |
Wow, how time flies! Justin has officially been retired for two full years.
Today, we'll dig into how year 2 was different, get life and financial updates, and also look forward to year 3.
You'll notice a big fitness theme, and Justin will discuss an upcoming fitness retreat he's organizing in Spain.
We'll briefly skim over Justin's 6-month international trip, but if you want a deeper dive into how traveling the world technically saved him money, check out these episodes: Asia Recap & Full Trip Recap
Justin also gives us a transparent view of his financial updates. We hope this inspires listeners to see how truly powerful compounding interest is.
His High-Level Financial Stats:
Net Worth at retirement: $1.7M
Net Worth after 1 year retired: $2.1M
Net Worth after 2 years retired: $2.7M
We also ended this episode in a similar way that we ended his year 1 review of retirement, with a quick blast overview of how he spent his time, which includes:
December 2024
Spent the month in Mississippi visiting family
January 2025
Going-away party
Departed for the Philippines
Island-hopping boat tour
Feb
Indonesia
Ubud, Uluwatu, Gili Air, Nusa Lembogan, Nusa Penida
Mar
Vietnam
Birthday on Ha Giang loop
Apr
Thailand / Amsterdam / Switzerland
Koh Lanta
Chiang Mai
Temple Tours
Elephant Sanctuary
Tulip gardens
Insane train routes
Hang gliding off mountains
May
Italy
Lake Como
Cinque Terre
Parma
Florence
Elba
Naples
Ischia
Lipari
Sicily
June
Italy
Lipari round 2
Sardinia
Rome
First half-marathon
1hr 40min 19 sec
Rufus Du Sol show
Jul
Back to America
Stops in NYC and Dallas to visit friends
Maintained fitness on the trip
Body fat 10.4 -> 11.3
Lean Tissue 155.4 -> 156.3
Audien & Telykast concert
Started Wedding prep
Started doing track workouts
Run clubs & boat days
Started dialling in Biscuit & Cinnamon roll recipes for the wedding
Aug
House sitting for friends
Visited family in Mississippi
Concert dome experience
Sept
Spent over a week in Colorado visiting friends/bachelor trip getaway
Got some solid workouts in (at time my longest run of 16 miles and PR on deadlift of 405)
Finalized recipe for biscuits and cinnamon rolls for the wedding
Fincon
Knocked out a 14-mile progressive run with Cody
Friends wedding weekend in Austin
Rooftop yoga event
Really ramped up the dessert factory for the wedding
Finalized other wedding things
Charley Crockett concert
Oct
Got married
House sat
Went to a movie screening debut “Sober”
Lots of brand activation events around ACL/F1 timeline (Patron, Bush's beans, Google)
Attended a marketing conference
Completed longest run ever of 34 miles
Nov
First time hired to make a custom birthday cake
Redid the backyard, adding pavers and gravel landscaping around firepit and pergola
Wild 1-4 am show with Elderbrook and Lane 8
Friendsgiving
Hyrox with Leslie (1:10 finish time)
Thanksgiving on the Texas Coast
Dec
5k PR: 20 min 53 sec
3 Big EDM Concerts
Mississippi for Christmas
Visit a good friend in Little Rock
Began planning first group retreat (Spain Fitness/Hyrox related)
We hope you enjoy a look behind the curtain and Justin's willingness to be open and honest about the retired life.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from the Episode
Spain Fitness Retreat
Justin’s Retirement Announcement Episode
Justin's 1 Year Since Retirement Episode
Asia Recap Episode
Full 6-month International Trip Episode
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/Kzdm3St3UkE
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Unlearning Frugality | The Mad Fientist | 08 déc. 2025 | 00:47:10 | |
Brandon Ganch, aka The Mad Fientist, joins us to share how he's trying to break some of the frugal habits that allowed him to retire at the age of 34.
He is one of the earliest analytical voices in the FI movement, known for treating FI as a systems problem.
He leverages his background in computer science, strong preference for systems thinking, experimentation, and automating FI decisions to bring unique perspectives and ways of thinking to the FI space.
Brandon retired extremely early, then realized he needed to redesign his post-FI life, not just his finances.
Most people in the world can't imagine training themselves to spend more money, but in this space, we totally get it.
Brandon walks us through all the experiments he's done around spending money to retrain how he thinks about spending decisions.
He covers specific examples of how he is reframing things as well as the increased happiness he's experiencing thanks to these purchases.
Topics covered include:
How to recalibrate your brain to determine which spending decisions are really worth your time based on net worth
Setting aside "Cash Machines" for future purchases
Running spending experiments and setting spending rules
Breaking old psychological traps to overcome frugality
And so much more.
If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Wealth Machines (https://wealthmachines.co) - Join as a beta tester before December 12th
Mad Fientist Website (https://madfientist.com)
Financial Independence Podcast (https://www.madfientist.com/podcast/)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/mrWl40q_K64
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| We Live Better Than Kings Did (Thanksgiving Special Episode) | 26 nov. 2025 | ||
Cody & Justin are here to flood your ears with thanks!
Your very own Financial Independence Show co-hosts are here with a special Thanksgiving episode.
It's hard to believe we're rounding out yet another year, and there's so much to be thankful for as always.
Fitness improving, relationships strengthening, comfort level with retirement steadily increasing, and so much more.
Some general categories include:
Health
Relationships
Finances
Lifestyle
Gratefulness
Hang around until the end to hear Cody's big announcement, and Justin's not-so-standard Thanksgiving dish that you can wow your friends and family with.
You might be shocked at just how little money comes up, and we think that's the clearest sign we're living our best lives.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/dz_ThEE_YYU
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
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Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| From $111,000 in Debt to Freedom through Budgeting | Allison Baggerly | 19 nov. 2025 | 00:45:47 | |
Allison Baggerly from Inspired Budget joins us to share her journey from $111,000 in debt to creating a life of freedom through budgeting.
Topics covered include:
How to change your spending habits
Paying down debt as quickly as possible
Different types of budgets and how to implement
The power of increasing your income
Knowing your "enough"
How kids can actually reduce your expenses
Planning for early retirement
Routines, time blocking, and managing your schedule
And so much more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Inspired Budget (Allison's Website)
Inspired Budget Podcast
Allison's YouTube
Allison's Instagram
Money Made Easy (Allison's Book)
Allison's Budgeting Spreadsheet
Allison's Daily Budgeting Video
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/59scOklc9jc
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Building a $700,000+ Glamping Business | Garrett Brown | 12 nov. 2025 | 00:47:43 | |
Garrett Brown, author of The Glamping Investor, joins us to talk all about building a glamping business.
He shares his own journey from $0 to $700,000+ in revenue, and his best tips on how you can get started yourself.
Topics covered include:
Finding the right plot of land
Understanding "landhacking" and why it's so powerful
Setting up utilities and amenities
Zoning and building laws
Different types of glamping structures and their cost
Financing and how to buy these types of structures
Scaling and improving your glamping business
And so much more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
The Glamping Investor (Garrett's Book)
Garrett's Instagram
Garrett's YouTube
BiggerStays YouTube
Pacific Domes (mention The FI Show for best pricing)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/1oCuixGBYsw
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| The Magic of Compounding | Sathish Gajula | 04 nov. 2025 | 00:40:42 | |
Sathish Gajula from the Compounding Project joins us to talk about compounding your health, wealth, and mindset.
He shares some mindblowing stats, along with plenty of tactical advice.
Topics covered include:
Why investing early matters so much
How to cut back on the "big 3" expenses
The most important part of the compound interest equation
How compounding affects health and fitness
Curating the right information diet
Hacks for maintaining motivation and discipline
And so much more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
The Compounding Project (Instagram)
The Compounding Project (YouTube)
The Compounding Project Podcast
Compound Interest Equation:
Sathish's Favorite Books:
Outlive - Peter Attia
The Simple Path to Wealth - JL Collins
Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari
The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy
I Will Teach You to Be Rich - Ramit Sethi
Atomic Habits - James Clear
Sathish's Favorite Podcasts:
Diary of a CEO
The Tim Ferriss Show
Colin & Samir
Sathish's Favorite Apps:
Fantastical Calendar
Chat GPT
Todoist
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/yCded1Kz61I
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
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Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Building a $32.5 Million Treehouse Empire | Seth & Tori Bolt | 30 sept. 2025 | 00:52:27 | |
Seth and Tori Bolt from Bolt Farm Treehouse join us to share their story of a wedding gift that turned into a $32.5 million business.
It's been truly incredible to see what they've built together, and more importantly, just how down-to-earth both of them are despite their tremendous success.
Inside the episode, we discuss:
Scaling a short-term rental business
How hospitality is everywhere
Creating a memorable experience
Working with your partner
Goal setting and the concept of "enough"
Attracting top talent
Showing up on social media
Knowing when to add/cut things
And so much more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Bolt Farm Treehouse
@boltfarmtreehouse (IG)
@drsethbolt (IG)
@toribolt (IG)
Bolt Farm Workshop Retreats
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/kL5-g3yGqt0
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
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Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| How to Retire Often | Jillian Johnsrud | 09 sept. 2025 | 00:55:09 | |
Jillian Johnsrud, a friend and multiple-time guest on The FI Show, joins us to discuss her latest book, Retire Often.
Specifically, we cover:
Why mini-retirements are so important
How mini-retirements can accelerate your FI timeline
The art of negotiation
Finding meaning from taking breaks
Retiring with intention
The math behind mini-retirements
Why FIRE shouldn't be your first retirement
And so much more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Retire Often Book
Jillian's Website
Overcoming Adversity (Jillian's 1st Episode on The FI Show)
Managing Goals and Avoiding Mediocrity (Her 2nd Episode)
Fire the Haters and Create Content Online (Her 3rd Episode)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/2fN3UOOVqBw
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| How He Spent Only $9,400 On a 6-Month Trip (Justin’s 2025 Recap) | 11 août 2025 | 00:42:40 | |
Justin is back!
Your very own Financial Independence Show co-host is here to give you all the financial details from his six-month journey around the world.
Spoiler alert, he actually turned a profit and increased his net worth by $100k+ while abroad.
The numbers might be shocking, but as always, Justin kept detailed records of expenses and walks you through exactly how he pulled off this incredible trip.
Specifically, we cover:
Most overrated and underrated places
Where he wishes we spent more time
First place on his "going back" list
Where he'd be most likely to live long term
Best bang for your buck experience
Where he wishes he had spent more money
Accomplished and unaccomplished goals
Airbnb income, other income, and creative ways to save
Hang around until the end to hear Justin's top 3 tips for someone looking to do something similar!
This is an episode you'll want to come back to if you're looking for a blueprint for traveling the world on a budget.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Justin's Travel Blog
Spreadsheet with all the expenses
Some photos highlighting the European travels
$46 to Travel the World (Pre-Trip Episode)
$2,052 for 5 Weeks in Southeast Asia (1-Month Recap)
$1,500 per Month to Travel in Southeast Asia (3-Month Recap)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/ThTLDOj1A7A
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Buying Houses with No Money Down from Thousands of Miles Away | Tony J Robinson | 02 juil. 2025 | 00:46:01 | |
Tony J Robinson, co-host of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie podcast and one half of The Real Estate Robinsons, joins us to talk real estate strategy.
Tony has experience with many creative financing options and buying properties all around the country.
Specifically, we cover:
100% mortgage loans through small credit unions
The BRRR strategy
Finding equity partners to finance deals
Seller financing
Lines of credit against stocks
How to identify a "good" investment property
Systems for managing your properties
Building a team anywhere in the country
And so much more.
This is definitely an episode you'll want to come back to if you're looking to set up a system for managing your properties.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Tony's Instagram
Tony's YouTube Channel
The Real Estate Robinsons
BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie Podcast
Finding Properties:
AirDNA
PriceLabs
Managing Properties:
PriceLabs
Guesty
Hostfully
Breezeway
Monday
Turno
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/4lojE8R18Ks
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| How to Travel the World on $75 a Day | Nomadic Matt | 29 mai 2025 | 00:39:03 | |
If you've ever searched for something travel-related, you've probably stumbled onto Nomadic Matt's website at one point or another.
He started travel blogging back in 2008 and quickly became one of the biggest names in the space.
As you can imagine, after traveling and gathering information for 15+ years, he has a lot to share about travel!
In this episode, we cover:
How to find cheap flights
How to find cheap accommodation
How to find a cheap phone plan
Why slow travel can save you money
Overrated and underrated travel destinations
The biggest mistakes most travelers make
Taking a sabbatical and/or quitting your job
and a whole lot more.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
NomadicMatt.com
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
Matt's Instagram
Cheap flights:
Going
Thrifty Traveler
Airfarewatchdog
The Flight Deal
Google Flights
Redeeming points:
Seats.aero
Point.me
Cheap stays:
Couchsurfing
Trusted House Sitters
Airbnb (rooms)
Home Exchange
Booking.com
Rakuten (for money back on booked stays)
Cheap phone plans:
Airalo
Saily
Holafly
No-fee Banking:
Charles Schwab Investor Checking
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/a9TrvTIlogw
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| The Simple Path to Wealth (Does it Still Work?) | JL Collins | 20 mai 2025 | 00:56:51 | |
Who said building wealth had to be complicated?
In this episode, we're joined by JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth (recently revised).
JL was one of the pioneers of the FI space as we know it today, and has been coined "The Godfather of FI".
During this interview, we cover:
If the Simple Path to Wealth still works in today's economy
How to navigate a market downturn
How to build your investment portfolio
The power of compound interest
Why fees can destroy your returns
How to spend in alignment with your values
The real reason we accumulate money
And so much more.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the links below for more content, and don’t forget to share this podcast with a friend!
Links From the Episode
The Simple Path to Wealth
JLCollinsNH.com
The One Thing That Determines Your Success in the Market (blog post)
The Wasting Asset Retirement Model (WARM - blog post)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/hr7_ZfbKMno
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
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Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| $1,500 per Month to Travel in Southeast Asia (Justin’s 3-Month Recap) | 07 mai 2025 | 00:51:14 | |
Today, we bring you our second episode covering Justin's six-month journey across Asia and Europe.
Luckily, Justin loves documenting the numbers, so you'll get the most in-depth breakdown of expenses you could hope for.
Listen in to see how he's living it up in paradise for $45/day.
That number includes accommodation, restaurants, groceries, gyms, activities, government fees, random purchases...literally everything.
Here's a high-level breakdown for Justin's half of the full Southeast Asia portion of his 6-month trip:
Transportation: $582
Accommodation: $1,368
Activities: $1,543
Restaurants: $299
Groceries: $242
Gov Fees: $32
Misc: $42
Gym: $80
Some highlight activities include:
4-day/3-night island hopping tour
Mount Batur sunrise jeep excursion
10-hour private driver tour
So many beaches and waterfalls
Three separate hour-plus massages
Three additional days of boat tours in the Philippines
5 separate 1hr+ massages
2 cooking classes
Gili Island Snorkeling
8-hour private Nusa Penida tour
Ha Long Bay yacht
Trang An river + Ninh Binh tour
Bai Dinh temple complex
4-day Ha Giang motorcycle loop (Vietnam)
Koh Lanta Island hopping
2-day Elephant Nature Park stay
12-hour Chiang Rai temple tour
and more...
Want all the data?
Check out Justin's detailed spreadsheet
We hope you enjoyed this in-depth check-in and look forward to periodically bringing you these over the next few months.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Traveling the World for $46/day
$2,052 for 5 Weeks in Southeast Asia (Justin's 1-Month Recap)
Justin's Detailed Trip Expenses
Justin's Substack (to follow along with his travels)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/HPzIkEmhkTA
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| How to Get Rich Doing Boring Things | Nick Huber | 29 avr. 2025 | 00:45:39 | |
Entrepreneurship doesn't have to be sexy.
In today's episode, Nick Huber, author of The Sweaty Startup, talks about how to get rich doing boring things.
Instead of building the next AI tool, how about a painting business? Or landscaping? Or HVAC? Or one of the hundreds of services that everyday people need?
Topics covered include:
Finding your next business idea
Why Shark Tank is a lie
The easiest way to tell if an idea will work
Getting your first customers
When to "legitimize" your business
Marketing strategies that actually work
When to start scaling and branching out
and more!
This episode covers a lot, so get ready to take some notes.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the links below for more content, and don’t forget to share this podcast with a friend!
Links From the Episode
The Sweaty Startup (Nick's Book)
Nick’s Twitter
Nick’s Instagram
Nick's last appearance on The FI Show (episode 228)
Nick's businesses:
Personal Brand – https://sweatystartup.com/
Self Storage – https://boltstorage.com/
Overseas Staffing – https://supportshepherd.com/
Cost Segregation – https://recostseg.com/
Insurance – https://titanrisk.com/
Business Brokerage – https://nickhuber.com/
Recruiting – https://recruitjet.com/
Landing Page / Web Development – https://webrun.com/
Debt and Equity – https://bluekeycapital.com/
Tax Credit – https://taxcredithunter.com/
Performance Marketing – https://adrhino.com/
Pest control – https://spidexx.com/
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/OMffZ-Xuikk
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Inner Entrepreneur (Start, Build, Buy, Scale, and Sell Your Business) | Grant Sabatier | 11 mars 2025 | 01:00:09 | |
Grant Sabatier, the bestselling author of Financial Freedom, returns to the show for the third time to talk all about entrepreneurship.
Inside the episode we cover:
How to come up with business ideas
What makes a successful entrepreneur
Why 9/10 small businesses fail
Grant's perfect business formula
Growing, scaling, and marketing a business
The biggest mistakes made by entrepreneurs
Following your passion vs. following the money
and so much more.
Grant's latest book, Inner Entrepreneur, is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to advance in business.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Inner Entrepreneur
GrantSabatier.com
Grant's Community
Grant's Instagram
Grant's First Appearance on The FI Show
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/dw5pxLC7CYQ
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| $2,052 for 5 Weeks in Southeast Asia (Justin’s 1-Month Recap) | 21 févr. 2025 | 00:51:36 | |
Today we bring you our first episode since Justin hit the road on his six-month journey across Asia and Europe.
Luckily, Justin loves documenting the numbers so you'll get the most in-depth breakdown of expenses you could hope for.
Listen in to see how he's living it up in paradise for $55/day.
That number includes accommodation, restaurants, groceries, gyms, activities, government fees, random purchases...literally everything.
Here's a high-level breakdown for Justin's half of the first 37 days expenses:
Transportation: $305
Accommodation: $590
Activities: $838
Restaurants: $134
Groceries: $82
Gov Fees: $32
Misc: $20
Gym: $51
That's only $2k for 37 days!
Some highlight activities include:
4 day/3 night island hopping tour
Mount Batur sunrise jeep excursion
10-hour private driver tour
So many beaches and waterfalls
Three separate hour-plus massages
Three additional days of boat tours in the Phillippines
and more
Want all the data?
Check out Justin's detailed spreadsheet
We hope you enjoyed this in-depth check-in and look forward to periodically bringing you these over the next few months.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Traveling the World for $46/day
Justin's Detailed Trip Expenses
Justin's Substack (to follow along with his travels)
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/39w8PfTLmcg
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Helping 1,000,000 People Invest in Real Estate | Dustin Heiner | 10 févr. 2025 | 00:41:46 | |
Dustin Heiner returns to the show after a long 5 years to share what he's been up to since his last appearance (a lot!).
We discuss
His recent 355-unit apartment building and multiple hotel acquisitions
How he's built a podcasting network
His fast-growing real estate conference
His daily and weekly routine and how he balances work and life
What it really takes to build passive income
And so much more.
Dustin's goal is to help 1,000,000 people start investing in real estate, and he's already made huge progress.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
REWBCon (Use code "Cody" for 10% off)
Dustin's Free Real Estate Investing Course
Dustin's Instagram
Dustin's YouTube
Master Passive Income
Dustin's First Appearance on The FI Show
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/5ok7JGOhVwE
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| 2025 Goals and Updates (+ a Major Podcast Announcement) | 01 janv. 2025 | ||
Today we bring you our goals for 2025 along with some upcoming changes to the podcast.
Every year, we like to map out some of our goals and what we aim to accomplish.
We break these down into the following categories:
Money/Finance
Fitness
Family/Relationship
Other
Some examples of Cody's goals include:
Doubling down on what works for business and finance
Completing an Ironman
Cutting out bad relationships and doubling down on good ones
Completing the build for his "forever" home
Some of Justin's Goals include:
Running a sub-22-min 5k and completing a half-marathon
Simplifying the investment account sprawl
Coming away from his trip with a short list of slow travel locations
Writing more
In the episode, you'll get the full breakdown of all the goals and why some of these are the focus for 2025.
We hope you enjoyed this goal-setting episode and are inspired to make some big moves in 2025.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Traveling the World for $46/day
2023 Recap and 2024 Goals
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| 12 Money Lessons (Christmas Special) | 25 déc. 2024 | 00:34:52 | |
Today we bring you a Christmas special of sorts.
The 12 money lessons as a play on the 12 days of Christmas.
These are some of the most foundational takeaways we've realized during our financial journey.
We truly believe if you master these lessons, you'll have a clear path to hitting your money goals.
12 Money Lessons We Cover:
Retirement is a number, not an age
4% rule or cash flow method
Your first investment should be in yourself
$10K toward self-betterment will likely go a lot further than it will in the S&P or RE at the beginning of your journey
Compound interest is insane
Investing $500 a month from 25 - 45 and then stopping will give you ~$1M in retirement at 65. Investing $1,000 a month from 45-65 will give you only $500,000. Start Early.
The 80/20 of spending
Focusing on the “big 3” (housing, transportation, food) will do way more for you than penny-pinching in other categories
There’s no “right way” to reach financial independence
If someone tells you the X is the only way, they’re lying or trying to sell you something. Can be done via index funds, RE, corporate job, digital products, etc.
Action > Information
You will learn way more by actually doing the thing, than reading books, listening to podcasts, or watching YouTube videos about it.
Now is not a bad time to start
Almost anytime you look back 4 years at investing you’ll wish you would have bought even more which is just a sure sign that if you feel like you need to wait to invest, you’re probably wrong
Do the experience
You’ll probably never regret the money spent on a memorable activity with friends and family
It’s not about the money
Yes, you’ll need to focus on money for a while and build up a nest egg but it the end the money is just a tool to give you the freedom to focus on the things you really care about, it’s not about lavishness or material obsession. Saving up a ton of money doesn’t make you a greedy person
Don’t make a plan, make a contract
Investing will have turbulence and that’s when people are most likely to make bad decisions. This happens when we let our emotions get involved. Instead of making a general plan, make some hard contractual-type promises with yourself so that when times get tough, you don’t even consider making rash decisions
You’ll adjust to anything
This can be an advantage or disadvantage. The advantage is that you can live a lifestyle very different to others and find that you can still reach a very high level of happiness. The disadvantage comes when we have lifestyle inflation and our spending keeps increasing but the novelty wears off and we don’t feel any different but our spending has increased dramatically
You can’t know where to go, if you don’t know where you are
Getting an accurate state of your finances and spending is critical. You don’t have to fixate on creating a budget right away but definitely track your spending with extreme accuracy for a few months so you have real data to work with
It’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep (there are people making $200k living paycheck to paycheck, and people making $50k saving 50%)
Be informed
I try not to tell people what they can and can’t spend money on, just do the math to understand what the decision you’re making now means for your future self. Get comfortable with some basic spreadsheet math and project out things, compare options, just take a pause and do some calculations
We hope you enjoyed this special episode and these lessons for your financial journey.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Finding Purpose and Meaning | Doc G | 18 déc. 2024 | 00:53:08 | |
Jordan Grumet aka Doc G brings his brilliant insights to help listeners find answers to one of the hardest questions we battle with, what is our purpose?
That gets broken down in this episode and his upcoming book, The Purpose Code.
He has a history as a physician which brings amazing perspectives, especially from his time as a hospice doctor.
Jordan recounts his life lessons to explain how to find purpose and shed the anxiety that normally comes with that search.
He also breaks down the difference between regret and disappointment.
Jordan does a phenomenal job of incorporating exercises at the end of each chapter to put what you read into practice.
The book and discussion don't just stop with your life but also discuss how to leave a lasting legacy for others.
There's no doubt that Jordan has some of the most thoughtful and insightful conversations anywhere in the personal finance space.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
The Purpose Code Book
Jordan's Website
Earn and Invest Podcast
Jordan's First Episode on The FI Show
YouTube Interview
https://youtu.be/DunvVz_JdTc
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Financial Freedom in 3 Years (Cody’s FI Journey Explained) | 11 déc. 2024 | 00:22:46 | |
Someone recently asked me: "How did you reach FI?"
I didn't have a great answer for them that didn't take 30+ minutes to explain.
So, I recorded a podcast episode outlining my entire FI Journey - all the numbers, all the income streams, all the expenses, year over year.
Below are the notes I created to guide the episode.
2016
Read the 4-Hour Workweek
Started my first real business, Arsenal Discs
Learned how to build a website, marketing, sales, networking, negotiations, pricing, product design… all the HARD way
2017
Discovered FI through Mr. Money Mustache
Started listening to podcasts like ChooseFI and Afford Anything
Read books like Simple Path to Wealth and Your Money or Your Life
Learned about side hustles, taxes, the 4% rule, etc.
Despite all this, didn’t really have any money since I was paying for college
Locked in job for July 2018, plan was to work 7-10 years to hit FI
2018
Went to CampFI in January and FI became “real”
Lived in Australia with lots of time on my hands and started side hustling after being unable to find a regular job
Blog launched in April 2018 to document my journey
Started working as a commercial RE lender in July 2018 once I returned to the U.S.
All-in comp was $80-85k
Knowing that FI existed was a blessing and a curse
Launched podcast in August 2018 (nothing else like it)
FinCon 2018 (CampFI on steroids) - met Grant and others
By the end of that year, I had tried a dozen new side hustles (blogging, podcasting, freelance writing, building websites, editing podcasts, affiliate marketing, digital products, etc)
Income: $44,000, Net worth: $75,000, Stock market: -6.24%
2019
Quit my corporate job on January 31, 2019 with $30,000+ saved
Side hustles were bringing in $1,200 per month, but my expenses were the same ($450 rent, paid off car, super frugal)
Financial Freedom book tour March-May of 2019
Teamed up with Julie to launch Gold City Ventures in June 2019
So many people asking for 1-on-1, wanted to teach at scale
Most of my time after that was spent working on Gold City Ventures
Practicing my craft to teach better
Managing a community, recording & packaging content, hiring people
Originally launched E-Printables, a blogging course, and a freelancing course
LOTs of learning lessons from this business
Income: $96,000, Net worth: $179,000, Stock market: 28.88%
2020
Went all-in on digital products (dropped blogging and freelancing from GCV)
Etsy shop, Shopify store, templates, etc.
Continued to live extremely frugally (spending less than $25,000/year)
Bought 3-unit house hack in September 2020
$235,000, we lived in the basement, rent $2,200, expenses $1,700
Bought duplex in November 2020
$170,000, rent $2,250, expenses $1,350
Bought 3-unit house hack in December 2020
$315,000, we moved to 1BR/1BA, rent $2,600, expenses $2,100
First house hack jumped to $3,000 in rent once we moved out
Income: $198,000, Net worth: $392,000, Stock market: 16.26%
2021
Started freelancing for Motley Fool (who acquired MillennialMoney.com)
Extra $10K/month, SEO, “thinking big”, awesome team
Bought triplex in May 2021
$245,000, rent $2,900, expenses $1,900
~$200,000 in down payments came from digital product income
Gold City Ventures continues to grow rapidly
Income: $403,000, Net worth: $1,035,000, Stock market: 26.89%
Financial Freedom!
Had RE making $3,000+ in cash flow, $500,000+ invested in the stock market
In addition to the semi-passive $20,000+ per month I was earning with digital products
Since I reached financial independence, I have continued to work on my main business, Gold City Ventures and invest 90%+ of my income into index funds and real estate.
Links from the Episode
CodyDBerman.com (previously FlytoFi)
The FI Show (first episode)
Gold City Ventures
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| 1 Year Since Retirement | 04 déc. 2024 | 00:38:21 | |
Justin retired 1 year ago today!
What did he do? How does he feel? Did the numbers work out as expected?
Luckily for you, he's dropped all the answers to that in the show with the highlights below.
Read on for Justin's notes:
Numerical Highlights from Year 1:
Averaged around $2500/mo or $30k/yr spending
Networth increased by ~400k ($1.7M -> $2.1M)
Continued to save money
4% SWR + Passive Income = ~13k/mo or $156k/yr if I wanted
Retirement Feelings Explained:
Relaxed: just being yourself and no corporate coating,
Awkward: Realizing every American interaction with someone starts off with work followed by me trying to explain the situation and balancing the outward perception from to
Proud: as someone who is often hard on themself for not sticking to things, financial independence took real commitment for ~9 years.
Scared: that I’ll have great ideas I want to try, memories I want to make, relationships I want to strengthen, or things I want to discuss… but discover that those I want to do it with don’t want those things at all
Relieved: After a year, I find similarities to the relief I felt over telling everyone I gave up alcohol. Saying aloud that I’ve done something that 99% of people will never do felt very weird at first, but then I adjusted to that 1% weirdo being my story, and the people who truly care about me let you be that 1% weirdo. And that exchange ends with a lot of relief.
Responsible: I feel a responsibility to push the people I love the most to take ownership of their financial lives
Satisfied: Not from a mentality that everything that needs to be accomplished is accomplished. My sense of satisfaction comes from knowing that the first year of retirement was worth every decision and delayed gratification even if it’s the only year of financial freedom I ever get.
Detailed Breakdown of Year 1 Activities:
December 2023
Hosted my niece for a week in Austin
Made custom laser engraved gifts for my mom and good friend
Tried Franklins BBQ and Interstellar BBQ for the first time
Planned and purchased everything for a kitchen remodel
Saw several movies
Redesigned ripped dip packaging
Attended consumer product goods meetups
Went to the trail of lights
Did a baby kangaroo feeding experience
Redesigned my Dad’s upstairs to be a sudo apartment in Mississippi
Ripped up old flooring and prepped concrete for staining
Replaced all the windows in the flip
Spent two weeks in Mississippi
Enjoyed Christmas with my family
Tons of workouts
January 2024
Two weeks in Mississippi
Someone hit and totaled my Tesla
Redid Kitchen in Leslie’s family beach house
Lots of other projects there like replacing all the hardware for the doors
Spent a week on the Texas coast
Saw several movies
Lots of cooking
Lots of workouts
Dove into Ninja Creamis
February 2024
Spent two weeks on the Texas coast
More beach house remodeling
Went to the Austin Symphony
Took the train to Dallas
Completed the purchase of my New (to me) Tesla Model Y
Spent a couple of days with my best friend in Dallas
Spent a week in Mississippi
Lots of remodeling on the flip house
Attended a Rodeo
Took my niece to a concert in Nashville
March 2024
Spent two weeks in Mississippi
Played golf
Replaced doors and painted the exterior of the flip house
Drove back to Austin
Tried a new boxing class
Did my first Dexa scan (10.1% body fat)
Spent a week in Miami
Attended Ultra music festival
Went to two additional concerts
Drove back to Texas Coast
April 2024
More remodeling on Texas beach house
Found outfits for our engagement (surprise to Leslie)
Made pies/desserts for Leslie’s Brother’s 50th birthday
Spent two weeks in Portugal
Got engaged
A quick trip to Paris
Volunteered for Preservation Austin home tour
Spent a week in Puerto Vallarta
May 2024
Hosted my parents in Austin
Threw an engagement party
Another trip to the Texas Coast
Yoga wellness day trip
DeadMau5 show in Austin
Spent 10 days in Chicago
Attended Beyond Wonderland music festival in Chicago
Tons of catching up with friends, sporting events, new restaurants, museums etc
June 2024
4 more days in Chicago
House sitting for Leslie’s brother
10 days in Mississippi
More work on the flip house
Cookout for Father’s Day
Consumer Product Goods event
Spent a week in Alaska
Took a private plane flight around the glaciers and mountains
July 2024
Spent two weeks across Oregon/Washington
Odesza concert at The Gorge on the 4th of July
Oregon Coast stay
Clamming
Exploring Portland
Berry Picking
Beautiful hikes
Highland cow experience
House sitting for Leslie’s Brother
Week in Puerto Rico
August 2024
Traveled to southern Mississippi
Attended my Aunt’s wedding
Spent a couple of days with my Aunt
Spent over two weeks in Africa
Hiked Kilimanjaro
Did African Safari
September 2024
Boat day Lake Austin
Knocked off some local Austin restaurants from the wishlist
Began planning our 6 month international trip
Started taking running more seriously
Mississippi State vs Texas football game
Hosted friends from Mississippi
Kygo concert
October 2024
F45 photoshoot
Celebrated Rhonda's birthday
Staycation downtown Austin
Maggie Rogers concert
ACL
Domdolla concert
Baking spree (first biscuits, high protein desserts)
Started building cookbook
Vintage culture concert
Ride along in a rally car
Leslie 10yr college reunion
November 2024
Austin Networking getaway weekend
Wedding Expo
Hosted 5k / Friendsgiving
Spent 11 days in Dallas with my best friend
Creed concert
Hyrox race
4 days in Mercury Texas for Thanksgiving
Wooli concert
It's obvious that Justin didn't get bored in retirement or feel as though he was just sitting around being worthless.
We hope you enjoyed this detailed breakdown and case study of what a real example of retirement looks like.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from the Episode
Justin's Retirement Announcement Episode
$5,000,000 Net Worth and 2,000,000 Downloads Episode
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Election Aftermath, Controlling Your Controllables, and Giving Thanks | 27 nov. 2024 | 00:24:54 | |
In this episode, Cody and Justin discuss what they're thankful for and the importance of focusing on what you can control.
We recorded this episode shortly after Election Day.
Elections leave a lot of people feeling defeated and a lot of people feeling like they've won.
The reality is that neither is true.
You are the most critical variable in your financial independence journey, regardless of who's sitting in the Oval Office.
The key is to focus on what you can control and to appreciate the privilege that you have.
Even if things don't seem rosy, the hardest experiences often shape us the most and transform us into better versions of ourselves.
We hope this inspires you to evaluate your life, appreciate your advantages, spend some time in gratitude, and get inspired for your next chapter in life.
If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from the Episode
The Purpose Code
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CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Healthcare on the FI Journey | Lynn & Jackie (Replay) | 20 nov. 2024 | 00:57:47 | |
It's open enrollment season, meaning making healthcare choices for the upcoming year.
So for today’s episode, we're featuring FI healthcare experts Lynn Frair and Jackie Cummings Koski.
We cover:
HSAs
Healthshare Ministries
Subsidized Care
Deductible and Out-ot-Pocket Maximums
Open Enrollment
State Healthcare Exchanges
End-of-life Care
Emergency Funds
and more!
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!
Links and Resources
Lynn's Instagram
Jackie's Instagram
Heatlhcare.gov
WexInc HSA vs Traditional Calculator
Mad Fientist article on HSAs
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
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Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
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Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| This Side Hustle Will Blow Your Mind | 13 nov. 2024 | 00:32:41 | |
Cody joins Amy Porterfield on the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast to talk all about digital products.
He covers topics such as:
The best platforms to sell digital products
How to find digital products you might already own
How to get more subscribers using printables
How to make more money with digital products
How to add digital products to your existing business
And all about what’s inside his E-Printables course.
Hope this helps someone else start their digital product journey.
If you enjoyed this, please share this episode with a friend!
Links from The Episode
E-Printables Course (with FI Show discount)
Original episode on Online Marketing Made Easy
YouTube Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ELCryyjEM
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We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
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Send an email to contact [at] TheFiShow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
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Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| Tennis Olympian Turned Real Estate Pro | Sunitha Rao (Replay) | 06 nov. 2024 | 00:35:45 | |
Our friend Sunitha Rao came from humble beginnings.
Her parents spent most of their lives in one of the poorest regions in India.
Despite all odds, Suni became a professional tennis player and traveled the globe playing in different tournaments.
Years later, she turned her competitive nature toward real estate.
Her real estate career quickly started to explode, and she's been addicted ever since.
This episode originally aired in 2019, but it was so good, we decided to replay it.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!
Links from The Episode
Suni's Original Episode from 2019
Suni's LinkedIn
Suni's Instagram
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||
| $5,000,000 Net Worth & 2,000,000 Downloads | 30 oct. 2024 | ||
2,000,000 downloads!
And it's all thanks to listeners, viewers, and readers like yourself.
In today's episode, we reflect on everything that has changed and everything that hasn't.
Cody & Justin have increased their net worths by a combined $5,000,000!
Justin retired 10 years sooner than he ever imagined.
Cody created a multi-seven-figure business around an idea he never even considered.
Those are just a couple of big highlights with other highlights including:
New Investment Strategies
Flips
AirBnB - ownership and management
Covered Calls
Syndications
Hard Money Loans
Lifestyle Changes
Girlfriends have become Wife/Fiance
Justin stopped drinking
Cody and Justin are in even better physical shape than 6 years ago
They both focus more on value than purely price
Justin listens to EDM and drinks coffee....never saw that coming
What Hasn't Changed
Keeping the "big 3" expenses low
The majority of our investments are still total stock market funds
Experiences are still the priority over material objects
We continue to do this show because of you all.
Every time we hear a story of how we inspired someone or introduced them to a concept that is now helping them live the life they dreamed of, it pushes us to keep going.
We hope you found value in the episode, if you did, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend!
Links from The Episode
2018 Reflection, 2019 Goals episode
2019 Valentine's Day episode
Join the Community
We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!
Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet
Join our Facebook Group
Leave us a voicemail
Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com
If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating/review!
>> You can do that by clicking here <<
Learn More About Your Hosts
CodyDBerman.com (Cody’s Blog)
Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog) | |||