logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2017
1h 10m

041 | Pursuing FI in a High Cost of Livi...

ChooseFI
About this episode
Starting later doesn't mean you're behind — it means you skip the years of trial and error. Paige and Sam prove that financial independence works in high-cost areas and on modest incomes, even when conventional wisdom says otherwise. Paige challenged the hosts after they accepted the limiting belief that FI isn't achievable in expensive cities. Living in a h ... Show More
Up next
Today
610 | Sabbatical Success: Around the World in 367 Days
A 40-year-old physician associate and his wife walked away from their jobs with $50,000 earmarked for a year of world travel. They returned having spent just $30,000—and visited 15+ countries across four continents. This isn't a story about deprivation or cutting corners. It's ab ... Show More
49m 58s
Jul 27
609 | How to Talk to Your Partner about FI | Jasper Lee
Your spouse shoots down every FI conversation with "we can't afford it" or "retirement at 35 sounds crazy." You respond with better spreadsheets, tighter logic, more compelling numbers—and somehow make things worse. The problem isn't your math. It's that you're bringing a calcula ... Show More
59m 38s
Jul 20
608 | Die With Zero, Revisited
Brad Barrett's daughter just graduated high school. She's heading to college in a few months. The number of times he'll see her for the rest of his life? Already countable. This realization—visceral and unavoidable—brought him back to a conversation that changed both his and Chri ... Show More
1h 13m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
406: Finance Friday: Why FORCING Your Way to FIRE Isn’t The Way
The road to early retirement isn’t easy. Once you become dead-set on finding financial freedom, your entire world turns upside down. For many of us, this means spending as little as possible, ditching takeout, saying goodbye to expensive events, and becoming a frugal hermit in ou ... Show More
52m 16s
Dec 2016
Fiery Millennials and Millennial Boss – A Millennial's Guide to FI
<p>On today's episode of the Financial Independence Podcast, Gwen from Fiery Millennials and Julie from Millennial Boss join me to talk about millennial finances and what young people should do to reach financial independence as quickly as possible!</p> <p>Highlights:</p> <ul> <l ... Show More
45m 16s
Oct 2025
The All Out Approach to Achieve FIRE in Your 30s (Median Income Earner)
In this BiggerPockets Money episode, we break down the all-out approach to reaching Financial Independence and Retiring Early in your 30s. No tech salary required, no inheritance, no luck. Just aggressive saving, smart investing, and a willingness to optimize every dollar. We'll ... Show More
1h 10m
Apr 2024
MI346: The True Total Money Makeover w/ Ali & Josh of The FI Couple
In today’s episode, Patrick Donley chats with The FI Couple, Ali and Josh, about their journey to financial independence. Despite starting with significant debt and job struggles, they turned to real estate investing to change their lives. They paid off over $100,000 in debt, bui ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2021
248: Finance Friday: I Just Got a Big Raise, What Should I Do With the Money?
Your late 20s through early 30s can be a financially troubling part of life. You aren’t making the most money you ever will, but you’re tackling big expenses. A wedding, a down payment, and trying to max out retirement accounts can put you in a financial tizzy. But, it doesn’t ha ... Show More
1h 28m
Sep 2023
449: Coast FI in 4 Years: Cutting Expenses, Doubling Your Income, & HUGE Savings
People spend much of their lives grinding to Coast FI, but the truth is that you’re only ever one big financial swing from achieving your FI goals much faster. Despite starting out with very little, today’s guest was able to break the cycle and reach her Coast FI goal in just fou ... Show More
50m 6s
Feb 2020
Some places can help you avoid living paycheck-to-paycheck
Francesca Ortegren of Clever Real Estate discusses the cities and communities where individuals are most likely to live paycheck-to-paycheck and why those communities are so hard for making ends meet, and Chuck has to come to grips with the idea that one of his kids currently liv ... Show More
1 h
Feb 2023
How to Go From NEGATIVE $102,000 Net Worth to Retired In Your 30's w/ Josh and Ali Lupo
<p>Josh and Ali Lupo were the average american couple. Decent Jobs with heaps of student loan, car, and credit card debt. Until one day they decided that this life could be BETTER.<br/><br/>Saving and investing every penny they were able to pay off all $102,000 of their debt comp ... Show More
49m 50s
Sep 2025
226. “She’s chasing FIRE. I want to enjoy life now.”
Laura (34) and Cameron (38) earn over $200,000 a year and save thousands each month, yet every decision feels like a crisis. Laura, a first-generation Mexican American, grew up in financial chaos and now enforces strict rules, from tracking every purchase in YNAB to keeping Camer ... Show More
1h 35m
Feb 2023
387: Finance Friday: Is Staying At Your Job Costing You More Than You Think?
Most people assume that buying rental properties is only for those making six-figure salaries. How can the average American afford the sizeable down payment and high interest rates of today’s housing market? Let us introduce you to Tiffany, a twenty-three-year-old from Colorado w ... Show More
43m 30s