1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to had of money. I'm Joel and I am 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: at and today we're declaring that financial independence exists on 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: a spectrum. 4 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. I like that you said declaring because it makes 5 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 2: me think of the Declaration of Independence as well. What 6 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 2: was supposed to make you think of? Of course, this is 7 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 2: the fourth of July week. Happy belated fourth of July. 8 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 2: Fourth of July was yesterday. Hopefully you were able to 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: take some time off celebrate the fact that we no 10 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 2: longer have to pay taxes without representation. Instead we pay 11 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 2: taxes with representation. 12 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: But yes, I hope everyone more like some swimwear that 13 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: had the United States flag on it, set out some fireworks, 14 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: drank a really chrommy beer. That's the only day that 15 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: it's really acceptable. 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 2: But this also anytime we get we start getting close 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: to the fourth of July towards Independence Day, it does 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: make us think about financial independence. And today we're going 19 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: to talk about some of the I think some different 20 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: levels of financial independence that we think are going to 21 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: be helpful. We're not talking about like Barista fire that 22 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 2: kind of thing, but some more practical levels of five 23 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 2: that we think are going to be incredibly helpful. As 24 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,279 Speaker 2: you are on your path towards some sense of financial freedom. 25 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, like the stepping stones along the way. And when 26 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: you can identify those stepping stones, it makes a big 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: difference in how you perceive moving along that path. And 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: not only that, not only in like the psychological rum, 29 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: but it makes a difference in the actions you can 30 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: take along the way too. 31 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: Totally. Yeah. Should we have called it the stepping stones 32 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: of financial independence? They a little more, a little more tame. 33 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 2: But okay, So last week we had an ask how 34 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: to money question that we answered and a listener was 35 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: asking about how he can negotiate some medical bills and 36 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 2: we specifically mentioned Healthcare blue Book. How it's the site 37 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: that you can go check out compare the prices of 38 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: some different procedures. Well, listener Kayla, she actually talked about 39 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 2: how she was able to use this other website it's 40 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: called md save. Yeah. She sent us an email. 41 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: By the way, and anytime ye've got cracker jack information 42 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: on the personal finance front, she just an email. I 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: had a money pop wemail dot com. A. 44 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: We just love knowing what's out there, but mostly because 45 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 2: so that we can turn around and share it with you. 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: All of our listeners out there, but she said she 47 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: was able to pay three times less for an MRI 48 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: than basically what the average rate of that procedure was going. 49 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: To cost there where she lives. So it's amazing, a 50 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: massive win. It's hard but not impossible to comparison shop 51 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: healthcare procedures, and so I love that another website is 52 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: out there trying to make this opaque area a little 53 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: bit easier. So big props, big thanks to listener Kayla 54 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: for mentioning this, and hopefully everybody else can find mdsave 55 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: dot com a helpful resource. We'll link to it in 56 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: our show notes for this episode. But right man, it's 57 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: one of those things where I wish it were simpler. 58 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: I wish it was like Google Shopper kind of thing 59 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: for healthcare, but they kind of MD save is kind 60 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,119 Speaker 1: of like they kind of make it like that exactly, 61 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: so over time as more folks know about it, Like 62 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: that's what makes Google Shop or Amazon so ubiquitous, is 63 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: the fact that so many people use it, And it's 64 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: just the fact that not a lot of people know 65 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: about some of these different websites. 66 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 2: So again, mdsave dot com, Healthcare blue Book. Check them out, 67 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 2: especially if you have a non life threatening emergency a 68 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 2: procedure that that you have to get done. But Joel, 69 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: let's introduce. 70 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: Our beer all nine one one, or go directly to 71 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: the hospital if you know something like threatening is happening. 72 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, you don't want to be cheap, right, But if 73 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: it's one of those things. 74 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: Where're like, I got to do this sometime in the 75 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: next three six months, then you have time to shop. 76 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: You got time to be frugal. Our beer. This episode 77 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: is by Big Ditch Brewing Company and it's called Hey Burner. 78 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 2: It is an American IPA. Looking forward to to sharing 79 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 2: this one. 80 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, listeners, Liz and Tyler actually sent this one our way. 81 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 2: That's right. 82 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: They're Buffalo Bills fans apparently, so I don't really care 83 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: much about the NFL these days, but I hear the 84 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: Bills are good, so are they. I'm happy for Lizen Tyler. 85 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,119 Speaker 1: Good for them, and maybe I'll root for them because 86 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: the Falcons are always bad. But let's move on, mat, 87 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: let's get to the subject at hand. We're talking about 88 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: financial independence and how it exists on a spectrum, the 89 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: stepping stones really of financial independence, and it makes me 90 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: think speaking of sports, talking about football, this topic made me. 91 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 1: Think about the home run obsession of nineteen ninety eight 92 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: that took over the whole country. You were alive then, 93 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: we were like fourteen years old or over that, right, Wow, No. 94 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 2: You were older than that. You were probably sixteen. I 95 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 2: was fourteen ninety eight. Yep. 96 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well but Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire, those are 97 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: the two eyeballs on those two guys more than anybody else. 98 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: And granted, yes, it was all fueled by steroids and 99 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: corked baths and. 100 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: Stuff like that. But home runs, well, we didn't know 101 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: it at the time, and you're like ruining all the fun. 102 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: So we all thought it was great and it was good, 103 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: wholesome fun whenn't really not quite. But yeah, the home 104 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: runs kind of became the only meaningful metric in the 105 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: sport of baseball, which in my mind, actually made it 106 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: a whole lot more boring. A lot of people were 107 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: super into it. I thought the opposite was true, because doubles, 108 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: stolen bases, shoe string catches, that to me is the 109 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: fun stuff about baseball. The four hundred and fifty foot bomb, though, 110 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: especially when it's done on repeat, it gets boring after 111 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: a while. I get that it's you know, it's like okay, 112 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: because we'll sit there and watch the Daytota five hundred. 113 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: Speaking of Americans, Yeah, the same thing happening over now. 114 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: That's why Formula one is more interesting than Nascar. I agree, 115 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 1: don't shoot the messenger, but the home run really is 116 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: an all or nothing approach. And some folks they take 117 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: that same approach to financial independence. They come up with 118 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: a fine number right in amount they need to save 119 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: up in order to bag work completely. But the truth 120 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: is financial independence exists on more of a spectrum. It 121 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: is not an all or nothing thing, and we believe 122 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: that thinking about it in that way is going to 123 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: help you from a mental and from a financial perspective. 124 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: Totally. Yeah. Plus, nothing is more American than talking about baseball. 125 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 2: Forget the Formula one comment, everybody out there. It's a 126 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 2: good example here with the baseball analogy. And actually, we 127 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: just went to our our first Brands game of the 128 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: year the other nights. We had a great time. Speaking 129 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 2: of home runs, Bray's been hitting a lot of home 130 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: runs lately. Yeah, they had an insane number of them 131 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: last month, right, But go big or go home, like, 132 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: it's got a certain ring to it. Right, like a 133 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: nice rallying cry, but it's also not really all that practical. 134 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 2: And one of the problems with that go big or 135 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 2: go home approach is that it can make when it 136 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: comes to money and we're talking about financial independence here, 137 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 2: is that it can make financial independence seem unattainable, that 138 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 2: it is just out of reach of the typical American. 139 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 2: It's all or nothing, and because of that, you're going 140 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 2: to have to put your nose to the grindstone for 141 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 2: a long stinking time before you can accomplish that goal 142 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 2: or if something like another problem too is like if 143 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: something is unattainable and you just feel or believe that 144 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 2: you can't do it, what do you do? Typically you 145 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: give up? Right, It's kind of the other side of 146 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: the coin here, but it can be I think, just 147 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: as disheartening. But what if you thought about financial independence 148 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: as a spectrum instead something that you are gradually achieving 149 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: more of. We think that that is a healthy approach 150 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: that is also going to accelerate your progress. 151 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: Yes, and I think it deserves a brief mention here, 152 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: real quick math that money is not the only kind 153 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: of wealth. That is this is how to money. We 154 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: talked about money a lot. 155 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 2: But this is like the disclaimer before we launch into 156 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: credit card benefits their credit card rewards exactly. 157 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and obviously that's what we focus on on the show. 158 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: But wealth is really I guess if you're going to 159 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: give it, it's the most basic definition would be something 160 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: like an abundance of resources. And that doesn't specifically have 161 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: to mean US dollars, right, I mean, it can mean 162 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: a whole lot of things. And even though we want 163 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: How to Money listeners to become wealthy from a money perspective, 164 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: building up savings and investments, we also want you to 165 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: enjoy wealth and abundance in all those sectors of. 166 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: Your life that matter. 167 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: And so the truth is focusing intently on money as 168 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: the only source of wealth that you care about that 169 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: will likely prevent you from attaining wealth in other important areas. 170 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: So there's this recent Schwab survey Matt about how people 171 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: perceive wealth and if they found that the wealth looks 172 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: a lot more like not having to stress over money 173 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: than having a lot of money, which I think speaks 174 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: exactly to what we're talking about here, a Scrooge McDuck 175 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: esque amount of money so that you can swim in it. 176 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: Is not really what people are after. Most people are 177 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: after not stressing about money. And that is the cool 178 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: thing I think about this spectrum is that it destresses 179 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: you and how you relate to your finances more and 180 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: more over time. And so that's a better way of 181 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: thinking about growing your wealth than amassing the biggest number possible. 182 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 2: Totally. Yeah. And even outside of the arena of money, though, like, 183 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 2: there are other aspects of life that we think that 184 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 2: are important to focus on. Like recently, I think we've 185 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 2: talked about the different arenas of life, and actually even 186 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 2: more recently, I've come across this framework or this approach 187 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 2: to life. It's called the spire approach. I have you 188 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: ever heard of that? 189 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: Have you? 190 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 2: It stands for and it's again it kind of divides 191 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 2: your life into different sectors whatever it talks about, like 192 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 2: the spiritual, the physical, the intellectual, relationships, emotional. We want 193 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: to find health in all of these areas in life 194 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 2: and what And this was based on research done somewhat recently. 195 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 2: But what was interesting about it is that there are 196 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: lots of different folks who have thought hard and done 197 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 2: research into this, and they all kind of come back 198 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 2: to these same things. And so it's not like this 199 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: some new fad or something like that. This is something 200 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 2: that rings true I think for all of this. And 201 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 2: what was really interesting though, is that money was very 202 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 2: much absent from that lineup. And so does that mean 203 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 2: we're going to stop talking about money here on the show. No, 204 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: of course not, because obviously being financially secure allows you 205 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 2: to achieve health in a lot of these different areas 206 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: in life. It's a tool, but oftentimes it can become 207 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: the focus. You know, it's a tool that we think 208 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: is the end. I'll be all as opposed to a 209 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: means to an end. And so it's worth pointing out 210 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 2: that though overall on the show here at How to 211 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: Money we talk about personal finances, ultimately what we are 212 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: pushing you to do is to focus on some of 213 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 2: these other areas in life that ring true to you, 214 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: because they're going to be more that are more important 215 00:09:57,920 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: to you than the next guy. 216 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: And that's where this step stone approach makes a whole 217 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: lot of sense, because instead of viewing it as I 218 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: gotta have a mass one point seven million dollars to 219 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: actually be financially independent, you're focus then is probably too 220 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: much on money, money, money, and if you can see 221 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: it on the stepping stone. Oh, I just made more perker, 222 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: so I got a little more further thrown this distrection off. 223 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: I'm achieving more financial independence. It can allow you to 224 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: be less focused on money overall, which I think is 225 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: a good thing. 226 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: It's not just and it shouldn't be that you're just 227 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,559 Speaker 2: working your butt off until you can finally retire, right 228 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: potentially when you're far less able to actually enjoy the 229 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 2: fruits of your labor, because there are other aspects of 230 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: health that you have neglected. Specifically, I'm referring to physical 231 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: health in. 232 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: This case, your nose of the grindstone. Working sixty hours 233 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: a week, you're missing out on the relational and then 234 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: the relationship. 235 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, Yeah, there's all of those areas of life 236 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: within that spire framework can suffer if you are overly 237 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 2: focused on your net worth. 238 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: Might have more money, but you're probably less happy, less successful. Yeah, 239 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 1: and you are from an overall perspective, you're richer financially, 240 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: but you're poor in all of the other areas that 241 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: matter much more. And the truth is, when it comes 242 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: to viewing money or financial independence specifically on a spectrum 243 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: your options, they grow with each step that you take, 244 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: with every additional dollar that you are able to bank. Well, 245 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: it's also important to mention the goal of financial independence 246 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: isn't just to be able to consume more than you 247 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: can now. I think some people think that, yeah, more 248 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: money means who I'm just delaying consumption and where I 249 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: can go on wild right? Yeah, And it's not about 250 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: being able to afford more filetmian. 251 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 252 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: And instead of just the plain ol cheap chicken thighs 253 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: or something like that. 254 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: Don't you not chicken thighs. They're great, It makes the 255 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 2: best fried chicken. I know, they're actually they're actually cheap 256 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 2: but tasty. But even as your level of financial independence grows, 257 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 2: it is nice to have more choice from a consumer standpoint, 258 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 2: I'll admit to that. But the true goal of having 259 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 2: more money in the bank is more about being able 260 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 2: to choose the life you want, choosing the life you 261 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 2: want to live, what you do with your time, and 262 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: thinking about financial independence on this spectrum that we're going 263 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 2: to kind of lay out here. It makes it. 264 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: Easier to adjust your goals as your life changes too. 265 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: For instance, like having kids, it might mean you want 266 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: to work less and if you have gotten a couple 267 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: more steps down the road on that path to financial independence. 268 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: You can make that choice, and that is something you 269 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: can do in your thirties, as opposed to saying thinking 270 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: of financial independence, just as this long distance destination that 271 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: you're working towards makes me think, Matt of that old 272 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: parable of the fisherman, right, and oh, yes, he's enjoyed 273 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: fishing all day, sells a few of the fish, cracks 274 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: a beer up on with his buddies, and someone comes 275 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: along and says, you could start a business out of this. 276 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 2: If we These fish that you catch are phenomenal. Yeah, 277 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 2: gotta expand. 278 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, And then he's like, ultimately, the goal is to 279 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: get back to the exact life he's living now, right, 280 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: which is fishing for a few hours, selling the fish, 281 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: having beers with his friends, enjoying his community and his family. 282 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: And so I think that can put it in perspective too. 283 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: I think that parable is really indicative of what a 284 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: lot of people are after they're working their butt off 285 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: and they're wasting actually some of these precious years they're 286 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: working too hard for money and hopes that they can 287 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: have some sort of leisurely retirement as opposed to incorporating 288 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: some of that leisure, some of that joy now exactly. Yeah, 289 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: So let's talk about the nuts and bolts here for 290 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: a second. Because the way it works, you move up 291 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,959 Speaker 1: the financial independent spectrum by doing a few different things simultaneously. Right, 292 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: It takes paying down debt, it takes saving your money, 293 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: and then beyond that, it takes investing your money. And 294 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: if you're plugging away at all three things simultaneously, which 295 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: most of us are, well, you're going to be increasing 296 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 1: your net worth, you're going to be increasing your liquidity 297 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: over time, and you're eliminating more of these ongoing monthly obligations. 298 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: But clearly your money metrics are improving over the months 299 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: and over the years of doing the right thing, and 300 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: that should mean that you get to experience higher levels 301 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: of freedom and autonomy along the way. It shouldn't just 302 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: be reserved for quitting work altogether and waiting and only 303 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: realizing that the at the end of the road that 304 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: there's some sort of prize, some sort of metal that 305 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 1: you're going to be able to attain. Yeah, there is 306 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: no metal for a financial I know from what I've seen. 307 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 1: I haven't seen anyone get a metal. If I do 308 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,680 Speaker 1: I'll let you know, but there's no trophies or anything 309 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: like that. And so really it is all about your 310 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: mindset and your approach. And I think, unfortunately, Matt, most 311 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: people when they think about financial independence, they associated with 312 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,199 Speaker 1: a go big or go home mindset. They is associated 313 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: with that all or nothing mentality, the home run or 314 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: nothing right or strikeout, which is what actually makes baseball 315 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: more boring these days. Although it is quicker, the games 316 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: were quicker, like the one we went to two and 317 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: a half hours. That was nice just because of that pitchclock. Man, 318 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: I know, the thing is, it's not that crushing a 319 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: homer isn't a bad thing, right, and makes me think 320 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: of this old true Braves player Rafael Billyard. I think 321 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: he played for like sixteen years and he literally hit 322 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: two home runs in his entire career. I'm sure he's 323 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: glad that he hit a couple homers and like didn't 324 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: never hit one right the entire time he was in 325 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: the league. Dude, he was like so small and he 326 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: choked up on the bat and so he was like 327 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: a slap single kind of hitter. But he was quick 328 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: and he was good on defense. So it's not that 329 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: we're against your ability to make big strides, right, sure, 330 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: And I think getting to the point where you can 331 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: actually quit work altogether and completely living off your nest 332 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: egg iving for that is part of the spectrum that. 333 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 2: Is the home run, Yes, yeah. 334 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: But usually you're going to get there through a You're 335 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: going to round the bases through a single, a stolen base, 336 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: and then the RBI hit to get you in, right, 337 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: So it's gonna. 338 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 2: And that's what most guys do. Like that's what they 339 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: call that, manufacturing runs. Yeah, that's that's like the majority 340 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 2: of baseball is that. And like we were lucky enough 341 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: to see a couple of homers the other night as well, 342 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 2: And it's it is a ton of fun. You just 343 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 2: want you just want a little bit of everything. Yeah, 344 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: it's it's a it's a ton of fun. But at 345 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: the same time, if that is all that you were 346 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: going for, it would make for honestly just a boring sport. 347 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: To watch, Yes, it would. Yeah, we think if that's 348 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: the only thing you're focused on, the home run or 349 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: the ultimate number, you're missing out on a whole lot 350 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: in between. And so that's why we think it is 351 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: worth laying out all of these different stages along the 352 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: way on your on your way to ultimate financial independence. 353 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: We will delineate, we will lay out that spectrum how 354 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: that should impact your savings and investing habits, and we'll 355 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: get to all that right after this. 356 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: All right, we are back and we're probably done with 357 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 2: all of the baseball now, actually we're probably not. I'll 358 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 2: probably refer to it again. Probably people out there listening 359 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: and they're like, I could care, Like I thought magical, 360 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 2: we're like soccer guys. Hey, we are still soccer guys, 361 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: but we just it was fun to go to a 362 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 2: base I had like, that was literally my first game 363 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 2: that I had been to at the at truest part. Oh, 364 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 2: I didn't know that was your first. Yes, I've been 365 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 2: outside it before, like Kate and I the battery. There's 366 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 2: like restaurants and stuff that, so we've done date nights 367 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 2: there before, but we've never I've never actually been to 368 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: a game there, so I almost said match, never a 369 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 2: match there. Yeah, but let's go ahead now discuss some 370 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 2: of these different levels of financial independence, the ones that 371 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: we think are important to identify. 372 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: And by the way, these are proprietary terms we've come up. Yeah, 373 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: nobody influenced us. We came up with with these This 374 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: is the spectrum that had money guys have have outlined, that's. 375 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: Right, And at the very bottom of the spectrum is 376 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 2: what we're gonna call No. Five. This means that you're 377 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: likely living paycheck to paycheck. You literally zero financial freedom, 378 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 2: and you are completely dependent on your job, your job, 379 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: the whims of your employer. And this is actually a 380 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: big chunk of Americans, as we all know too well. 381 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: This is the forty plus percent of folks who can't 382 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 2: afford a four hundred dollars unexpected expense. 383 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: We see that number come out every year, it gets updated, 384 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: and it's always right. 385 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 2: In that vicinity. And here's the thing, though, like this 386 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 2: is where everyone starts unless maybe like your trust fund baby, 387 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 2: trust fund baby, if you were born with a silver 388 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 2: spin in your mouth. But given honestly, like, given the 389 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 2: cold reality of student loan debt in our country, a 390 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 2: giant swath of young folks out there are starting out 391 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 2: just in a bigger hole than just no FI. Right, 392 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 2: It's not that they're starting at zero, they're actually starting 393 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 2: off with that negative net worth. Yeah, but when you 394 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 2: are no FI, well, you don't have any options available 395 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 2: to you because you got to keep working for that 396 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 2: next paycheck. No work means no money. You don't have 397 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 2: the options, and you literally have no financial independence. 398 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 1: And you said this where people start. There's nothing wrong 399 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: with that. There's no shame in that game. This is 400 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: the reality for most people as they're beginning out. 401 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: No shame. 402 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: I wish I looked back to my early years. I'm like, 403 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: I was no five for a while, man. 404 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: Like we should maybe we should have come up with 405 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 2: like beyond that, like negative five or something like, because 406 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 2: that's technically folks who are coming out of it probably 407 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 2: well with loans. Yes, if only I think a lot 408 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 2: of folks are probably thinking that if only I could 409 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 2: have graduated and had a net worth of zero, But 410 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 2: in fact I had a negative net worth. I have 411 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 2: twenty six thousand dollars or forty six whatever it is, 412 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 2: So we get it. 413 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,679 Speaker 1: Just trying to get back to zero is that in 414 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: and of itself a difficult thing, And that is part 415 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: of the stepping stone, is saying like I got to 416 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: get beyond. I got to get beyond here. And so 417 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: the next step, the next place you're gonna want to 418 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: venture on your five spectrum journey is you want to 419 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,239 Speaker 1: get the credit card five. That's what we're calling it, 420 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: you know, because really, how long you end up hanging 421 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: out at each of these stages of financial independence is 422 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: kind of up to you. It's up to your actions. 423 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 1: It's how up to how quickly you're able to pay 424 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: off debt to save more, It's up to how quickly 425 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: you're able to increase your income, right, And so do 426 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: you fall into a rut of living paycheck to paycheck, 427 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: staying there for longer than you otherwise should, or are 428 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,679 Speaker 1: you immediately trying to create some margin in order to 429 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: advance to the next stage of financial independence, which is 430 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: this credit card five? 431 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: Right? Right? That's how you get from no FI to 432 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: credit card for yes, you got it's I said, fry five. Yeah. 433 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: Well, it involves habits, right, and it involves making changes, 434 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: it little tweaks to each one of these these, each 435 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 1: one of these things. And so this is this is 436 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: when you still don't have much credit card FI, but 437 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: you've amassed enough to give yourself some basic breathing room, right, 438 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: and most importantly, you're no longer dependent on your credit 439 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: cards When unexpected expenses crop up and there's a reason, 440 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 1: Matt that our first money gear is to have a 441 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: basic emergency fund set aside, where you have two thousand, 442 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: four hundred and sixty seven dollars in the bank at 443 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: your disposal. And you know, we're all for using credit 444 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: cards wisely, you and me, that's what we recommend, but 445 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: we don't want them to become a crutch something you 446 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: have to rely on when a few unexpected expenses pop 447 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: up in your life. 448 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 2: That's right, yeah, And once you've got that basic emergency 449 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 2: fund on hand, it's going to feel like you're finally 450 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 2: able to take a time out where you can get 451 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 2: a sip of water in a quick rest after having 452 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 2: around the basketball corps for most of the first half 453 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 2: more sports references. We're switching it up at you. It's 454 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 2: not ideal, right, Like you still want to have maybe 455 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 2: a longer rest at halftime, but at least it's something 456 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 2: that's where the stage of financial independence gets you. It's 457 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 2: a it's a fairly low bar, but considering where so 458 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 2: many Americans are with their finances, it's what a lot 459 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 2: of folks need to be aiming for, right Like, just 460 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 2: getting to this point it can relieve a lot of 461 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 2: stress and we're not just talking about folks who are 462 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 2: making minimum wage. We're talking about high wage earners as well. 463 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 2: I think, like the it's a majority of folks who 464 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 2: make more than one hundred thousand dollars our living paycheck 465 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,959 Speaker 2: to paycheck, it's like fifty one percent or something like that. 466 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 2: And so we're not just picking on folks who are 467 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 2: maybe either just starting out in their career or folks 468 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 2: who have a job where hey, man, I'm just not 469 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: going to make a ton of money here. No. No, we're 470 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 2: talking to folks who make good money, but even still 471 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 2: they are making the same mistakes with their with their 472 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,880 Speaker 2: financi Yeah, they're outspending their paycheck even though that paycheck 473 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 2: is relatively large. The next step along the way is 474 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: achieving what we call layoff FI. And this is the 475 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 2: next level to shoot for on the how to Money 476 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 2: financial Independent spectrum because it's when you not only have 477 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 2: that base amount of twenty four hundred and sixty seven 478 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,159 Speaker 2: dollars saved up, it's when you have a fully funded 479 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 2: emergency fund. And so yeah, this is basically when you 480 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 2: have three to six months worth of expenses on hand 481 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 2: in that same these account. You know whether you should 482 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 2: have the leaner three months or the fat or six months. 483 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 2: That really depends on a number of things, one of 484 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 2: which is do you live in a two income household 485 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: or not. I think if if that's the case, yeah, 486 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 2: you can have a little bit less stocked away in 487 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 2: savings if you are. Do you have tenure at the 488 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 2: university where you teach, right, maybe it'll be okay. 489 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: It's like now I could literally punch the dean in 490 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: the face and I would still retain my job. You 491 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: might not need to have quite as much on hand. 492 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: It depends on your risk tolerance, right, like how comfortable 493 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: you are with your your income dropping or if you 494 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: are willing or capable honestly of cutting back on your 495 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: within your expenses, were you to earn less money, and 496 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 1: that there's so many different things you have to take 497 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: into account because that is something that you may have 498 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: been more willing to do or more capable of doing 499 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 1: back before you had kids, but now you have kids, 500 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: and man, there are certain expenses that are necessary for 501 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: me to go work, like childcare that's something we got 502 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: to pay for or yeah, all important things to keep 503 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: in money exactly. I think that's a great point and 504 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: we're calling this layoff FI because that bare bones z 505 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 1: fund that's not gonna get you very far if you 506 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: lose your job. Yeah, right, but beyond that initial savings 507 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 1: threshold that we want you to achieve, having layoff five 508 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: money on hand, you know in your bank account, that'll 509 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: smooth out some of those bigger bumps in life, like 510 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: getting fired. Right if you do punch someone in the 511 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 1: face of your job or hopefully just laid off, hopefully 512 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: there's no violence. We're also not advocating for violence, right, 513 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: don't watch anybody, don't do that, but yeah, unless you are, yeah, 514 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: Elon Muska or haven't talked about that here on the 515 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: show yet. But if then, when that does happen, we're 516 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: there for it. I'll be watching the most unentertaining actual fight, 517 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: but the build up in human history, right, Well, I 518 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: mean this is, yeah, hopefully you're not getting fired, you're 519 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: just getting laid off. And even then we obviously don't 520 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: want that. But you want to be prepared for the 521 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: potential of a layoff because they happen, right, and an 522 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: unexpected layoff is one of those things that can set 523 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: you back in your financial progress meaningfully, and a few 524 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 1: months of not being at a job can make it 525 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: can make it feel like it sets you back years 526 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: in your finances. By the way, Matt, I know this 527 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: from personal experience, not from my own layoff, but from 528 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: my dad being laid off when we were kids. That 529 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: was a tough thing to come back from and it 530 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 1: really really can. It can derail a career. And so 531 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: you just having that layoff five money doesn't make it 532 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: easy to get that news, but it does make it 533 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: less financially obtrusive. And so if you haven't socked away 534 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: a big savings nest egg, it's a precarious feeling to 535 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: get laid off. That's what we want people to have, 536 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: is like more money on hand to then be able 537 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,679 Speaker 1: to endure the bigger road bump Sell throws at you. 538 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it doesn't feel good living on the edge like that, 539 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 2: and largely because those bigger there's more jarring events like 540 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 2: a layoff would throw you into an adverse financial state 541 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 2: pretty quickly. But having this much on hand, it also 542 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 2: ensures that you can take a little more time before 543 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 2: you have to commit to a new job. And so 544 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 2: whether that means just maybe getting a little bit of rest, 545 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 2: you know, taking a couple of weeks off, or just 546 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 2: allowing you to turn down a job that's not necessarily 547 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 2: ideal because you have some savings to back you up. 548 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 2: You know, you've got that fully funded emergency fund of 549 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 2: three to six months of living expenses set aside having 550 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: achieved layoff. I this is a clutch stage as you 551 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 2: are ratcheting, as you're moving along that financial independence spectrum. Yeah. 552 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: I had a friend who lost his job a couple 553 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: of years ago, and I just remember being so bummed 554 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: that he didn't have like layoff five status because he 555 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: had to take the first job that came along and 556 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: it paid less than the one he had just lost. 557 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: And that's a tough spot to be in. If you 558 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: have extra month's worth of expenses, you can be a 559 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: little pick here, and I think that can ultimately help 560 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: you rebound and ensure that your career stays intact. And 561 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: the financial independence and where you're at on your journey, 562 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: the financial independence makes a big difference in the choices 563 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: you can make or that you're forced. 564 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 2: To make in the moment. Absolutely all right. 565 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: Next on the spectrum is peace out FI. 566 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 2: That's what we're calling it. 567 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,680 Speaker 1: We've talked about peace out money before that's some people 568 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: call it fu money, but we're more tactful than those people, Matt, 569 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: And so yeah, I think this is really when someone 570 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: has saved beyond six months of living expenses. So maybe 571 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: that is layoff I is up to six months, and 572 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: then beyond that is like okay, your peace out fi 573 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: And instead of just being prepared for a layoff, now 574 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: you can even engineer your own layoff that's what you 575 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: want to do, and still best to give two weeks 576 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: of notice. You don't want to intentionally burn bridges. And 577 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: that's why we don't call it fu money, because peace 578 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,640 Speaker 1: out money just sounds like you're doing it in a peaceful, 579 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: joyous way, as opposed to throwing a molotop cocktail through 580 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 1: the door taking. 581 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 2: It to the man as you leave, right, Yeah. 582 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: And so yeah you can though, and you should feel 583 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 1: the freedom to step away from a job for things 584 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: like health reasons or to take care of an ailing 585 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: parent or a spouse. Rather than taking a more passive 586 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: role in your employment and hoping that you're not next 587 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: on the chopping block, you're actively steering the car of 588 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: your own life towards what others might see as a 589 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: financial Cliff, But they don't know that you've achieved peace 590 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: out five. They don't know that you've got the financial 591 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,640 Speaker 1: wherewithal and the dollars in the bank account to back 592 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: you up. Even if you're like you know, it makes 593 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 1: me think of even being able to negotiate your own layoff, Matt. 594 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: We talked about that with Sam Dogan, the financial Samurai 595 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,919 Speaker 1: at one point. And if you've got cash in the 596 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: bank and you see riding on the wall, things aren't 597 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: good at your employer. Hey, you know what you can 598 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: volunteer is tribute negotiate a pretty sweet severance package, and that, 599 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: combined with the amount of money you've been able to save, 600 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: you can piece out for a while. 601 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, that gives you even more runway to make the 602 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 2: decisions that you think are going to be best not 603 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:00,919 Speaker 2: only for you and your life, but for your family 604 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 2: and ultimately well yeah I should have said ultimately your family, 605 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 2: but but I was gonna say your career as well, 606 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 2: and kind of what direction you want to go in. 607 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: But this level of financial independence, this level of five, 608 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: also comes with more power to push back and you know, 609 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,919 Speaker 2: going back to avoiding the all or nothing mindset, you 610 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 2: also don't have to completely quit when something is going 611 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 2: on at work, when something happens that you're not a 612 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,959 Speaker 2: fan of, but you can if you just can't stomach 613 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 2: your boss, or if you can't handle the insufferable hours anymore. 614 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 1: It's like Office Space, I'm gonna need you to come 615 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: in on It's like if you don't bother coming on Saturday, 616 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: don't come in on Sunday. Yeah, And that's a at 617 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: that point, when you're peace hout five, you can be like, Okay, 618 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: now that's too much, I'm gone. 619 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 2: You really can at that point. Yeah. But like what 620 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 2: we're talking about here, though, is just the ability, like 621 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 2: the confidence that you might have to start having some 622 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 2: conversations because this level of financial freedom can just help 623 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 2: you to negotiate for the things that you really want. 624 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 2: And it's going to be easier to negotiate successfully when 625 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 2: you really can walk away. If in case they call 626 00:27:57,880 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 2: your bluff and they're like, no, I'm sorry, that's not 627 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 2: going to work, and you can say, all right, well 628 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 2: then this isn't gonna work out for me anymore. You 629 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: can kind of really exhibit that Peter and Office bade 630 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:11,360 Speaker 2: Space degree of apathy. 631 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: You know, that cool con collected. Okay, cool, let it 632 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: roll off your back like a duck. When you when 633 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: you're peace Out five, you really can just be like, Okay, 634 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 1: that's great, no worries, but you. 635 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 2: Don't necessarily work for me. You don't have to smash 636 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,199 Speaker 2: up any equipment now, but you have the ability, like 637 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 2: you said. 638 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: To this one again too, sorry about that. That's the 639 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: whole office space thing. 640 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,639 Speaker 2: Let's talk about the next stage of five, which is 641 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 2: sabbatical FI. It's sort of like a peace Out five, 642 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 2: but on steroids. So this means you can take an 643 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 2: extended absence from work and be just fine. It means 644 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 2: that if you quit, you're not immediately looking for a 645 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 2: new gig like you would with with peace Off five. Typically, 646 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 2: with peace hop five, you are walked peacefully walking away 647 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 2: from that job. You're saying peace out. But typically it 648 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 2: means you're like, all right, maybe i'll sit low, you know, 649 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 2: kind of chill out for a little bit, but I'm 650 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 2: gonna start looking from a next job. Yeah. Not so. 651 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 2: With sabbatical fire, you're actually able to enjoy a lengthy 652 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 2: period of rest, and you might even have enough on 653 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 2: hand to completely change what it is that your life 654 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 2: and your career looks like so like we're not really 655 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 2: talking about it like a simple extended vacation that your 656 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 2: employer might offer, you know, like they might call taking 657 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: four weeks off a sabbatical, and that's not really the 658 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 2: definition that we're going after here, Likes, what's out the 659 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 2: heart of what we're calling sabbatical FI is the ability 660 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 2: almost to reinvent yourself. This is when you have the 661 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 2: freedom to change course in your career. Like, it's when 662 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 2: you can fulfill a desire to go back to school 663 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 2: and to learn something new. It's it's when you have 664 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 2: the confidence to start a new business. These are all 665 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 2: bigger things than just being able to say, peace out, 666 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 2: I'm going to go find another job. Sabbatical FI is 667 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 2: like who am I? It's not sitting on the curb 668 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 2: moment and you're asking God what it is that you 669 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 2: should do next? 670 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, and yeah, four weeks what a pitiful sabbatical? 671 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: That's really eight weeks is like the minimum of sabbatical 672 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: should be. In my opinion, I was glad. I don't 673 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: know how I came across this website. I think it 674 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: was called Sabbatical Guide and popped up when I was 675 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: researching sabbatical and evidently according to folks who are there 676 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: on his website that interact and stuff, the average length 677 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: of sabbat time for sabbatical was eight months, which I 678 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: was really happy to see. 679 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 2: Very impressive at least the folks who are looking trying 680 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,280 Speaker 2: to find sabbatical guidance, that's what that's average for them. 681 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 2: So I was happy to do. And that's if you 682 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 2: were speaking to is the fact that there is a 683 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 2: way this isn't just taking a long leave of absence 684 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 2: from your work, but sort of like what's the next 685 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 2: stage of my career as I want to do. 686 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: That happens for people because they're burned out, and this 687 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: should not This should be more proactive, right, It should 688 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: be more like I'm choosing this as opposed to I 689 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 1: can't take it anymore, right, And. 690 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 2: It doesn't necessarily have to be exclusive, you know, like 691 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 2: because you might find yourself in that situation as well, 692 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 2: all different flavors. 693 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 1: Sure well, And okay, so the sabbatical five makes me 694 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: think of our friend Chad Carson in front of the show. 695 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: We've had him on before. We're gonna have him on 696 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: again actually soon because he's written a new book about 697 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: real estate, and he's done multiple year long stints, sabbaticals 698 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: essentially with his family. He's still working a little doing 699 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: his small business thing, which he can do from anywhere 700 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: in the world that he wants. And I think that 701 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: sort of choice it sounds impossible for most folks, But 702 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:19,479 Speaker 1: if you have handled your finance as well, if you've 703 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: kept your expenses low, if you've been saving it a 704 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: high clip, and you've got enough cash or a passive 705 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: income in the case of Chad who's invested in real estate, 706 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: you can really make this a reality. He takes the 707 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: opportunity to go to a different country when he does this, 708 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: and the first time he did it was South America. 709 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: This time around, it was a year in Spain, and 710 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: so it creates a cultural experience for his kids and 711 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: for him too, like living in a walkable city that 712 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: he never you know, he might have got to visit 713 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: for a couple of weeks, but he got a whole 714 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: year there, maybe got to develop a community. Can't wait 715 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: to talk to him about it. I know, I'm so 716 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: excited to just really hear about all the details. But 717 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: this is the kind of thing where sabbatical fi can 718 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: really if you hit this point, he gives you the 719 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: option to do something crazy that most of your friends 720 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: would be like, how in the world are you even 721 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 1: able to do that? And so much of it it 722 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: becomes possible from one a mindset change to thinking, oh, 723 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: I can get there, but also through handling your finances 724 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 1: in such a way that you have enough money to 725 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: really make this possible without freaking out right, that's right. 726 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: But okay, this brings up the question, Matt, of saving 727 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: versus investing, because we've talked a lot about cash in 728 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: the bank, and that is certainly part of it. Some 729 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: of it has to be liquid, but in order to 730 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: grow your wealth for ultimate financial independence, you got to 731 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: invest it too. So we're going to talk about the 732 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: dichotomy of that and explain our last steps and really 733 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: how to think about financial independence. We get to all 734 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 1: that right after this. 735 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 2: All right, let's continue our journey along the spectrum of 736 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 2: financial independence. And you kind of you know, you mentioned 737 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 2: this right before the break, but like all of the 738 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 2: levels that we've talked about up until now, all the 739 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 2: different levels of FI, they basically require having cash in 740 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 2: the bank, like you need to be able to tap 741 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 2: those reserves basically if something happens, because honestly, a lot 742 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 2: of the things that we discussed, you are reacting to something, right, 743 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 2: like whether it's an emergency that pops up, whether it 744 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 2: is oh Man, conditions at work just got pretty terrible. 745 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 2: Like I think maybe the sabbatical FI is one of 746 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:23,720 Speaker 2: the ones that you can plan for, maybe a little 747 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: bit further in advance. 748 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: It makes me thinking about my last job. Some sort 749 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: of ruthless private equity firm bought out the radio station 750 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: I worked for, and it changed the entire dynamic of 751 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 1: working there. And so people were like, if you had 752 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 1: the financial ability, you might have been looking for something 753 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: else whereas you might have been stuck in place. And 754 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 1: this is why too, You're right, You're what you're speaking 755 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: to is four one K money doesn't help you nearly 756 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: as much in that situation as liquid cash. 757 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 2: So it's I mean, there's a catch twenty two, right, 758 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 2: because you need to have that cash on hand in 759 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 2: order to achieve some of these different levels of FI 760 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 2: that we've talked about. But if you aren't investing for 761 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 2: the long haul, well, how are you going to who 762 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 2: actually retire? How are you going to be able to 763 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 2: reach that ultimate level of financial independence. We're all about 764 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: those tax advantage retirement accounts, but you can't access those 765 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 2: until you reach the ripal age of fifty nine and 766 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 2: a half. And so if you stock everything away into 767 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 2: those accounts, despite your growing network, you are going to 768 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 2: be less likely to feel like that you're moving along 769 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 2: the financial independence spectrum because you are. It's almost a 770 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 2: problem that these different financial products that they have created, right, 771 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:30,080 Speaker 2: because they are created in such a way that there 772 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,280 Speaker 2: is a finish line. There is this goal, this award 773 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 2: that you receive, which is the quote unquote retirement that 774 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,359 Speaker 2: so many folks are used to, the ability to draw 775 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,760 Speaker 2: down on those funds exactly. And so there's the structure 776 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 2: in place that encourages us to think about financial independence 777 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 2: in this way. So, honestly, it's no wonder that this 778 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:48,879 Speaker 2: is a something that we're talking about because we think 779 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 2: it is important. But the reason we're talking about it 780 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 2: is because we think it's a problem that the that 781 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:54,720 Speaker 2: there are so many folks who think that the only 782 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 2: way to consider themselves financially independent is if they have 783 00:34:58,719 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 2: enough in the bank to actually retire. 784 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's why it takes more than just tax 785 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: advantage retirement accounts to get you further along this five spectrum. 786 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,759 Speaker 1: And so I think really the right way to think 787 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: about the saving verse investing conundrum in the financial independence 788 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: spectrum is to take the both and approach and yeah, yeah. 789 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 2: Is to remove the dichotomy. It's not like whatever versus whatever. 790 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 2: It's like and yes, it's more like improv yeah exactly. Yeah, 791 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 2: the yes and approach as opposed to like it being 792 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,400 Speaker 2: this this battle. Yeah, sort of like not to of 793 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 2: your off course. But it's how we talk about roth 794 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 2: versus tradition. I thought you're going back to baseball, No, no, 795 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 2: going to boxing now it's it's it's how we talk 796 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 2: about roth versus traditional accounts. It's like, well, if you're 797 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 2: at a certain point, yes, consider both, because the ability 798 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,440 Speaker 2: to diversify your tax liability down the road that's huge. Yeah. 799 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,800 Speaker 1: And on the boxing note, like a butterfly sting that 800 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 1: could be. I think that's maybe the saving and investing. Yeah, 801 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: it's you need both, right, that's Somehamad Ali approach. 802 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 2: It, like Mohamed Ali. 803 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:01,280 Speaker 1: Yes, right, but you know, I think liquid savings matters, 804 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: but don't choot for eighteen months worth of savings before 805 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: you invest your first time, that would not be the approach. 806 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:07,279 Speaker 2: We would advise that it would be a touch on 807 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 2: near sided. Yeah, exactly. 808 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 1: We actually want you investing as soon as you hit 809 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: credit card five, right, which is early on in that 810 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: financial independence spectrum. Once you've got a basic stash of 811 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,439 Speaker 1: twenty four hundred and sixty seven dollars, you do want 812 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: to start funneling money towards investments. You do want to 813 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,400 Speaker 1: make sure you're at minimum getting the match on that 814 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: four to zero and K before you start saving more, right, 815 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: Because savings alone isn't going to get you to the 816 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: ultimate stop on your destination, right, You've got to experience 817 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 1: compounding returns over a longer period of time if you 818 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: want to achieve full financial independence, which is ultimately where 819 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:41,800 Speaker 1: we want you to end up, even though you're hitting 820 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 1: those sweet spots along the way and enjoying greater levels 821 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 1: of financial independence over the years. 822 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 2: That's right, man. Yeah, So the last stop on the 823 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 2: financial independence spectrum is when you can achieve full and 824 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,919 Speaker 2: ultimate financial independence. We didn't really come up with acute 825 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 2: a short Q see full Monty financial independency, Like, we 826 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 2: didn't come up with anything like that. But if that 827 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,840 Speaker 2: is you. Congrats, because at this point the world is 828 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 2: your oyster. You never have to work again if you 829 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 2: don't want to. Interestingly enough, they're let most folks do, 830 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,360 Speaker 2: especially if they are still young. They do want to 831 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 2: do some sort of work, but they just might want 832 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 2: to do less of it, and they might want to 833 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,839 Speaker 2: enjoy whatever it is that they do a little bit more. 834 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 2: They might want to have a little more flexibility to 835 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 2: truly say yeah, no, thank you. I want to work 836 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:30,799 Speaker 2: the hours I want to work. Does that work for you? 837 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:33,840 Speaker 2: If not, then I'm gonna have to bounce. Yeah. And 838 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 2: even once you've achieved this level, you might still want 839 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 2: to find ways to grow your net worth because maybe 840 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 2: you've got goals of generational wealth. Maybe you want to 841 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 2: be super philanthropic. These are all other things to keep 842 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,759 Speaker 2: in mind as well. It doesn't necessarily mean, it doesn't 843 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 2: mean you have to retire and you know, sit lemonade 844 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:52,359 Speaker 2: or sweet tea on the front porch while you watch 845 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 2: all the young uns out their play. I have to 846 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,600 Speaker 2: sound nice though, yeah, sound sorry at least occasionally, right. 847 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 2: I want to be active and doing stuff. But I agree, yeah, 848 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 2: financial independence it maybe maybe at like three o'clock after 849 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 2: you've worked a nice solid five hours. Yeah, you know, 850 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 2: like you can still work. You can still have your 851 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 2: sweet tea in the rocking chair on the porch. Yeah, 852 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 2: cracker barrel style, that's you. That's what you want, Joel. 853 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:16,839 Speaker 1: I just want the giant checkers man, that's what I want. Well, 854 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 1: I think the point you're making here is that work 855 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: still holds value even if you don't do it and 856 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 1: you don't need it for the money, because there are 857 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,480 Speaker 1: other goals you can have saving up more and some 858 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:29,880 Speaker 1: of that might be just the impact that you're having 859 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: based on the work that you're doing, or you might 860 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,879 Speaker 1: want to yet do volunteer work instead. I mean, there's 861 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: all sorts of options when you get to this point 862 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,319 Speaker 1: of like full and complete five whatever we're calling it. 863 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 1: We really should have come up with a better name 864 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 1: on this one, but last we got lazy fully five. 865 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:47,160 Speaker 2: That's what we'll call it. Fully fine. Yeah, I got 866 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:47,640 Speaker 2: the role with that. 867 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:49,279 Speaker 1: Okay, So let's talk about this as we're kind of 868 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,919 Speaker 1: like starting around this episode out and finishing up here. 869 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 1: I think it's important to mention that because financial independence 870 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:58,240 Speaker 1: is on a spectrum, we want you to find ways 871 00:38:58,239 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 1: to exploit where you are on that road to financial independence. 872 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,640 Speaker 1: Right as you continue to gain and accrue more of it, 873 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 1: start to ask questions like what do you want your 874 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:09,840 Speaker 1: days to look like? What do you want your weeks 875 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,839 Speaker 1: to look like? Because we would suggest that you really 876 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,480 Speaker 1: are able to morph and change your life more than 877 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: you think along the way, that this is the real 878 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,640 Speaker 1: power behind realizing that financial independence is a spectrum because 879 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:25,400 Speaker 1: you can take advantage of the progress you've made with 880 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 1: each step that you take. The ultimate goal is not 881 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:29,360 Speaker 1: dying with millions in the bank, and in fact, I 882 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,319 Speaker 1: would suggest that is a rather pitiful goal to have. 883 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,280 Speaker 1: So don't be afraid to lean into your financial independence 884 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: level and enjoy the benefits of it, saying if you 885 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: continue to think of it as this all or nothing equation, 886 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: you probably won't find and you won't be able to 887 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 1: appreciate the progress that you're making along the way. 888 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:48,440 Speaker 2: You know, maybe we should. This is not an honor 889 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 2: off switch. It's a dimmer switch. Maybe we should. Financial 890 00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:55,439 Speaker 2: independence is a dimmer switch. It's even more milk toast 891 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 2: than stepping stones. Right, But there's a fine line between 892 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,560 Speaker 2: lifestyle and what essentially what we're saying here, which is 893 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:05,240 Speaker 2: realizing your wealth, right, because on one on one hand, 894 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:09,160 Speaker 2: you are just being kind of carried away by the culture, 895 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 2: the currents of culture, right, and maybe you start you're 896 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 2: thinking about buying something like you're thinking about buying a 897 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:18,319 Speaker 2: new suv because that's what all the neighbors are doing. 898 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,040 Speaker 2: Or oh, maybe it's because I care about what it 899 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,799 Speaker 2: is that the other parents at carpool, what it is 900 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 2: that they think, And so it's worth thinking through, like 901 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 2: why am I actually doing this? Like should I care 902 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:31,240 Speaker 2: what it is that they think? Or maybe I should 903 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 2: care about the things that are truly important to me. 904 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 2: It's like, again going back to that spire framework, how 905 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 2: can I spend some of my wealth? How can I 906 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 2: exercise some of my financial independence in a way that's 907 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:45,040 Speaker 2: going to lead to more health in those other areas 908 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,080 Speaker 2: in life? A very simple example could be getting your 909 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:50,600 Speaker 2: yard cut by like a lawn service or something, right, Like, 910 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:52,200 Speaker 2: you could do that maybe because well that's what all 911 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:53,839 Speaker 2: the other guys are doing, and this guy's really good, 912 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 2: so maybe I'll just do that. In my mind, that's 913 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 2: like an unhealthy approach that to me feels more like 914 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:02,600 Speaker 2: lifestyle creep versus maybe you're doing it yourself, and you think, man, 915 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:06,240 Speaker 2: like my saturdays are completely taken up by yard work, 916 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 2: and I am not able to spend as much time 917 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 2: as I wish I could with my kids, and my 918 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:13,600 Speaker 2: kids are very important to me. That's that relationship part 919 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,880 Speaker 2: of that aspire framework. Right, So that to me feels 920 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 2: more like a healthy reason to spend some of your 921 00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:20,440 Speaker 2: money in a way that's going to move the. 922 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: Needle for you or I think the reason why, the 923 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:23,920 Speaker 1: why behind that choice makes a big difference. 924 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 2: It's all about the intention. Yeah, it's all about the intention. 925 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 2: So for instance, like it makes me think about like 926 00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:32,520 Speaker 2: an unhealthy work environment, Well, maybe it's worth considering pushing 927 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:34,920 Speaker 2: back on something because you're realizing that, hey, this is 928 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,279 Speaker 2: taking a toll on my body, Like I am not 929 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:40,040 Speaker 2: getting enough sleep, I am working way too much. Is 930 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,200 Speaker 2: it worth you stepping back a little bit, potentially giving 931 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 2: up future raises or a promotion, some of these different 932 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 2: things that would lead to more money, But that's not 933 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 2: what you've identified that you're after anymore. You have the money, 934 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 2: how is it that you're able to exercise or realize 935 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:55,799 Speaker 2: your wealth? Yeah? 936 00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:57,880 Speaker 1: All right, so you mentioned the carpool example, it made 937 00:41:57,880 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 1: me think that, you know, what's going to impress them 938 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,279 Speaker 1: more inviting them over and providing all the craft beer 939 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:04,879 Speaker 1: for them, and they're gonna be like, Oh, this person's cool. 940 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:06,560 Speaker 1: Who cares if they drive a Jelapi, you know. I 941 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:08,719 Speaker 1: just I think the things that we think impress other 942 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:11,080 Speaker 1: people don't impress them as much as we think. And 943 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: so yeah, maybe you're like, oh, they noticed that they're 944 00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:15,440 Speaker 1: checking me out in my sweet can you tell your ride? 945 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:18,560 Speaker 1: Which those are good looking subs? But I drive a 946 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:23,359 Speaker 1: incredibly old and incredibly cheap vehicle and I don't. And 947 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:25,600 Speaker 1: maybe I'm completely wrong and I'm just not reading the 948 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:28,480 Speaker 1: room right. I don't think people think less of me 949 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: for doing so. And in fact, the ways in which 950 00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:34,759 Speaker 1: you can foster friendship are less about signaling who you 951 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:38,040 Speaker 1: are status symbols by the things that you buy and 952 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:40,239 Speaker 1: the things that you own, and it's more about the 953 00:42:40,239 --> 00:42:42,080 Speaker 1: way in which you relate to and care for other people. 954 00:42:42,080 --> 00:42:44,400 Speaker 1: But Matt, I think part of the spectrum thing. One 955 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 1: of the other things we want to encourage people to 956 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,600 Speaker 1: do is to figure out where they are along this 957 00:42:48,719 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: spectrum of financial independence that we've kind of outlined here today. 958 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 1: Start taking the next steps towards the next level. Right, 959 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,799 Speaker 1: so you might say, okay, cool, I am layoff by 960 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:00,799 Speaker 1: and I want to get to peace out. That's my 961 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: next goal, right yeah, And so just kind of like 962 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:05,640 Speaker 1: go through these again. We'll list them all out in 963 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:08,879 Speaker 1: the show notes for the episode and figure out where 964 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:10,839 Speaker 1: you are, because once you know where you are, then 965 00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:13,360 Speaker 1: it's easier to figure out the path to where you 966 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:16,040 Speaker 1: want to get, where you can make uh to where 967 00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:17,799 Speaker 1: you can go next. And so I think when when 968 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:22,279 Speaker 1: financial independence feels like a series of smaller steps versus like, 969 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:23,960 Speaker 1: I don't know, Matt, you do CrossFit like a big 970 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:25,839 Speaker 1: box jump, which are actually really good at that's your thing. 971 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,319 Speaker 2: I do like box j I can jump up onto 972 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:29,880 Speaker 2: this table right now. 973 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 1: I'm sure you could. But that's the kind of thing where. 974 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,520 Speaker 2: Yes, got to talk about crossfits today. I know. That's yeah, 975 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 2: you can check off your box. Always an achievement, It's 976 00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:40,600 Speaker 2: always something I'm tell me. Do you feel like I 977 00:43:40,640 --> 00:43:43,160 Speaker 2: bring it up to often? Thank you? Yeah? Good? 978 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:45,800 Speaker 1: Some people do, though, That's like the first hole CrossFit 979 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:47,560 Speaker 1: is tell all your neighbors. I try to intentionally not 980 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 1: talk about it, I know, because of the stereotype. Yeah, okay, okay, 981 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 1: but back to that small steps versus box chump. I 982 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:55,960 Speaker 1: think people can can see that viscerally that that the 983 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:57,520 Speaker 1: step up the stairs makes. 984 00:43:57,440 --> 00:43:59,080 Speaker 2: Picking up some steps is going to be a lot 985 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 2: easier than like throwing your entire body up onto a 986 00:44:02,239 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 2: thirty inch Yeah. 987 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:07,120 Speaker 1: It's more practical, more attainable, And so you aren't not 988 00:44:07,239 --> 00:44:10,520 Speaker 1: to demoralize you. You're not going to achieve financial independence overnight, 989 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:12,799 Speaker 1: and you don't need to. You can achieve more and 990 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:14,759 Speaker 1: more of it by doing the right things with your money, 991 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:17,160 Speaker 1: by saving, by investing more of it, while paying off 992 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:20,960 Speaker 1: debts steadily along the way each and every month like clockwork. 993 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:24,319 Speaker 1: But if you can pinpoint your exact location, that can 994 00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:26,360 Speaker 1: help you get excited about the next goal. And I 995 00:44:26,360 --> 00:44:31,600 Speaker 1: think it can actually incentivize progress versus demoralizing you that 996 00:44:31,719 --> 00:44:33,879 Speaker 1: you're not going to be able to do it in one, 997 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:36,480 Speaker 1: three or five years. Like it's like, no, I'm just 998 00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:39,600 Speaker 1: going to continue to experience greater levels of this financial 999 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:41,640 Speaker 1: freedom and I'm going to enjoy it as I make 1000 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 1: that progress. 1001 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:44,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's all about breaking it down and just doing 1002 00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:47,560 Speaker 2: the next right thing, which I'm pretty sure there's a 1003 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:50,480 Speaker 2: Frozen two song about that. But it makes me think, 1004 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:52,319 Speaker 2: like you recently talked about the couch to five k 1005 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:55,279 Speaker 2: app and what makes that so successful is that it's 1006 00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:58,520 Speaker 2: they make it attainable. There are these doable steps, and 1007 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:01,160 Speaker 2: you know what, there's actually like couch to ten k, 1008 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:04,719 Speaker 2: there's couch to marathon programs as well, because that's like 1009 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:06,799 Speaker 2: you can achieve that. And that's what we're talking about 1010 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:09,400 Speaker 2: here with financial independence. We're not stopping at five k, 1011 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 2: like we're going all the way to like ultra marathon. 1012 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:14,240 Speaker 2: That's the level that we're going to. And this also 1013 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:16,800 Speaker 2: makes me think about when Kate and I went hiking 1014 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 2: last year at Old Rag Mountain. It was a beauty. 1015 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:22,879 Speaker 2: You know, it was snowy. It says, we're walking through 1016 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:24,719 Speaker 2: the woods, it's great, and then we get to a 1017 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 2: section of the trail where we get up onto this 1018 00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:28,960 Speaker 2: ridge and you we look up and you can kind 1019 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:32,560 Speaker 2: of see the rockier section and Kate kind of freaked 1020 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:34,319 Speaker 2: out a little bit because she was looking at this 1021 00:45:34,680 --> 00:45:37,680 Speaker 2: entire difficult section that we were going to scale, that 1022 00:45:37,719 --> 00:45:40,000 Speaker 2: we're going to like climb, slash hike over the next 1023 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:44,040 Speaker 2: hour or two all at once. That can be incredibly intimidating. 1024 00:45:44,040 --> 00:45:45,960 Speaker 2: And that's what it's like when you say, oh, yeah, 1025 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 2: you need two point eight million dollars in order to retire, 1026 00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:51,759 Speaker 2: which is whatever the recent number is that different news 1027 00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:56,720 Speaker 2: outlets we'll throw out there. That's demoralizing as opposed to saying, hey, babe, 1028 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:59,240 Speaker 2: I know that that looks intimidating and kind of scary, 1029 00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:01,239 Speaker 2: but let's we're going to take it thirty feet at 1030 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:04,160 Speaker 2: a time. We're gonna look at the boulder or whatever 1031 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:05,880 Speaker 2: portion of the trail that's in front of us, and 1032 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:07,640 Speaker 2: we're gonna conquer that. And then once you do that, 1033 00:46:07,719 --> 00:46:10,279 Speaker 2: you look uphead, you look up ahead, and you realize, oh, well, 1034 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:11,920 Speaker 2: I can do the next thirty feet. I can do 1035 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 2: the next fifty feet. That's what it's like when it 1036 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 2: comes to achieving that final or what do we call it, 1037 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:21,719 Speaker 2: fully financial FI fully five full five. Yeah, that is 1038 00:46:21,760 --> 00:46:23,959 Speaker 2: the overall view when you're looking back at the big 1039 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:26,319 Speaker 2: thing and you're thinking, wait, we're going to get up 1040 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:29,560 Speaker 2: to there, like we're gonna achieve that. It's important to 1041 00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:32,440 Speaker 2: have that goal in mind, But does that help you 1042 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:34,360 Speaker 2: in the day to day with the small movements. No, 1043 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 2: that's why we wanted to break this down into some 1044 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,520 Speaker 2: of these manageable stages, these more attainable stages of five 1045 00:46:40,680 --> 00:46:42,799 Speaker 2: that we think can help you to get there more successfully. 1046 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:46,000 Speaker 1: I think the other important thing about the stage viewpoint, 1047 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:48,359 Speaker 1: like thinking of it this way, is that who really 1048 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:50,799 Speaker 1: wants to delay all the best experiences that money can 1049 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:52,359 Speaker 1: buy until they hit full retirement age? 1050 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? 1051 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:55,840 Speaker 1: Right, You often can't enjoy them quite as fully at 1052 00:46:55,840 --> 00:46:57,400 Speaker 1: that point in time. And so, going back to the 1053 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:00,200 Speaker 1: fisherman example, that chill existence in the community of fly 1054 00:47:00,239 --> 00:47:03,239 Speaker 1: and friends, right, Owning more of your time in the 1055 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:06,160 Speaker 1: here and now, Well, that'll make you happier than copious 1056 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,080 Speaker 1: possessions in a much bigger house. And I think it'll 1057 00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:12,080 Speaker 1: be he got to enjoy it along the way, as 1058 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 1: opposed to shooting for it as a goal of just 1059 00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:19,160 Speaker 1: what he can do during those retirement years started the golden. 1060 00:47:19,120 --> 00:47:22,279 Speaker 2: After forty years of hard labor, where you neglect all 1061 00:47:22,360 --> 00:47:24,800 Speaker 2: of those other aspects of life. Yeah, that's when I'll 1062 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:26,680 Speaker 2: want to do all those things. But will my health 1063 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:28,400 Speaker 2: be there, will my friends be there? Will I be 1064 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:31,040 Speaker 2: in a state of mind to actually be able to 1065 00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:33,879 Speaker 2: enjoy it? I would. We're arguing that no, you will 1066 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:35,920 Speaker 2: not right if you don't practice along the way. 1067 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:38,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, And so freedom, we think is the best thing 1068 00:47:38,239 --> 00:47:40,000 Speaker 1: that money can buy because it means you get to 1069 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:41,840 Speaker 1: call the shots more and more about how you spend 1070 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:44,040 Speaker 1: your time. And we think that you're more rich when 1071 00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:45,560 Speaker 1: you can go on a hike or a bike ride, 1072 00:47:45,640 --> 00:47:47,880 Speaker 1: or have a long lunch with your spouse on a weekday, 1073 00:47:47,920 --> 00:47:50,359 Speaker 1: a random weekday, just at the drop of a hat. 1074 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:51,480 Speaker 2: That's how to money rich. Right. 1075 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:53,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, then if you can afford a yacht, but then 1076 00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:55,320 Speaker 1: you have to work eighty plus hours a week in 1077 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:58,600 Speaker 1: order to keep it like that is not financial independence. 1078 00:47:58,719 --> 00:48:00,440 Speaker 1: That is not a goal worth shooting for or for 1079 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:02,560 Speaker 1: most people, right, that is not the kind of lifestyle 1080 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:06,880 Speaker 1: they want to lead. And so yeah, just these stages 1081 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:10,239 Speaker 1: of financial independence will let you enjoy allow you, I think, 1082 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:12,560 Speaker 1: to enjoy your life more and more along the way 1083 00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:15,000 Speaker 1: along the journey, as opposed to feeling like you can't 1084 00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:18,040 Speaker 1: come up for air until you hit that gargantuan retirement 1085 00:48:18,080 --> 00:48:21,160 Speaker 1: a number that's like decade or two off. 1086 00:48:20,960 --> 00:48:22,839 Speaker 2: In the future or even more. Yeah, if you are 1087 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:25,359 Speaker 2: if you've got your first job and you're realizing, oh man, 1088 00:48:26,239 --> 00:48:27,919 Speaker 2: not only do I have to pay off again, all 1089 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:29,840 Speaker 2: of this debt that I've got, But then beyond that, 1090 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:32,720 Speaker 2: I've got to sock aside, set aside this much money 1091 00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:37,440 Speaker 2: that is, or it can be overwhelming and demoralizing. But uh, 1092 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:40,279 Speaker 2: all right, let's uh shift gears. Let's get back to 1093 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 2: the beer Joel that you and I enjoyed again. This 1094 00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:45,040 Speaker 2: one was from Liz and Tyler. Thank y'all so much 1095 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:47,399 Speaker 2: for sending this one out away. But this is a 1096 00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:50,480 Speaker 2: hey Burner, an American ipa. What were your thoughts, buddy? 1097 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:53,960 Speaker 1: This one was more in the citrus treuction. Oh yeah, yeah, 1098 00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:56,200 Speaker 1: and this would remind me a lot of trap. Oh 1099 00:48:56,760 --> 00:49:00,239 Speaker 1: you just like really juicy and wet and citrusy. Yeah, 1100 00:49:00,239 --> 00:49:02,920 Speaker 1: which is like, honestly the best ipa coming out of 1101 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,160 Speaker 1: the state of Georgia. That's like mass produced, right, that 1102 00:49:05,200 --> 00:49:06,919 Speaker 1: you can always get in a six or twelve pack. 1103 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:08,799 Speaker 1: That is like the go to. It's a good one 1104 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:10,400 Speaker 1: for so many people still, and I agree. I think 1105 00:49:10,440 --> 00:49:12,560 Speaker 1: it takes a lot like that one. And if I 1106 00:49:12,840 --> 00:49:15,440 Speaker 1: lived in New York, this might be a go to 1107 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:16,160 Speaker 1: in my fridge. 1108 00:49:16,360 --> 00:49:17,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. It feels like the kind of beer that you 1109 00:49:17,719 --> 00:49:20,439 Speaker 2: always have on hand. That way you can be able 1110 00:49:20,440 --> 00:49:22,759 Speaker 2: to offer something to your guests, because that's the kind 1111 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:24,840 Speaker 2: of lifestyle, that's the kind of wealth I want to 1112 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:27,480 Speaker 2: be able to live, all right, versus having like, was 1113 00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:29,839 Speaker 2: it a tell you ride that your your vehicle of choice? 1114 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 2: Now it's not that ex what happened to the You 1115 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:35,320 Speaker 2: still want a Rivian right someday when they're used in 1116 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:38,640 Speaker 2: some way cheaper, some far off day. Yeah, but uh yeah, 1117 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:40,520 Speaker 2: that's gonna be it for this episode. You can find 1118 00:49:40,560 --> 00:49:43,200 Speaker 2: our show notes up on the website at howtomoney dot com. 1119 00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:46,560 Speaker 2: And that's also where you can find our credit card tool, 1120 00:49:46,880 --> 00:49:49,600 Speaker 2: which is the easiest way to find a credit card 1121 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:52,440 Speaker 2: that's offering the benefits that you're looking for, and you 1122 00:49:52,440 --> 00:49:55,360 Speaker 2: can find that they're at the top bar on our website. 1123 00:49:55,360 --> 00:49:57,160 Speaker 2: But dude, that's going to be it for this one. 1124 00:49:57,239 --> 00:50:02,200 Speaker 2: Until next time, Best Friends Out, best Friends the