FI Minded - Financial Independence, Early Retirement & Lifestyle Design

Tariffs aren’t just for global trade - you can apply the concept to your personal life to protect your time, energy, and values.

As we gain more financial freedom, how we spend and make money should evolve too. In this short and reflective episode, I explore the idea of personal tariffs and how I have applied this to things that may seem like a good deal on the surface, but actually come at a hidden cost to my time, energy, or well-being.

I share three categories where I’ve started mentally “taxing” the lower-cost option. This isn’t about spending recklessly - it’s about making intentional choices that align with the life you’re building.

If you’re on the journey to financial independence and want to feel better about spending in ways that support your health, happiness, and values, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• “Personal tariff”- a mental cost you assign to choices that drain you, even if they save money.
• Building a life you’re proud of means prioritizing alignment over optimization.
• Financial independence isn’t just about money - it’s about creating space to live in a way that feels good.

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

You’ve run the numbers a hundred times. You’ve built the spreadsheets, projected the growth, and calculated your safe withdrawal rate down to the decimal. On paper, money isn’t an issue. You should feel secure.

But you don’t.

Because even though the math checks out, the feeling doesn’t. The scarcity mindset, the one that pushed you to save relentlessly, doesn’t just disappear when you achieve FI. Instead, it lingers, making you question if it’s really enough.

That’s why I’m excited to have Shannah Game on the show today. She’s a Certified Financial Planner and host of Everyone’s Talkin’ Money. Shannah has helped countless people break free from the mental traps that keep them feeling financially insecure, even when their numbers say otherwise.

In this episode, Shannah is going to help us tackle that nagging sense of “not enough” and share strategies to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of confidence and abundance.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the cupcake-making, money-talking millennial…Shannah Game.

Key Takeaways:

• Why you never feel like you have enough (even when you do)
• How to unlearn financial habits you inherited from your parents
• Why transparency in the FI community might fuel the comparison trap
• Strategies to shift from scarcity to abundance
• A powerful journal prompt for overcoming scarcity
• How to practice mindful money moments

More of Shannah:

Podcast: https://everyonestalkinmoney.com/episodes/

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

In my mid-20s, I was making $50,000. Between San Diego’s high housing costs, dating, a car payment, and other expenses, I barely had anything left to put toward financial independence - let alone fast-track it.

I was cutting costs everywhere - negotiating bills, rarely eating out, even walking instead of driving. Frugality was helping but man, the real game-changer was focusing on growing my income. Since then, I’ve switched jobs, negotiated raises, launched a business, and built a five-figure side hustle. Now, I earn three times what I did at 25, and that extra income has made all the difference.

I’m funding my financial independence goals while also enjoying life more.

Quickly growing my income made such an impact and that’s why I brought Andrew Giancola on the podcast - to help me break down exactly how you can double your income in just one year. Andrew is a pro at this. He’s built multiple businesses, invested in real estate, tested different side hustles, and even helped his wife negotiate multiple raises and promotions.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you increase your income fast. So if that is something you want to do, let’s dive in!

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the financial educator and host of The Personal Finance Podcast…Andrew Giancola.

Key Takeaways:

• Why increasing your income is key to financial independence
• A 6-month strategy to negotiate a raise
• Exactly what to say when asking for a raise
• How to become indispensable at work
• Ways to actively earn more outside your job
• The best passive income investments for busy professionals

Mentions:

Andrew’s first appearance on FI Minded: www.tsirpodcast.com/133

More of Andrew:

www.MasterMoney.co

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Want to achieve financial independence without missing out on the fun?

FI Minded is for anyone who wants to achieve financial freedom, live life on their own terms, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey along the way!

Whether you’re just starting to think about financial independence or already deep into the process, FI Minded gives you the tools and inspiration to make FI a reality - without giving up the things you love.

Each episode, we’ll cover topics like:

*Financial Independence Strategies: Simple, actionable advice to reach FI faster (if that’s your goal).

*Work Optionality: Transitioning from the corporate grind (no more "one more year syndrome") to a life of freedom and flexibility.

*Lifestyle Design: How to build a life that aligns with your values, goals, and dreams.

*Stories from the FI Community: Real people sharing their journeys to FI and what they’ve learned.

*Fun with FI: How to save your future and enjoy your current life through CoastFI, mini-retirements, travel, or just making the most of your time.

*Fighting Burnout: Balancing saving for your future while staying mentally healthy.

Is Real Estate the Best Path to Financial Independence?

As a die-hard index fund investor, I used to have a clear answer. But after researching Chad Carson’s “small but mighty” real estate philosophy, I’m starting to see the potential.

While I still prefer the hands-off nature of index funds, especially as I focus on growing my income - I can see real estate playing a role in my future. It offers steady cash flow, diversification, and even scratches my entrepreneurial itch.

When that time comes, I’ll be turning to Chad Carson’s content. With two decades of real estate investing experience, Chad knows how to find, analyze, and buy solid investment properties.

In this episode, Chad breaks down the fundamentals of real estate investing, including how to find quality deals in a high-priced market, red flags to watch for, and key financial metrics to evaluate before buying.

I learned a ton from this conversation, and I’m already looking forward to a part two.

Key Takeaways:

• How real estate fits into Chad’s investment portfolio
• Pros and cons of real estate investing
• Finding quality deals in a high-priced market
• Defining your "buy box" to focus your search
• Red flags to watch for in properties
• Key financial metrics to evaluate before buying
• The “small and mighty” real estate philosophy
• Aligning real estate with your life goals

Mentions:

Create Your Buy Box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ORTQ_2S-mE

DealMachine: https://www.dealmachine.com/

More of Coach Chad Carson:

Real Estate Investing with Coach Carson: https://www.coachcarson.com/coach-carson-podcast/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Love and money - a perfect match, right?

If only it were that simple. Money is personal for everyone. We grow up with different values, learn different money habits from our parents, and develop our own financial preferences.

So when two people with unique money mindsets come together, disagreements are bound to happen. Maybe one of you is a saver while the other loves to spend, leading to frustration over “wasting” or “hoarding” money. Or maybe you can’t agree on whether to play it safe with savings or take financial risks.

If you love your partner, the last thing you want is constant fights about money. You want to figure this out together. That’s why in today’s episode, I’m talking with Brian Page about how to find common ground when you and your partner have different financial perspectives.

Brian is the Founder of Modern Husbands, an organization that helps busy dual-career couples manage money and home life as a team.

We dive into some really practical topics like how spenders and savers can find peace, what research says about combining vs. separating finances, and how to create a fair balance with household responsibilities.

This conversation was especially helpful for me because my partner, Gaby, and I have been navigating these conversations ourselves as last summer marked 5 years of dating.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the lead dad and modern husband…Brian Page.

Key Takeaways:

• How couples with different money mindsets can find common ground
• What to do when you and your partner have conflicting financial goals
• What research says about combining finances vs. keeping them separate
• How to fairly divide financial responsibilities as a couple
• Ways to optimize your finances together
• How to share household responsibilities as a team

More of Brian:

Modern Husbands: https://www.modernhusbands.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

You can save thousands if you negotiate your medical bills. Wait, you can do that?

Yeah, this was new to me too. Maybe it was the confusing medical jargon or the assumption that hospitals charge fair prices, but negotiating never crossed my mind…and you know I love to negotiate just about everything.

Not only should you be negotiating your medical bills, you should be scrutinizing them for errors. As you’ll learn in this episode, 80% of medical bills have errors, and go figure, they almost always work out in the favor of the medical provider.

Today, Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington joins me to share her three-step process for negotiating medical bills. As an internal medicine physician and former health insurance executive, Dr. Virgie thought she understood the system - that was until she was diagnosed with cancer and saw firsthand how patients get crushed by medical debt.

After witnessing her hospital roommate get taken advantage of by balance billing, Dr. Virigie had had enough. Now she is on a mission to help Americans fight back against excessive healthcare costs, one bill at a time.

If you want to protect yourself from medical debt and take control of your healthcare costs, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with medical billing expert and 2-time cancer patient…Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington.

Key Takeaways:

• The devastating impact of medical debt on Americans
• How to identify errors on your medical bills
• Why the first bill from your provider isn’t the final bill
• How to research fair pricing for medical services
• A step-by-step script for negotiating lower costs with your provider’s billing department

More of Dr. Vrigie:

Website: www.crushmedicaldebt.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Struggling to spend money? Same here. Honestly, I never thought this would be a problem as I got closer to financial independence. I mean, isn’t the goal to save up enough so we can finally spend on the things we want?

Turns out, after 15 years of working hard to build wealth, it’s not so easy to let go. Add in some good old financial insecurities, and suddenly, I’ve got money, but I’m too nervous to spend it.

And guess what? We are not the only ones. A lot of people in the FI community deal with this too, including Carl Jensen.

Carl, known for his blog 1500 Days, has a net worth of $6 million. Yet, he still found it hard to spend money. That was until he started challenging himself to do it. Through these spending challenges, Carl figured out what really brings him joy, whether it’s something small like treating a friend to dinner or big like a $10,000 private concert with his favorite band (don’t worry, we’ll talk about that one!).

So, if you’ve ever struggled to spend on things that would actually make you happy, this episode is for you. Hopefully, it inspires you to push past those money hang-ups and challenge yourself a little more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Telsa fantastic, dinosaur-loving, early FI trailblazer…Carl Jensen.

Key Takeaways:

• How to recognize if you’re frugalism is hurting or helping
• Using spending experiments to uncover what is important to you
• One commonality of Carl’s favorite purchases
• What you can learn from the wrong purchases

Mentions:

Taming the Mammoth: Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think: https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/06/taming-mammoth-let-peoples-opinions-run-life.html

More of Carl:

Read Carl’s Blog: https://www.1500days.com/

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

It’s the start of a new year, and you’ve set some financial goals like paying off student loans, saving for a down payment, or maxing out your IRA. Whatever your goal, how awesome would it feel if you could fast-track your progress? It’ll take focus and dedication, but with the right strategies, you can turbocharge your cash flow and get there faster.

Today, we’re joined by Justin Brown-Woods, Financial Coach and Co-Host of The Price of Avocado Toast. Justin not only helps his clients reach their financial goals but he has also walked the walk himself. After accumulating $220,000 in debt, Justin and his wife, Haley, decided to rewrite their financial story. In just 18 months, they paid off more than half of their debt and began rebuilding their wealth.

And when I say “rebuilding,” I mean rebuilding. Before accumulating 6-figures of debt, they had $600,000 in the bank! It’s a story you don’t want to miss but I’ll let Justin spill the details in this episode.

If you’re ready to fast-track your 2025 financial goals (without selling a kidney), this episode is packed with tips and inspiration to get you started.

Key Takeaways:

• Opportunities that come with tightening your budget
• Practical ways to earn extra income that align with your lifestyle
• A simple side hustle you can start today
• Reward systems to keep you motivated and on track
• Tips for aligning financial goals with your partner

More of Justin:

Listen to the Price of Avocado Toast: https://www.priceofavocadotoast.com/podcast

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

Since discovering financial independence, I have focused on wealth-building: choosing the right accounts, investing wisely, and cutting expenses to save more. But now that I’m approaching my FIRE number, a new question has emerged—what happens after I reach financial independence?

On one hand, there’s the technical side: What’s the best way to withdraw from my nest egg? This is something I hadn’t given much thought to until now.

But beyond the finances, the bigger question is: What changes in life? Will I still scrutinize every expense? Do I worry about major market news? And most importantly, how do I want to spend my time?

I need some guidance, and I’m guessing you do too, so I asked Jeremy Schneider to come to demystify life after reaching financial independence. Jeremy Schneider is the creator of the popular Instagram account, Personal Finance Club. He’s also the co-founder of Nectarine, a marketplace for advice-only financial advisors.

Before launching Personal Finance Club and Nectarine, Jeremy built and sold a technology company for $5 million, achieving financial independence. This sum of cash catapulted him into financial independence. He had to answer the important questions quickly and in this episode, he shares what he learned from that experience.

Whether you’re nearing your FIRE number or simply curious about what life looks like after financial independence, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the man trying to bring light on the financial advising industry…Jeremy Schneider.

Key Takeaways:

• A simple draw-down strategy for post-FI
• Finding purpose when work becomes optional
• Making peace with your life-long frugal habits
• What’s broken about the financial advising industry

More of Jeremy:

Get Financial Help: www.hellonectarine.com

More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/