In this special episode of FI Study Room, I’m joined by a very special guest—my husband! 🎙️ We're getting real about what it’s been like building financial independence together as a Chinese-Indian couple. From navigating cultural money habits to figuring out our shared financial values (and occasional mismatches), we’re talking about it all—no filters.

We kick things off with a fun lightning round (you’ll find out who the secret spender is 👀), then dive into deeper conversations about defining our own financial path, how FI has shaped our relationship, and the unexpected lessons we’ve learned from our cultures. Whether you're on the FI journey solo or with a partner, we hope this episode brings a few laughs and some fresh perspective.

🎧 Episode Breakdown

⏱️ 00:00 – Intro
Welcome to a special episode with my husband—FI, culture, and marriage collide!

⚡ 02:40 – Lightning Round
Quick answers, no filter: frugality, splurges, spenders, and secret money beliefs 👀

💬 09:10 – What Does Chasing FI Mean to Our Life & Marriage
How FI shaped our values, decisions, and partnership 💑

🌏 12:00 – Cultural Differences in Money
Unexpected lessons from Chinese & Indian money mindsets 💸

💡 14:50 – Money Habits & Influences
What we learned from our families—and what stuck

⚖️ 16:25 – One Financial Habit We’re Not Aligned On
Tracking, optimizing, and where our styles clash 📊

🔁 19:15 – One Financial Decision You Wish We’d Done Differently
Looking back on real estate, conversations, and timing

🧘 20:48 – Reflections & Advice
Tips for couples navigating FI from different cultural backgrounds ❤️

👋 24:00 – Wrap-up
Thank you for listening—share with a partner or friend on the FI path!

In this episode of FI Study Room, I’m sharing two key lessons from my short-term rental journey: why building a reliable local team is non-negotiable, and how pivoting from STR to a creative long-term rental strategy still delivered 20%+ returns. From cleaners to smart locks, hear how the right systems saved my sanity—and why flexibility is just as important as cash flow.

Episode Breakdown:

⏱ 00:00 - Intro
🤝 03:15 - Building a local team is essential
⚙️ 09:05 - Leveraging automation tools for efficiency
🏡 10:33 - Airbnb is not the only way for good returns
🗣️ 13:56 - Real talk after running Airbnbs for 3 years

Ready to hear the real story behind short-term rentals? 🏡✨ In this episode of FI Study Room, I’m pulling back the curtain on my 3-year journey building cash flow through Airbnb properties — while juggling a busy W2 job!
I’ll share:
🔹 How I achieved 20–25% cash-on-cash returns
🔹 Why short-term rentals are not as passive as they seem
🔹 Real-life stories: guest drama, neighbor complaints, and managing it all
If you’re curious about starting your first short-term rental or just want an honest look at the behind-the-scenes hustle, this one’s for you.
Let’s dive into the numbers, the lessons, and how STRs became a big piece of my financial independence journey. 💸🎙️

Episode Breakdown:

⏰ 00:00 - Intro

💸 03:42 - Lesson 1: 20%-25% Cash on Cash Return

🧮 06:00 - Calculating Cash on Cash Using Real Life Numbers

🏡 07:30 - Don't Forget Appreciation

💰 08:26 - Revenue and Expenses Breakdown

🧾 10:50 - Tax Advantages

⚡ 13:11 - Lesson 2: This is NOT Passive

🔍 14:15 - Research Takes Time

😖 17:03 - Top Moments Where I Seriously Regretted My Decision

📝 25:20 - Ending Summary

Ever wonder what book actually kicked off my journey to Financial Independence? This one’s a throwback—but it still hits hard in 2025.

Note: This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Not financial advice!

📘 In this episode, I revisit The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins, the OG FI book that taught me:

✅ Index funds > trying to outsmart the market

✅ Save more, stress less

✅ Time in the market beats timing the market (every. single. time.)

🎧 Episode Breakdown: The Simple Path to Wealth

⏱ 00:00 - Intro

📈 03:00 - 3 Rules to Accumulate Wealth

💡 04:30 - Index Fund Deep Dive

📊 08:00 - Asset Allocation

💰 09:55 - 3 Investment Tools: Stock, Bonds, Cash

📉 11:00 - What If the Market Crashes?

🏡 12:07 - Primary Residence Buying Principle

🗂 12:50 - My Asset Allocation Snapshot

📝 15:50 - Summary and Recap

What if I told you that most millionaires don’t drive flashy cars, wear luxury brands, or live in giant mansions? That’s exactly what I learned (again) from re-reading The Millionaire Next Door — a personal finance classic that’s part data deep-dive, part myth-buster.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the surprising habits of real millionaires, why “looking rich” is not the same as being rich, and what it means to be a PAW (Prodigious Accumulator of Wealth). We’ll talk about frugality, lifestyle creep, choosing the right house (spoiler: not the biggest one), and why financial independence > social status.

Whether you're just starting your FI journey or already on the path, this episode is full of timeless lessons—and a few laughs—from the OG of personal finance books.

Note: This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Not financial advice!

Here’s what we’re covering:

00:00 – Welcome to the Study Room! ✨
00:45 – How This Book Was Born 📚 A 20-year research project turned finance bible.
03:05 – The Punchline: Who Needs This Book? 🎯 (Hint: maybe you.)
05:30 – Real Rich People Don’t Flex 🚗👕 Say goodbye to the Ferrari fantasy.
08:10 – PAW vs UAW ⚖️ Which wealth-builder are you?
09:45 – 7 Surprising Secrets of Millionaires 🕵️‍♂️💸
10:00 – 💡 #1: They Live Way Below Their Means
13:15 – 🧠 #2: They Use Time & Energy Like Pros
15:30 – 🛑 #3: Status Symbols? Nah, FI First.
16:15 – 🚫 #4 & #5: No Handouts, No Dependents
17:15 – 🎯 #6 & #7: They Nail the Market + Their Job
21:30 – Is This Book Outdated? 📅 (Short answer: Nope.)
23:00 – Why It Still Hits Home For Me 🏡❤️

Are you a high-earning W2 employee looking to boost your wealth and minimize your tax burden? This episode is for you! We'll break down the best tax-advantaged accounts to leverage, including 401(k), IRA, and HSA. We'll also reveal advanced strategies like the Mega Backdoor Roth and Backdoor Roth to supercharge your savings. Plus, we'll provide actionable steps for setting contribution goals and selecting the right investments for your financial journey.

Note: This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Not financial advice!

⏱️ Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - Intro

01:43 - 401K+IRA: what they are and how to leverage

07:45 - Mega Backdoor: contribute an additional 35K to 401K

11:13 - Backdoor Roth: high earners can also contribute 7K to IRA

13:00 - HSA: triple tax benefit

14:57 - PJ's contribution plan for 2025

18:08 - How to invest with tax advantaged accounts

22:14 - Recap & Quick Summary