The Financial Independence Show

<p>Wow, how time flies! Justin has officially been retired for two full years.</p> <p>Today, we&#8217;ll dig into how year 2 was different, get life and financial updates, and also look forward to year 3.</p> <p>You&#8217;ll notice a big fitness theme, and Justin will discuss an upcoming <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ohOPUE9NiXnYpXDRbsG1FlMjL54pqQiWf3p67jwy4IE/edit?usp=sharing">fitness retreat he&#8217;s organizing in Spain</a>.</p> <p>We&#8217;ll briefly skim over Justin&#8217;s 6-month international trip, but if you want a deeper dive into how traveling the world technically saved him money, check out these episodes: <a href="https://thefishow.com/1500-per-month-to-travel-in-southeast-asia-justins-3-month-recap/">Asia Recap</a> &amp; <a href="https://thefishow.com/how-he-spent-only-9400-on-a-6-month-trip-justins-2025-recap/">Full Trip Recap</a></p> <p>Justin also gives us a transparent view of his financial updates. We hope this inspires listeners to see how truly powerful compounding interest is.</p> <p>His High-Level Financial Stats:</p> <ul> <li>Net Worth at retirement: $1.7M</li> <li>Net Worth after 1 year retired: $2.1M</li> <li>Net Worth after 2 years retired: $2.7M</li> </ul> <p>We also ended this episode in a similar way that we ended <a href="https://thefishow.com/1-year-since-retirement/">his year 1 review of retirement</a>, with a quick blast overview of how he spent his time, which includes:</p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">December 2024</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spent the month in Mississippi visiting family</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">January 2025</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Going-away party</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Departed for the Philippines</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Island-hopping boat tour</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Feb</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indonesia</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ubud, Uluwatu, Gili Air, Nusa Lembogan, Nusa Penida</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mar</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vietnam</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Birthday on Ha Giang loop</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apr</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thailand / Amsterdam / Switzerland</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Koh Lanta</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chiang Mai</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Temple Tours</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elephant Sanctuary</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tulip gardens</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Insane train routes</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hang gliding off mountains</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">May</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Italy</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lake Como</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cinque Terre</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parma</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Florence</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elba</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Naples</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ischia</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lipari</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sicily</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">June</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Italy</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lipari round 2</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sardinia</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rome</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="4"><span style="font-weight: 400;">First half-marathon</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="5"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1hr 40min 19 sec</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="4"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rufus Du Sol show</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jul</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Back to America</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stops in NYC and Dallas to visit friends</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maintained fitness on the trip</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Body fat 10.4 -&gt; 11.3</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lean Tissue 155.4 -&gt; 156.3</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Audien &amp; Telykast concert</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Started Wedding prep</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Started doing track workouts</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Run clubs &amp; boat days</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Started dialling in Biscuit &amp; Cinnamon roll recipes for the wedding</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aug</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">House sitting for friends</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Visited family in Mississippi</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Concert dome experience</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sept</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spent over a week in Colorado visiting friends/bachelor trip getaway</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Got some solid workouts in (at time my longest run of 16 miles and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">PR on deadlift of 405)</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finalized recipe for biscuits and cinnamon rolls for the wedding</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fincon</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Knocked out a 14-mile progressive run with Cody</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friends wedding weekend in Austin</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rooftop yoga event</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Really ramped up the dessert factory for the wedding</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finalized other wedding things</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charley Crockett concert</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oct</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Got married</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">House sat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Went to a movie screening debut “Sober”</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lots of brand activation events around ACL/F1 timeline (Patron, Bush&#8217;s beans, Google)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Attended a marketing conference</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Completed </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">longest run ever of 34 miles</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nov</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">First time hired to make a custom birthday cake</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Redid the backyard, adding pavers and gravel landscaping around firepit and pergola</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wild 1-4 am show with Elderbrook and Lane 8</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friendsgiving</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hyrox with Leslie (1:10 finish time)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanksgiving on the Texas Coast</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dec</span> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">5k PR: 20 min 53 sec</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">3 Big EDM Concerts</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mississippi for Christmas</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Visit a good friend in Little Rock</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Began planning first group retreat (Spain Fitness/Hyrox related)</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>We hope you enjoy a look behind the curtain and Justin&#8217;s willingness to be open and honest about the retired life.</p> <p>If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <h2><b>Links from the Episode</b></h2> <ol> <li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ohOPUE9NiXnYpXDRbsG1FlMjL54pqQiWf3p67jwy4IE/edit?usp=sharing">Spain Fitness Retreat</a></li> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/justins-biggest-announcement-yet/">Justin’s Retirement Announcement Episode</a></li> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/1-year-since-retirement/">Justin&#8217;s 1 Year Since Retirement Episode</a></li> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/1500-per-month-to-travel-in-southeast-asia-justins-3-month-recap/">Asia Recap Episode</a></li> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/how-he-spent-only-9400-on-a-6-month-trip-justins-2025-recap/">Full 6-month International Trip Episode</a></li> </ol> <h2><b>YouTube Interview</b></h2> <p>https://youtu.be/Kzdm3St3UkE</p> <h2><b>Join the Community</b></h2> <p>We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/spreadsheet">Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/">Join our Facebook Group</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/thefishow">Leave us a voicemail</a></li> <li>Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com</li> </ol> <p>If you like what you hear, <b>please subscribe and leave a rating/review</b>!</p> <p>&gt;&gt; <a href="https://thefishow.com/subscribe/">You can do that by clicking here</a> &lt;&lt;</p> <h2><strong>Learn More About Your Hosts</strong></h2> <p><a href="https://codydberman.com/">CodyDBerman.com</a> (Cody’s Blog)</p> <p><a href="https://saving-sherpa.com/">Saving-Sherpa</a> (Justin’s blog)</p>

<p>Brandon Ganch, aka The Mad Fientist, joins us to share how he&#8217;s trying to break some of the frugal habits that allowed him to retire at the age of 34.</p> <p data-start="353" data-end="456">He is one of the earliest analytical voices in the FI movement, known for treating FI as a systems problem.</p> <p data-start="549" data-end="670">He leverages his background in computer science, strong preference for systems thinking, experimentation, and automating FI decisions to bring unique perspectives and ways of thinking to the FI space.</p> <p data-start="673" data-end="776">Brandon retired extremely early, then realized he needed to redesign his post-FI life, not just his finances.</p> <p>Most people in the world can&#8217;t imagine training themselves to spend more money, but in this space, we totally get it.</p> <p>Brandon walks us through all the experiments he&#8217;s done around spending money to retrain how he thinks about spending decisions.</p> <p>He covers specific examples of how he is reframing things as well as the increased happiness he&#8217;s experiencing thanks to these purchases.</p> <p>Topics covered include:</p> <ul> <li>How to recalibrate your brain to determine which spending decisions are really worth your time based on net worth</li> <li>Setting aside &#8220;Cash Machines&#8221; for future purchases</li> <li>Running spending experiments and setting spending rules</li> <li>Breaking old psychological traps to overcome frugality</li> </ul> <p>And so much more.</p> <p>If you found the episode valuable, please share it with a friend!</p> <h2><b>Links from The Episode</b></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://wealthmachines.co/">Wealth Machines (https://wealthmachines.co) </a>&#8211; Join as a beta tester before December 12th</li> <li><a href="https://www.madfientist.com/">Mad Fientist Website (https://madfientist.com)</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.madfientist.com/podcast/">Financial Independence Podcast (https://www.madfientist.com/podcast/)</a></li> </ul> <h2><b>YouTube Interview</b></h2> <p>https://youtu.be/mrWl40q_K64</p> <h2><b>Join the Community</b></h2> <p>We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/spreadsheet">Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/">Join our Facebook Group</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/thefishow">Leave us a voicemail</a></li> <li>Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com</li> </ol> <p>If you like what you hear, <b>please subscribe and leave a rating/review</b>!</p> <p>&gt;&gt; <a href="https://thefishow.com/subscribe/">You can do that by clicking here</a> &lt;&lt;</p> <h2><strong>Learn More About Your Hosts</strong></h2> <p><a href="https://codydberman.com/">CodyDBerman.com</a> (Cody’s Blog)</p> <p><a href="https://saving-sherpa.com/">Saving-Sherpa</a> (Justin’s blog)</p>

<p>Cody &amp; Justin are here to flood your ears with thanks!</p> <p>Your very own Financial Independence Show co-hosts are here with a special Thanksgiving episode.</p> <p>It&#8217;s hard to believe we&#8217;re rounding out yet another year, and there&#8217;s so much to be thankful for as always.</p> <p>Fitness improving, relationships strengthening, comfort level with retirement steadily increasing, and so much more.</p> <p>Some general categories include:</p> <ul> <li>Health</li> <li>Relationships</li> <li>Finances</li> <li>Lifestyle</li> <li>Gratefulness</li> </ul> <p>Hang around until the end to hear Cody&#8217;s big announcement, and Justin&#8217;s not-so-standard Thanksgiving dish that you can wow your friends and family with.</p> <p>You might be shocked at just how little money comes up, and we think that&#8217;s the clearest sign we&#8217;re living our best lives.</p> <p>If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <h2><b>YouTube Interview</b></h2> <p>https://youtu.be/dz_ThEE_YYU</p> <h2><b>Join the Community</b></h2> <p>We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/spreadsheet">Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/">Join our Facebook Group</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/thefishow">Leave us a voicemail</a></li> <li>Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com</li> </ol> <p>If you like what you hear, <b>please subscribe and leave a rating/review</b>!</p> <p>&gt;&gt; <a href="https://thefishow.com/subscribe/">You can do that by clicking here</a> &lt;&lt;</p> <h2><strong>Learn More About Your Hosts</strong></h2> <p><a href="https://codydberman.com/">CodyDBerman.com</a> (Cody’s Blog)</p> <p><a href="https://saving-sherpa.com/">Saving-Sherpa</a> (Justin’s blog)</p>

<p>Allison Baggerly from Inspired Budget joins us to share her journey from $111,000 in debt to creating a life of freedom through budgeting.</p> <p>Topics covered include:</p> <ul> <li>How to change your spending habits</li> <li>Paying down debt as quickly as possible</li> <li>Different types of budgets and how to implement</li> <li>The power of increasing your income</li> <li>Knowing your &#8220;enough&#8221;</li> <li>How kids can actually reduce your expenses</li> <li>Planning for early retirement</li> <li>Routines, time blocking, and managing your schedule</li> </ul> <p>And so much more.</p> <p>If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <h2><b>Links from The Episode</b></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://inspiredbudget.com/">Inspired Budget (Allison&#8217;s Website)</a></li> <li><a href="https://inspiredbudget.com/podcast/">Inspired Budget Podcast</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/AllisonBaggerly">Allison&#8217;s YouTube</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/inspiredbudget">Allison&#8217;s Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Money-Made-Easy-Budget-Debt/dp/1119894964">Money Made Easy (Allison&#8217;s Book)</a></li> <li><a href="https://inspiredbudget.thrivecart.com/budget-my-paycheck-spreadsheet/">Allison&#8217;s Budgeting Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDCvUG1oywk">Allison&#8217;s Daily Budgeting Video</a></li> </ul> <h2><b>YouTube Interview</b></h2> <p>https://youtu.be/59scOklc9jc</p> <h2><b>Join the Community</b></h2> <p>We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/spreadsheet">Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/">Join our Facebook Group</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/thefishow">Leave us a voicemail</a></li> <li>Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com</li> </ol> <p>If you like what you hear, <b>please subscribe and leave a rating/review</b>!</p> <p>&gt;&gt; <a href="https://thefishow.com/subscribe/">You can do that by clicking here</a> &lt;&lt;</p> <h2><strong>Learn More About Your Hosts</strong></h2> <p><a href="https://codydberman.com/">CodyDBerman.com</a> (Cody’s Blog)</p> <p><a href="https://saving-sherpa.com/">Saving-Sherpa</a> (Justin’s blog)</p>

<p>Garrett Brown, author of The Glamping Investor, joins us to talk all about building a glamping business.</p> <p>He shares his own journey from $0 to $700,000+ in revenue, and his best tips on how you can get started yourself.</p> <p>Topics covered include:</p> <ul> <li>Finding the right plot of land</li> <li>Understanding &#8220;landhacking&#8221; and why it&#8217;s so powerful</li> <li>Setting up utilities and amenities</li> <li>Zoning and building laws</li> <li>Different types of glamping structures and their cost</li> <li>Financing and how to buy these types of structures</li> <li>Scaling and improving your glamping business</li> </ul> <p>And so much more.</p> <p>If you found value in the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <h2><b>Links from The Episode</b></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Glamping-Investor-BiggerPockets-Guide/dp/196017892X">The Glamping Investor (Garrett&#8217;s Book)</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/garrettbrownre">Garrett&#8217;s Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GarrettbrownRE">Garrett&#8217;s YouTube</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BiggerStays">BiggerStays YouTube </a></li> <li><a href="https://pacificdomes.com/contact-us/">Pacific Domes</a> (mention The FI Show for best pricing)</li> </ul> <h2><b>YouTube Interview</b></h2> <p>https://youtu.be/1oCuixGBYsw</p> <h2><b>Join the Community</b></h2> <p>We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community!</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://thefishow.com/spreadsheet">Grab the Ultimate FI Spreadsheet</a></li> <li><a href="https://facebook.com/groups/445801582599670/">Join our Facebook Group</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/thefishow">Leave us a voicemail</a></li> <li>Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com</li> </ol> <p>If you like what you hear, <b>please subscribe and leave a rating/review</b>!</p> <p>&gt;&gt; <a href="https://thefishow.com/subscribe/">You can do that by clicking here</a> &lt;&lt;</p> <h2><strong>Learn More About Your Hosts</strong></h2> <p><a href="https://codydberman.com/">CodyDBerman.com</a> (Cody’s Blog)</p> <p><a href="https://saving-sherpa.com/">Saving-Sherpa</a> (Justin’s blog)</p>