Two lifelong friends document and share their personal journey as they seek to become financially independent and retire early (FIRE). One achieves his FIRE goal in 2020 during a global pandemic, inspiring the other to play catch-up. Whether you are new to the FIRE movement, already on your FIRE journey, or have retired early, there’s something here for you. Go beyond the numbers and get the personal stories as experienced by Eric and Jason.
Episodes
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Year two in early retirement was very different for Jason than year one. It's common that the honeymoon stage of retirement is followed by disappointment and a search for meaning. In this episode, Jason and Eric discuss a recent project Jason abandoned and what stage of retirement they think he's in. You'll hear his approach to guarding his free time, what Eric fears most about retiring early, and more. Check out the link below for the show notes, including all the content referenced in this video.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/noblog
Jason's blog archive: https://www.thenextphaseisnow.com/
Sunday Jan 15, 2023
Sunday Jan 15, 2023
Are you worried about neglecting to budget for key expenses in early retirement? Even if you put good effort into creating your FIRE budget, it's easy to miss some very important items. In this episode, Jason and Eric discuss these commonly forgotten or underestimated expenses, including healthcare costs, taxes, dealing with inflation, and more. Check out the link below for the show notes, including all the content referenced in this episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/iforgot
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
What is early retirement really like? In this episode, Eric checks in with Jason two and a half years after he left his career behind. They discuss his recent financial moves, the impact of inflation, how Jason spends his time, and what's truly important to him. Check out the link below for the show notes, including all the content we referenced in this episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/30months
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
How big of an impact can a single purchase under $250 make on your life? In part two of this series, Eric and Jason talk about some of the best things they've bought in recent years. Topics discussed include travel, outdoor gear, concert tips, kitchen aids, and more. Be sure to see the link below for the show notes, which includes info on all the items we discussed in the epispode, as well as those on our under $50 list from part one.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/under50
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Can low cost items - or even free things - truly impact your quality of life positively? In this episode, Eric and Jason talk about some of their favorite purchases under $50, as well as some tools and life hacks that have done just that. Topics discussed in part one of this series include apps, books, games, outdoors essentials, and organizational tools. Be sure to see the link below for the show notes, which includes info on all the items we discussed in the episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/under50
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Do you worry about taxes and how they impact your financial goals? Whether you're on a FIRE path or retiring traditionally, there are many critical tax topics to consider. In this episode, Jason talks with financial planner and CPA Sean Mullaney, creator of The FI Tax Guy blog. We talk about common tax misunderstandings, the power of solo 401(k) accounts, Roth conversions, and tax loss harvesting. Check out the link below for the show notes including all the content we mentioned in the episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/fitaxguy
Sean's book: "Solo 401(k): The Solopreneur's Retirement Account" - https://amzn.to/3B4bqet
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Answering your financial independence, retire early (FIRE) questions, including the one we're asked most often. This special Ask Us Anything format commemorates the 50th episode of Two Sides of FI. THANK YOU to all who submitted questions and for your continued support of the show!
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/ep50
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
The bear market has forced many to revise their FI goals and retirement plans. In this episode, Eric talks with Jason about pushing back his FI date, options he's considering, whether BaristaFIRE could be the answer, the possibility of redefining work, and advice for others in a similar position. See the link below for the show notes.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/delayed
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Are you worried about holding cash in this high inflation environment? In a recent video, we talked about the role of cash pre- and post-retirement. In this episode, Eric + Jason review and react to YOUR ideas that you shared with us. Topics covered include bond ladders, high yield savings, real estate, gold and other cash alternatives, and emergency funds. Check out the link below for the show notes, including all the content referenced in this episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/cash
Sunday Oct 09, 2022
Sunday Oct 09, 2022
Chasing short term market conditions adds a lot of risk to reaching your long term investing goals. An investment policy statement (IPS) can help ensure you stick to your strategy, and avoid market timing and other investing pitfalls. In this episode, Eric talks with Jason about his IPS, and why he finds it such a useful tool. Topics covered include defining portfolio makeup + objectives, the mechanics of cash generation + rebalancing, and why you might consider implementing an IPS yourself. See the link below for the show notes, where we link to Jason's IPS and other content we referenced in the episode.
Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/ips