In this episode: doing the hard things, travel rewards, the gap and the gain, health and wellness, and real estate.

This week we are back with another listener Mail Bag featuring Ginger. Listen along as we cover a range of topics from recents trips we’ve taken, facing and overcoming challenges, The Gap and the Gain, taxes in retirement and a realistic outlook on how much you’ll be paying, the rule of 72, as well as shout out some of your FI wins! So much to cover and much more to learn in this week’s episode.

🔑 Key Themes Discussed:

• Financial Independence (FI) journey and making big life transitions
• The importance of experiencing challenging tasks to build resilience (“doing hard things”)
• Insights on taxes in retirement: why you may pay less than expected
• Travel hacks: optimizing family cruises and travel rewards points
• The psychological approach to financial success: The Gap and The Gain concept
• Personal health and wellness: Brad’s journey with hiking, saunas, and cold plunges
• Community wins: listener success stories on saving, investing, and achieving FI
• Health insurance strategies for early retirees
• Real estate strategies and long-term capital gains tax advantages
• Addressing common FI misconceptions and how to optimize your finances

🕒 Chapters:

• 00:00 – Introduction and Recent Trips
• 01:30 – Travel Rewards and Cruise Optimization
• 06:00 – Family Vacations and Cruise Hacks
• 08:30 – Colorado Trip and Doing Hard Things
• 10:00 – Hiking Challenges: Lessons from FI and Fitness
• 17:00 – Financial Independence Journey: Overcoming Obstacles
• 21:00 – The Gap and The Gain: Mental Shifts for Success
• 27:00 – Understanding Taxes in Retirement
• 35:00 – Health Insurance and Early Retirement Strategies
• 40:00 – Capital Gains Tax and Real Estate in FI
• 48:00 – Listener Questions and Real-Life Examples
• 55:00 – Community Wins: Listener Success Stories
• 59:00 – Travel Rewards Victory: Booking Free International Trips

Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode:

• “The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success” by Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy
• The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement
• BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast
• “Set for Life: Dominate Life, Money, and the American Dream” by Scott Trench
• Subscribe to The FI Weekly!

More Helpful Links and FI Resources:

• Top 10 Recommended Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Empower: Free Dashboard to Track Your Finances
• CIT Bank Platinum Savings Account
• M1 Finance: Commission-Free Investing, 1-click rebalancing
• CashFreely: Maximize Your Cash Back Rewards
• Travel Freely: Track all your rewards cards and points
• Emergency Binder: For Your Family’s Essential Info (code ‘CHOOSEFI’ for 20% off)
• Student Loan Planner: Custom Consult (with $100 Discount)
• Get a cheaper phone plan with Mint Mobile