What if you didn’t have to choose between grinding full-time until retirement or quitting work altogether?

By 40, Andy Hill and his wife had built a $500,000 portfolio and paid off their home. Instead of racing toward early retirement, they chose a third way: scaling back to part time work, becoming equal partners in parenting, and reclaiming their time.

In this episode, recorded live at FinCon, Andy shares his 10-step framework for building a “Coast FIRE” lifestyle — where your investments can coast toward retirement while you focus on living today.

The Middle Path Beyond FIRE

Most of us think of retirement as a cliff: one day you’re working, the next day you’re not. Andy challenges that binary. He and his wife structured their careers to work 20–25 hours per week each, creating a rhythm that gave them more time with their children, each other, and their health.

He breaks down the mindset shifts and tactical steps — from eliminating debt and protecting your family with insurance to stockpiling FU money and designing a three-day workweek. Along the way, he explains how Coast FIRE frees you from mandatory retirement contributions and opens doors to a flexible, meaningful life.

Key Takeaways

Balance beats extremes. Neither full-time grind nor full-time stay-at-home felt right; designing a flexible, part-time work life created the equilibrium their family needed.

Cash buffers change behavior. A 3–6 month emergency fund reduces stress and scarcity thinking, making it easier to parent calmly and make better money decisions.

Choose time over trappings. Fancy upgrades aren’t worth trading away presence; prioritizing family time beats lifestyle escalation.

Resources Mentioned:

Andy Hill’s Own Your Time

Marriage, Kids and Money podcast

marriagekidsandmoney.com

View more related articles here.

Thanks to our sponsors!

Gusto

Get three months free when you run your first payroll! Try Gusto today at gusto.com/PAULA

MasterClass

With MasterClass you can learn from the best to become your best. Get 15% off any annual membership at MasterClass.com/afford.

Shopify

Sign up for your one month, one dollar per month trial period and start selling today at shopify.com/paula

Indeed

If you’re looking for amazing talent to bolster your team, you need Indeed. Go to indeed.com/paula and start hiring with a seventy-five dollar sponsored job credit.