After years of planning, Eric and Laura have finally reached their FI number at 50! They discovered the FIRE movement 5 years ago and set their sights on achieving financial independence by 2024. Now, with both of their boys off to college, a paid-off home, and a 80/15/5 split between equities, fixed income and cash ..read more

“If you are not aggressive, you are not going to make money, and if you are not defensive, you are not going to keep money” (Ray Dalio). In this episode, Eric and Jason talk about their personal “80/20 Rules” for retiring early. That is, the decisions they made along the journey that served as key ..read more

Four years after retiring early at 47, Jason reflects on the key lessons he wishes he knew beforehand. He discusses his portfolio, spending habits, healthcare, mental health, relationships, and more. Show Notes Essential Background: For more on Jason’s FI journey, check out these episodes centered on his retirement milestones to date: What I Learned in My First Year of “Early Retirement (1 year), My New Life: Two Years After Early Retirement (2 years), and Finding My Way in Early Retirement: A 30 Month Check-In (2.5 years). Did you see Jason’s AMA, Ask an E ..read more

Why would anyone continue to work for money after they’ve achieved financial independence? In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss this common practice, including why Jason and Lorri currently have part-time jobs post-FI. Topics covered include de-risking retirement, charitable giving, skill-building, and more. Show Notes Essential Background: During the stock market downturn in 2022, a viewer asked Jason if he would feel more secure had he worked another year or two before retiring early. Our episode, “Do I Wish I’d Worked One More Year” tackled this important topic. We’ve talked about ..read more

Contempt, concern, derision, surprise, envy, admiration, and support; these are just a few of the reactions Laura received when she announced she was retiring early, closing her biomedical research laboratory, and beginning a new phase of life beyond work. Some reactions were expected and some took us by surprise. In this episode, Eric and Laura unpack these interactions and chart their next steps as they prepare to leave work and step into early retirement. If you didn’t see Part 1 of this conversation, you’ll want to check out One Step Closer to FI/RE – Giving Notice. https://youtu.be/A6VRc ..read more

What essential lessons did Jason learn from the most impactful travel he’s done to date? In this episode, Eric and Jason catch up on a number of recent changes in their lives. Topics discussed include Eric and Laura’s recent big announcement, Jason’s Camino experience, the benefits and challenges of pre- and post-FI travel, and much more. Be sure to check out the show notes below the video! Show Notes Essential Background: Interested in learning more about Jason’s Camino de Santiago experience? You’ll want to see all of Jason’s blog posts leading up to and written during his recent walk on th ..read more

Eric here checking in with a quick update and preface to our new video. Sorry for the gap in our publishing schedule, Jason has been off walking the Camino de Santiago from Portugal to Spain (you can follow along on his blog here) and I’ve been traveling to warm places to escape winter in Maine. In this episode I asked my wife, Laura, to join me to discuss next steps as we near our FI number. Our discussion was recorded in the fall of 2023, as a behind-the-scenes episode. Just this past week (mid-March 2024) she gave her notice to her employer of 23 years and now we can finally share ..read more

What’s the true cost of healthcare in early retirement and can it break your budget? In this episode, Jason shares his experiences with Eric after three years on an ACA health insurance plan. Topics discussed include selecting and evaluating plans, how to estimate your income, premium tax credits, and why 2023 was Jason’s worst year for healthcare expenses to date. Be sure to check out the show notes below the video! Show Notes Essential Background: As mentioned in this episode, we have covered healthcare as a central topic in two prior episodes. Both go into details not discussed here, and ..read more

What financial lessons did we learn last year and what will we do differently in 2024? In today’s episode, Eric and Jason discuss their end of year review processes. Topics include investing goals, their net worth reviews, lessons learned, and much more. Be sure to check out the show notes below the video! Show Notes Essential Background: We’ve talked about our review processes before, and for the full details check out Our Net Worth Is Up! Sharing Our Financial Review Process. If you don’t have a process for regular financial reviews, you aren’t alone. Many people are unsure about how to ca ..read more

Have you truly retired if you continue to do any work for money? In this episode, Eric and Jason talk about their own FIRE goals and how they’ve changed over time. Topics discussed include their respective journeys, why Jason has a part-time job after retiring, the internet retirement police, and much more. Be sure to check out the show notes below. Show Notes Needless to say, as a FIRE-themed show we’ve talked a lot about our thoughts on early retirement. We won’t try to capture all that content here, but rather will highlight a handful of key episodes. Be sure to review the show notes for ..read more