Journey To Launch

Financial independence started as a formula: save and invest 25 times your expenses, then step away from the job. In this solo episode, I respond to an Instagram post from Ashley Evans asking whether the FIRE movement has lost the plot, as more of the conversation shifts toward making more money, growing businesses, and owning more.

I explain the 25 times rule and the 4% draw down math that first drew me in 12 to 13 years ago, and share the comment I left on Ashley's post. I reached my goal of leaving my nine to five in 2018, and today I'm in what I call work flexibility, stage four of my five stages to financial independence. As a mom of three living in New York City, I have no interest in growing my business if it costs me time and energy freedom. I also walk through the idea of a "vehicle" for reaching FI, which was my full time job and later became Journey to Launch, and why it's okay for that vehicle to slow down.

The episode also covers the parable of the Mexican fisherman and the investment banker, and the reality that "enough" looks different for everyone depending on security needs, family responsibilities, and history with money. Your plan can change, your pace can change, and you get to define what enough means. 

In this episode, I share:

Why Ashley Evans's post on the FIRE movement prompted a bigger conversation
How the 25 times rule and 4% draw down work, with a $40,000 a year example
Using a full time job or a business as the "vehicle" to reach financial independence
How to think about enough versus more, security, and the choice to say no + more 


What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
Updated corrections from the original hardcover
Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course
The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet


Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcoqNBUuYuh/?stkn=b3Zhajh5NGZtdno=












Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
Get The Budget Bootcamp
Check out my personal website here.
Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!
YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here!


Connect with me:

Instagram: @Journeytolaunch
Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch
Facebook: @Journey To Launch
Join the Private Facebook Group
Join the Waitlist for My FI Course
Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Health insurance is one of the biggest questions standing between you and leaving your job, and for a lot of families, it's the reason one spouse never does. In this episode, I welcome back Jordan Grumet, hospice physician, host of the Earn & Invest podcast, and author of Taking Stock, The Purpose Code, and his newest book, The Healthcare Heist.

Jordan lost his father, a physician, when he was seven and made it his mission to become a doctor like him. Once he got there, he burned out fast, and financial independence became his way out. He breaks down what healthcare really costs once you leave an employer plan, how long-term care can drain a family's assets, and how insurers, drug companies, and private equity have pulled money out of the system.

Jordan makes the case that real change starts when doctors and patients share their stories and push for reform together. Until then, there are practical steps you can take now, from appealing insurance denials to planning for long-term care early.

In this episode, Jordan Grumet shares:

Why healthcare is one of the biggest obstacles to financial independence and early retirement
The limits of ACA subsidies, health sharing ministries, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap plans
How long-term care costs, Medicaid spend-downs, and the five-year lookback affect families
Everyday ways to protect yourself, from appealing denials to choosing generics and physician-owned practices

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
Updated corrections from the original hardcover
Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course
The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet


Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

The Healthcare Heist: jordangrumet.com/books
Taking Stock and The Purpose Code: jordangrumet.com/books
Episode 281, Lessons About Living From the Dying: journeytolaunch.com/episode281
Episode 407, Building a Life of Purpose & Finding Meaning in Everyday Life: journeytolaunch.com/episode407
The White Coat Investor: whitecoatinvestor.com
Health Insurance Marketplace: healthcare.gov
Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
Get The Budget Bootcamp
Check out my personal website here.
Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!
YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here!


Connect with Jordan Grumet:

Website

Connect with me:

Instagram: @Journeytolaunch
Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch
Facebook: @Journey To Launch
Join the Private Facebook Group
Join the Waitlist for My FI Course
Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung left their lucrative software engineering careers to enjoy world travel and freedom. Both retired in their early 30's with a 7-figure portfolio and have complied their secrets to success in their book Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required. Kristy and Bryce are financially independent, self-made millionaires who hail from humble beginnings and learned along their journey how to follow the money so they could afford to pursue their passions.

 In this episode we discuss: 

How Kristy went from surviving off 44 cents a day to a 7-figure portfolio.
How you can use CRAP (Creativity, Resilience, Adaptability, and Perseverance) to achieve success.
How to cut expenses from your budget so you can maximize your income and minimize waste.
How to choose your degree and career based on the math.
Why your home is not an investment and how avoiding home-ownership helps you achieve financial independence sooner. 
Why taxes are for the poor and how to win the tax game.

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
Updated corrections from the original hardcover
Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course
The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet


Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
Get The Budget Bootcamp
Check out my personal website here.
Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!
YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here!


Connect with Kristy & Bryce:

Website
Facebook:@MillennialRevolutionBlog 
Twitter:@FIRECracker_Rev

Connect with me:

Instagram: @Journeytolaunch
Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch
Facebook: @Journey To Launch
Join the Private Facebook Group
Join the Waitlist for My FI Course
Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Simplicity and the concept of 'less is more' can be beneficial in much more than finance. The tiny home movement has proved to be a great new option for a lot of people looking to live a simpler, more abundant life. This week's guest, Jewel Pearson, is not only a tiny homeowner but she is also an advocate and community leader that shares her tiny living experiences and assists others in achieving their tiny living dreams.

Over the course of a decade, Jewel worked toward downsizing her life and in 2015 she built the tiny home of her dreams in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her 360 sq ft home has been featured on HGTV's shows "Tiny House, Big Living" and "How Are They Now" and has been featured in several other media outlets. As a proud supporter of tiny living and the simpler lifestyle that it offers, she provides support through her consulting services and workshops that she teaches around the country. Jewel has also founded the Tiny House Trailblazers; a duo collaboration of powerful and uniquely talented women of color who together are a strong representation and voice for diversity and inclusion within the tiny house movement.

In this episode we discuss:

Why everyone should redefine or rather choose for themselves what tiny living means
The misconception some people have that living in a tiny home means you sacrifice quality, luxury, and design & why tiny living does not mean "small living"
How downsizing and living this life helped Jewel to live her life fully and abundantly
What Jewel's life was like before the tiny home and what prompted the change
The steps it took to actually make the changes she needed to move into her home
How to start the tiny living process
Jewel's mission to bring the tiny home movement to more people of color and some of the racism she has experienced in the community
The different tiny home options
Factors to consider in making the transition to tiny home living
Jewel's thoughts on the FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) movement

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
Updated corrections from the original hardcover
Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course
The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet


Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

Tiny House Communities Info
Tour of Jewel's Tiny House–(more updated pics available on social media sites)
Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
Get The Budget Bootcamp
Check out my personal website here.
Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!
YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here!


Connect with Jewel:

Ms. Gypsy Soul
Instagram: @msgypsysoul
Facebook: Ms. Gypsy Soul
Twitter: @msgypsysoul

Connect with the Tiny House Trailblazers:

Tiny House Trailblazers
Instagram: @tinyhousetrailblazers
Facebook: Tiny House Trailblazers
Twitter: @tinyhousetrailblazers

Connect with me:

Instagram: @Journeytolaunch
Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch
Facebook: @Journey To Launch
Join the Private Facebook Group
Join the Waitlist for My FI Course
Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

You may think that you need a traditional education to reach Financial Freedom, but on this episode, Tinian Crawford is here to tell us otherwise. He shares with us how lucrative a job in the Trades can be and why more people should be looking to a trade career and building their DIY skills to help them reach their goals of Financial Independence.  
On this episode you will learn:
Tinian's backstory & his entrepreneurial journey into the world of Financial Independence
What's considered a "trade job" and how pursuing trade skills is a great alternative to a traditional college education
The demand for trade jobs and the gap between skilled workers and available positions
How one can get started in the trades, how to get your children started & how to pivot into a trade career
How to become a trade entrepreneur in order to reach your financial goals
The gender gap and barrier that women may experience when looking to get into trades but why women are needed in these fields plus so much more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
Updated corrections from the original hardcover
Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course
The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet


Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

Check out Tinian's website
NPR Article
Women in the Trades
Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
Get The Budget Bootcamp
Check out my personal website here.
Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!
YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here!



Connect with me:

Instagram: @Journeytolaunch
Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch
Facebook: @Journey To Launch
Join the Private Facebook Group
Join the Waitlist for My FI Course
Get The Free Jumpstart Guide