Favorite FI Resources

These resources have been helpful at various stages in our financial independence journey over the last 5 years. With different personalities and media formats, there should be something here for everyone. The group below are clear voices in the FI culture. They build community, share philosophy, encourage others and challenge the status quo with sincerity and storytelling. We crave relatable personal connection. These creators deliver. I hope you find motivation to start or continue your FI journey from me or others.

Mount Rushmore of FI

• ChooseFI
  • Podcast – fundamental FIRE content, especially in the first 100 episodes:
    • 4% rule
    • low-cost index fund investing
    • reduce fixed expenses (particular focus on transportation and food)
  • Facebook group – main group is colossal with over 88,000 members and the local groups are great too. These groups help you feel the pulse of FI through community conversations.
  • “Your Blueprint to FI” (book) – beginner introduction to FI covering all the fundamental topics.

• Mr. Money Mustache
  • Blog started in 2011. Pete posted at a blistering pace in the early years. He shared how his frugal lifestyle enabled his retirement from an IT career in his early 30s.
  • Start at the beginning and read from there – you will get his story and philosophy that way
  • Shockingly Simple Math of Early Retirement – cornerstone piece of the FIRE movement. Referenced more than any other post as THE ARTICLE that got them excited about FI.
  • Great for DIYers and frugality interested people

• Mad Fientist
  • Early days FIRE podcast with great interviews from: JL Collins, Go Curry Cracker, Frugalwoods, Radical Personal Finance and Our Next Life and others.
  • Detailed explanation of the Roth Conversion ladder strategy. How to retire early and convert pre-tax retirement accounts to Roth, staying below income tax brackets to pay minimal income tax.
  • Shares his mental health struggles from extreme saving and frugality to the detriment of other areas of his life

• JL Collins
  • Simple Path to Wealth – his investing philosophy is simple. Invest in low-cost index fund (VTSAX) and let the money grow over time. He rails against the financial advisor industry and high management fees. And explains the huge drag these fees can be on your portfolio over time.
  • Various interviews on ChooseFI and MadFientist. His guided meditation on market turmoil is so good I put it in our Family Financial Policy Statement.

Personal Stories

• Frugalwoods (book) – how a young couple found their goal (move to some land in rural Vermont) and then seized it. Illustrates the power of focus when a couple works together.
• Playing with Fire documentary – the FI movie. This film shows how a young family turned away from the typical American path to a different one. Sharing their struggles as they made a 180-degree course correction to a FIRE path. This film is a great FIRE gateway resource for the un-initiated.
• Our Rich Journey – YouTube channel. All the tips and tricks that a young family of four used to retire to Portugal in their early 40s. Good jobs, aggressive savings rate, low foundational expenses and low-cost index funds. From the channel you can see they are good parents and they’re living a great FIRE life in Portugal.

Minimalism

• Nate O’Brien – YouTube channel. Young, early 20’s single guy. Shares his entrepreneurial prowess, always pointing back to his low overhead lifestyle. Which allows him to invest his time and money in these pursuits. For a guy who earns well into the six figures in his early 20’s, his lack of consumerism and pragmatism inspires. His channel could be particularly interesting to young people early in their careers.
• The Minimalists – Two Netflix documentaries. Eye opening how pursuing stuff can make our lives miserable. Their stories of high-stress and long hours in corporate America at the expense of relationships and health. See their breaking point when they left that life, purged and went on a minimalist journey.
• Matt D’Avella – YouTube channel. Shows the entrepreneurial momentum gained by keeping your life simple and minimal. Famous for the grey t-shirt he wears every day. Hacks like this free him up to focus on the important stuff.

Making Money

• Side Hustle Nation – Nick Loper’s podcast is inspiring. With over 400 episodes you can binge listen. Then start finding ways to earn some side hustle income. His interviews with guests are so wide-ranging you will find stories that inspire you. He interviews service-based business owners and digital entrepreneurs for their stories and advice. I have learned a lot about building a following and SEO for fichronicles from this podcast.
• Graham Stephan – YouTube channel. He’s brash, blunt and very funny. Worth millions and yet keeps a low overhead. Famous for his iced coffee homebrew and criticizing young people’s extravagant lifestyles.

Motivational for Bloggers

• Four Pillar Freedom – Zach built great websites enabling him to leave his corporate job early. He’s an analyst and data viz guy, so his presentation appeals to me. I enjoy reading about the process and systems he’s developed for content creation.
• My Money Wizard – another young blogger in this space. He’s built a great looking website with some good content. Transparency through his net worth statement updates is inspiring. By working hard at his day job and building his site, he’s created a fantastic savings rate. At his blistering pace he will reach FIRE in a few years.

There is a ton of great content in the financial independence space. The key is that you find a few voices that resonate well with you. That will provide motivation to keep going in pursuit of your financial goals.

Share in the comments below any other great FI resources you find motivational.