His and Her FI

Kiersten and Julien from Rich and Regular join us for our last interview in season 2. You may have seen them in the trailer for the upcoming documentary Playing With FIRE. We couldn't have asked for better guests to wrap up season 2, these two blew it out of the park. We originally brought them on to talk about finances and relationships and they had amazing insights into that, but we ended up going so much deeper! The best way to describe it is a multi faceted, layered talk about money, relationships, society, awareness, and the challenges African American's face, especially while striving for FIRE. Bethany and I had our own reality checks during our own journey, yet the common advice out there doesn't always apply to everyone. It was an important reminder that we hope everyone takes to heart when listening. If you are someone pursuing FI/RE, then this is a must listen. Without further ado we are happy to bring you two regular, yet rich people. Shownotes can be found at hisandherfi.com/24

Michelle from Making Sense of Cents joins us to talk about living life a bit differently. From living the nomadic life in an RV for 3 years and to now transition to a life on the sea in their sailboat, this is just another day in their life. As travelers ourselves, we were curious about what full time travel looks like, some of the challenges, and some of the best parts of it. This includes working on the road and balancing places that have internet versus where you want to go. Join us as we take a peek into the life of Michelle and her husband and see if this growing trend is something you would consider sometime in your own life.   You can find the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/23

Jimmy and Jenny from Living Life Loving Us join us to talk about something we haven't really ever discussed before, parenting. The challenges of parenting are ever widening with the expanse of social media and the expectations that other parents have of each other for raising children.  These two have a different take on the matter and have a truly unique system they have developed for their own family. It takes hard work and some sacrifice but the fight was worth it even when these two had to spend 6 figures on IVF just to have their baby. They share their perspective on how they are raising their child, how they can still "spoil" her while not having to break the bank, and just focusing on what really matters most.   Jenny and Jimmy bring their honest and vulnerable thoughts to this conversation and make this one a must listen even if you don't have kids.   The shownotes can be found at hisandherfi.com/22

Jamila from Journey to Launch joins us to talk about her recent major decision. What I really appreciate from Jamila is that she figured out money first. Saving and investing her money for years before taking on such a big new challenge. Not only that, she and her husband saved a 2 year emergency fund to really give being a full-time entrepreneur a real shot. We explore more than just quitting your job. Talking about Jamila's upbringing with money, her thoughts on why more people want to escape the 9-to-5, and the emotions tied in with money. This is an inspiring conversation for anyone looking to make a big lifestyle change, while minimizing risks and still being smart with money. We hope you enjoy it as much as us.   Shownotes can be found at hisandherfi.com/21

We are happy to have on Stephanie, the creator of a new personal finance content curation site The Money Middletons. Their goal is to reach the shrinking middle class whose incomes are mild to moderate. What is considered the middle class you say? Well, that is a tricky question as Stephanie points out in our talk. According to Brookings the definition of middle class can have many different meanings. Luckily Pew Research has a calculator that will help you determine what category you fall in. I think the most important part that came across in this conversation though is a hard number range isn't the end-all be-all to determine if The Money Middletons will speak to you. Chances are they will have something of value to bring to you. Listen for yourself and see if you can call yourself a Middleton.   To find all the links mentioned in this episode visit https://www.hisandherfi.com/moneymiddletons

Sarah from Smile and Conquer is on the show to share her financial expertise as a professional in the finance world. She doesn't advocate for a frugal life but instead takes a save AND spend approach. This reflects in her desire to not retire early as she enjoys her work and job. This results in some awesome advice for how to budget when you are an inherent spender.  We then dive deeper into money and talk about some of the emotions that are tied to it, including shame. She goes on to discuss the challenges women face dealing with financial planners and the investing gap. We also delve into home buying as she goes over the top tips from her Home Buying Series.  Tune in for this well rounded conversation as there is lots to take away.   Shownotes can be found at hisandherfi.com/20

Zero from Zero 2 FIRE comes on the show to tell her story. A powerful story at that, battling 3 grand mal seizures, brain surgery, and rheumatoid arthritis. Grit is a word I don't use lightly with her, she has had to face more challenges in her 20's than most of us will have to in our lives. Zero overcame these challenges all while living in New York, saving $100k before she turned 30, and to top it off never making more than $60k a year. This is a story of someone who may not be able to work into their 60's, making FIRE and early retirement not a nice to have, but a must have. Please join us in listening to this amazing human being.   You can find the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/19

Felicity and Ferghus with a special appearance by Fluffster are on the show today to talk about how they are doing things a bit differently from the rest of us. Set to retire at 29 and 35, these two engineers have planned for their future all while still donating up to a years salary to a donor advised fund. Their philanthropy is only one side of this story though, as they bring many insights into how you too can plan for early retirement and truly looking at the risks involved.   You can find the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/18

Tanja and Mark from Our Next Life have been rocking early retirement. As recent early retirees at the ages of 38 and 41 they share how their next life is one filled with intentionality and purpose, without a single trace of boredom. They bring a unique perspective as having now walked the path they envisioned. With this comes insightful thoughts about the FIRE community and the larger society as a whole. Give these two a listen and we promise you that your world will be broadened.   You can find the shownotes for this episode at hisandherfi.com/17

Angela from Tread Lightly Retire Early intertwines finances with saving the environment. Sustainability is simple; Angela explains how this is not a fad and is a lifestyle that is accessible for anyone. Changes in your own life that can help improve the earth, also coincide with things that save you money. Her own steps towards financial independence go side by side with her goals of being eco-friendly. See what you can do today to make an impact.   You can find the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/16

Coming to us from the UK is feminist finance blogger Ms ZiYou. A world traveler that brings a world of wisdom and an array of varying perspectives. This is someone who actually takes the time to analyze her own actions and contemplates if they are contributing more to the problem or not. Something we all could be better at. Listen and hear some truly great insights from Ms ZiYou.   The shownotes for this episode can be found at hisandherfi.com/15

We are joined this episode by the CEO of Bravely, Kara Perez. We learn about Kara's background including how she paid off $25,000 in debt in 3.5 years while never making more than $32,000 a year. We also explore how Bravely came to be and the motivation behind it and the importance of bringing diversity to the financial world especially in today's society and culture. Most importantly, Kara reminded us to look outside our own experience as not everyone can relate to your story.   You can find the shownotes for this episode at hisandherfi.com/14

Welcome back to season 2 of the HisandHerFI Podcast. We are kicking off the season with Ty Roberts. You may recognize the name as he is the owner and curator of Camp Fire Finance. A directory that features the best articles in the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) world. We look at the origin story of Ty, how he got to where he is and the eventual start to his newest creation, Camp Fire Finance.   Shownotes can be found at hisandherfi.com/13

We are back! After upgrading just about everything on the podcast we are ready to return with not just ourselves as usual, but with some amazing guests. That's right, we have changed up the format and as promised, will be interviewing others in the personal finance community. This won't be like other interviews, we want to learn about the person, their story, and the defining moments in their lives so we all benefit. Practical tips have their place, but without a story, the meaning can lose its value. Stay tuned for August 21st for the official launch of season 2. See you there!

We are wrapping up season 1 with a collection of the habits we have changed this past year. As a result of these changed habits, you guessed it, we gained more freedom, time, and money. We are taking a quick break between seasons and will announce a date in the future for season 2! We cover a lot in this episode. We have been making little changes here and there. Looking back our whole lives have changed. In a kind of strange turn of events it has become harder to relate to people in person because our daily activities are so different now. We have gotten so wrapped up in the FI community that what seems "normal" online isn't quite the case offline. Regardless, we wouldn't have it any other way and it gives us a reason to meet new people in a local FI meetup. Back to the show, there is a wide range of topics. We start with our morning routines. Turning your mornings into productive, high performing machines of routine to get shit done! This means getting up earlier but there are alarm clocks that make it easier. Speaking of mornings, we do need our coffee. We have changed from expensive Nespresso pods to our very own espresso machine. Fresh roasted coffee in the morning that tastes better than Starbucks? Cheaper than Nespresso? Yes it's real and we have done it. While still hanging out in the kitchen, we have switched our entire grocery shopping to bulk. This means Costco for us. With only 2 people in the house we still are able to get through all the produce. If it is going bad for you before you can eat it...then I hate to say it but you probably need to be eating more produce anyway. This was true for us, before it would go bad, now we are eating more veggies and fruits. Win-win? Shopping in bulk also makes it a nice way to have leftovers for lunch the next day. With food intake, there is the other side of working it off! HerFI and HisFI have different exercise routines with their own benefits and disadvantages. HisFI makes his commute fun by biking while HerFI still goes to the gym with friends. When time was more idle, we had the habit of shopping. This was a hard habit to kick and for HerFI it required a shopping ban. HisFI inadvertently shopped less when he filled his time with more productive things. It also helped we were both trying to save more money in the pursuit of FIRE. This made it easier for both of us to change our dating habits (with each other). No more was the dinner and a movie date. Instead was activities like hiking or even cooking dinner together for an at home date night. We were spending less while gaining an ever stronger relationship. Speaking of saving money we both automated our finances. Talk about less stress! Might as well throw this habit change in with relationship building. It took the unknown out of our money and only requires us to check our money maybe 10 minutes a month. The biggest change and most beneficial to us was the least expected. You'll have to listen to find out...hehe! Lastly, we talk about an idea that was the basis to this episode. An idea of resistance that is the invisible force that prevents people from making the changes they need. It was an idea we learned from the book called The War of Art. It was a quick read(listen for us) but packed in such an important revelation that it changed our very perspective on our daily actions. To find all the links we talked about visit the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/12

We are in an age of unparalleled Googling. Google is becoming the collective consciousness of the world and critical thinking is dropping off by the wayside. Have you ever stopped and thought about how much you rely on the answers to your search results? Well we did just that in this week's episode. We are encapsulated in a highly curated world of content just for us. This means we see only the information we want, or do we? I recently became frustrated with seeing the same information over and over. Yes, I did a google search on it once, no I don't want to see it for the rest of my internet existence. These information bubbles limit our thinking and limit our perspective. There is a Facebook group for everyone and everything now. I think this is personally great, you can find like-minded individuals in random niches that you thought you were alone in. There is a downside though, as your ideas never get challenged and you become limited in other ways of thinking. This isn't great for self-development and creates hostile environments when groups of people have different beliefs. This is easily seen in our current political system. Why do we google in the first place? For an answer? What if we want a different answer? This may require asking the same question in different ways. Different keywords can lead to different results. Are we satisfied with the first answer we get or should we be looking for a diverse range of answers? Have you ever considered how much money you make determines what you google? We go through this exact question as well, looking back at our own search histories when we were in different stages of our lives and finances. We also re-evaluate how we use google today. Where we rely less on the immediate answers and look for the long-form answer that a simple article may not be able to answer anymore. We challenge you to think about what you are Googling and to look for you answers in a different way, even ask for answers in a different way. This can change the very trajectory of your life. You can find the shownotes at hisandherfi.com/11

What does marriage mean to you? Depending on who you ask, in what society, in what culture, in what place you ask the answer will most likely be different. For most, the first concepts, ideas, and notions of marriage you get are from your parents. Oversimplifying things a bit, you could say if your parents had a good marriage, then you would be more inclined to get married. Parents had a bad marriage? Well the opposite would be more true. Bethany and Charles didn't see great marriages growing up. While the above mentioned generalization was true for HisFI. HerFI still wanted marriage. Is it a boy vs girl thing? Man vs woman? Probably not. Only a reflection of our societies ideas embedded in our lives. HerFI was raised in an environment that heavily promoted marriage for young girls, quite possibly even a requirement. It's against all habits to challenge our childhood beliefs. What you see is what is true. believing is seeing. It's only when you are introduced to the world, meet people with different beliefs, do those childhood understandings begin to change. Meeting somebody and starting a relationship with them changes the entire recipe though. Now you have to incorporate another human mind into the decision-making. One that will never always agree to everything. For us, we met while being younger. We didn't have careers, no college degrees. We were nurturing this relationship while trying to finish college. These can be obstacles to marriage, busyness is the greatest excuse to delaying something. The longer we were together the more our internal beliefs of marriage peeped their heads. Communication is key, we weren't great at communicating. When you don't express something through words, you end up finding other ways to share it. This created some tumultuous times, but luckily we had the busyness to fall back on. The interesting thing about delaying marriage is there is so much self-development that happens in people's 20's that the very idea of marriage changes in your mind. Join us today, as some late 20 something millennial's with some self-development under their belts, share what marriage means to them and what they think of it now. Hit that play button and find out why we haven't gotten married yet, even after 6 years. You can find the shownotes for this episode at hisandherfi.com/10

Travel feeds our souls. We make it a priority to go on a big trip every summer. Last year we spent 2 weeks in Ireland touring the whole country. This summer we are going to Peru for 2 weeks to see Macchu Picchu, the Amazon jungle, and some good eats in Lima. Sprinkled in-between these big trips we try to take advantage of any other travel we can squeeze in. While they may not be big international trips, they still feed our wanderlust. With all this travel we still want to save money, so we are sharing some of our best tips on traveling on a budget. To find the show notes for the episode please visit hisandherfi.com/09

What is your role in life? We all want to play a role in this play we call life. The stage has been set and all that's left is to say our lines and perform as instructed. Society expects something from us, people expect things from us, family expects things from us. No, it doesn't necessarily come from a bad place. It's simply the understanding that we grew up with. We are sold the idea that we need to go along with social norms and be an "upstanding" citizen and if you want to be unique, well, you better pay for it! We are marketed and advertised at in every waking moment. At least we still have sleep right? We try to identify with labels, the easiest being our careers. We relate to one-another with these labels, it makes social interactions that much easier. "Hello, my name is Charles. I am an Engineer. Oh, you are an Engineer too?" Well now we have something to talk about. Labels by themselves aren't necessarily bad. It's only if we give them power over us that we thereby limit our possibilities. "I am an introvert, therefore I am unable to do a podcast." WRONG! We need awareness of the labels we attach to ourselves and our assumptions of them. This gives you back the power, the control, the freedom. Join us as Bethany and Charles express their thoughts on some of the expectation of society. 40 hour work week much? Also we share the labels we identify with and for fun, apply labels to each other since our perceived labels may differ from what other's label us as. Make sure to check out the shownotes for the episode with all the referenced links at hisandherfi.com/08

We have had to overcome a lot of personal limits to begin this personal growth journey. Financial Independence was one of the catalysts that made us start thinking differently and choosing to live a life by our own design. We have had some personal growth wins already and it always feels good to know you are making positive steps in the right direction. That doesn't mean there weren't challenges along the way. There are 4 upper limits that The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks talks about that you need to address in order to truly be successful. Fundamentally flawed Disloyalty and abandonment More success makes you a bigger burden The crime of outshining Listen as we go through each limit and share our own experiences to how they have stunted our growth and held back our own success. You can find the shownotes for this episode at hisandherfi.com/07

The money talk every couple needs to have. Should you combine finances in a relationship when previously you have kept everything seperate? What if one of the partners has a large amount of debt? What if one person makes more than the other? These are the very same questions we talk about in this episode. What makes matters worse is each of our own ingrained ideas about money growing up and how that upbringing has caused some emotional money issues. Join us for this raw and vulnerable conversation and what our own conclusions are with these barriers in place. As always you can find the shownotes with all the referenced links we mention in the show at https://www.hisandherfi.com/06

What does quality of life mean to you? Income, job, commute, happiness, pets, people, love? What if you had to restart your life over? These questions are exactly what our first guest on the show had to answer. Michelle is currently a therapist in our local community, spends her weekends volunteering at a dog shelter, remains active in Donate Life Northwest, and most importantly is Charles's beloved sister. Michelle was struck by a sudden illness that almost took her away from us and her loved ones when she was only 28. Today, we share one of our families biggest scares and dig deep into what is actually important in life. To see the shownotes for this episode and a written piece on quality of life from Michelle please visit https://www.hisandherfi.com/05

Setting a goal is easy, actually putting in the work to achieve that goal? A whole different story. This episode almost didn't happen because we waited until a Sunday night to record and weren't feeling very motivated. Nevertheless we persisted and it gave us even more motivation to talk about today's episode. What does balance look like for us creating a blog and podcast while still working our jobs and living life? We share some of our strategies into how we stay productive and some of our struggles.  To read more and find all the referenced links please visit the show notes at https://www.hisandherfi.com/04

This is a continuation of a talk we had with friends at the dinner table. The question was, do you think college is needed to do your job? I won't give our answers here, you'll have to listen to find out! I'll give you some hints though. We go through our personal backgrounds with Charles having a bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Bethany with her Masters in Art and Teaching. With a large difference in our degrees we naturally have differing opinions on the topic. We go deeper still and talk about the cost of student loans and the effect it can have on college graduates. Mentioning student loans, we both had different financing for college and different levels of financial aid. With such a heavy cost to education these days it's even more important to look at what your future might look like and potential income ability. This is hard enough for grown adults to figure out let alone students getting ready to graduate high school. Even with the potential hurdles of going to college in this day and age, we are both proponents of lifelong learning. Learning and school might look different in the near future but get a fresh take from two people who recently graduated in the last 2-3 years. For more information and referenced links visit the show notes at https://www.hisandherfi.com/03

Is minimalism the ultimate side-kick to financial independence and retiring early? In our case it was the catalyst that helped Bethany get on this path to FI. This thought helped us evaluate what "things" actually brought us happiness. This meant for Charles having to overcome his impulse spending habits and for Bethany to tame her one-click Amazon shopping trigger finger. We explore how value can be perceived differently between Men and Women. What we saw each other buying didn't always correlate to our own sense of value. We even go into how advertising of products is different based on gender and there is more of a pressure on women to buy certain products at a highly marked up price. Differences also come up between Charles wanting to be frugal and buy those on sale Costco bulk items in large quantity to Bethany's minimalism and buying something only after it was gone. These differences in opinion require some give and take in our relationship and an acceptance that difference in thinking is okay and what balances us out. For more information and referenced links visit the show notes at https://www.hisandherfi.com/02

We are starting off the season with our beginning. This is a look into how we discovered FI for Her and Him. What started as a way to try and save money by learning about travel hacking morphed into this complete lifestyle change into a pursuit to FI. We had a rough start on this path as we had to overcome relationship hurdles first. We never really talked about finances together and my first attempt to bring it up didn't go so well. For more information and referenced links visit the show notes at https://www.hisandherfi.com/01  

Welcome to HisandHerFI, a podcast by Charles and Bethany. What started with a discovery of financial independence and FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) lead to a complete lifestyle change.  This is a Money Podcast more about the Why, and less about the How. The emotions, memories and mindsets of individual money stories are what we hope to highlight on the show. Our own story and vulnerability took center stage in the first season. Season 2 is currently underway and we have been delighted to take a ‘behind the scenes’ interview approach focusing on the trials and transformations of men and women who live life a little bit differently. We are hoping to redefine couple money and speak to those that don't have a traditional relationship to encourage more people to pursue financial independence. You can see more of our content at www.hisandherfi.com. Twitter: @hisandherfi and @herandhisfi