Mile High FI Podcast

Doug and Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) answer questions from the listener mailbag.  They discuss the benefits & timing of claiming Social Security and address criticism of prior comments about video games.  Pete also provides an update on recent lifestyle changes, including insight into his personal spending & annual expenses.

Do you like the podcast and want to support the show?  Follow the link to find out how: https://milehighfi.com/support/

Curious to know exactly what products Doug uses?  Check out his Amazon lists below. *Affiliate links below, so if you buy something or spend money, we might earn a commission. That helps the show and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you!

Guitar Accessories

Hiking & Outdoor

Essentials for Sleep

Want to order MHFI stickers/temporary tattoos or create your own custom stickers?  Of course you do!  We ALL do!  Order them here using our affiliate link so that we might earn a commission: https://www.stickermule.com/dougcunnington

Links

Pete Adeney/Mr. Money Mustache

The FI Collective

Mr. Money Mustache, “The Ultimate Life Coach”

Mr. Money Mustache, “The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Social Security”

Best Interest blog, “When the ‘Shockingly Simple Math’ is…Shockingly Wrong”

Jesse Cramer on MHFI episode 236

MMM on Tim Ferriss (2017)

Mr. Money Mustache, “Retired Man Tries to Spend More Money, Mostly Fails”

MHFI Facebook group

Doug’s site

Check out Producer Chris’s blog: Epic Financial Journey

—

Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s the email list!

Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more

**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**

Brought To You By:

The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles

Email the show: [email protected]

0:00 Introduction

2:56 Question – MMM lifestyle changes

8:54 Question – Video games

15:52 Question – Social Security

21:54 Claiming benefits vs. taxes & tradeoffs

29:42 Question – MMM annual expenses

35:37 The FI Collective

38:55 Soundcheck – Humidity

Doug chats with Carla & Robert about life after their 2019 sabbatical – including observations, lessons learned, and how they currently handle a “working when it’s optional” lifestyle.  They discuss how to deal with boredom vs. the need to be productive, the importance of community, health/fitness motivation, the joys of discovering new hobbies, opportunity costs of continued work, and how to use sabbaticals as a test run for early retirement.

Do you like the podcast and want to support the show?  Follow the link to find out how: https://milehighfi.com/support/

Curious to know exactly what products Doug uses?  Check out his Amazon lists below. *Affiliate links below, so if you buy something or spend money, we might earn a commission. That helps the show and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you!

Guitar Accessories

Hiking & Outdoor

Essentials for Sleep

Want to order MHFI stickers/temporary tattoos or create your own custom stickers?  Of course you do!  We ALL do!  Order them here using our affiliate link so that we might earn a commission: https://www.stickermule.com/dougcunnington

Links

Pennies and Popcorn YouTube

Carla & Robert on MHFI episode 012

Kevin Sebesta on MHFI episode 302

Rebecca Herbst on MHFI episode 301

James & Rachel fitness challenge

MHFI Facebook group

Doug’s site

Check out Producer Chris’s blog: Epic Financial Journey

—

Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s the email list!

Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more

**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**

Brought To You By:

The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles

Email the show: [email protected]

0:00 Introduction

4:02 Taking a sabbatical

12:47 Observations from not working

18:22 Battling boredom

22:57 The need to be productive

27:36 Lean FI & spending

32:34 Opportunity costs of working

37:49 The value of sabbaticals

43:45 Fitness & health routines

48:05 Fitness challenge

58:40 Spending with intention

1:05:47 Soundcheck – Pennies and Popcorn

Doug chats with Amberly Grant (FinTalks) about how their views & mindsets around frugality have evolved and share recent spending decisions, especially around travel and “quality of life” purchases.  They discuss the changing psychology of spending as income grows and the practical value of “removing negatives” from life.

Do you like the podcast and want to support the show?  Follow the link to find out how: https://milehighfi.com/support/

Curious to know exactly what products Doug uses?  Check out his Amazon lists below. *Affiliate links below, so if you buy something or spend money, we might earn a commission. That helps the show and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you!

Guitar Accessories

Hiking & Outdoor

Essentials for Sleep

Want to order MHFI stickers/temporary tattoos or create your own custom stickers?  Of course you do!  We ALL do!  Order them here using our affiliate link so that we might earn a commission: https://www.stickermule.com/dougcunnington

Links

Amberly Grant

EconoMe Conference

Nuuly (subscription clothing rental)

Rusty on MHFI episode 317

EconoMe Conference, “Carl Jensen: FI-Landia Is A Lie. What I Learned on My Journey to FIRE”

CampFI

EconoMe Conference, “James Lowery: How to Become a Lazy Landlord”

MHFI Facebook group

Doug’s site

Check out Producer Chris’s blog: Epic Financial Journey

—

Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s the email list!

Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more

**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**

Brought To You By:

The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles

Email the show: [email protected]

0:00 Introduction

1:13 Frugal roots & changing perspectives

7:06 Evolving spending habits

14:41 Delayed gratification purchases

20:12 Renting clothes & subscriptions

27:42 Fitness gear & gym memberships

36:11 Irrationality & sunk cost 

41:02 Finally buying a new couch

50:00 Recent value purchases

55:55 Travel & subscription audit

1:00:03 FinTalks

1:04:24 Soundcheck – EconoMe presentation

1:11:23 Preparation for giving a speech

1:16:59 Observations & tips

Doug continues his conversation with Rusty about how to optimize the final year before (early) retirement.  They discuss using debt responsibly, leveraging home equity & securities-backed lines of credit to maintain cash flow, navigating the complexities of post-retirement healthcare, and managing emotional & practical withdrawal strategies.

Do you like the podcast and want to support the show?  Follow the link to find out how: https://milehighfi.com/support/

Curious to know exactly what products Doug uses?  Check out his Amazon lists below. *Affiliate links below, so if you buy something or spend money, we might earn a commission. That helps the show and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you!

Guitar Accessories

Hiking & Outdoor

Essentials for Sleep

Want to order MHFI stickers/temporary tattoos or create your own custom stickers?  Of course you do!  We ALL do!  Order them here using our affiliate link so that we might earn a commission: https://www.stickermule.com/dougcunnington

Links

Email Rusty: [email protected]

Rusty on MHFI episode 270

Fit Rich Life episode 99

Elizabeth on MHFI episode 312

Fritz Gilbert on MFHI episode 315

Kevin Sebesta on MHFI episode 302

Mark Trautman on MHFI episode 313

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

MHFI Facebook group

Doug’s site

Check out Producer Chris’s blog: Epic Financial Journey

—

Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s the email list!

Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more

**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**

Brought To You By:

The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles

Email the show: [email protected]

0:00 Introduction

2:32 Mortgages, refinancing, HELOCs

9:18 Securities-backed line of credit

18:38 Healthcare after leaving work

24:23 ACA subsidy cliff

32:05 Withdrawal stress & strategies

40:03 Bucket strategy & a retirement paycheck
48:08 Donating to charity

55:06 Funding a 529 & legacy giving

1:02:45 Soundcheck – Beer

Doug chats with Rusty about how to optimize the final year before (early) retirement, emphasizing the critical distinction between “one more year syndrome” vs. a calculated final year and how working a little longer can lower withdrawal rates & reduce sequence-of-returns worry.  They compare quitting to being fired or laid off and highlight some potential benefits such as severance, possible unemployment, and employer healthcare continuation.  Rusty also shares some personal negotiation tactics when leaving a job.

Do you like the podcast and want to support the show?  Follow the link to find out how: https://milehighfi.com/support/

Curious to know exactly what products Doug uses?  Check out his Amazon lists below. *Affiliate links below, so if you buy something or spend money, we might earn a commission. That helps the show and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you!

Guitar Accessories

Hiking & Outdoor

Essentials for Sleep

Want to order MHFI stickers/temporary tattoos or create your own custom stickers?  Of course you do!  We ALL do!  Order them here using our affiliate link so that we might earn a commission: https://www.stickermule.com/dougcunnington

Links

Email Rusty: [email protected]

EconoMe Conference

Sarah Jaffe, “Work Won’t Love You Back”

Kindle

Hardcover

Paperback

Audiobook

“Harlan County, U.S.A.” Movie

Rusty on MHFI episode 304

MHFI Facebook group

Doug’s site

Check out Producer Chris’s blog: Epic Financial Journey

—

Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s the email list!

Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more

**Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.**

Brought To You By:

The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles

Email the show: [email protected]

0:00 Introduction

2:37 Working one more year

9:19 Stock market risk & flexibility

15:13 Quiet Quitting playbook

23:28 Quitting vs. getting fired or laid off

30:41 Real-world cautionary tales

35:38 Tips for quitting & identity issues

43:02 New baby update!

51:51 Tales of a jacked math major

59:52 Soundcheck – Food