Everyone talks about starting a side hustle, but few talk about how to pick the right one. The one that fits your skills, your lifestyle, and your FI goals.

Nick Loper, host of The Side Hustle Show, joins me again to share smart ways to find a side hustle that actually fits your life, skills, and Financial Independence goals.

We explore creative frameworks like “Rip, Pivot, and Jam,” “Intersection,” and “Shovels in the Gold Rush,” and how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to uncover ideas faster than ever. Nick also shares how to narrow your list to just one idea you’ll be excited to work on for years to come.

If you’ve been overthinking your next move or waiting for the “perfect” side hustle, this episode will help you find clarity, confidence, and direction.

• Find side hustle ideas at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what people need, and what they’ll pay for.
• Use frameworks like Rip, Pivot, and Jam or Shovels in the Gold Rush to generate creative and practical ideas.
• Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm and refine your concepts.
• Ask questions like “Does this fit my lifestyle?” or “Would I still enjoy this in three years?” to narrow your choices fast.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

How to Start a Side Hustle in One Month | E167 Nick Loper

How to DOUBLE Your Income in One Year | E164 Andrew Giancola

How to Launch a Side Hustle While Working Full-Time | E132 Genuinely Genesis

More of Nick:

The Side Hustle Show

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

It might have been monsters under the bed, shadows in the corner, or creepy dementors from Harry Potter. We all had irrational fears growing up.

Mine was creepy dolls. After watching a movie called Teacher’s Pet, I became so terrified of dolls that my dad had my sister box up hers and store them in the basement.

I’ll be honest, I’m still not a huge fan of dolls, but I’ve mostly outgrown that fear. Along the way, though, I’ve picked up some new ones like running out of money, being left without health insurance, and probably the biggest of all… taxes.

I’ve been saving and investing with the fear that Uncle Sam will take a huge chunk of my money. That mindset has me padding my investment accounts and inflating my FI number. But after reading Sean Mullaney and Cody Garrett’s book, Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement, I’m starting to rethink that - and I think you should too.

To help us all navigate this, I invited Sean and Cody to walk us through strategies to optimize taxes before and during early retirement. We’ll cover things like which accounts to deplete first, how to control your taxable income through strategic selling, ways to minimize sequence-of-return risk, and even how you could pay almost nothing in taxes some years without cutting expenses.

If you want practical strategies for optimizing taxes on your path to early retirement, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mr. Measure Twice and the FITaxGuy…Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney.

Key Takeaways:

• How to fund an early retirement lifestyle tax-free with drawdown strategies.
• Which investment accounts to tap first to optimize your retirement withdrawals
• How to sell specific brokerage lots to precisely manage taxes and cash flow
• A drawdown approach that protects against the sequence of returns risk in retirement
• How to maximize ACA premium tax credits for affordable early retirement healthcare
• When to use Roth and HSA withdrawals for tax-efficient income flexibility

Mentions:

Selling Specific Lots in Fidelity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cft7dLLP7_U&feature=youtu.be

More of Sean & Cody:

Check out the book “Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement”:: https://www.measuretwicemoney.com/book

Cody’s website: https://measuretwicefinancial.com/

Sean’s website: https://fitaxguy.com/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Justin and the FI Minded podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services.

I’m in this strange in-between stage right now, somewhere between Coast FI and Full FI. And I often feel pulled back and forth between spender and saver, current me and future me, speeding up and slowing down. It’s a little exhausting, I have to admit.

A few years ago, things felt simpler because I was in full accumulation mode. Most of my decisions came down to one thing: delay spending so I could save and invest more. Looking back, maybe I would’ve splurged a little on experiences or time-saving purchases, but honestly, I don’t regret much.

These days, though, I’m learning to focus more on my current self. I’m loosening up, spending a bit more, and not being so uptight about every dollar. Talking with friends further along in the FI journey, I’ve realized this shift is pretty natural, and perhaps you’re experiencing it too.

It’s not always easy, which is why I wanted to talk it through with a friend and frequent guest, Jesse Cramer. Jesse’s navigating the same changes himself, and as a financial advisor, he also brings perspective from helping clients through similar situations.

In this episode, we dive into the balance of spending on your current self while still enjoying the growth of your investments. We talk about how we’ve loosened up around money habits like budgeting, and why we’re not stressing about hitting our exact FIRE numbers anymore.

I always enjoy my conversations with Jesse, and if any of this resonates with you, I think you’ll get a lot out of this one too.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the host of The Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors Podcast… Jesse Cramer.

Key Takeaways:

• Shift from always accumulating to finding balance and enjoying life now.
• Redefine “pay yourself first” to include meaningful spending today.
• Build a portfolio that grows in bull markets and feels safe in bear markets.
• Loosen up on strict budgeting without losing financial control.
• Let your spending evolve to reflect your values and priorities.
• Don’t let your FIRE number dictate every life decision.
• Factor in Social Security - you may be further ahead than you think.
• Learn from retirees: smooth transitions come from people and purpose.
• Take smart risks that push you beyond your comfort zone.

More of Jesse:

Check out Jesse’s podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/personal-finance-for-long-term-investors/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/