We’re great savers. Probably good earners, too. But what about givers?

The FI community excels at building wealth, but often, we’re laser-focused on accumulating it for ourselves. Is that fair? Does that make us selfish?

I’m not sure. On one hand, taking care of yourself should be step one - like the old adage goes: “Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” And I think there is a lot of validity to that.

But here’s the thing: we’re not on a crashing plane. We have time to reach FI and help others along the way.

That said, it’s not always easy. Many of us in this community struggle to spend money on ourselves, let alone give it away. But generosity isn’t just an act of kindness. It’s also a powerful way to let go of a scarcity mindset and embrace abundance.

When it comes to the question of when to give, I could make both a mathematical and emotional case for giving now or later. But with the level of wealth you're likely to build over your lifetime, I can almost guarantee giving will become part of your journey at some point.

Whether you decide to start giving during your FI journey or wait until you’ve reached your goals, one thing’s for sure: if you’re part of the FI community, you’re going to want to figure out how to give in the most optimal way.

My friend Spencer Reese from Military Money Manual has been figuring out how to do just that. In today’s episode, Spencer and I dive into how charitable giving can reduce your taxes, what a Donor-Advised Fund is (and why you might use one), and how to find nonprofits that align with the causes you care most about and are making the biggest impact with the money given to them.

Key Takeaways:

• How to get more comfortable donating your money
• Ways to balance your FI goals while supporting causes you care about
• How charitable tax deductions actually work
• What a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is and why it might be right for you
• The easiest DAF platform for first-time donors
• Why donating appreciated stock can be a powerful giving strategy
• How to find ethical, effective nonprofits to support
• Tips for deciding how much to give (and when)
• Whether it’s better to donate now or wait until you’ve reached FI

More of Spencer:

Check out Military Money Manual Podcast: https://militarymoneymanual.com/podcast/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

Why are you chasing financial independence?

It could be living a more adventurous life filled with travel or doing work you love, regardless of the pay. Whatever your dream looks like, it probably comes down to two things: freedom and flexibility.

We want to be in the driver’s seat of our lives. And we know money is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way. So we save, invest, and make sacrifices now, hoping it’ll give us more control over our choices later.

But let’s be honest, it can feel like a grind. And sometimes, we want to enjoy more freedom now, not just someday. So... is it possible to live a FI life without the FI bank account?

Jess from The Fioneers says yes. As you move through your financial independence journey, you unlock more freedom. All of the freedom doesn’t magically happen after you hit your FIRE number; it happens along the way.

In today’s episode, Jess breaks down the five stages of FI, what kind of freedom comes with each one, lifestyle shifts to consider, and common traps that could leave you stuck in one of the stages. Jess shares a lot of alternative paths to financial independence that balance enjoying the moment while setting up your future self.

Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the sourdough maker and pioneer of SlowFI…Jess from the Fioneers.

Key Takeaways:

• How to use the incremental freedom you gain as you get closer to FI
• Adopting a SlowFI mindset
• 5 stages of FI
• Why you’ll spend less than you think in CoastFI
• Creating memories in van life

More of Jess:

CoastFI Calculator: https://thefioneers.com/free-resources/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

What would you do if you had to start over, completely from scratch?

In this episode, I share the wild true story of Audrey, a woman who vanished in 1962 and was just found alive, 63 years later. Her story sparked a thought experiment: if you had to reinvent yourself, new city, new career, new hobbies, what path would you choose?

We’ll explore what reinvention could look like through the lens of financial independence. I also share a sneak peek from my upcoming interview with Jillian Johnsrud and reflect on the passions and missed opportunities that still tug at me.

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

I get why some people aren’t into traveling. Long flights crammed in a middle seat, overpriced hotels that smell like smoke, and being miles away from the city center - none of that screams “dream vacation.”

Now, I’m past the days of budget airlines and sketchy motels but I’m also not flying first class with lay-down seats or staying in luxury hotels in the city center that leave chocolates on the pillows.

Financial independence has given me the freedom to enjoy travel with simple comforts, and I’m perfectly happy in that Goldilocks zone.

But what if, once a year, you could take a truly glamorous vacation - without spending anything extra?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Chris Hutchins, host of All the Hacks. He shares practical travel tips to help you take those bucket-list vacations. Chris has earned tens of millions of points, traveled all over the world, and even took a 7-month trip with his wife, spending just $30 a day on average. Chris is a total travel savant and has a hack for just about everything travel-related.

I do have to admit, though, I went into this conversation a little skeptical. I thought it might sound like a part-time job - chasing sign-up bonuses, juggling credit cards, and spending hours hunting for deals. But I was surprised by how simple many of Chris’s tips are and how much money they can save. Some of his hacks don’t even involve points or miles, just smart ways to get upgrades or better deals.

I’m excited to try these out and travel more luxuriously without spending more - and I’m guessing you are too.

So buckle up and enjoy my conversation with Mr. All The Hacks himself…Chris Hutchins.

Key Takeaways:

• Which travel hacks might not be worth your time anymore
• How to use positioning flights to score better deals
• Easy ways to boost your points and miles with “points side hustles”
• How to get free gifts and perks from hotels
• A trick to find the same vacation rental for a lower price
• How to save money on car rentals
• Why slow travel can save you money and make the trip more enjoyable

More of Chris:

All The Hacks Podcast: https://www.chrishutchins.com/episodes/

50+ Ways to Earn More Points and Miles Without Spending More: https://www.chrishutchins.com/50-ways-to-earn-more-points-and-miles/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

For most of us pursuing financial independence, the math is pretty straightforward: earn more, spend less, and invest the difference. But what if you could speed things up and discover a new passion along the way?

That’s where side hustles come in. Not only can they give your FI plan a serious income boost, but they also let you explore projects that could become meaningful ventures in your post-FI life.

But how do you find the right side hustle? How do you price your services, land your first clients, and balance it all with your career and personal life?

That’s where today’s guest, Nick Loper, comes in. He’s the host of The Side Hustle Show and the creator of Side Hustle Nation, and he’s helped thousands of people start and grow successful side gigs.

In this episode, Nick shares his go-to frameworks for generating side hustle ideas and strategies for pricing, finding clients, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Plus, he’ll break down the habits that set successful side hustlers apart.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a side hustle, or want to make yours more sustainable, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the side hustle explorer and expert himself…Nick Loper.

Key Takeaways:

• Why side hustles are a perfect fit for the FI journey
• How side hustles have evolved over the past decade
• Frameworks to generate profitable side hustle ideas
• How to price your product or service effectively
• Strategies for landing your first clients
• Balancing your side hustle with your full-time job and personal life
• Healthy habits to sustain your side hustle long-term

More of Nick:

7 Proven Ways to Come Up with New Business Ideas: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/how-to-come-up-with-new-business-ideas/\

The Side Hustle Show: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/side-hustle-show/

More of FI Minded:

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

Tariffs aren’t just for global trade - you can apply the concept to your personal life to protect your time, energy, and values.

As we gain more financial freedom, how we spend and make money should evolve too. In this short and reflective episode, I explore the idea of personal tariffs and how I have applied this to things that may seem like a good deal on the surface, but actually come at a hidden cost to my time, energy, or well-being.

I share three categories where I’ve started mentally “taxing” the lower-cost option. This isn’t about spending recklessly - it’s about making intentional choices that align with the life you’re building.

If you’re on the journey to financial independence and want to feel better about spending in ways that support your health, happiness, and values, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• “Personal tariff”- a mental cost you assign to choices that drain you, even if they save money.
• Building a life you’re proud of means prioritizing alignment over optimization.
• Financial independence isn’t just about money - it’s about creating space to live in a way that feels good.

More of FI Minded:

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

You’ve run the numbers a hundred times. You’ve built the spreadsheets, projected the growth, and calculated your safe withdrawal rate down to the decimal. On paper, money isn’t an issue. You should feel secure.

But you don’t.

Because even though the math checks out, the feeling doesn’t. The scarcity mindset, the one that pushed you to save relentlessly, doesn’t just disappear when you achieve FI. Instead, it lingers, making you question if it’s really enough.

That’s why I’m excited to have Shannah Game on the show today. She’s a Certified Financial Planner and host of Everyone’s Talkin’ Money. Shannah has helped countless people break free from the mental traps that keep them feeling financially insecure, even when their numbers say otherwise.

In this episode, Shannah is going to help us tackle that nagging sense of “not enough” and share strategies to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of confidence and abundance.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the cupcake-making, money-talking millennial…Shannah Game.

Key Takeaways:

• Why you never feel like you have enough (even when you do)
• How to unlearn financial habits you inherited from your parents
• Why transparency in the FI community might fuel the comparison trap
• Strategies to shift from scarcity to abundance
• A powerful journal prompt for overcoming scarcity
• How to practice mindful money moments

More of Shannah:

Podcast: https://everyonestalkinmoney.com/episodes/

More of FI Minded:

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

In my mid-20s, I was making $50,000. Between San Diego’s high housing costs, dating, a car payment, and other expenses, I barely had anything left to put toward financial independence - let alone fast-track it.

I was cutting costs everywhere - negotiating bills, rarely eating out, even walking instead of driving. Frugality was helping but man, the real game-changer was focusing on growing my income. Since then, I’ve switched jobs, negotiated raises, launched a business, and built a five-figure side hustle. Now, I earn three times what I did at 25, and that extra income has made all the difference.

I’m funding my financial independence goals while also enjoying life more.

Quickly growing my income made such an impact and that’s why I brought Andrew Giancola on the podcast - to help me break down exactly how you can double your income in just one year. Andrew is a pro at this. He’s built multiple businesses, invested in real estate, tested different side hustles, and even helped his wife negotiate multiple raises and promotions.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you increase your income fast. So if that is something you want to do, let’s dive in!

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the financial educator and host of The Personal Finance Podcast…Andrew Giancola.

Key Takeaways:

• Why increasing your income is key to financial independence
• A 6-month strategy to negotiate a raise
• Exactly what to say when asking for a raise
• How to become indispensable at work
• Ways to actively earn more outside your job
• The best passive income investments for busy professionals

Mentions:

Andrew’s first appearance on FI Minded: www.tsirpodcast.com/133

More of Andrew:

www.MasterMoney.co

More of FI Minded:

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