As I got closer to financial independence, I realized something strange: I had more financial freedom than ever, but I still wasn’t using my time any differently.

It forced me to ask a bigger question: if the goal of FI is freedom with your time, why was I still waiting to start living that way?

In this solo episode, I share why Fridays might be the best place to begin practicing financial independence before you reach your FI number. After years of working full-time while also running my business, I started experimenting with taking Fridays off, and eventually Mondays too, and discovered that freedom is something you can practice in small doses.

You’ll learn why Fridays are the perfect low-risk “tiny quit,” how reclaiming just one day can help you escape the weekend crunch, and why experimenting with flexibility now can build confidence in your FI plan long before you hit your number.

Key Takeaways:

• Why financial independence is a skill, not just a number
• How taking Fridays off can help you practice freedom before reaching FI
• Why Fridays are the lowest-risk day to experiment with flexibility at work
• How reclaiming your time can prevent burnout and create more life balance
• Simple ways to ask your employer for Fridays off or more flexibility
• Why small “tiny quits” can help you build confidence and design your ideal life

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

The Hardest Skill in FI: Knowing When to Stop | E190 Joel Larsgaard

How to Create a 3-Day Workweek (Before You Reach FI) | E187 Andy Hill

What’s on Your FI Bucket List? | E186

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

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Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

For years, I assumed Roth contributions were the smarter move. Pay the taxes now, enjoy tax-free growth later, and never worry about future tax hikes. It felt simple and responsible. But during my highest-earning years, that mindset was quietly slowing down my progress toward financial independence.

Financial planner and tax expert Cody Garrett explains why Traditional contributions often outperform Roth for people pursuing FI. The key insight: during retirement, it’s not your income that drives taxes, it’s your spending. That shift changes everything about how tax planning should work for early retirees and those working toward financial independence.

In this conversation, we break down the three major reasons Traditional contributions often win, why retirees benefit from a surprisingly friendly tax code, and how locking yourself into Roth contributions too early can limit your future flexibility. You’ll also learn how strategic tax planning can help you reach your FI number faster and create more options once you stop working.

Key Takeaways:

• Lower today’s tax bill during peak earning years
• Optimize tax brackets and avoid costly phase-outs
• Retirement taxes depend on spending, not income
• Preserve flexibility to convert to Roth later
• Avoid overpaying taxes during high-income years
• Use Traditional savings to accelerate your FI timeline
• Take advantage of the retiree-friendly tax code

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

50/30/20 Budget: Does This Popular Guideline Actually Work for FI Seekers? | E184

3 Hidden Traps That Make FIRE Feel Empty | E182 Jordan Grumet

Optimal Tax Strategies for Your Early Retirement | E180 Cody Garrett & Sean Mullaney

Guest Summary:

Cody Garrett is a financial planner, tax specialist, and the founder of Measure Twice Financial. A former professional musician turned financial advisor, Cody specializes in tax planning strategies for people pursuing financial independence and early retirement. His work focuses on helping high earners optimize tax strategies during their working years while creating flexible withdrawal strategies for retirement.

Book: Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement

Website

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

The FI community is incredibly good at effort, optimization, and doing hard things for a long time. But somewhere along the way, many of us forget how to stop. Even after gaining more control over our time, we fill it back up with projects, commitments, and expectations, leaving us busy, tired, and quietly stretched thin.

Joel Larsgaard shares what it looked like to recognize that “doing it all” was no longer sustainable, even when the work was meaningful. After front-loading years of effort through saving, investing, and building How to Money, Joel began intentionally pulling back: working fewer hours, prioritizing family and health, and even taking a six-week sabbatical. This conversation explores why doing less isn’t laziness, but a necessary evolution after years of striving.

You’ll hear how financial independence can be used as a tool for time, not just wealth, along with practical ways to say no, resist constant expansion, and create space without losing ambition. If you’ve reached a point where more effort isn’t improving your life the way it used to, this episode offers a healthier path forward - one built on balance, presence, and intentional choices.

Key Takeaways:

• Doing more eventually stops improving your quality of life
• Financial independence is a tool to reclaim time, not fill it
• Burnout can exist even when work is meaningful
• Saying no protects energy for what matters most
• Over-committing quietly erodes family and personal time
• Small boundaries can create disproportionate freedom
• Doing less doesn’t kill ambition—it refines it
• Success should feel sustainable, not exhausting

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

4 Rules That Will Help You Spend Money Without Stress & Regret | E188

How to Create a 3-Day Workweek (Before You Reach FI) | E187 Andy Hill

3 Hidden Traps That Make FIRE Feel Empty | E182 Jordan Grumet

Guest Summary:

Joel Larsgaard is the co-host of How to Money, one of the most popular personal finance podcasts, where he helps listeners build wealth while living well. Through his own FI journey, Joel has shifted from relentless optimization toward a more intentional, balanced life—focusing on family, health, and long-term sustainability without abandoning ambition.

Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded

Want to hear more? Follow FI Minded on your favorite podcast player.

Like this episode? Share it with a friend pursuing financial independence.

Love the show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.