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ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

ChooseFI
Financial Independence
Personal Finance
Investing
Retirement Accounts
Roth IRA
Budgeting
Social Security
Travel
Retirement Planning
Community Support
Personal Growth
Frugality
Savings Rate
Community Building
Travel Rewards
Investment Strategies
Early Retirement
Tax Optimization
Personal Development
Minimalism

Jonathan & Brad explore the world of Financial Independence. They discuss reducing expenses, crushing debt, building passive income streams through online businesses and real estate. How to pay off debt, Crush your grocery bill and travel the world for free. No topic is too big or small as long as it speeds up the process of reaching financial independence.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes754Founded10 years ago
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InvestingBusinessCareers

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Latest Episodes

Most people treat retirement as a numbers game. Hit your target, claim victory, and coast into the sunset. But 85% of retirees crash into a wall of disorientation two years in—not because they ran out of money, but because they never planned for what... more

When your Apple Watch alerts you that your heart rate is spiking while simply parking outside your workplace, your body is screaming a message you can't ignore. For high-achievers in the financial independence community, burnout often manifests physi... more

You've reached financial independence. The spreadsheet says you're ready. But you still can't pull the trigger on retirement—or spending. A couple with $10 million sits paralyzed, unable to retire despite every calculator saying they're fine. What's ... more

Your FI number is a calculation. "Enough" is a feeling. They're not the same thing—and confusing them keeps people working years past their actual financial independence. Ginger and Jillian Johnsrud unpack this crucial distinction while discussing Ke... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Leah Kaylor
Licensed clinical psychologist
Episode: 622 | Before Burnout Makes You Quit, Know About FMLA | Leah Kaylor, Alison & Em
Cody Garrett
CFP, financial planner, and self-described spreadsheet nerd and optimizer
Measure Twice Financial / Cody Garrett
Episode: 621 | The Math Says You're Fine. Why Don't You Feel Fine? | Cody Garrett
Travis Hornsby
Founder of the Student Loan Planner, guest expert on student loans
Student Loan Planner
Episode: 619 | The Student Loan Rulebook Was Rewritten | Travis Hornsby
Jesse Mecham
Founder of YNAB and author of Never Worry About Money Again
YNAB
Episode: 618 | You Learned How to Save. Now Learn How to Spend | Jesse Mecham
Aubrey Williams
Financial advisor and FI thinker invited to discuss longevity modeling
Unspecified in transcript
Episode: 617 | The Hidden Assumption in Every Retirement Calculator
Dr. Bobby Dubois
Harvard-educated physician-scientist focused on health and longevity
Harvard/Johns Hopkins background referenced
Episode: 617 | The Hidden Assumption in Every Retirement Calculator
Sean Mullaney
CPA specializing in tax planning
Episode: 616 | How Should You Give Money to Your Kids? | 529s, UTMAs, Trump Accounts & More
Fritz Gilbert
From the Retirement Manifesto, retired for eight years
Retirement Manifesto
Episode: 615 | How to Get More Years of Freedom | Fritz Gilbert
Oz Chen
Founder of Money for Humans, personal finance writer and FI advocate
Money for Humans
Episode: 614 | Getting Personal with Personal Finance: Oz Chen

Hosts

Brad
Host of ChooseFI podcast, introductions and guiding questions in episodes; co-host in discussions
Jonathan
Co-host and main host, leads conversations and presents show structure

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 6.9k ratings
  • Socialist Screed

    It’s interesting to hear a show encouraging people to be financially independent by getting the rest of us to provide for your needs and wants. I was able to overlook the regular leftist jabs, but the constant carping in this last episode about people being expected to repay the student loans after they already benefited was just too much.

    Unfollowing.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Proud_American
    United Statesa month ago
  • Enjoyable

    I have been listening for a while now and I have found that this podcast has been helpful and cheerful. I like when the host is able to disagree sometimes because it doesn’t feel like oppositional. I enjoy the joyful way he approaches finance and life

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MattyPattie
    United Statesa month ago
  • White males only

    All white dude talking heads

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Johnsm44
    United Statesa month ago
  • Life changing podcast

    I had been a Dave Ramsey listener for many years. One day Dave said “don’t like the personalities here, there are other financial shows out there. So I found ChooseFi, it changed my life. Dave was great personal finance 101. This podcast is grad school finance! Love their book and the show. Keep up the good work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ohdag19
    United States3 months ago
  • Ginger!

    Love every episode with Ginger as host. Such a personable, authentic, and insightful interviewer.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    citizen2023
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive feedback highlights Ginger's interview quality and warmth.
Listener interest remains high for FI-focused guests and actionable advice.
A few listeners critique pacing and tangents when Jonathan co-hosts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#35
United States/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#150
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#82
Canada/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#117
United Kingdom/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#217
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#237
Canada/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

616 | How Should You Give Money to Your Kids? | 529s, UTMAs, Trump Accounts & More
Q: If somebody wanted to paint the bull case for putting money into a 529, what are the actual benefits, if any?
Mullaney says a 529 may suit financially successful parents who already pay significant tax on investment income and have a strong reason to expect the child will use the money for qualified education expenses. Grandparents or families with relevant state tax benefits may also find a suitable use case.
616 | How Should You Give Money to Your Kids? | 529s, UTMAs, Trump Accounts & More
Q: What are the motivations behind saving and investing for your kids?
Garrett reports four common motivations from community responses: giving children more options, helping them avoid financial struggles, protecting them from hardship and developing healthy money habits. He notes that financial literacy can also be taught without giving a minor legal ownership of assets.
622 | Before Burnout Makes You Quit, Know About FMLA | Leah Kaylor, Alison & Em
Q: Do you think that a temporary leave can prevent someone from really just quitting impulsively during a crisis?
Em says that leave can create a pause to recover and protect a career, though intermittent leave did not give her enough space to heal and she ultimately chose continuous leave.
622 | Before Burnout Makes You Quit, Know About FMLA | Leah Kaylor, Alison & Em
Q: What are the qualifying reasons or options for qualifying for FMLA? How would you document this?
A mental health condition may qualify when it interferes with at least one essential job function. The employee generally shares little or no diagnostic information with the employer, while a healthcare provider certifies the work-related impact.
619 | The Student Loan Rulebook Was Rewritten | Travis Hornsby
Q: With Parent PLUS and grad school funding changing, what practical hacks can families use right now?
Travis suggests negotiating aid aggressively, exploring private loans with shopping across lenders for better rates, using pre-tax accounts to minimize tax impact, leveraging credit history for grad funding, and considering strategic timing and pricing tactics to reduce overall costs.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About ChooseFI

What is ChooseFI about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, community-driven show that centers on achieving financial independence through smart budgeting, debt payoff, and building passive income streams, while prioritizing time freedom and meaningful experiences. Across recent episodes, listeners get tactical guidance on travel rewards, tax- and expense-optimization, and deliberately designing a life that supports long-term FI goals. The format blends guest interviews with roundtable discussions, case studies, and community-driven initiatives, often highlighting local FI groups, practical investing strategies, and real-world experiments in lifestyle design. A few episodes stand out for exploring psychological aspects of FI, disability finance, and the evolving landscape of travel hack... more

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How many listeners does ChooseFI get?

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What are the audience demographics for ChooseFI?

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How many subscribers and views does ChooseFI have?

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Which podcasts are similar to ChooseFI?

These podcasts share a similar audience with ChooseFI:

1. Mile High FI Podcast
2. Catching Up to FI
3. BiggerPockets Money
4. Afford Anything | Get Smarter With Money
5. Two Sides of FI

How many episodes of ChooseFI are there?

ChooseFI launched 10 years ago and published 754 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact ChooseFI?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for ChooseFI?

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What guests have appeared on ChooseFI?

Recent guests on ChooseFI include:

1. Leah Kaylor
2. Cody Garrett
3. Travis Hornsby
4. Jesse Mecham
5. Aubrey Williams
6. Dr. Bobby Dubois
7. Sean Mullaney
8. Fritz Gilbert

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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