Aussie FIRE | Financial Independence Retire Early

What if one of the biggest leaks in your budget is sitting in your fridge? In this episode, Hayden and Dave get honest about how much they're actually spending on food right now, and running through some hacks to eat on more of a budget on your path to FIRE.The gap between a $15 and $25 daily food spend might not feel like much. But compounded over 20 years, that difference could be huge.They cover:👉 How much each host is actually spending on food right now (one answer is going to raise some eyebrows)👉 The slow creep of "brand drift" and food waste that inflates your grocery bill👉 Why skipping breakfast might be the easiest budget and health hack you're not using👉 Cheap protein swaps, bulk cooking and home brand experiments worth trying👉 Whether it's worth shopping online👉 How to tell if your food spending actually reflects your valuesWhether you're deep into your FIRE journey or just starting to question where your money goes each week, this episode will make you look at your next supermarket run a little differently.Happy EOFY from pearler! Sign up in July using the code AUSSIEFIRE for 12 months worth of free trades 💸And for existing customers, sign up to a new pearler product and you'll get 12 months worth of free trades too! 💸Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

What actually happens to your portfolio when the world feels like it's on fire? In this episode, Hayden and Dave look back at how share markets have responded to major global conflicts, from WWI and WWII through to COVID, and what that history can teach us about investing through periods of fear and uncertainty.They walk through the data most people have never seen: markets that fell sharply in the first six months of a war, only to roar back stronger than before it began. It's a timely reminder that the instinct to act during a crisis isn't always the one that serves us best.They cover:👉 How the US and Australian share markets actually performed during WWI and WWII, including the sharp falls and surprising recoveries👉 What 31 wars across 130 years of market data reveal about how long downturns really last👉 Why war tends to be inflationary in a way that's different to a typical recession, and what that means for share prices👉 How governments have historically intervened in markets during wartime, and where COVID fits into that picture👉 Why 24/7 news and social media might be making market volatility feel worse than it actually is👉 The case for sticking to dollar-cost averaging and diversification even when the headlines are darkAt its core, investing through conflict is a bet on humanity's ability to find its way through. A look at history that might just change how you think about the next crisis, whatever it turns out to be.Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

When your landlord puts the property up for sale, the rent vs. buy question stops being theoretical. For Shyann and her husband, that moment became the push they needed to make a decision they'd been circling for a while.In this case study episode, Shyann walks through how she and her husband approached one of the biggest financial decisions a FIRE-chasing couple can make, and what it actually looked like once they got the keys.They cover:👉 Why security and long-term control tipped the scales toward buying over rentvesting👉 How they funded the purchase on a strong combined income while keeping their investment strategy intact👉 The trade-offs in choosing a home that fit the life they were planning, not just the budget they had👉 Managing mortgage anxiety when one income might shrink after starting a family👉 What actually happens when you move into a renovated home and the plumbing has other ideasIs buying always the right move for someone on the path to FIRE? And how do you keep building toward financial independence when a mortgage is suddenly in the mix?Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

Today Hayden & Dave are unpacking an email they received from a listener. He's 29, originally from the UK, drives trucks for a living and keeps moving on after a year or two because the passion just isn't there. He loves to travel, wants to build wealth, but struggles to commit to investing when the next adventure feels a lot more appealing to him. He also lost his brother 13 years ago, which has really changed his outlook on things.They cover:👉 Why losing a loved one can make the "now vs. later" question so much harder to answer👉 The problem with expecting your job to be a source of passion (and what to expect instead)👉 A simple mental framework for deciding whether spending & living today is actually worth it👉 How to stop thinking about life choices as all-or-nothing trade-offs👉 Whether the rise of AI is a reason to bunker down financially, or something else entirelyIf you've ever felt the pull between building for the future and not wanting to miss the present, this one's worth a listen.Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

In this episode, Hayden and Dave dig into one of the most overlooked parts of the FI journey: what to do with your investments as you get closer to pulling the trigger. Does your strategy need to change? And if so, when and how?They cover:👉 Whether you actually need to de-risk your portfolio before retiring, or whether it's just a psychological thing👉 The difference between accumulation and drawdown, and why the same portfolio can feel very different depending on which phase you're in👉 Cash buffers, offset accounts and other ways to protect yourself from selling at the wrong time👉 How paying off debt fits into a pre-retirement strategy and what it does for your cash flow certainty👉 Growth ETFs vs. income ETFs: does the distinction actually matter when you're drawing down?👉 What Dave is doing with his own portfolioFree calculator here to work out your CGT with the new proposed changes.Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

The episode was updated on the 30th of May to remove some comments around assumptions around tax losses in the new budget if an asset underperforms inflation, as well as removing some comments around tax deductions which were oversimplified.The dust has (somewhat) settled on the Federal Budget, and Hayden and Dave are back to go beyond the initial reactions. This week they dig into the real numbers, the philosophical tensions behind the changes, and what investors should actually be doing differently (if anything).They cover:👉 If and how our investing strategies will change👉 How the CGT changes hit a sell-down strategy versus a dividend/income strategy differently👉 Why the two-phase super strategy takes a bigger hit than most people realise👉 The case for semi-retirement over full FIRE under the new rules👉 Whether continuing to invest is still worth it when the rules keep shiftingPlus, is the budget actually doing anything meaningful for housing supply? And what does the 30% floor really mean for someone trying to live off their portfolio?Free calculator here to work out your CGT with the new proposed changes.Follow us on InstagramWatch on YoutubeAsk a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

The federal budget is coming, and there's already noise around two policies that could shake up the investment landscape: capital gains tax and negative gearing.Hayden and Dave break down what's actually being floated, and what it could mean for your portfolio.They cover:👉 How governments "soft launch" policy changes before they're official, and why it matters for investors right now👉 The current CGT discount rules and the proposals that could change what you actually keep when you sell👉 Whether indexation could be a better deal than a flat discount, depending on how long you've held an asset👉 The grandfathering question that every existing property investor needs answered before panicking👉 How capping negative gearing could reshape who benefits from it and what it means for property pricesPlus, a timely reminder on building your investing strategy around any single tax settings.Ask a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide

Chris is at a crossroads and unsure which way to go. He's spent time in his career working in real estate, and now he's trying to decide whether to buy a family home, double down on investment properties, or pivoting entirely into a more aggressive share portfolio.He's got a good case of analysis paralysis, and Hayden & Dave are here to help him work through some of the numbers and thinking behind it all.In this episode they cover:👉 How much Chris saves & invests on a $170k household income👉 His ultimate FIRE goal👉 What Chris should do with an underperforming IP👉 Chris' concerns about mortgage stress👉 How Hayden & Dave would approach all of these things!Ask a QuestionFI Case Study Request FormPearlerStrong Money AustraliaOriginal Aussie FIRE e-bookDave's books on Amazon and SpotifyDisclaimerAny advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide