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ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Call To Action

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Careers, Investing, Business

4.85.2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 October 2018

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Service members collectively leave hundreds of thousands of dollars in unclaimed benefits on the table over their careers—not because they don't qualify, but because nobody told them. Brad and Jonathan field listener responses to their Military Dollar interview, digging into voicemails, feedback, and an urgent push for the Playing with Fire documentary Kickstarter. Fresh off FinCon (where they hosted a 200+ person meetup), the hosts unpack how listeners David and Rick used financial independence principles to reshape their military careers. The recurring theme: mentorship and early financial education create a ripple effect. The conversation covers the blended retirement system, GI Bill transfer strategies, and resources tailored for service members navigating unique financial challenges. Key Topics FinCon Experience [00:01:00] Brad and Jonathan recount their FinCon meetup, which drew over 200 attendees—a testament to the ChooseFI community's growth. Military Dollar Insights [00:07:54] The hosts highlight the importance of military-specific financial education, including navigating benefits that can add up to life-changing sums if leveraged correctly. Listener Feedback and Voicemails [00:20:00] Service members share how the podcast and mentorship within the military community have accelerated their paths to FI. The recurring theme: small changes compound over time. Call to Action: Playing with Fire Documentary [00:43:00] Brad and Jonathan make an urgent push for listeners to back the Playing with Fire Kickstarter campaign, framing it as a chance to bring FI concepts to a mainstream audience. Key Quotes [00:02:14] "Conferences should be a time to enjoy friendships and learn, not just work." [00:09:02] "Small changes today can lead to a better future; sometimes it's about skipping that Chipotle." [00:13:19] "Imagine if every enlisted military member heard this transformative podcast episode." FAQs What is the blended retirement system? [00:14:30] The blended retirement system offers military members retirement benefits before 20 years of service, combining a traditional pension with a defined contribution component (similar to a 401(k)). How can military members use the GI Bill? [00:18:06] GI Bill benefits can be transferred to dependents or shared among family members, covering tuition and fees through programs like the Yellow Ribbon scholarship. Resources Military Dollar [00:10:24] Playing with Fire Documentary [00:29:00]

Transcript

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0:00.0

On today's episode, we bring in your feedback talking about this military path to

0:04.1

fire. We have voice mails from Stephen and Chris and insight from Army Doc.

0:08.1

Then if this episode on Monday was actionable on today's episode,

0:12.8

we need you to take action. We need your help.

0:15.1

And this is possibly our biggest call to action ever. Welcome to the ultimate

0:19.4

crowdsource personal financial. This is your Friday round up.

0:24.5

Your listening to choose.

0:25.9

The FI radio.

0:29.2

The blueprint for financial independence lives here.

0:39.9

If you're looking to unblocked as secrets to financial independence and

0:43.6

early retirement, you're in the right place. Stay tuned and join a community of

0:48.5

like-minded people who are getting all fans to hear and taking control of their

0:53.0

lives in the pursuit of financial independence. Choose FI your home for

0:58.0

financial independence on life.

1:11.0

All right guys, welcome back to the show. Incredibly excited to talk about this

1:13.9

past week's episode with military dollar, but there's so much going on and I am

1:17.4

incredibly excited to catch you guys up. And so to help you with this, I have

1:20.4

my co-host Brad here with me today. How you doing, buddy? Hey, Jonathan,

1:23.3

I am doing quite well. Yeah, we had a really interesting week, right?

1:27.2

We just got back from FinCon and I think amazingly we both still have our voices.

1:31.4

It's insane to me how much I enjoy this event. And I see this other people kind

1:35.8

of reflecting the same thing. We've all probably been to a conference here and

...

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