Debt Payoff, Disney & Taking Action | Audrey

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Careers, Investing, Business

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2022

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One woman's skeptical glance at a "too good to be true" Facebook post turned into 33 states traveled, $200,000 in student loans eliminated, and a complete family financial transformation—all in seven years. Audrey's story begins with a friend's casual mention of free Disney vacations through credit card rewards, sparking her curiosity about whether this could actually work. After verifying the strategy and diving into the ChooseFI community, she and her husband didn't just optimize their travel—they rebuilt their entire financial life while raising a family, proving that financial independence isn't about deprivation, but strategic choices that fund the experiences that matter most. Chapters [00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:40] Audrey's Journey into Financial Independence – How Audrey discovered travel rewards and verified the strategy [00:06:30] The Student Loan Experience – Paying off $200,000 in student loans in 7 years while living on one modest income [00:04:36] The Power of Community – How connections within the ChooseFI community influenced their journey [00:25:39] Travel Rewards Optimization – Using Southwest points to visit 33 states and maximize family travel [00:40:54] Balancing Financial Goals and Family Life – Finding harmony between financial discipline and family experiences Key Quotes "I knew this could really work for us." [00:01:40] "It's been a thrilling sprint alongside a lengthy marathon." [00:03:00] "We survived solely on my modest income." [00:06:30] "Southwest Airlines allows us to travel where we want effortlessly." [00:25:39] "Striking a balance has been crucial for us." [00:40:54] Actions You Can Take Scrutinize loan payments: Ensure the loan servicer applies extra payments correctly to the highest interest loans Budget for fun: Create a budget that incorporates enjoyable experiences for the family while still saving Utilize travel rewards: Research and leverage travel rewards to reduce travel expenses significantly Related Resources Talent Stacker Salesforce Program [00:43:24] Salesforce Transformation - Episode 117 Deep Dive into Salesforce Career Opportunities - Episode 297

Transcript

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0:00.0	All right, hello and welcome to Choose a Five.
0:02.5	Today on the show, we have an episode
0:04.7	that I've really been looking forward to since I saw
0:08.1	a Facebook post.
0:09.4	So in our Choose a Five Facebook group,
0:11.9	we get a lot of amazing posts,
0:14.3	but this one stuck out to me.
0:15.8	So Audrey wrote long post ahead,
0:19.0	and then she went through this incredible,
0:21.4	incredible list of actions that her and her husband
0:24.7	have taken since finding the Choose a Five community.
0:27.9	And it runs the gamut from taking countless trips
0:31.4	using travel rewards to finding a new career path,
0:35.2	to little things like optimizing taxes,
0:37.7	reducing cell phone expenses,
0:39.3	and attempting to max 401k.
0:41.6	So it's got a little bit of everything,
0:43.5	and I'm just really excited to dive into this story
0:46.7	of a family taking action.
0:48.8	Because as you know, at Choose a Five,
0:50.5	we exist to convince you, to compel you,
0:54.6	to take actions to make your life better.
	...

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