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ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Simplifying The Ultimate Buy And Hold Strategy With M1 Finance

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Careers, Investing, Business

4.85.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 June 2019

⏱️ 48 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Switching investment strategies mid-course destroys more wealth than choosing the wrong portfolio from day one. Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett unpack Paul Merriman's ultimate buy-and-hold strategy and reveal why the community surrounding financial independence matters as much as the money itself—especially after attending the world premiere of the "Playing With Fire" documentary in San Diego. Brad recaps the premiere, where 250 community members turned a screening into a celebration of financial independence. The energy of watching with others who share your goals transformed the experience, reinforcing a key principle: this journey works better with others alongside you. The conversation shifts to Merriman's investment philosophy, particularly his "two funds for life" approach. Merriman advocates for simple, diversified portfolios held long-term, balancing risk and return through strategic asset allocation. The hosts emphasize that better returns come from accepting more risk, not from superior fund selection or market timing. Upcoming screenings in Washington DC, Seattle, and Atlanta offer more opportunities to experience the documentary with local communities. The hosts encourage connecting with local ChooseFI groups at choosefi.com/local to find events and build relationships with others pursuing financial independence. A critical insight emerges repeatedly: staying committed to your chosen investment strategy matters more than picking the perfect portfolio. Switching between strategies undermines long-term success. Whether you choose a simple two-fund portfolio or a more diversified approach, consistency over decades builds wealth. Chapters Introduction to the Episode — 00:00:00 Recap of Playing With Fire Premiere — 00:01:03 Brad describes the premiere in San Diego, where 250 attendees celebrated the documentary and the financial independence community. Upcoming Documentary Screenings — 00:03:39 Information about upcoming screenings in Washington DC, Seattle, and Atlanta. Listeners encouraged to purchase tickets and attend with others. Paul Merriman's Investment Strategies — 00:11:40 Overview of Merriman's investment approaches, including the "two funds for life" strategy and principles of effective diversification. Using M1 for Automated Investing — 00:33:01 Key Quotes "Experience financial independence with a community—don't watch alone!" — 00:02:34 "Everyone's path to financial independence is unique." — 00:08:07 "Returns are linked to risk—understand the balance!" — 00:17:02 "Stick to your investment strategy to avoid setbacks." — 00:30:02 Resources Playing With Fire Documentary — 00:03:39 Terminology Buy-and-hold portfolio — An investment strategy that involves buying and holding a diversified portfolio for a long period of time. — 00:11:11 Asset allocation — The process of deciding how to distribute your investments among different asset categories. — 00:17:02

Transcript

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0:00.0

Your listening to Choose Appi Radio.

0:09.6

The blueprint for financial independence lives here.

0:20.4

If you're looking to unlock the secrets to financial independence and early retirement,

0:25.4

you're in the right place.

0:27.3

Stay tuned and join a community of like-minded people who are getting off the answer.

0:32.2

And taking control of their lives in the pursuit of financial independence.

0:36.3

Choose FI, your home for financial independence online.

0:41.2

Alright guys, super excited to dive into this past week's episode and discuss our takeaways

0:54.3

on the ultimate buy and hold portfolio and honestly Paul Merrimans incredible content

0:59.4

that he brought to the show.

1:00.6

And help me with this, I'm my co-host Brad here with me today.

1:02.8

How you doing buddy?

1:03.8

Hey Jonathan, I am doing quite well.

1:05.6

Yeah, we actually just got back from San Diego in the world premiere of the playing with

1:10.1

fire documentary.

1:11.4

That was incredible man.

1:12.4

I obviously we've been talking about this documentary and this world premiere for a while.

1:18.7

The documentary has been in the works for over over two years now, just a little bit

1:22.7

over two years.

1:24.1

But in my wildest expectations, I didn't expect to have as much of a blast as I did at San

1:28.6

Diego.

1:29.6

Yeah, I mean the entire thing was a celebration.

...

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