Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:44 — 14.8MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS | More
Today’s guest has one of the most impressive FIRE resumes we’ve ever seen.
- $55k in debt to start.
- Paid.
- Moved to Europe
- Traveled to 27 countries
- Has 6 kids (4 of which are adopted!)
- Bought first house with cash.
- Multiple rental properties.
- Successfully mastered mini-retirements.
- Runs a super substantial FIRE blog
Honestly, this list could be even longer, but you get the point. Jillian from Montana Money Adventures has an amazing story, and was an incredible guest on the podcast.
Enjoy! (and would you mind leaving us an honest rating/review on iTunes?)
We love you.
Show notes and links from today’s episode
- Jillian’s blog: Montana Money Adventures
- YouTube Renovation Tips for Building Sweat Equity – amazing post, and an incredible feat.
- Adopt U.S. Kids – great non-profit to get started/learn more about adoption.
- Jillian’s AWESOME course on planning for a mini-retirement
Key takeaways from our chat with Jillian from Montana Money Adventures
1 – Nothing HAS to be in your budget
Everything is optional. Like, really.
Ms. Montana starts with a “zero budget.”
Meaning, she starts with the idea of spending $0 a month. Practically impossible, sure, but this is an excellent way to take a 30,000 ft. view of your spending, and catch every small habit you might otherwise miss.
It also makes you question every single expense.
Maybe you were taking your $800 food budget for granted every month, and focusing more on entertainment expense. Could you revisit your food budget? Do you actually require $800?
How often should you do this type of check-in for every single expense category? It’s a pretty hardcore (but highly effective) approach.
2 – An awesome life has very little to do with money.
Honestly? Don’t we all know this on some level, but constantly resort to caring very much about how money can “improve” our lives?
You probably already know that money doesn’t buy happiness (past a certain extent of course), but money also doesn’t really make your life interesting.
The actions and decisions you make everyday, however, do.
Jillian doesn’t have a billion, and doesn’t want or need a billion. And she’s fascinating. She and her huge family are making an incredible life for themselves, and it actually has very little to do with her net worth.
Lifestyle = gobs of cash
3 – The concept of FIRE can be incredibly confusing, especially for newbies.
As personal finance and FIRE bloggers, it’s easy for the most devoted and hardcore of us to forget this.
In fact, let’s go a step further:
We can actually turn newbies off of this concept, due to our shear passion and lack of understanding.
At the end of the day, FIRE enthusiasts like yourself, and every single person we’ve had on this podcast, should keep this in mind: there are those around us who we seek to educate and change! Let’s remember to meet them at their level of understanding and enthusiasm.
#teachermoment
4 – You can probably learn just about anything on YouTube.
Jillian and her husband literally renovated 3 houses, leaning everything on YouTube.
We’ve learned about blogging and podcasting and FIRE on YouTube.
It’s kind of a bland tip, but remember this next you’re frustrated about not knowing anything. It’s out there, and it’s a quick Google and YouTube search away.
Let’s learn. Speaking of which….
Want to join the private community? Come join us on Facebook here. There has been some AWESOME conversation so far.
PS – Here is Gwen’s post with the details on quitting her job.
Want to support the podcast? Here are three things you can do.
Join the FIRE crew and change your life
Subscribe and get emails about new episodes of FIRE Drill Podcast.
Lynn says
Love your article! As a single mom of 4, 2 adopted, I am always looking to live on happiness. Thank you!
Jamie says
Thanks for having Jillian on, and especially for the message on foster care/adoption. I haven’t yet started myself, as I’m still trying to convince my husband it’s his idea :), but I feel very strongly about adopting vs. having our own. I think of foster kids like books, or dogs. There are plenty out there who need good homes- why should I burden the planet more buying new? And I love that in the kindest way possible, Jillian handed it to the FIRE community to use their ample time and resources to look outside themselves and help other humans find loving homes. I’m going to casually play this episode again for my husband. Thanks, girls, keep up the good work!