Trying for FI

Fetch & Rascal
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education

Sharing stories and strategies from the daily grind toward our financial independence. We are a Queer blended family of five living in the Bay Area and are "late starters" dedicated to Trying for FI!

  1. Oct 25

    Coast FI in Real Life: A Mini-Retirement, a Big Move & a Career Change

    What happens when you actually start living the Coast FI lifestyle you've been dreaming about? After 2.5 months away from full-time work, a major family move, and an unexpected career change, we're back with some big updates from our journey toward financial independence! In this episode of Trying for FI, Fetch reflects on their first mini-retirement in their 40s, and what happened when we traded city life for more trees, more space, and a slower pace. Spoiler: there were a lot of squirrels, a few praying mantises, and some surprisingly meaningful changes to our daily lives. We're talking about: Our 2.5-month mini-retirement experiment: What Fetch learned about rest, creativity, health, and the freedom to spend time differently.Moving from the Bay Area to a slower-paced community: How a major relocation is helping us build a life we don't want to retire from.The financial reality of taking time off: How we navigated reduced household income, relied on our savings cushion, and managed the emotional side of having one partner working while the other wasn't.An unexpected career change: Why Fetch chose a new job with a school-year schedule—and how working fewer weeks may be more valuable than maximizing income.Actually putting Coast FI into practice: How Rascal is following through on taking school breaks off and creating more time for family adventures.We also reflect on a surprisingly powerful lesson: sometimes financial independence isn't about quitting work forever. It's about creating the freedom to choose work that supports the life you want right now. For those of us pursuing FIRE or Coast FI in our 40s, while raising kids and navigating real-life financial responsibilities, that freedom can look pretty ordinary: a morning workout together, an afternoon by the river, more patience, or simply having the mental space to notice the squirrels. We're still rebuilding our emergency fund, navigating career transitions, and figuring out what comes next. But for the first time, we're getting a real taste of the lifestyle we've been working toward. If you've ever wondered whether a mini-retirement is worth it, how Coast FI might change your career choices, or how to enjoy more freedom before traditional retirement, this episode is for you. Remember, just keep trying! Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  2. Jul 7

    The First Test of Coast FI: Do we really turn down that job!?

    Just days before Fetch's final day at their full-time job, an unexpected contract extension landed in their inbox. More income. More security. More certainty. It also meant more hours, less family time, and postponing the life we'd already decided we wanted. Sometimes the biggest financial decision isn't choosing where to invest your money. Sometimes it's choosing what kind of life you're investing your time in. This episode is about trusting your values, embracing uncertainty, and taking the first real step toward living the life you've been saving for. We talk about: • Why saying "no" to more money was emotionally harder than we expected • The surprising pull of scarcity, even after reaching Coast FI • How the "One More Year Syndrome" was in stealth mode as the "One More Month Syndrome" here • How we are practicing trusting ourselves instead of deciding from fear • Why taking the contract may have cost us far more than it paid • How this decision reflects our evolving definition of wealth We also reflect on one powerful question Rascal brought home from the Slow FI Retreat: "What would it cost you not to make this change?" Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  3. Jun 26

    We Thought We'd Reached Coast FI. The Fioneers Confirmed It.

    What happens when the creators of the Coast FI calculator tell you, "Congratulations, you've made it"? That's exactly what happened to us. After months of questioning our calculations and wondering whether we were really at Coast FI, Rascal attended the Slow FI Retreat hosted by The Fioneers, and our family's financial plan became one of the featured case studies. In this episode we share: • What it was like to project our entire financial life onto a screen in front of 30 strangers • The surprising reaction from the Coast FI experts (spoiler: there wasn't much debate) • Why they encouraged us to focus less on the numbers and more on the life we're trying to build • How reducing work hours may still allow us to reach Financial Independence in our 50s • The emotional challenge of believing you've finally reached "enough" • The practical changes we're already making, from taking every school break off to creating more space for health, creativity, and family. We also talk about one of the biggest lessons from the retreat: The cost of not making changes while your children are still young. This conversation isn't really about spreadsheets. It's about trust. Trusting the numbers. Trusting yourself. And giving yourself permission to build a life you don't need to postpone until retirement. #CoastFI #SlowFI #FinancialIndependence #FIREMovement #FinancialFreedom #Enoughness #FinancialTherapy #LateStarterFIRE #FamilyFinance #FinancialPlanning #MoneyMindset #WorkLifeBalance Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  4. May 10

    OMG...Did we just reach Coast FI?!

    OMG. We think we may have reached Coast FI. In this episode, we revisit the Coast FI calculator from The Fioneers and compare where we are now versus just 8 months ago when we believed we were still 1–5 years away from this milestone. After double checking the formulas (twice 😅), we realized something wild: depending on the assumptions, we may already be there.  We break down: • What Coast FI actually means (and why it’s different from traditional FIRE) • Strategies we used that accelerated our timeline • How small changes in assumptions (retirement age, average rate of return) make a huge difference in the Coast FI threshold number • How maxing pre-tax retirement accounts before brokerage accounts reshaped our approach • The emotional whiplash of realizing “we made it”… and not fully trusting it We also talk honestly about: • Our “One more year” syndrome • Fear around market swings and job transitions • Why financial milestones don’t magically erase anxiety • How our recent financial calamities shaped our preference for safety and cash reserves This episode became less about spreadsheets and more about the emotional threshold; noticing our disbelief and skepticism while still allowing ourselves to imagine a different life, one with more spaciousness, family time, health, creativity, and less hustle. Plus, Rascal shares excitement about attending the Slow FI Retreat hosted by The Fioneers — at what feels like the exact right moment in our journey. 🔗 Coast FI Calculator by The Fioneers:  https://thefioneers.com/coast-fi-calculator Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  5. 12/21/2025

    Deepen Your Financial-Emotional Intelligence: Understand What Money Really Means to You

    **Activity guide sheet in our Resource Doc!** This week, we’re bringing a new lens to the podcast: financial therapy. Rascal puts on their therapist hat to help us explore hidden emotional relationships to money — especially in partnerships. Using a framework called Internal Family Systems (or “parts work”), we explore how different aspects of ourselves show up during financial decisions — from fear and shame to protection and power. These “parts” influence how we budget, spend, save, and show up in our financial relationships. We talk about:  • Why money decisions in couples can feel so personal — and what’s actually going on underneath  • How to identify your own “money parts” and recognize your partner’s (without blame or shame)  • A simple practice to begin noticing and naming your emotional patterns around money  • How this work supports your FIRE journey — especially during moments like reaching Coast FI or hitting big setbacks Whether you’re in a relationship or not, this episode will help you reflect more deeply on what money means to you — stability, freedom, care, obligation, control, connection — and how those meanings may shift over time. This is not financial advice. It is emotional insight that can help you build deeper intimacy, greater self-awareness, and more clarity on your path toward financial independence. Teaser: We also hint at a future episode on using EMDR for money beliefs and FI-related emotional blocks. #financialtherapy #moneyandemotions #internalfamilysystems #moneyintimacy #firewithkids #coastfi #financialindependence #emotionalwealth #moneyanxiety #financialintimacy #partswork #moneyhealing #fiemotions Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  6. 11/15/2025

    Stronger Together: How 4 Financial Calamities Deepened Our Financial Intimacy on the Way to Coast Fi

    In this episode, we reflect on four major financial “calamities” that hit our family between 2022 and now — and how those moments shaped our growth, resilience, and intimacy as financial partners. While none of these events left us without food or housing, they were significant outflows relative to what we were earning and saving — emotional, destabilizing, and deeply instructive. We share stories and insights from:  • 2022: The birth of our youngest, with zero paid leave and unequal income  • 2023: Purchasing a second home and the financial power dynamics it exposed  • 2024: Major water damage and temporary relocation (“our house broke,” said the toddler)  • 2025: An expensive legal process — and the emotional cost of drawing down our emergency fund Through each “blip,” we explore:  • The evolution of our financial intimacy and shared decision-making  • How we transitioned from separate money to a one-pot model  • What it’s like to max out your credit cards and still believe in your plan • Why emergency funds are non-negotiable (even when you hate tapping them) • The inner work Rascal did to manage money anxiety, and how Fetch gained financial voice This isn’t a step-by-step guide. It’s a real-time, real-life glimpse into what wealth-building looks like when life throws curveballs—and why we still believe in financial independence as a path to deeper connection, even when the journey gets messy. Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  7. 11/08/2025

    Slower Meals, More Field Trips: Coast FI Dreams from the Daily Grind

    What would your life look like if you hit Coast FI tomorrow? In this light, personal episode, we let ourselves dream a little—and reflect on how our day-to-day lives might shift if we no longer had to save for the future. We revisit the definition of Coast FI: that moment when your retirement savings are set, and future contributions aren’t necessary. You still work to cover today’s expenses, but now you can choose to earn less, work fewer hours, or be more intentional with your time. We explore:  • How Coast FI would reshape our family rhythms and weekday routines  • Why things like cabbage slaw, early preschool pickups, and field trips matter so much  • How we’d invest more time into food, fitness, relationships, nature, and rest  • The tension between dreaming of FIRE and recognizing the joys that Coast FI could bring much sooner This isn’t about luxury travel or early retirement—it’s about presence, connection, and savoring the ordinary joys that often get squeezed out by second jobs and side hustles. If you’ve ever wondered what all this money work is for, this episode will help you reconnect with the quiet, meaningful parts of life that Coast FI can open up. #coastfi #financialindependence #firewithkids #financialfreedom #whatisweath #slowliving #familywealth #parentingandmoney #lateFIstarters #financialmindset #dailyjoys #coastfilife Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

  8. 10/16/2025

    We Used ChatGPT to Analyze 47 Retirement Funds—Here’s What We Found

    In this episode, we pick up where we left off on our Coast FI path—and dive into the real-life, real-time process of choosing 403(b) (or 401(k)) funds that match our values, fees, and family cash flow. We talk about:  • Why we decided to prioritize Fetch’s 403(b) over Rascal’s SEP (for now)  • How we used ChatGPT to analyze 47 different fund options from scratch • What we learned about expense ratios, ESG investing, and Fidelity vs. non-Fidelity funds • Why our paycheck flow is temporarily upside down — and how that’s reshaping our money habits • The psychological challenge of shifting control, roles, and comfort zones around who’s “managing” what This is a deep and practical episode for anyone who: Wants to DIY their 403(b) or 401(k) investmentsIs navigating self-employment + W2 income trade-offsIs learning to balance values-based investing with expense ratio realitiesIs late to FIRE but trying to build systems that work for your real lifePlus: we tease an upcoming episode that will question whether ESG funds are truly aligned — or just shiny distractions with high fees. Stay tuned. #403b #401k #firemovement #coastfi #esginvesting #expensetratio #diyinvesting #chatgptandmoney #retirementsavings #valuesbasedinvesting #financialindependence #familyfinances #financialdecisions Send us Fan Mail Check out our Resource Doc:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j7CHmbRZsZgWC-SWLIQcunmJdpkEDUsdfhWA1FW04s/edit?usp=sharingAnd our IG account @tryingforfi

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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Sharing stories and strategies from the daily grind toward our financial independence. We are a Queer blended family of five living in the Bay Area and are "late starters" dedicated to Trying for FI!

Information

  • Creator
    Fetch & Rascal
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Trying for FI
  • Show Website
    Trying for FI

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