OPTIMAL LIVING DAILY+

Go Ad-Free: Be an OLD Friend, Listen Uninterrupted

$1.99/mo or $9.99/yr after trial

Optimal Finance Daily - Financial Independence and Money Advice

Optimal Living Daily
  • 4.5 (1.2K)
  • Investing
  • Updated Daily

Optimal Finance Daily is the #1 narrated podcast for the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). We curate and read the internet's most influential blogs on stock market investing, passive income, debt repayment, and 401k strategies, transforming complex wisdom into actionable daily episodes. Hosted by Diania Merriam (founder of the EconoMe conference), this show is designed for growth-minded professionals seeking wealth management tips and money mindfulness. From budgeting and frugal living to index fund investing and tax strategies, Diania provides the tools to secure your financial freedom. Join thousands of listeners becoming "OLD friends" as we navigate retirement planning, savvy money management, and the path to a debt-free life. Your journey to an optimal life begins here.

  1. Reader Story: The Man Who Thought Early Retirement Sucked by Brandon Turner with Mr. Money Mustache

    17h ago

    Reader Story: The Man Who Thought Early Retirement Sucked by Brandon Turner with Mr. Money Mustache

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3591: Brandon Turner shares the surprising reality that reaching financial freedom at 26 left him feeling unfulfilled rather than liberated. His experience reveals that financial independence is most powerful when it serves a larger purpose, challenging listeners to look beyond escaping work and focus instead on building a meaningful life driven by passion, contribution, and long-term goals. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/03/23/reader-story-the-man-who-thought-early-retirement-sucked/ Quotes to ponder: "I had simply had enough money not to work anymore. In other words, I had just enough money to wait around for death." "So, I had identified the problem: financial freedom sucks if that’s all it’s about." "I thought that financial freedom was the freedom to do whatever I wanted, and I wanted sleep." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    11 min
  2. You Might Also Like: Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb

    17h ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb

    Introducing Joy 101: Olivia Munn from Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb. Follow the show: Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb “I cried before going into my double mastectomy, and I cried a week after when I saw myself with the expanders in…That made me nervous thinking about my son…because, you know, a lot of us don't know the day we're going to die, right?” — Olivia Munn Experience the full conversation on the "Joy 101 podcast with Hoda Kotb" wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information please visit us at  www.joy101.com/podcast   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. [Part 2] Rental Properties Pros and Cons by Andy Hill of Marriage, Kids and Money on Property Investment Planning

    1d ago

    [Part 2] Rental Properties Pros and Cons by Andy Hill of Marriage, Kids and Money on Property Investment Planning

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3590: Andy Hill highlights the often-overlooked challenges of owning rental properties, including the time commitment, rising taxes and insurance costs, changing neighborhoods, leverage-related risk, and market downturns. By understanding these potential pitfalls before investing, listeners can make more informed decisions and better prepare for the realities of building wealth through real estate. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/rental-properties-pros-and-cons Quotes to ponder: "You are running a small business with real costs, real deadlines and real human factors." "If you're in a busy time in your life already, investing in rental properties may not be worth it." "One of the reasons why real estate investments can sometimes outperform index funds is that they are sometimes much riskier investments." Episode references: Arrived Homes: https://arrived.com/ Fundrise: https://fundrise.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    9 min
  4. [Part 1] Rental Properties Pros and Cons by Andy Hill of Marriage, Kids and Money on Property Investment Planning

    2d ago

    [Part 1] Rental Properties Pros and Cons by Andy Hill of Marriage, Kids and Money on Property Investment Planning

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3589: Andy Hill explores the advantages of rental property investing, highlighting how real estate can potentially outperform index funds, generate income-focused returns, and accelerate financial independence through strategies like house hacking. He also shows that investors can benefit from real estate without becoming landlords by using property managers or passive real estate platforms, making this asset class more accessible than many people realize. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/rental-properties-pros-and-cons Quotes to ponder: "When you're investing in a rental property, the returns bias towards that dividend, they bias towards the income stream." "I believe long term, a leveraged real estate portfolio that has operated well can and statistically should outperform a comparable index fund or other average stock investment." "You can eliminate a lot of the risk and a lot of the work–and still reap the benefits of rental properties in your portfolio!" Episode references: BiggerPockets: https://www.biggerpockets.com Afford Anything: https://affordanything.com IRS Residential Rental Property: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p527 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    10 min
  5. How To Buy Real Estate With A Self-Directed IRA by Courtney Luke of Arrest Your Debt on Real Estate Investing

    3d ago

    How To Buy Real Estate With A Self-Directed IRA by Courtney Luke of Arrest Your Debt on Real Estate Investing

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3588: Courtney Luke explains how a self-directed IRA can open the door to real estate investing while providing valuable tax advantages and portfolio diversification. Learn the key rules, funding requirements, property options, potential tax implications, and common pitfalls so you can make more informed decisions about using retirement funds to build long-term wealth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://arrestyourdebt.com/buy-real-estate-with-a-self-directed-ira/ Quotes to ponder: "Self-directed IRAs offer more investment flexibility than traditional IRAs, allowing you to potentially reap greater returns while taking advantage of tax advantages and diversification." "Remember that all assets must be for the exclusive benefit of your retirement account and cannot involve any personal use." "Investing in real estate through a self-directed IRA can be an advantageous approach to amplifying one’s retirement funds while taking advantage of the related tax advantages." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 min
  6. The Creation Mindset - Accelerate Your Wealth Trajectory by Craig Stephens of Retire Before Dad

    4d ago

    The Creation Mindset - Accelerate Your Wealth Trajectory by Craig Stephens of Retire Before Dad

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3587: Craig Stephens challenges readers to shift from being primarily consumers to becoming creators, arguing that wealth grows faster when you focus on producing value rather than simply consuming products, entertainment, and information. Through examples from investing, careers, entrepreneurship, and his own journey from reader to successful financial writer, he shows how even small changes in how you spend your time and money can unlock new income streams and accelerate long-term wealth building. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/creation-mindset-wealth-trajectory/ Quotes to ponder: "Start with your money. Are you spending too much money consuming? Can you funnel more of your money toward assets that create more wealth?" "When something is created that is of value to others, the resulting economic transaction creates wealth for the creator." "Reducing consumption (to save money) and increasing what you create (to earn money) are ways to enhance your ability to build income streams and grow wealth." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    11 min
  7. How to Encourage Entrepreneurial Spirit in Kids by Laurie Sepulveda of Women Who Money

    4d ago

    How to Encourage Entrepreneurial Spirit in Kids by Laurie Sepulveda of Women Who Money

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3586: Laurie Sepulveda explains how parents can nurture entrepreneurial thinking by helping children find meaningful reasons to earn money, generate their own ideas, and learn through real-world successes and failures. By guiding rather than controlling, parents can teach resilience, creativity, financial literacy, and problem-solving skills that prepare kids for future success and independence. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://womenwhomoney.com/encourage-entrepreneurial-spirit-kids/ Quotes to ponder: "It’s vital for her to identify something she really wants to help her push through the inevitable difficulties in starting a money-making venture." "Kids need to understand it isn’t that people don’t like them; they just don’t want the product or service." "Your job as a parent is to foster your child's entrepreneurial spirit and help them navigate the space between their entrepreneurial idea and its execution." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    10 min
  8. How to Save Money by Spending Money on Yourself (No, Really) by Charlie Johnson with Jackie Beck

    5d ago

    How to Save Money by Spending Money on Yourself (No, Really) by Charlie Johnson with Jackie Beck

    Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3585: Charlie Johnson shares a counterintuitive approach to saving money: spend intentionally on the few things that genuinely increase your happiness while cutting back aggressively on everything else. By identifying and prioritizing the expenses that matter most, he explains how this strategy helped him eliminate $25,000 in credit card debt while enjoying life more along the way. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.jackiebeck.com/how-to-save-money-by-spending-on-yourself-no-really/ Quotes to ponder: "I was spending tons of money on things I didn’t care about." "As long as I continued to spend money on the things that made me happy, I could enjoy life and save money." "The goal is to spend on the few things that matter the most to you and save your money on the many things that don’t." Episode references: Starbucks: https://www.starbucks.com Netflix: https://www.netflix.com The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    10 min
See All (2K)

Shows with Subscription Benefits

OPTIMAL LIVING DAILY+

Go Ad-Free: Be an OLD Friend, Listen Uninterrupted

$1.99/mo or $9.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

Hosts & Guests

4.5
out of 5
1,234 Ratings

About

Optimal Finance Daily is the #1 narrated podcast for the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). We curate and read the internet's most influential blogs on stock market investing, passive income, debt repayment, and 401k strategies, transforming complex wisdom into actionable daily episodes. Hosted by Diania Merriam (founder of the EconoMe conference), this show is designed for growth-minded professionals seeking wealth management tips and money mindfulness. From budgeting and frugal living to index fund investing and tax strategies, Diania provides the tools to secure your financial freedom. Join thousands of listeners becoming "OLD friends" as we navigate retirement planning, savvy money management, and the path to a debt-free life. Your journey to an optimal life begins here.

Information

More From Optimal Living Daily

You Might Also Like