77. FIRE Later vs. Living Now

79. Should war change how you invest?

What actually happens to your portfolio when the world feels like it's on fire? In this episode, Hayden and Dave look back at how share markets have responded to major global conflicts, from WWI and WWII through to COVID, and what that history can teach us about investing through periods of fear and uncertainty. They walk through the data most people have never seen: markets that fell sharply in the first six months of a war, only to roar back stronger than before it began. It's a timely reminder that the instinct to act during a crisis isn't always the one that serves us best. They cover: 👉 How the US and Australian share markets actually performed during WWI and WWII, including the sharp falls and surprising recoveries 👉 What 31 wars across 130 years of market data reveal about how long downturns really last 👉 Why war tends to be inflationary in a way that's different to a typical recession, and what that means for share prices 👉 How governments have historically intervened in markets during wartime, and where COVID fits into that picture 👉 Why 24/7 news and social media might be making market volatility feel worse than it actually is 👉 The case for sticking to dollar-cost averaging and diversification even when the headlines are dark At its core, investing through conflict is a bet on humanity's ability to find its way through. A look at history that might just change how you think about the next crisis, whatever it turns out to be. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aussiefirepodcast/] Watch on Youtube [https://youtube.com/@aussiefirepodcast?si=ECenJH2w2AoZFTDb] Ask a Question [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/shr50DPEI7iKsbNrG] FI Case Study Request Form [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/pagP8jSwwyeYskjRk/form] Pearler [https://pearler.com/] Strong Money Australia [https://strongmoneyaustralia.com/] Original Aussie FIRE e-book [https://pearler.com/explore/learn/blog/category/aussie-fire-ebook] Dave's books on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BNL7WHM6] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/author/0XP2oVmixNv9sVfUd5riI6] Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision. Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide [https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

78. Case Study: Should we buy or keep renting on the path to FIRE?

When your landlord puts the property up for sale, the rent vs. buy question stops being theoretical. For Shyann and her husband, that moment became the push they needed to make a decision they'd been circling for a while. In this case study episode, Shyann walks through how she and her husband approached one of the biggest financial decisions a FIRE-chasing couple can make, and what it actually looked like once they got the keys. They cover: 👉 Why security and long-term control tipped the scales toward buying over rentvesting 👉 How they funded the purchase on a strong combined income while keeping their investment strategy intact 👉 The trade-offs in choosing a home that fit the life they were planning, not just the budget they had 👉 Managing mortgage anxiety when one income might shrink after starting a family 👉 What actually happens when you move into a renovated home and the plumbing has other ideas Is buying always the right move for someone on the path to FIRE? And how do you keep building toward financial independence when a mortgage is suddenly in the mix? Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aussiefirepodcast/] Watch on Youtube [https://youtube.com/@aussiefirepodcast?si=ECenJH2w2AoZFTDb] Ask a Question [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/shr50DPEI7iKsbNrG] FI Case Study Request Form [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/pagP8jSwwyeYskjRk/form] Pearler [https://pearler.com/] Strong Money Australia [https://strongmoneyaustralia.com/] Original Aussie FIRE e-book [https://pearler.com/explore/learn/blog/category/aussie-fire-ebook] Dave's books on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BNL7WHM6] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/author/0XP2oVmixNv9sVfUd5riI6] Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision. Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide [https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

77. FIRE Later vs. Living Now

Today Hayden & Dave are unpacking an email they received from a listener. He's 29, originally from the UK, drives trucks for a living and keeps moving on after a year or two because the passion just isn't there. He loves to travel, wants to build wealth, but struggles to commit to investing when the next adventure feels a lot more appealing to him. He also lost his brother 13 years ago, which has really changed his outlook on things. They cover: 👉 Why losing a loved one can make the "now vs. later" question so much harder to answer 👉 The problem with expecting your job to be a source of passion (and what to expect instead) 👉 A simple mental framework for deciding whether spending & living today is actually worth it 👉 How to stop thinking about life choices as all-or-nothing trade-offs 👉 Whether the rise of AI is a reason to bunker down financially, or something else entirely If you've ever felt the pull between building for the future and not wanting to miss the present, this one's worth a listen. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aussiefirepodcast/] Watch on Youtube [https://youtube.com/@aussiefirepodcast?si=ECenJH2w2AoZFTDb] Ask a Question [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/shr50DPEI7iKsbNrG] FI Case Study Request Form [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/pagP8jSwwyeYskjRk/form] Pearler [https://pearler.com/] Strong Money Australia [https://strongmoneyaustralia.com/] Original Aussie FIRE e-book [https://pearler.com/explore/learn/blog/category/aussie-fire-ebook] Dave's books on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BNL7WHM6] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/author/0XP2oVmixNv9sVfUd5riI6] Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision. Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide [https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

76. Should your portfolio change as you approach FI?

In this episode, Hayden and Dave dig into one of the most overlooked parts of the FI journey: what to do with your investments as you get closer to pulling the trigger. Does your strategy need to change? And if so, when and how? They cover: 👉 Whether you actually need to de-risk your portfolio before retiring, or whether it's just a psychological thing 👉 The difference between accumulation and drawdown, and why the same portfolio can feel very different depending on which phase you're in 👉 Cash buffers, offset accounts and other ways to protect yourself from selling at the wrong time 👉 How paying off debt fits into a pre-retirement strategy and what it does for your cash flow certainty 👉 Growth ETFs vs. income ETFs: does the distinction actually matter when you're drawing down? 👉 What Dave is doing with his own portfolio Free calculator here to work out your CGT with the new proposed changes. [https://budget-2026.pearler.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aussiefirepodcast/] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCawTJqVVTHz5tfHdmU-UNMA] Ask a Question [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/shr50DPEI7iKsbNrG] FI Case Study Request Form [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/pagP8jSwwyeYskjRk/form] Pearler [https://pearler.com/] Strong Money Australia [https://strongmoneyaustralia.com/] Original Aussie FIRE e-book [https://pearler.com/explore/learn/blog/category/aussie-fire-ebook] Dave's books on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BNL7WHM6] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/author/0XP2oVmixNv9sVfUd5riI6] Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision. Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide [https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

75. A Final Word on the Budget: How We're Thinking About it Now

The episode was updated on the 30th of May to remove some comments around assumptions around tax losses in the new budget if an asset underperforms inflation, as well as removing some comments around tax deductions which were oversimplified. The dust has (somewhat) settled on the Federal Budget, and Hayden and Dave are back to go beyond the initial reactions. This week they dig into the real numbers, the philosophical tensions behind the changes, and what investors should actually be doing differently (if anything). They cover: 👉 If and how our investing strategies will change 👉 How the CGT changes hit a sell-down strategy versus a dividend/income strategy differently 👉 Why the two-phase super strategy takes a bigger hit than most people realise 👉 The case for semi-retirement over full FIRE under the new rules 👉 Whether continuing to invest is still worth it when the rules keep shifting Plus, is the budget actually doing anything meaningful for housing supply? And what does the 30% floor really mean for someone trying to live off their portfolio? Free calculator here to work out your CGT with the new proposed changes. [https://budget-2026.pearler.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aussiefirepodcast/] Watch on Youtube [youtube.com/channel/UCawTJqVVTHz5tfHdmU-UNMA/] Ask a Question [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/shr50DPEI7iKsbNrG] FI Case Study Request Form [https://airtable.com/appm1Qj814tgX3I0O/pagP8jSwwyeYskjRk/form] Pearler [https://pearler.com/] Strong Money Australia [https://strongmoneyaustralia.com/] Original Aussie FIRE e-book [https://pearler.com/explore/learn/blog/category/aussie-fire-ebook] Dave's books on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0BNL7WHM6] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/author/0XP2oVmixNv9sVfUd5riI6] Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it’s appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision. Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide [https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.