Optimal Finance Daily - Financial Independence and Money Advice

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 3405: Craig Stephens breaks down the future costs of college for his three children and how these projections impact his retirement timeline. With detailed modeling, realistic assumptions, and a surprise family update, he explores the financial trade-offs between saving for education and maintaining long-term retirement goals, all while embracing the unpredictability of life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/greatest-risk-to-retirement-goal/ Quotes to ponder: "Kids come with a price tag, but ultimately they are priceless." "Estimating the cost of college 15 years out is not an exact science." "Any change to a variable alters the numbers by tens of thousands of dollars." Episode references: The World’s Simplest College Cost Calculator: https://www.savingforcollege.com/calculators/worlds-simplest-college-cost-calculator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 3404: Craig Stephens reflects on his ambitious plan to retire by age 55, beating his father by one year, and the financial realities that threaten that goal. With his children’s college expenses looming in the same year as his intended retirement, he explores the deep impact of generational choices, personal sacrifice, and the ROI of higher education. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/greatest-risk-to-retirement-goal/ Quotes to ponder: "I reject the notion that because younger generations are statistically more likely to live longer than our parents, we will need to work longer." "More than a decade ago when my Dad retired from his teaching career at age 56, I told him my retirement goal was to beat him and stop working at age 55." "According to a recent study by Alicia H. Munnell at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the average age of retirement for men in the US is 64." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 3403: Dan Erickson shares five thoughtful strategies to help curb impulsive spending by encouraging a shift from emotional wants to practical needs. His advice empowers listeners to slow down, reflect on true priorities, and make purchasing decisions with greater clarity and purpose. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://nosidebar.com/purchase/ Quotes to ponder: "Wanting is an emotional response to being unsatisfied with what you already have." "When we spend money, we have to work harder and longer to recoup our loss." "Walking gives you time to consider the pros and cons of your motivations to buy." Episode references: Dictionary.com definition of "want": https://www.dictionary.com/browse/want Dictionary.com definition of "need": https://www.dictionary.com/browse/need Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 3402: Greg Audino offers a nuanced counterpoint to Wayne Dyer’s popular philosophy that worry is always unnecessary. By exploring the modern gray area between what we can and can’t control, Audino validates the emotional experience of striving in uncertain situations and emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance as the real starting point for growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/invisible-illness/in-defense-of-the-worry-warts-6cd8e3af3319 Quotes to ponder: "Her worry becomes not about if she can control it, but how." "Wayne Dyer is quoted as saying, 'Recognize the preposterousness of worry. Ask yourself over and over, ‘Is there anything that will ever change as a result of my worrying about it?’'" "There’s nothing wrong with you for worrying. It’s not senseless, it’s circumstantial." Episode references: The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Intention-Learning-Co-create-World/dp/1401902162 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 3401: Charlie Brown explores how questioning mainstream financial advice, rather than blindly following norms, is the key to making empowered, informed money decisions. By urging us to challenge our sources, biases, and societal expectations, Brown invites listeners to consider alternative paths that may better align with their personal goals and values. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://themakingofamillionaire.com/if-you-want-to-make-good-money-decisions-there-is-a-simple-if-unconventional-way-to-make-them-5144fd208bc4 Quotes to ponder: "Everything good in my financial life happened when I started to question what I was told was normal." "You can only know better and do better if you’re prepared to do the questioning." "Questioning life decisions is fun. Once you start to do it, you realize how many more options are available to you." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices