ChooseFI

Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa launched ChooseFI in 2017 and it quickly became the hub of the financial independence movement. With over 70 million downloads and 746 episodes, the show has built the largest FI community in the world, complete with 300-plus local meetup groups across the globe. The podcast covers the nuts and bolts of reaching financial independence -- tax optimization, Roth conversion ladders, house hacking, travel rewards, expense reduction, and building passive income through real estate and online businesses. But what really sets ChooseFI apart is the community-driven approach. Brad and Jonathan treat their listeners as contributors, not just an audience. Episodes regularly feature community members sharing wins, strategies, and hard-won lessons from their own FI journeys. The show holds a remarkable 4.8-star rating with over 5,000 reviews, and that loyalty comes from a genuine sense of belonging that listeners describe. Episodes run about an hour and drop weekly. The tone is encouraging without being naive -- they acknowledge that the path to FI involves real sacrifice and isn't achievable overnight. Recent episodes have focused on incremental financial gains, designing life around personal values rather than pure wealth accumulation, and practical strategies for people at different stages of the FI path. If the idea of retiring in your forties (or earlier) sounds appealing, and you want a community walking that road with you, ChooseFI is where to start.