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On this episode of Two Frugal Dudes, we’re Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) with guest Scott Rieckens from PlayingWithFire.co.
Scott’s Journey
Scott is a two-time Emmy nominated film director, currently working on a documentary entitled “Playing with FIRE” that explores frugality as a community with a focus on financial independence and retiring early.
Scott has always had a mind for frugality, fostered by fear of debt instilled during his upbringing. This upbringing developed into a pragmatic approach to debt, accepting some debts (such as student loans) as an inevitability while working to offset others by being dogmatic about savings.
Scott has been in video production for the majority of the past ten years, both running his own business as well as working for others. He’s witnessed a revolution in video production as advanced technology becomes ubiquitous and wishes to use his platform to help others live a fulfilling, happy life by immersing himself in the FIRE community.
Playing with FIRE
Scott started his journey into the FIRE community by moving and working toward finding ways to immerse himself in this revolutionary community, finding out who to talk to and how he could start developing relationships to help others live a rich, fulfilling life. Much of his inspiration comes from Mr. Money Mustache’s work, which led him to FIRE in the first place.
Scott’s journey took him to Chautauqua in Ecuador, where he experienced his first real dose of transparency in discussing money and how much power money holds over our lives. The experience was eye-opening and showed Scott how much emotion people have tied up in their money and work, and why talking about money can be such a sensitive issue.
Scott’s key takeaway from his work is that the framework of the FIRE lifestyle is so simple and adaptable, that anyone could do it to live better. Keep an eye out for the full documentary in early 2019.
Frugal Tip of the Week
YouTube TV brought with it a lot of promise as an alternative to cable, with a shift toward the streaming options that are taking over the market. For those who love sports and often miss the local happenings, this is a great affordable alternative to traditional television.
Where Our Money Went
Sean had a prepaid procedure done a month ago and ended up paying more than he had to based on his insurance coverage. Therefore, Sean had to take it upon himself and highlight the issue to get the money back. The key takeaway? Always double check your documentation and advocate for your checkbook.
This occurrence raises an interesting conversation point about morals and ethics: if someone fails to bill you, do you reach out to pay them or take it as a win?
Show Links & Related Episodes
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music