What if financial independence is something you could build for yourself, before you even hit 40?
Katie and Alan Donegan did exactly that.
No lottery win, no trust fund, just a determination to live simply, stack their cash, and build a life where they didn't have to answer to anyone else.
They retired at 35 and 40, and now travel the world while running Rebel Finance School, a free money course that's helped thousands of people worldwide sort out their finances.
Financial journalist Frances Cook sits down with the Donegans on the Making Cents podcast to find out what it actually takes for normal people to reach financial independence and retire early.
In this episode:
- The three financial levers they pulled at once - spend less, earn more, invest - and how that took them from $0 to $1 million in about ten years
- Why friends and family thought their frugal lifestyle meant they'd lost the plot, and how to be financially disciplined without being miserable
- The one investing move Alan says he'd make from day one if he could go back
- Why fees are one of the only proven predictors of how well an investment fund performs, and what to check on your own KiwiSaver or index funds
- Why getting on the same page with your partner about money can matter more than any spreadsheet, budget or savings plan
- How to keep spending on what you actually value while cutting everything else, so you save without feeling like you're missing out
Whether financial independence feels like a pipe dream or you're already working towards it, this episode breaks down real, practical steps for building wealth, investing for the long term, and designing a life on your own terms.
This episode of Making Cents is proudly supported by Odoo. Go to http://odoo.com/r/hpl now and try it for free, for 15 days.
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Production and video editing by Lana Byrne
Audio engineering by Tash Chittock
Filmed by Fanaticals
