Brandon Ganch (known online as MadFientist) joins us from Scotland to share how his life has transformed since retiring in 2016 at age 34.
“I thought retirement was an age, not a function,” he said. “And when I realized it was just a math function, it changed my entire life.”
Eight years into retirement, Brandon talks about how his spending and lifestyle have evolved. While his investment portfolio has grown “exponentially,” he’s had to push himself to spend more money. He and his wife have doubled their spending in the last three years, yet still haven’t reached the 4 percent withdrawal rate that’s common in early retirement.
Having two young kids (a two-year-old son and one-month-old daughter) has changed their spending patterns. Restaurant bills and craft beer costs have dropped significantly, while they’ve invested in a house — their third, but the first one Brandon says he actually enjoys owning since he’s no longer “hyper-frugal.”
Brandon shares his few regrets from his journey to financial independence, mainly missing friends’ bachelor parties in his twenties because he didn’t want to pay for two transatlantic flights in one month. The book “Die with Zero” has shifted his perspective on spending, making him realize there are “seasons in life” for certain experiences.
Brandon suggests trying to live your “post-FI life” before actually reaching financial independence. By traveling for three months straight, he learned that constant travel wasn’t actually what he wanted.
He emphasizes that financial independence isn’t just about early retirement — it’s about having choices and power in your career.
You can find Brandon at madfientist.com or listen to his music at madfientist.com/album.
Timestamps:
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0:00 – Paula opens with a Guy Fawkes Day reference and historical background
2:06 – Brandon Ganch (MadFientist) introduces himself as having retired in 2016 at age 34
4:09 – Brandon explains how HR discovering his Scotland location led to his early retirement
7:01 – Discusses the “power of quitting” and how having FI helped him negotiate better work terms
11:26 – Explains how spending habits changed post-retirement, especially around house ownership
13:37 – Talks about having kids and how that decreased spending on travel, restaurants and beer
19:27 – Shares his only regrets about the FIRE journey, including missing friends’ bachelor parties
26:58 – Discusses the “Die with Zero” book and its impact on his financial philosophy
33:32 – Explains why optimization and hyper-frugality are no longer priorities in his life
40:06 – Updates on his music passion project and performing live with his brother
44:21 – Advises people to start living their post-FI life before reaching financial independence
48:36 – Explains why FI might not be for everyone but financial security matters for all
51:28 – Shares thoughts on AI’s impact on software development jobs and being glad he’s already FI
A Sampling of MadFientist Articles:
Retirement Withdrawal Strategies
Baseline Portfolio vs. Optimized Portfolio
FI Spreadsheets
FI Laboratory
How To Use an HSA as a Super IRA
How to Stack Tax Benefits
And of course, his passion project in retirement — the album:
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