AFI is the podcast exploring the intersection of autism and financial independence.
Financial wellbeing matters to everyone. Yet autistic people are significantly more likely than the wider population to experience unemployment, underemployment and financial insecurity, with profound consequences for independence, health, and quality of life.
Hosts Darren and David Scothern are two working-class autistic men who have experienced financial hardship firsthand. Together, they explore financial concepts which many autistic people may feel excluded from or intimidated by.
Whether you're autistic, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in personal finance and financial independence, AFI offers thoughtful discussion, practical ideas and a fresh perspective on living a more stable, fulfilling, and financially secure life.
We are not selling financial products or services. We are two autistic guys making sense of a world in which many autistic people are financially marginalised.
You can also find David and Darren at their respective blogs, davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com), and autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com).
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 12: Is Autism a Disability?
This episode is focusing on autism.
The online debate on the question of whether autism is a disability is often furious, but Darren looks at the details and considers a few points that are often overlooked. So, what is the answer? Listen to find out.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com/)
Darren: autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com/)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
8 Oct 2026
Episode 11: The Perfect Answer to the Impossible Question
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 11 - You have some disposable income… should you pay off your mortgage quicker, or invest? David uses all his mortgages and investing experience to try to find the perfect answer.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com/)
Darren: autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com/)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
6 Oct 2026
Episode 10: In The News
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 10 - In the News: A new miracle treatment for autism has been reported. Darren and David discuss the reliability of the science behind it, and the rather worrying financial context.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com/)
Darren: autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com/)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
1 Oct 2026
Episode 9: Why is Theory of Mind Deficit Nonsense, and How Can FI Have Different Flavours?
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 9:
Clarification: Relationship between autistic burnout and depression.
In the News: Why are people in Sweden getting their autism diagnosis reversed? And… autistic drivers revisited.
In Financial Independence: Different flavours of FI.
In Autism: Why was the Theory of Mind Deficit Model of Autism so Wrong?
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com/)
Darren: autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com/)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
24 Sept 2026
Episode 8: What Does Autistic Burnout Actually Do To You?
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 8:
-In the News - Should Autistic People Be Allowed to Drive? Autism is definitively genetic! And sad news about Noah Woods.
-What is Autistic Burnout, and What Does it Do to You?.
-How David’s Autistic Burnout Drove His Financial Independence Journey
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
17 Sept 2026
Episode 7: Can You Self-Diagnose Autism? Can You Retire Early? The Truth About Both.
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 7:
-Autism self-diagnosis: is it valid?
-The different life stages of financial independence.
-In the News: Life Expectancy for autistic people
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
9 Sept 2026
Episode 6: Who are the A**holes, What is Autism, and What are the Assets?
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence. Episode 6: Who are the A**holes, What is Autism, and What are the Assets?
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
Part 2 of What is Autism? Some thoughts on an interview with Edward Norton. Another autism microaggression, and a dive into the world of asset classes in investing.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
3 Sept 2026
Episode 5: Boring is Brilliant, Autism is Complicated, and How We Get Things Wrong
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence. Episode 5: What Is It?
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 5, David talks us through Survivorship Bias, Wants vs Needs, and Why Boring Can Be Brilliant.
Darren Gives a clarification on the finer points of the autism cultural divide discussed in the previous episode, before attempting to answer the big question: What is Autism?
Also:
Microaggression of the week: Being a little bit autistic.
Autism in the News
The hosts discuss how a news report about statistical methods could potentially send the wrong message about genetic research.
And as promised: a link to the What Is It scene from Red Dwarf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLc5mvOGgxc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLc5mvOGgxc)
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
27 Aug 2026
Episode 4: Why Autism Matters, and How Much is Enough?
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence. Episode 4: Why Autism Matters, and How Much Is Enough?
Autism, safe withdrawal rates, your FI number, and getting autism coverage right.
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 4, David talks us through approaches to financial independence and retiring early, based around safe withdrawal rates and your FI number. Darren explains how to break out of the autism bubble and explain to neurotypical people why autism really is relevant to them.
Also: Autism in the News
The hosts discuss some problematic coverage of autism on a very popular podcast whose presenters should know better.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
YouTube Music Attribution
Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: W1GW9WHEYJOL5J9E
22 Aug 2026
Episode 3: Follow The Money
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence — Episode 3: Follow the Money
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 3, Darren lays bare the huge amounts of money flowing through the autism industry, and explains why it’s not helping autistic people. David then talks about why personal budgeting is important, and why the best method of doing it is so counter-intuitive.
Also: Autism in the News
The hosts share their thoughts on one of the most ridiculous stories to emerge in autism news, and try, with limited success, to keep straight faces.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: (http://davidscothern.com/)davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: (http://autisticwriter.com/)autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593076251704)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available:
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
YouTube Music Attribution
Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: W1GW9WHEYJOL5J9E
20 Aug 2026
Episode 2: What Money Is, and Why It's Hard to Get
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence — Episode 2: What Money Is, and Why It’s Hard to Get
Autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
In Episode 2, David takes us through what money is, how it developed, and its relationship with time. Darren discusses how the route from childhood to financial independence in adulthood can be different for autistic people, and the obstacles they can encounter along the way.
Also: Autism in the News
David and Darren discuss the tragic developments in the Jason Arday story, and the direction of US policy on vaccines and autism.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
Blog Links
David: davidscothern.com (http://davidscothern.com)
Darren: autisticwriter.com (http://autisticwriter.com)
If you're struggling financially
Help is available.
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
17 Aug 2026
Episode 1: Introductions
AFI: Autism and Financial Independence — Episode 1: Autism, Financial Independence, and Why It Matters
In this new podcast, autistic bloggers David Scothern (Mortgage Advisor on FIRE) and Darren Scothern (The Autistic Writer) discuss the intersection of autism and financial independence.
Financial hardship affects many people, but autistic people are disproportionately affected by poverty and financial insecurity. Achieving financial independence, and the security that brings, is hugely important.
In this first episode, David and Darren discuss how financial hardship affects autistic people, what financial independence actually means, and why it matters.
Also: Autism in the News
David and Darren discuss recent stories involving Robbie Williams and Uta Frith.
A note from Darren and David
Darren and David do not sell, promote, or endorse any financial services or products. Nothing discussed on the podcast should be taken as personal financial advice.
If you're struggling financially
Help is available.
StepChange is a UK charity providing free debt advice and solutions: https://www.stepchange.org/ (https://www.stepchange.org/)
Citizens Advice also provides advice and guidance on debt and money: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/ (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/)
Finally, links to our individual blogs:
www.davidscothern.com (http://www.davidscothern.com)
www.autisticwriter.com (http://www.autisticwriter.com)
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Spotify
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2 ratings
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