The road to Financial Independence (FI) can seem long and out of reach. Luckily, there are ways to get freedom way before reaching FI!
Using FI strategies and Life Design, we discuss practical tips to help you buy your time back, so you can start enjoying your journey to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early), instead of delaying your freedom until you retired.
Whether you want to be debt free, quit a job, spend more time with family, start a passion project, change career, take a sabbatical, find purpose, do nomadic travel or even geographic arbitrage, we got you covered. Let's do this!
Geoarbitrage in Asia, Sabbaticals & Life Design (My Story on the Everyday FI Podcast) | Ep.107
I share my story on the Everyday FI Podcast with my friend Meghan Combs. I touch on things like:
Growing up in an immigrant household in UK
Growing up with the Migrant Mindset and Frugality
My journey from London, UK to the Philippines
Geoarbitrage in South East Asia and Costs of Living
My Why behind FI and Life Design
My Life Design Principles
My Sabbatical stories and the power of them
Alternative FI Milestones (FU Money, Coast FI, Barista FI)
Related Episodes:
Ep. 103 From Corporate to Barista FI with Meghan Combs - Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4QCZFUpwMTj2OVhL0sxQm7?si=cde15847ae694bc2)
Ep. 99 Should You Take a Sabbatical or Keep Working to FI - Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0c3zPUx4dMmcxoi8pl85Yd?si=b4a59697d9bf47a0)
Ep. 96 Lean FIRE Abroad: The Faster Parth to FI (Geoarbitrage) - Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/666KP8I1FrqnIq3CMoNNr0?si=nhDYvEc9RTGUxcuM1SGAzQ)
Freedom Before FI Links:
Free Guides: Download the free ‘Freedom Ideas’ Cheat Sheet and the free ‘Find Your Purpose’ worksheet at: https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/ (https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/)
Website: Check out our resources and services at www.freedombeforefi.com (http://www.freedombeforefi.com)
Email: If you want to connect, send me a note at greg@freedombeforefi.com (mailto:greg@freedombeforefi.com)
Instagram: or send a DM at Instagram Link (https://www.instagram.com/freedombeforefi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreedomBeforeFI (https://www.youtube.com/@FreedomBeforeFI)
Linktree (all links): https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi (https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi)
Check out EverydayFI Podcast at: Apple Podcast Link (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everydayfi/id1747124228)
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice
23 Aug 2026
Working Only 4 Months of the Year Consulting w/ Scott on Fire | Ep. 106
Scott joins us again to talk about his journey to creating more time freedom through part time consulting, where he works only part of the year. This frees him up to work on things that are meaningful to him, like more time with his partner, passion projects, travel and of course writing. Scott is based in Melbourne Australia, he left full time work and a six figure salary in 2023 to work part of the year and he runs the Scott on Fire blog where he writes about his FI philosophy and how to live a good life.
Things you’ll learn:
About his part time consulting work
The Melbourne local FIRE community
His FIRE Goal: to make work optional by 40
His investment portfolio and his fun money
The 4 ETFs he’s investing in
The debt recycling strategy (in Australia)
His investing journey from 2018
His 50% savings rate for 7 years
How he was able to save 75% in one year
His career journey from 2018: Studied accounting
His first job: data entry as payroll officer
On never getting promotions, just positive ‘side steps’
How he got into consulting
Quitting full time work in 2023
The challenges of having freedom
Quick-fire round questions at the end:
Something he wished they done 10 years ago
His daily habits that helped him in life
His most important lesson in life
His book recommendations
1-2 small things listeners can do this week to get started
Scott on Fire Links:
Website & Blog: https://scottonfire.com/ (https://scottonfire.com/)
X: https://x.com/ScottOnFire (https://x.com/ScottOnFire)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottOnFireDotCom (https://www.facebook.com/ScottOnFireDotCom)
Substack: https://scottonfire.substack.com/ (https://scottonfire.substack.com/)
Freedom Before FI Links:
Free Guides: Download the free ‘Freedom Ideas’ Cheat Sheet and the free ‘Find Your Purpose’ worksheet at: https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/ (https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/)
Website: Check out our resources and services at www.freedombeforefi.com (http://www.freedombeforefi.com)
Email: If you want to connect, send me a note at greg@freedombeforefi.com (mailto:greg@freedombeforefi.com)
Instagram: or send a DM at Instagram Link (https://www.instagram.com/freedombeforefi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)
Linktree (all links): https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi (https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi)
Listen to FBF on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/freedom-before-fi-life-design-purpose-sabbaticals-coast/id1740083285 (https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/freedom-before-fi-life-design-purpose-sabbaticals-coast/id1740083285)
Listen to FBF on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk?si=cc8639ad8c28474e (https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk?si=cc8639ad8c28474e)
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice
4 Aug 2026
Life Design: Living Between Australia and France w/ Bex Thomas | Ep. 105
Have you ever thought about living between two countries to avoid the cold winters? Thats exactly how Bex Thomas and her husband are living their life now. They designed a life they love which involves living in Sydney Australia for part of the year and Brittany in France the rest of the year to avoid the colder winters. Bex is the awesome host of the Sabbatical Stories podcast and is a career break and career transition coach.
Things you’ll learn:
Current living situation: Between Australia and France
The hardships of renovating a 15th Century barn in France
What a typical years looks like between the two countries
Her backstory from growing up in UK to moving to Australia
First sabbatical before moving to Australia
Her first 5 years living in Sydney
Her promotion to Director level and it being an anti-climax
Second sabbatical (8 months): Soul searching and life design
Their 3 themes of life design: sunshine, freedom and people
Exiting full time corporate in 2022
How she got into coaching
Passion projects she experimented with
Finding her Ikigai
Finding life balance over 365 days not just per day
On coaching people to take leaps into the unknown
Values misalignment: Main issue for students
Crossroads Program: outline of 6 sessions
Purposeful Pause Program: outline of 6 sessions
Advice she gives for people post sabbatical
About her monthly tech free ‘Joy Day’
How they set up finances to fund their transition
Quick-fire round questions at the end:
Something she wished they done 10 years ago
Her daily habits that helped her on journey
Her most important lesson in life
Her book recommendations
1-2 small things listeners can do this week to get started
Bex Thomas (Links):
Website: https://bexthomas.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bexthomas/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bexthomascoaching/
Sabbatical Stories Podcast: Link (https://open.spotify.com/show/5tiZCJEftQTCmkrSfs8mPP?si=307e039ca53c4228)
Freedom Before FI Links:
Free Guides: Download the free ‘Freedom Ideas’ Cheat Sheet and the free ‘Find Your Purpose’ worksheet at: https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/ (https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/)
Website: Check out our resources and services at www.freedombeforefi.com (http://www.freedombeforefi.com)
Email: If you want to connect, send me a note at greg@freedombeforefi.com (mailto:greg@freedombeforefi.com)
Instagram: or send a DM at Instagram Link (https://www.instagram.com/freedombeforefi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)
Linktree (all links): https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi (https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi)
Related Episodes:
Ep. 88: Test Driving Retirement by Slow Travel (w/ Not Your Ordinary Plan) Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rO2MeCiADXM5ZpmwteXEz?si=7d69cb155b8843a9)
Ep. 77: The 5 Tools For Designing Your Life (If You’re Feeling Stuck) - Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/79ELeicKLgjsw5lZNsf7OC?si=91ef670ad9b3479a)
Ep. 74: Crafting Your Best Life Now Before FI w/ Justin Peters of the FI Minded Podcast - Link (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0l9g7YvOZjzdKFYBKv3rAV?si=e5dc277dc40c41eb)
Listen to FBF on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/freedom-before-fi-life-design-purpose-sabbaticals-coast/id1740083285 (https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/freedom-before-fi-life-design-purpose-sabbaticals-coast/id1740083285)
Listen to FBF on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk?si=cc8639ad8c28474e (https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk?si=cc8639ad8c28474e)
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice
Who has been a guest on Freedom Before FI
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lyndall Farley
Lisa Hoashi
Katrina Mcghee
Shang Saavedra
Matt
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
18 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 65 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
91
Social presence
90
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
Contact Freedom Before FI
Guest appearances
Books guests
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