070 |Your Money or Your Life | Vicki Robin

Author and FI pioneer Vicki Robin discusses the cultural development of overconsumption, how much is enough, and what else, besides good investments, contributes to successful financial independence?
Vicki’s story began when she invested in long-term bonds at a young age, achieving modest financial independence very quickly Vicki and her partner, Joe Dominguez, hosted seminars about financial independence beginning in the 1980s, donating the proceeds. What is the difference between making a living, and making a “dime”? How did the culture of over-consumption develop during the past century? Once the average person spends 20 years preparing for adulthood, and another third of your life sleeping, how much time do we really have for living? What is the idea of the Real Hourly Wage, and how could it impact the way we spend money? Why might we need to be “deprogrammed” from consumption? What is the Fulfillment Curve and what is the difference between a “cheap thrill” and real satisfaction? How does consumerism develop throughout life, and does it stem from dissatisfaction? How much is enough? Once people have “enough”, happiness actually comes from giving, not getting. How is Real Hourly Wage calculated? What needs and identities are neglected when we overspend our hours and consciousness on our jobs? How do people confuse work, jobs, and income? Finding passive income helps to separate jobs from income. What does Vicki enjoy about finding community with the world of FI? Community is currency - money isn’t the only element of becoming independent. How do meaningful relationships developing into situations of Mutual Aid, and how does that impact a person’s living costs? As a leader in the FI community for about 30 years, what does Vicki think it will take to create lasting, cultural changes? In order to change the way the world consumes, personal change is necessary, but not sufficient. How does universal health care impact FI in the US? Will FI become mainstream? Talking about our relationship with money in a first step toward creating lasting change Sharing: Half the cost and twice the fun. Links to things mentioned in the show: Book on Amazon: Your Money or Your Life
Book on Amazon: Dying for a Paycheck
Website: Millennial Money

[@naomiking2442]

Absolutely life-giving! Thank you Vicki!

[@jenniferevans4485]

Great podcast. Love Vicki Robin's philosophies.

[@alexl266]

This episode has aged well... Especially when she discussed UBI. Brilliant lady and SO ahead of her time.

[@HylianCucco]

Love hearing Vicki talk, she is so empowering.

[@jacoblange2176]

Great podcast. Great guest. One thought that I come back to time and time again is that if conspicuous consumption was ever to stop in America, the economic system as we know it would crumble, and the investments we rely on for FI would decease in value dramatically. I feel morally conflicted that my own financial wealth is dependent on the misguided consumer habits of the masses. Does anyone else relate to that sentiment?

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

definitely. but I think the word you were looking for is consumerism.. consummations means something else:)

[@jacoblange2176]

@@anniesshenanigans3815 Ha. Must have been an autocorrect error.

[@warrenwantoobe1267]

THE MORE YOU SERVE OTHERS, THE MORE YOU SERVE YOURSELF!

[@WarriorsPhoto]

Amen and good point. (:

[@WorldWideRide2012]

Always excellent to hear Vicki.

[@ChooseFI]

Absolutely. I really enjoy her perspective. Have you heard her new podcast?

[@WorldWideRide2012]

@@ChooseFI A little but I am way behind and admittedly some of the topics she is covering there I'm not overly interested in. Keep up the great work at ChooseFI, it's a fantastic resource and changing lives.

[@freetimefinance3585]

Would love to learn Jonathan's real hourly wage as a pharmacist!

[@robbertou]

Really weird that she suggest ubi and ubh as points for spreading FI to the people. 100% dissapointed that you guys did not question her about that

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

she has addressed this in other talks.. everyone would do a community or public service roles for a year to initiate UBI. I don't think she ever addressed how it would be funded. But considering how many people in our country are on some sort of welfare, it's the same thing. And the rate of taxes that we already have, it makes sense... If you had UBI and you decided that was not enough, you could work towards FI, and then you would be paying taxes that pays for the UBI. And those that could not or did not want to were not homeless (unless they want to be.). Now don't kill the messenger here! I do not have any answers for the ones that are mega rich.. except tax them the same as everyone else instead of all the tax breaks.

[@robbertou]

@@anniesshenanigans3815 Yes you make a great point. With so many people on welfare UBI is the lesser evil, but it's still evil and robs people of a "oh shit I am broke, what do I do to never let this happen again" moment. To say UBI actually helps with achieving FI is suspect at best and would like to know her reasoning. But just trow it out there like it's a fact is not done. Not done at all.

[@kikihowe4799]

@@robbertou she’s a socialist …everything should be free with 1/2 taking and the other half giving ….

[@dionmcneeley7859]

I’m sorry but at the 1 hour mark she goes bat shit crazy. Socialism and communism are virtually identical and have never worked once. FI is not that everyone should get free anything. It’s about people having enough assets to pay for their liabilities.

[@bobp363]

Cannot stand it when other people who don't know us yet put us in all these categories and then they tell me what makes me happy and what does not.Her brain is clogged up, not mine..Shes all over the place.Reminds me of everyone of my mothers friends i knew while growing up in the 60s and early 70s in Greenwich Village.She can save some serious cash by passing up on the next hit in her Bong.