Episode 192

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Published on:

25th Mar 2026

Fridays: The Best Place to Begin Practicing Financial Freedom | E192

As I got closer to financial independence, I realized something strange: I had more financial freedom than ever, but I still wasn’t using my time any differently.

It forced me to ask a bigger question: if the goal of FI is freedom with your time, why was I still waiting to start living that way?

In this solo episode, I share why Fridays might be the best place to begin practicing financial independence before you reach your FI number. After years of working full-time while also running my business, I started experimenting with taking Fridays off, and eventually Mondays too, and discovered that freedom is something you can practice in small doses.

You’ll learn why Fridays are the perfect low-risk “tiny quit,” how reclaiming just one day can help you escape the weekend crunch, and why experimenting with flexibility now can build confidence in your FI plan long before you hit your number.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why financial independence is a skill, not just a number
  • How taking Fridays off can help you practice freedom before reaching FI
  • Why Fridays are the lowest-risk day to experiment with flexibility at work
  • How reclaiming your time can prevent burnout and create more life balance
  • Simple ways to ask your employer for Fridays off or more flexibility
  • Why small “tiny quits” can help you build confidence and design your ideal life


Other Episodes You’ll Love:

The Hardest Skill in FI: Knowing When to Stop | E190 Joel Larsgaard

How to Create a 3-Day Workweek (Before You Reach FI) | E187 Andy Hill

What’s on Your FI Bucket List? | E186


Connect With Justin

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.


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About the Podcast

FI Minded - Financial Independence, Early Retirement & Lifestyle Design
Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It
Pursuing financial independence, financial freedom, or early retirement often leads to the same questions: How do I become financially independent? How much should I save? What happens after I reach FI?

FI Minded helps you use money to create more freedom, without turning your entire life into a financial optimization project.

Host Justin Peters explores the decisions behind building a flexible, work-optional life, from reaching financial independence and navigating Coast FI and Slow FI to spending your money, changing careers, stepping away from work, and figuring out what comes after FI.

Each episode combines practical personal finance with conversations about early retirement, lifestyle design, work, spending, healthcare, self-employment, and life after financial independence. The goal isn't simply to reach FI as quickly as possible. It's to make progress toward financial freedom while actually enjoying your life along the way.

On FI Minded, you'll learn how to:
- Reach financial independence without burning out
- Build a flexible, work-optional lifestyle
- Navigate Coast FI, Slow FI, and other paths to FI
- Make smarter decisions about spending and saving
- Prepare financially and emotionally for early retirement
- Figure out what life can look like after financial independence
- Think through the tradeoffs behind major money and lifestyle decisions
- Make progress toward financial independence while actually living your life.

Some of our past guests include Carl Jensen (1500 Days), Jeremy Schneider (Personal Finance Club), Nick Loper (Side Hustle Show), Andrew Giancola (The Personal Finance Podcast), Jordan Grumet (Earn & Invest), Rachael Camp (Work Optional), Jillian Johnsrud (Retire Often), Sean Mullaney (FI Tax Guy), Jill Sirianni (Frugal Friends), Jackie Cummings-Koski (Catching Up to FI), Joel Larsgaard (How to Money), Cody Garrett (Measure Twice), Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors), Jess (The Fioneers), Chris Hutchins (All The Hacks), Diania Merriam (EconoMe), Andy Hill (Marriage Kids Money), Fritz Gilbert (Retirement Manifesto), Maggie Tucker (Inside Out Money), Cody Berman (The Financial Independence Show), Joe Saul-Sehy (Stacking Benjamins), Doug Cunnington (Mile High FI), and and others helping you rethink how to approach financial independence.
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