1500 Days to Freedom LIVE at FinCon | Carl & Mindy Jensen

In today's episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Carl and Mindy Jensen from 1500 Days.

This power couple is a staple in the financial independence space.

We had a blast recording live at FinCon and can't wait for you to hear.

Discover the origin of the 1500 day blog, the dinosaurs, and why Carl will never be a plumber

Listen and read below to get all the wisdom from Carl and Mindy.
Episode Summary

Carl discovered FIRE after having a bad day at work at age 37
He ended up setting a goal of retiring in 1500 days
He met his goal at age 43
Mindy and Carl write over at 1500 days
Mindy is also a co-host of the Bigger Pockets Money Podcast
They live next to Mr. Money Mustache in Colorado
After becoming friends they went in together in a co-working space
We start unwrapping Carl and Mindy’s upbringing
Carl’s parents weren’t very good with money
He also was the first in his family to go to college
Carl became a work-a-holic and a money hoarder
He would wake up with nightmares about money and getting fired
Mindy actually is the one who still works though
She loves her job, which has nothing to do with her education
Mindy and Carl had their kids before they discovered FIRE
They were three and five years old
Both kids are still in school
With that, Mindy doesn’t miss valuable family time by working
We then discuss how the kids perceive them as retired parents
Mindy recalls growing up spending all Saturday going to garage sales
She said her parents had money but didn’t let the kids know
Carl recalls picking individual stocks when he first started working
He doesn’t recommend this approach now but got lucky with it
Mindy didn’t utilize the stock market until she got married
But she did start investing in real estate right away
Her first place was a $50k condo
She sold it a little later for $75k
We go back to hearing how Carl started his blog 1500 days
It was based on the days left he had to work after discovering FIRE
The blog was a way to keep him accountable
Currently, they invest in real estate including a Maine trailer park
They also do index funds, solo 401ks, and a syndicate deal
They still do live in flips and are about to start a new one
We then discuss the things they do for fun
Carl’s favorite thing about retirement is the uncertainty
The next big project they have is starting a brewery
Mindy discusses not moving around even with no job holding them down
Then we dial into the final three questions
Trust us you won’t want to miss these

Hint… Carl gets sprayed with feces 



Key Takeaways

* You may not change: Carl was addicted to working and staying busy. Just because he doesn't have to work, doesn't mean it changes that natural instinct to look for the next project.
* You may work for fun: Most people get nervous about retiring early out of fear. In reality, most people still end up making money in retirement. Just look at Mindy who's killing it at Bigger Pockets
* Have fun people: Our favorite thing about Carl and Mindy is just how much fun they have with life. Don't stress yourself out. Enjoy the ride.

Call to Action

The call to action this week is in honor of our guests... DRINK A BEER!
   Non-Alcoholic is just fine :)

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