We’ve talked a lot about what we’re “supposed” to do to be real adults and be considered successful on the right path. We've tackled everything from college to marriage to homeownership to having kids.

Topics covered in this wrap-up episode

* What makes an adult?

* Do you really want to follow that prescribed path?

* The importance of re-examining your life path and money to determine if you really want to do it.

* Realities of today: working hard doesn’t guarantee you financial success.

* What’s something each of us would have done differently if we felt we could?

* What are we doing now that’s unconventional according to society?

* What’s the biggest surprise from this season?

* What’s something you want to delve into deeper in the future?

Our takeaways from season 2

* The importance of financial coaching to help you decide what really matters to you.

* How we’ve made unconventional choices and they’ve worked out for us.

* The research really helps us understand how the American Dream isn’t what it’s cracked up to be and might not even be attainable in the current stage of capitalism.

Our financial resource

Sarah and Miranda agree that the CFPB offers great tools for understanding money.

* Sarah Li-Cain

* Miranda Marquit

Geo-arbitrage is the practice of moving from an area with a high cost of living to a place with a lower cost of living. It’s one of the bits of advice some FIRE enthusiasts suggest for those looking to reach financial freedom faster. But does using geo-arbitrage always make sense?

Topics covered in this episode on geo-arbitrage

* What is geo-arbitrage?

* Is moving really just about the money?

* How to understand your lifestyle and how it fits into geo-arbitrage

* Reasons to move

* Realities of moving to a low-cost-of-living area and some of the challenges

* Understanding taxes—it’s not just about income taxes

* Living in a high-cost-of-living area can be the right choice to save your sanity

Sources used for this episode on LCOL vs. HCOL area

* Our rant episode that includes info from Eric Rosenberg about choosing a HCOL area

* Our episode on choosing whether to have kids

* Cost of moving information from HireAHelper and Nerd Wallet

* Find information on state and local taxes and property taxes from the Tax Foundation and Bankrate

* CNN Money’s cost of living calculator that can help you compare salary needs in different areas

* Cost of childcare by state according to World Population Review

* Home insurance cost by state from Insurance.com

Our financial resource

If you want to learn more about geo-arbitrage and how to make it work, check out this article from Smart Asset.

* Sarah Li-Cain

* Miranda Marquit

We’ve talked a lot about hustle culture and the grindset bros and girl bosses who drive the narrative that time is money and you must be productive all day, every day. But is being a workaholic really the way to make all the money?

In this episode, we discuss how you don’t always have to be productive and how sometimes it’s okay just to do something because you enjoy it and not because it makes you money.

Topics covered in this episode on finding time to NOT be productive

* The “time is money” concept and the reality behind exchanging time for money

* “Passive” income and what that means

* The horribleness that is feeling that you have to monetize everything you do

* Why you don’t have to “maximize” your time to be successful

* The fact that minimum wage workers often work harder than others and the reality that many people need side gigs to survive

* Tips for breaking out of the productivity trap

* Understanding “enough”

* Using values-based spending to require less

* How to use self-care effectively without breaking the bank

Sources used for this episode on sticking with your “real” job

* How Toxic Productivity Can Affect Chronic Illness

* Information on the negative impacts of toxic productivity from the Newport Institute

* Drexel University’s report on how minimum wage isn’t enough for most people to live on

* MIT’s living wage calculator

* Miranda’s article on how hard you have to work earning minimum wage

* Information from Civic Science about how many more people are taking on side hustles

* Sarah’s Substack, Search For Enough

* Why Do I Feel Guilty When I Relax?

* American Heart Association article on self-care

* Self Care: What It Is and What It Is Not

Our financial resource

Consider checking out our friend Kara’s website Bravely Go. She talks a lot about sustainable finance, values based spending, and taking care of yourself in this late-stage capitalist hell. Also consider reading the book Laziness Does Not Exist.

* Sarah Li-Cain

* Miranda Marquit