Ep. 080R — A Case For Survivor, Compost, And 2nd Generation FI

Most families teach kids to save money—but what if that's not enough? Teaching children to share, not just hoard, might be the missing piece in raising a financially independent generation.

Brad and Jonathan tackle listener questions on investing for kids, from choosing between Vanguard and M1 for a child's first investment to setting up Roth IRAs for young earners. They explore bucket strategies that teach children to allocate money for saving, spending, and sharing—emphasizing that financial literacy goes beyond just accumulating wealth.

The conversation expands into "anchoring," the practice of setting ambitious financial goals. Even falling short of a target like 35X expenses can yield remarkable results: reaching 20X or 25X still represents life-changing progress. This mindset applies to teaching kids about money too—aiming high ensures that even partial success is a win.

Gardening enthusiast Karen shares how growing food at home builds self-sufficiency, cuts grocery costs, and fosters family collaboration. The hosts tie this back to financial independence, showing how practical skills compound over time.

Key Topics Discussed

Investing for Kids Discussion 00:00:56

• Advice on whether to start investing with Vanguard or M1
• Importance of beginning to invest early for children

The Importance of Bucket Strategies 00:01:33

• Techniques to teach children about managing money through separate buckets for saving, spending, and sharing

Exploring the Concept of Anchoring 00:06:44

• Setting high financial goals and understanding that even partial achievements can be beneficial
• Incremental growth and practical examples from personal experiences

Financial Literacy for Children 00:32:43

• Practical strategies for instilling financial education in children, focusing on saving, budgeting, and investing
• Relevance of Roth IRAs and investments for young earners

Gardening and Its Financial Benefits 00:54:15

• How gardening can enhance self-sufficiency and provide financial benefits

Key Insights

Achieving Goals: Set ambitious financial goals; even if not fully met, significant progress can still be achieved. 00:06:03

Non-binary Success: Celebrate incremental gains, whether reaching halfway to a goal or three-quarters. 00:08:49

Value of Sharing: Teaching children to share and collaborate fosters financial well-being and community togetherness. 00:43:24

Resources

• ChooseFI Community
• Roth IRA Information

Notable Quotes

"You don't just go from zero X or eight X to 35X, you have to progress through 10, 15, 20, and 25." 00:06:03

"Knowing that life is not binary, knowing that success doesn't necessarily have to look like that initial anchoring goalpost can be a really, really good thing." 00:08:49

"If you are shooting to be 100% better, but you're only 50% better, at the end of this journey, well, that's pretty darn incredible." 00:08:15

"The idea of sharing is incredibly powerful." 00:43:24