I was reviewing my spending for the first half of 2025 and noticed something interesting: excluding routine bills, groceries, and experiences, I only bought 25 new things this year, totaling about $1,400. For six months, that felt pretty solid. But it also got me wondering… could I go even further?

That curiosity came to a head when the nozzle on my garden hose started leaking. My first instinct was to hop on Amazon and buy a new one. It was only $20. But then I paused. I looked up what might cause the leak and found out it’s usually a worn-out rubber washer. I took the thing apart, and sure enough, that was it. I hopped back on Amazon to order a new washer…until I remembered I had another broken nozzle in the garage. I swear I have the worst luck with these—but this one wasn’t leaking. I had just dropped it and snapped the trigger handle. I took the rubber washer from that one and used it to fix the current nozzle.

And it worked! No money spent. Nothing added to a landfill. And honestly, I felt proud of myself.

I share that story because it’s easy to assume we’re already frugal or intentional enough—especially in the FI community. But that moment made me realize how often I default to “buy new” without even questioning it. And I want to become more intentional, especially when it comes to physical things.

That’s why I invited Ashlee Piper on the show today. Ashlee is a sustainability expert and author of the new book No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity. She’s also the creator of the #NoNewThings Challenge, which she personally followed for two years, which is just insanely impressive.

In this conversation, we dig into how to creatively meet your needs without always reaching for your wallet. Ashlee shares her SUPER system for thoughtfully navigating purchases, and we run through a few real-life scenarios like getting ready for a wedding or gearing up for Halloween.

If you want to bring more intentionality into how you consume, this episode will leave you feeling inspired.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with the always resourceful, wildly entertaining, and sustainability-driven…Ashlee Piper.

Key Takeaways:

• How to skip buying new without giving up what you love
• A system to make smarter, more intentional buying choices
• Find practical ways to fix, borrow, or swap before buying something new
• How consumer culture encourages excess (and how to resist it)
• Balancing intentional spending and restriction

More of Ashlee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleepiper/

Newsletter: https://substack.com/@theethicaledit

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

We’re all waiting for the day we hit financial independence. That’s when we’ll finally quit our jobs and have time to learn a new hobby, start that house project, take longer vacations, or prioritize our health.

You probably have a list of things you’re saving for after FI—but what if you don’t want to wait another decade to start? Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. The challenge is that your career eats up most of your time and energy, and since you’re not financially independent yet, walking away isn’t an option.

But what if you didn’t have to choose between all work now and all freedom later? What if you could work for a few years, take a break, then return to work—and repeat that cycle? Instead of one long career followed by one long retirement, what if you took mini-retirements along the way?

It’s not just a theory—today’s guest has done it. Jillian Johnsrud has taken over a dozen mini-retirements throughout her life and now helps others do the same.

In this episode, Jillian shares how to organize your time off, why some employers actually say yes to these breaks, and how a mini-retirement might even improve your career. She also provides examples of how mini-retirements speed up, rather than slow down, people’s path to FI.

Mini-retirements are one of my favorite concepts—I’ve taken one myself, and I always encourage my friends to consider them too.

So today, I’m making the case to you: maybe it’s better to retire often than to retire once.

Key Takeaways:

• What a Mini-Retirement Actually Looks Like
• How to Plan a Mini-Retirement with Purpose
• A framework for organizing your mini-retirement using Jillian’s “Dream To-Do List”
• Signs It’s Time to Step Away
• How to Talk to Your Employer About Taking Time Off
• Why some employers say yes to mini-retirements—and how to make your case
• Tips for framing the request in a way that shows mutual benefit
• Making the Financial Trade-Off Worth It
• Surprising ways mini-retirements can actually improve your career or lead to new income opportunities.
• Why “Retire Often” Might Be Better Than “Retire Once”

More of Jillian:

Read Retire Often: https://lnk.to/retireoften

More of FI Minded:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

If you're on the path to financial independence, you know every dollar adds up. An extra $1,000 a year might not sound like much, but early in your FI journey, that kind of savings can seriously accelerate your timeline. And if you’re already FI, trimming $1,000 in expenses lowers your FIRE number and helps your nest egg last longer.

The best part? I’m not asking you to start a side hustle or cut out your favorite purchases.

Instead, we’re talking about saving money by wasting less, specifically, food waste.

Yes, that’s right. The average American throws out over 200 pounds of food a year. For a family of four, that’s about $3,200 straight into the trash. Think wilted spinach, moldy bread, and forgotten leftovers. Any of this sound familiar?

Here’s the good news: with a little planning and a few habit shifts, you can cut that waste dramatically and keep more money in your pocket without sacrificing lifestyle.

Today’s guest, Bryan Suddith, took this challenge seriously. Over the last five years, he’s tracked every bit of food that ended up in his trash. And the total? Less than $100. For a family of four.

We’ll share practical tips for meal planning, a framework for eating through your groceries, his favorite go-to food-waste saving meal (which surprised me), and even how to avoid food waste after hosting a party.

If you’re ready to trim your grocery bill and stretch your FI dollars further without really sacrificing anything, then you’re going to like this episode.

Key Takeaways:

• The impact of tracking your food waste
• How to avoid aspirational grocery purchases
• Which groceries to prioritize eating first
• Creative ways to turn soon-to-expire food into tasty meals
• A go-to food-waste-saving meal everyone will enjoy
• How to cut down on food waste after hosting a party
• What to know about food waste legislation

More of Bryan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryansuddith/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/