Irish Financial Independence Podcast
Welcome - I’m Michael Houghton, and I write and podcast about our family’s journey toward Financial Independence (FI).
In 2018, I began pursuing financial independence after growing tired of trading time for money and realising that, despite steady work and a decent income, we never felt like we were getting ahead financially. I was drawn to the idea that, through intentional living and the power of compounding, it was possible to build a different kind of life - one where work became optional and I could live on my own terms.
For me, the most valuable thing money can buy is freedom: freedom of time, freedom of choice, and freedom for my family.
Along the way, I’ve shared the journey openly through podcast episodes and detailed monthly updates, covering both the challenges and the wins as we worked toward FI.
At some point in 2025, we realised we had crossed an important milestone: our FI portfolio had grown large enough to support our relatively low-cost lifestyle if we chose to step away from full-time work. While I haven’t retired yet, we’re comfortable calling ourselves financially independent - and these days, much of what I write and podcast about is what life looks like on the other side of that goal.
You can also sign up to my monthly newsletter and receive regular updates, insights, and reflections delivered straight to your inbox.
The podcast is sponsored by KennCo Insurance. KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland.
Latest Podcast Episodes
Making Finance Simple, with Dan Malone
Friday, 6th November 2026
In this episode Michael is joined by Dan Malone, founder of Honest.ie and creator of a popular YouTube channel "Dan Malone Money", which is focused on making personal finance simple and accessible. Recorded in front of a live audience, Michael and Dan explore financial education in Ireland, investing, pensions and the decisions that can help people build long-term financial security.
Listen NowTime Freedom: Rethinking Retirement, with Brian Herriot
Friday, 30th October 2026
What if retirement wasn’t the goal, and the focus was instead on building a life where work fits around what matters most? In this episode, Michael welcomes Brian Herriot, author of Time Freedom, to explore a different way of thinking about work, money and freedom.
Listen NowContracting in Ireland: Tax, Expenses and Early Retirement with Sarah Flynn
Friday, 23rd October 2026
Could becoming a contractor help you earn more, gain flexibility and build towards financial independence? In this episode, Michael is joined by Sarah Flynn from Fenero to discuss contracting in Ireland and the reasons you might consider making the move from permanent employment.
Listen NowLatest Progress Updates
October 2026 Portfolio Update
Wednesday, 11th November 2026
It was meant to be easy. Our tenant moved out in August and my plan was to sell our first investment property and look to start to liquidate some of our property portfolio, as I move towards early retirement next March. However six weeks on the market, we have had plenty of views, but only one offer for less than what we would be willing to sell the property for.
Read MoreSeptember 2026 Portfolio Update
Monday, 5th October 2026
For many years, we were building wealth. We were buying assets for growth. This included our index funds in a pension rather than owning them personally (to enable tax free growth) and buying property with leverage. As I start to work towards retiring from my full time software development contract in March, I have started to think about how we can structure our portfolio to best handle withdrawals.
Read MoreAugust 2026 Portfolio Update
Thursday, 3rd September 2026
For many years, my thought process when it came to building a portfolio was to live off the profit but protect the capital. Andrew from the Limerick FI meetup group used to describe it best: “live off the golden eggs, but don’t kill the goose”. As I started to get closer to hitting our FIRE number, my attitude towards this began to change.
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