The Freedom Before FI Interview
Thursday 28th August 2025
In this episode, Michael republishes his interview on the Freedom Before FI podcast which covers his journey to financial independence and what life looks like along the way. He shares his story of moving from New Zealand to Limerick, raising a family of five, and how he’s built up a €700k+ investment portfolio split between property and stocks. Michael also talks about lifestyle design, seasonal and part-time work, and how keeping a 75% savings rate was possible while still enjoying life.
The interview also considers the human side of FI - how financial freedom has improved family life, the way he teaches his kids about money and investing, and what purpose looks like once work is optional. Michael shares what it’s like writing for The Irish Independent, filling his days with meaningful projects, and the habits and lessons that have shaped his path. Stick around until the end for a fun quick-fire round where Michael reveals the book that changed his perspective, the small things you can do this week to start investing, and the lessons he wishes he’d known ten years ago.
Show Notes:
Here are the links to the original interview:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk
See the interview on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndeNIEUwtn0
Become an Irish FIRE newsletter subscriber:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
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