Got debt to pay off? You might relate to Leo, a personal finance journalist who’s focused on financial stability over FIRE—at least for now. With six figures in student loans and credit card debt, Leo found themselves in a tough spot after being laid off with no safety net. Determined never to end up in that position again, they began chipping away at their debt, working toward financial peace of mind instead of a relentless grind to early retirement.
Leo shares why their approach to financial freedom is different. While they don’t want to wait until sixty-five to retire, they’ve crafted a “wealth plan” that balances paying off debt, building a safety net, and creating a better life today.
In this episode, Leo dives deep into budgeting tips, debt repayment strategies, and the unique financial challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Tired of the all-out grind to FIRE and want “financial stability” instead? Leo has just what you need!
Mindy:
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the BiggerPockets Money podcast. Today’s episode is from the fire series, which originally aired on our YouTube channel. Leo has such a great story that we wanted to share it with our audio listeners as well. This episode is brought to you by Connect Invest Real Estate Investing simplified and within your reach. So without further ado, let’s chat with Leo. Leo, thank you so much for joining me. I am so excited to talk to you.
Leo:
Yeah, thank you so much for having me. I’m a big fan of the show.
Mindy:
Oh, well, that’s awesome. Take us back to the beginning. Who were you before you started focus on your finances?
Leo:
Oh my God. I definitely made every mistake in the book. I had so many student loans. I was a fashion designer in New York. I was spending money on coffee every day and going out to fancy dinners I couldn’t afford, and I feel like I did everything wrong up until I started working as a reporter at Business Insider covering personal finance, and that’s kind of…