Podcast · Business

Aussie FIRE | Financial Independence Retire Early

by Hayden Smith & Dave Gow · English · Business

The Aussie FIRE podcast is the ultimate guide to Financial Independence for Australians. Having started life as an e-book, then an audiobook, it's now reached its final form: a podcast that will keep on giving. The Aussie FIRE audiobook is brought to you by Pearler, Australia's favourite long-term

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 48 min
Latest: 9 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026 · 43 min

95. How to travel without killing your savings

Travel is supposed to be one of the things money gives you more freedom to enjoy. But when a holiday can cost $15,000 instead of $5,000, how do you keep seeing the world without feeling like every trip is sending your finances backwards? In this episode, Dave and Hayden compare the simple principles and slightly more extreme hacks they use to keep travel costs down, from letting flight deals influence the destination to shared bathrooms, camping, house sitting and even taking annual leave to stay home. In this episode we'll discuss: ✈️ Why Hayden thinks a typical one-to-three-week trip can…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

2 Oct 2026 · 36 min
94. Can you just live off high yield?
If the goal is to live off your portfolio one day, why bother selling investments at all? Could you simply build a portfolio that throws off enough income to cover your spending, ignore the 4% rule and leave the assets themselves alone? It sounds neat. But once you look past the appeal of regular cash flow, the trade-offs get more interesting. Dave and Hayden explore what a higher-yield FIRE portfolio could actually look like, why income investing can feel so psychologically appealing, and where chasing yield can start creating problems. In this episode we'll discuss: 💰 Whether living purely…
25 Sep 2026 · 42 min
93. Q&A: Optimising CGT, home bias and when spouses don't agree
Retiring overseas might sound like a straightforward FIRE move. But what happens when your portfolio was built around Australia, changing tax residency could create a tax event, your partner has a completely different appetite for risk, or you finally start selling ETFs you have been buying for years? In this listener Q&A, Dave and Hayden tackle three questions that show just how quickly a simple investing strategy can get more complicated once real life enters the picture. In this episode we'll discuss: 🌏 Why home country bias exists in Australian portfolios, and whether it still makes…
18 Sep 2026 · 44 min
92. How your upbringing shapes your relationship with money
How much of your relationship with money was shaped before you were old enough to earn any? In this episode, Dave and Hayden look back at their own childhoods and unpack how financial stress, family circumstances and the people around us can shape our beliefs about money. They explore everything from frugality and risk-taking to ambition, scarcity and the feeling that there is never quite enough. This is a more personal episode of Aussie FIRE. It is not about finding the perfect investment strategy. Instead, it is about understanding where some of our money habits might come from. In this…
11 Sep 2026 · 48 min
91. Work optional at 34 with Anthony Nguyen
Anthony Nguyen spent around a decade building towards financial independence. But when he got close to his target, he did something many people struggle to imagine: he stopped early. After years in commercial banking, Anthony took a career break, stepped away from the corporate world, and discovered that financial independence wasn't really about doing nothing. It was about creating the freedom to do more meaningful work, build stronger relationships and design life on his own terms. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 How Anthony went from feeling the Sunday scaries in commercial banking to…
4 Sep 2026 · 42 min
90. VAS disappoints, avoiding a crash, US tech forever?
Is the Aussie share market still worth it? Should a new investor wait for the next crash? And how much tech exposure is too much? Dave and Hayden open the listener mailbag and tackle three questions that all circle the same problem: it's very easy to make long-term decisions based on what has worked lately. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 Whether broad Australian shares still make sense for long-term income, especially after a weaker dividend period had one listener questioning their strategy 💸 Why a high-yield Australian share ETF has beaten the broader Aussie market over the past five and…
28 Aug 2026 · 54 min
89. How to increase returns without doing anything crazy
There are plenty of ways to chase higher investment returns. The problem is that most of them also come with more risk, more work, or both. Dave and Hayden sort the sensible tweaks from the bigger bets, looking at ways investors might improve their long-term results without putting their whole FIRE plan on the line. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 Why quitting stock picking could actually improve your returns, and Hayden's two near-misses with Boeing and Qantas 💸 The brutal maths of individual stocks: a small number of huge winners drive much of the market's long-term return, which makes…
21 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
88. Savings vs offset vs investing: How each stacks up at 6% interest rates
A few years ago mortgages were under 2% and cash earned you nothing. Now rates sit around 6% and every option looks different: savings accounts are suddenly respectable, offsets feel like a guaranteed win, and borrowing to invest looks scarier than it maybe is. Dave and Hayden work through how a high-rate environment reshuffles the deck, and the mental shortcuts that lead people astray in both directions. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 Savings accounts are back, but interest is taxed at your marginal rate, and plenty of high earners forget that 5% is really more like 3% 💸 A quick test for…
14 Aug 2026 · 41 min
87. From investment properties to ETFs: how Dave actually made the switch
Most people sit firmly on one side of the property versus shares fence. Dave Gow spent 15-plus years on both, building a property portfolio, hitting the borrowing ceiling, then selling down to fund the ETF portfolio he now lives off. In this episode Hayden puts him through a barrage of listener-style questions on how the transition actually works, and why most property investors have never honestly audited their returns. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 Why the property-only plan stalled: maxed-out borrowing capacity, and cash flow forecasts that looked grim even with the properties paid off…
7 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
86. The $500k tax mistake Aussie expats don't see coming w/Brett Evans
Last episode Dave and Hayden covered the general idea of geographic arbitrage: take your Aussie wealth, live somewhere cheaper, retire sooner. This episode is the technical follow-up, and it's a sobering one. Brett Evans from Atlas Wealth has spent nearly three decades advising Australian expats across 65 countries, and he joins the boys to walk through everything that changes the moment you step on that plane. Fair warning: Hayden reckons it's the most information-dense episode they've published. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 The main residence trap: why selling the family home while…
31 Jul 2026 · 57 min
85. Can you really afford to leave Australia?
After the recent tax proposals, plenty of people were half joking about packing up and taking their money overseas. Enough of them were half serious that Dave and Hayden decided to make an episode out of it. This one is the broad overview of geoarbitrage (or "geo-FIRE"): why people do it, who it actually suits, where they tend to go, and what it does to your FI number. The technical side, tax residency, visas, and how to structure it properly, is coming in the next episode with a guest who does this for a living. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 The $800 a month apartment in Chiang Mai,…
24 Jul 2026 · 57 min
84. The ETF tax trap costing Aussie investors thousands (ft. Navexa founder)
To kick off our FY27 tax-time series, Dave and Hayden are joined by Navarre Trousselot, founder of Navexa — an investment tracking and tax reporting platform (if you've heard of Sharesight, it plays in the same space). Because here's the thing: most of us agonise over what to buy, then put zero thought into how we sell — and selling is the part where you actually get your money back. As Navarre puts it, too many investors are "selling in the dark" and handing the ATO far more than they need to. In this episode we'll discuss: 💸 How the exact same sale can be a $30 loss or a $20 gain: why…
17 Jul 2026 · 53 min
83. Should you switch to the newest (and cheapest) ETFs?
Would you sell your ETFs just to save 0.1% a year in fees? In this episode, Hayden and Dave unpack some of the newest additions to the ETF marketplace, and work out where (if anywhere) they'd fit in a long-term portfolio. They cover: 👉 BGBL vs VGS: half the management fee for basically the same portfolio, and why switching isn't free once tax enters the picture 👉 VDAL, Vanguard's answer to DHHF: all-growth and all-in-one, minus VDHG's 10% bonds, and when one-fund portfolios make the most sense 👉 EMKT and factor investing: why this emerging markets fund has outpaced VGE, and the catch of…
10 Jul 2026 · 46 min
82. Will AI take your job (and what can you do about it)?
What happens to your job, your income and your investments when intelligence becomes almost free? In this episode, Dave uses Hayden as his window into the tech world, unpacking what AI actually means for jobs, businesses and long-term investors. They cover: 👉 How AI went from "write me a poem" to breaking big problems into bite-sized steps, and why the last 12 months surprised even the tech insiders 👉 Which parts of your job are actually at risk: why AI disrupts skills rather than whole jobs, and why the alone-at-your-computer work is the exposed bit 👉 The graduate problem: starting uni in a…
3 Jul 2026 · 43 min
81. Case Study: Sell the investment property, or hold for the long game?
Would you sell a property that's grown from $280k to $800k, even if it meant a six figure tax bill? In this episode, Hayden and Dave sit down with listener Lachlan to work through a big financial decision: whether to sell his investment property or keep holding on. They cover: 👉 The equity Lachlan has built up on his investment property, and what selling would actually cost him in CGT 👉 Debt recycling and whether redrawing equity could achieve the same goal without triggering a tax hit 👉 Why simplifying from property to shares might reduce stress, even if it's not the highest returning move…
26 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
80. How to eat cheaply on your path to FIRE
What if one of the biggest leaks in your budget is sitting in your fridge? In this episode, Hayden and Dave get honest about how much they're actually spending on food right now, and running through some hacks to eat on more of a budget on your path to FIRE. The gap between a $15 and $25 daily food spend might not feel like much. But compounded over 20 years, that difference could be huge. They cover: 👉 How much each host is actually spending on food right now (one answer is going to raise some eyebrows) 👉 The slow creep of "brand drift" and food waste that inflates your grocery bill 👉 Why…
19 Jun 2026 · 51 min
79. Should war change how you invest?
What actually happens to your portfolio when the world feels like it's on fire? In this episode, Hayden and Dave look back at how share markets have responded to major global conflicts, from WWI and WWII through to COVID, and what that history can teach us about investing through periods of fear and uncertainty. They walk through the data most people have never seen: markets that fell sharply in the first six months of a war, only to roar back stronger than before it began. It's a timely reminder that the instinct to act during a crisis isn't always the one that serves us best. They cover: 👉…
12 Jun 2026 · 36 min
78. Case Study: Should we buy or keep renting on the path to FIRE?
When your landlord puts the property up for sale, the rent vs. buy question stops being theoretical. For Shyann and her husband, that moment became the push they needed to make a decision they'd been circling for a while. In this case study episode, Shyann walks through how she and her husband approached one of the biggest financial decisions a FIRE-chasing couple can make, and what it actually looked like once they got the keys. They cover: 👉 Why security and long-term control tipped the scales toward buying over rentvesting 👉 How they funded the purchase on a strong combined income while…
5 Jun 2026 · 46 min
77. FIRE later vs living now
Today Hayden & Dave are unpacking an email they received from a listener. He's 29, originally from the UK, drives trucks for a living and keeps moving on after a year or two because the passion just isn't there. He loves to travel, wants to build wealth, but struggles to commit to investing when the next adventure feels a lot more appealing to him. He also lost his brother 13 years ago, which has really changed his outlook on things. They cover: 👉 Why losing a loved one can make the "now vs. later" question so much harder to answer 👉 The problem with expecting your job to be a source of…
29 May 2026 · 1 hr
76. Should your portfolio change as you approach FI?
In this episode, Hayden and Dave dig into one of the most overlooked parts of the FI journey: what to do with your investments as you get closer to pulling the trigger. Does your strategy need to change? And if so, when and how? They cover: 👉 Whether you actually need to de-risk your portfolio before retiring, or whether it's just a psychological thing 👉 The difference between accumulation and drawdown, and why the same portfolio can feel very different depending on which phase you're in 👉 Cash buffers, offset accounts and other ways to protect yourself from selling at the wrong time 👉 How…
22 May 2026 · 1 hr
75. A final word on the Budget: How we're thinking about it now
The episode was updated on the 30th of May to remove some comments around assumptions around tax losses in the new budget if an asset underperforms inflation, as well as removing some comments around tax deductions which were oversimplified. The dust has (somewhat) settled on the Federal Budget, and Hayden and Dave are back to go beyond the initial reactions. This week they dig into the real numbers, the philosophical tensions behind the changes, and what investors should actually be doing differently (if anything). They cover: 👉 If and how our investing strategies will change 👉 How the CGT…
15 May 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
74. The Budget: What it actually means for investors
The Australian federal budget just dropped and there is a lot to unpack. Hayden and Dave dig into the changes that matter most for everyday investors and the FIRE community, cutting through the political noise to focus on what actually affects your money. They cover: 👉 The switch from the 50% CGT discount to indexation 👉 The surprise 30% minimum tax floor on capital gains that nobody saw coming, and who it really hits 👉 Why the "death of debt recycling" narrative doing the rounds online misses the point entirely 👉 Negative gearing changes, what's grandfathered, what's not, and who actually…
8 May 2026 · 50 min
73. CGT and negative gearing: What the Budget could change for investors
The federal budget is coming, and there's already noise around two policies that could shake up the investment landscape: capital gains tax and negative gearing. Hayden and Dave break down what's actually being floated, and what it could mean for your portfolio. They cover: 👉 How governments "soft launch" policy changes before they're official, and why it matters for investors right now 👉 The current CGT discount rules and the proposals that could change what you actually keep when you sell 👉 Whether indexation could be a better deal than a flat discount, depending on how long you've held an…
1 May 2026 · 39 min
72. Case Study: Doubling down on investment properties vs. shares
Chris is at a crossroads and unsure which way to go. He's spent time in his career working in real estate, and now he's trying to decide whether to buy a family home, double down on investment properties, or pivoting entirely into a more aggressive share portfolio. He's got a good case of analysis paralysis, and Hayden & Dave are here to help him work through some of the numbers and thinking behind it all. In this episode they cover: 👉 How much Chris saves & invests on a $170k household income 👉 His ultimate FIRE goal 👉 What Chris should do with an underperforming IP 👉 Chris' concerns about…
24 Apr 2026 · 46 min
71. Q&A: Homebuyer’s regret + does flipping houses still work?
Got a property and wondering if it's time to sell, rent it out, or just… hold on? In this episode, Dave and Hayden tackle two listener questions that a lot of people are quietly sitting with. First up is a listener who bought their first home two years ago is now craving more flexibility to make some big career moves, and wants to know whether to sell or become an accidental landlord. Then, they dig into the age-old question of house flipping and whether or not it still stacks up in today's market? They'll walk through the numbers you need to crunch and the situations where it might actually…
17 Apr 2026 · 56 min
70. Living off your portfolio during a market downturn
What happens if the market crashes as soon as you hit FIRE? In this episode, Hayden and Dave get into one of the most practical and underrated challenges of early retirement: actually living off your portfolio when things get rocky. They cover: 👉 The stage of retirement where you're most at risk from market volatility 👉 The psychological shift from receiving a paycheck to relying on a portfolio, and why it's harder than it sounds 👉 Why having a backup plan before you need one changes everything 👉 Cash buffers, flexible income and expense levers you can pull without selling assets at the…
10 Apr 2026 · 38 min
69. FI case study: Rentvest vs. ETFs
What happens when a government equity scheme starts to feel like a trap? In this episode, Hayden and Dave sit down with listener Steve to unpack his property situation and map out a path forward. Steve is a self-employed sports coach earning around $120,000–$130,000 a year, with a partner on $100,000. He owns an apartment worth roughly $570,000, holds a $200,000 ETF portfolio, and used the Victorian Homebuyer Fund to get into the market with a 25% government equity stake still sitting on his property. In this episode they cover: 👉 How the Victorian Homebuyer Fund works and why Steve is…
3 Apr 2026 · 45 min
68. Q&A: Selling shares for solar panels, 5% deposit scheme & high-growth investing
In this week's episode of Aussie FIRE, Hayden and Dave are unpacking some listener questions around: 👉🏼 Selling shares to invest in solar panels at home 👉🏼 The 5% deposit scheme for first home buyers 👉🏼 Vanguard ETFs 👉🏼 And investing for high growth with a 5-8 year timeline As always, they'll unpack it, share their thoughts, and come at it from a few different angles. Hope you enjoy it! Ask a Question FI Case Study Request Form Pearler Strong Money Australia Original Aussie FIRE e-book Strong Money Australia’s audiobook Disclaimer Any advice is general and does not consider your financial…
27 Mar 2026 · 49 min
67. How we would invest $1M
What would you do if $1 million landed in your bank account tomorrow? In this episode, Hayden and Dave get hypothetical and things get interesting fast. From taking on a gelato giant to debating whether a swimming pool counts as a financial decision, this one's a little different. But buried in the fun are some genuinely useful ideas about how people at different stages of their FIRE journey think about sudden wealth. Ask a Question FI Case Study Request Form Pearler Strong Money Australia Original Aussie FIRE e-book Strong Money Australia’s audiobook Disclaimer Any advice is general and…
20 Mar 2026 · 40 min
66. Q&A: US tech risk & ethical investing
In this episode, we answer two listener questions. One on ethical investing and ESG funds, and another on managing tech concentration in a portfolio. We'll unpack: 👉 Whether aligning with ESG principles means reducing exposure to Australian equities 👉 Why assuming the US market will always outperform Australia might be 👉 What the ethical ETF DZZF is 👉 Why defining “ethical” companies is harder than it seems 👉 The trade-offs of ESG investing 👉 An alternative approach: investing broadly and donating the fee savings? 👉 Why adding more ETFs might not protect a portfolio from a major market crash…

About Aussie FIRE | Financial Independence Retire Early

Aussie FIRE | Financial Independence Retire Early is a English business podcast from Hayden Smith & Dave Gow. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Hayden Smith & Dave Gow
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 48 min
Latest episode: 9 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1684883300
Rights: 17756e50-5090-11f0-bea4-e5b729f34c19

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