Financial Independence and how to be debt free

Episode 057A - Trump’s Tax Returns

I'm releasing this out of sequence - this is a quick episode I put together after fuming over the recent New York Times release of Trump's tax returns. But this is more about out of control government spending, Federal Reserve money printing to infinity, and how all of this together represents "taxes". I'll give you my actual position in regards to Trump - it isn't positive, BTW. But I'll also give you my position in regards to government policies on unbridled spending and why you are being kept constrained because of it. Long after Trump is gone, you will unfortunately still be constrained by all of this.

28 Sep Read More

Episode 057 - Interview with Joshua Sheats of Radical Personal Finance

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Joshua Sheats of the Radical Personal Finance podcast, and we talk about life, the universe & everything. I pose the question, "If you received $1 million dollars, what would you do with it?". You might be surprised by his answer.

27 Sep Read More

Episode 056 - Rental Real Estate secrets to success

Myles gives you a ton of information in this episode from his 20+ years of experience in successful landlording. Rental real estate is a key part of any smart income portfolio and it is hard to be financially sustainable without it. Know the tricks of the professionals which are laid out here for you to digest. Whether you are a landlord, thinking of becoming one, or just wanting to know what life looks like as a landlord, this show is for you.

20 Sep Read More

How COVID19 exposed the weakness in our personal finance strategies

I recently responded to a posting that someone made who had an unexpected work related injury, found themselves without work and relying on workers compensation insurance payments to survive. I realized that this unexpected disruption to income is not dissimilar to those who have lost income or a job due to COVID19. I want to do a quick debrief with you in this article, and look for what we did right and what we could all do better in case of an adverse event.

18 Sep Read More

Episode 055 - The forest & the trees

In this episode I get down into the weeds of why people can't find peace in the western world, what it takes to break free of the hypnosis and find your inner success. I will tell you exactly what the problem is, and it prepares us to embark on a future journey of discovery of where the opportunities lay and how we can uncover them.

13 Sep Read More

Global outsourcing is the death of your high paying US salary in 2020

The Internet giveth and the Internet taketh away. If you have been enjoying big salaries at your middle class or tech job, might be time to consider cashing in your chips. The remote worker revolution might not be your friend after all. Consider this a warning.

06 Sep Read More

Episode 054 - The power of youth

This is one of those ''if I could talk to my 20 year old self'' episodes, but this cuts to the very core of how NOT to end up constrained, burdened and without your freedoms. I would encourage anyone who is in their 20s or parents that have kids in their teenage years or 20s to take a listen. It isn't a hard listen - I'm not going to lecture anyone. I'm just going to explain to you how it is - how the world will be for you, and what you can do early on to protect yourself from your potential future.

06 Sep Read More

Episode 053 - Scams in the Bitcoin world

In this week's episode, I'm going to talk about the Bitclub Network. This was one of the many scams that hit the Bitcoin community back from 2015-2019 and how it took what I believe to be a very good business model, a cooperation based system and ability to pool resources to mine and help keep the Bitcoin protocol safe, and turned that into a MLM scam, and now three of the four founders are in jail in New Jersey, and the fourth one was scooped up on an Interpol warrant in Indonesia.

30 Aug Read More

This week in freedom - August 28th 2020

In this week's episode of This week in freedom, Myles covers the waning US dollar, the surprising number of people that own crypto-currency, world resources and consumption, the state of the US medical system, Uphold, the Lightning network, California exodus and how he made $2,800 in 1 hour. Check it out! * Available only to Patreon supporters *

30 Aug Read More

Yes, you should be worried about civil unrest in the USA

The growing levels of riots, looting, violence on the streets, etc. have never been more intense today than at any time over the past 30 years that I’ve lived in the USA. My first experiences of it started in about 1992 during the Los Angeles Riots in which an onlooker video taped the beating of Rodney King, causing the city to turn to violence. But that was nothing compared to the constant barrage of violence since then all over the USA. I want to talk about what I think is really driving this, and why this isn’t going to stop any time soon.

29 Aug Read More

Episode 052 - The college experience

In this episode, I acknowledge that when I explain my position regarding kids going to college, 4 out of 5 people immediately disagree. I then explain that once I have given the full argument for my position, the number drops to 1 or 2 out of 5. Therefore I think the problem might be the messaging, so in this episode I go into detail about what I think students (and parents) should consider before making the assumption that their kid has to go to college, and all the peripheral issues associated.

23 Aug Read More

The real answer to why you are not getting the results you want

To quote a prominent psychologist, Dr. Bruce Lipton: "Yes, we’ve been programmed. The vast majority of programs are negative and dis-empowering. So yes, the vast majority of people on this planet are having that negative experience as well. So the next most important thing now is to recognize, “Well, if I’m not getting what I want is because the universe is not giving it to me?” and the answer is almost inevitably “No”, it’s because of your own program that’s invisible, operating 95% of the day, is keeping it away from you!"

22 Aug Read More

Episode 051 - Introducing “This week in freedom”

In this episode we are introducing our new sister podcast, ''This week in Freedom''. This will only be available to our Patreon supporters, but here's a free episode to give you a taste of the quality and timeliness of this information.

16 Aug Read More

A place for us - somewhere, a place for us

Yes, it’s a blatant quote of Barbara Streisand, but the reality is that in a world where the rich get richer, the big get bigger and the small are trampled, how does someone who is trying to just get by, not create any ripples and be financially sustainable survive?

10 Aug Read More

Episode 050 - How a minimum wage worker can make a $1 million and be financially sustainable

Yes, it is true. You don't have to earn some six figure salary to generate wealth and become financially sustainable. In our 50th episode, I will show you how it is done. I did it, and when I did it the interest rates were nowhere near as low as they are now. So what's your excuse?

09 Aug Read More

The rise & rise of Bitcoin

There are two types of people who try to make money - investors & speculators. Investors are looking at fundamentals, long term positioning, etc. Speculators are looking to make quick bucks on fast trading. How does Bitcoin fit into this?

29 Jul Read More

Welcome to ‘The Jetsons’ economy

Looking at the equity markets, it seems that we have reached the new age of the Nasdaq dominating the markets. Whereas regular, traditional stocks are seeing a decline in value as they are reacting more normally to the recessionary economy, the tech stocks are offsetting that with stellar earnings. What will the markets look like in 5 years time?

21 Jul Read More

FIRE principles don’t work in 2020 - Let’s change them to what does

There are a bunch of reasons why FIRE isn’t going to work in 2020, whether you are looking to start the journey, or if you are on or through it. This article gives you the details of why it won't work, and what you can do to pivot and make regaining control of your future something that is within your grasp today.

12 Jul Read More

Why you are broke (and what you can do to fix it)

If you are one of the 78% of people living pay check to pay check, you’ve been lied to. By your parents, your government, your friends, your teachers and your banks. I’m going to give you some tough love and some hope if you want to change things, because it CAN be changed.

06 Jul Read More

I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.

Governments are, by their nature, dysfunctional. They suffer the same challenges any large organization has, except they don’t have any profit motivation to have workers go the extra mile to get things done. Case in point - the recent SBA EIDL Loans offered to US small businesses. Spoiler Alert - It’s a trap.

19 Jun Read More

The fear of breaking free of employment

The guy trying to swindle you on the side of the road in Las Vegas with his ball & cup trick is your government. While they are trying to tell you that up is down, right is left, etc. you should realize that the statistics that we have been hypnotized to focus on - particularly employment numbers, are relevant only to a bygone age and do nothing to help you live a rich & meaningful life today. This is the time you should break free of employment and become unconstrained.

13 Jun Read More

Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?

I’m not above admitting I was wrong. If I had put money in the stock market when it was at 18,000 on the DJIA, I would be a richer man as I watch it go to 27,000 now. And that was within about 3 months. Not a bad ROI there at all. Kudos to anyone that did that. But it just feels wrong. To quote the wisdom of one Johnny Rotten of the band The Sex Pistols, “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?"

05 Jun Read More

The Bleeding Obvious and why you are not allowing yourself to be rich

I was watching TV this morning and on Bloomberg they were showing the price of a barrel of Brent Oil at $32. About 3 months prior I had a chat with a friend of mine when oil was basically $10 a barrel, saying that this can’t last and the world has to keep the lights on, so oil will go back up. We tripled our money on the bleeding obvious. But why is it that others didn’t see this, yet lost their jobs, lost money in the stock market, etc?

25 May Read More

Why the US Government Stimulus checks are the most stupid idea ever

I just received the $1,200 stimulus check from the US government. This is the most stupid pandering effort I’ve ever seen. But guess what... That check paid for exactly what my monthly health insurance premium was, so basically... poof! It’s gone. Meanwhile most of the western world offer health care for free, so how is this actually helping?

15 May Read More

Escaping the banking cartel - An interview with Andreas M. Antonopoulos

In this video interview, Myles Wakeham sits down with the legendary Andreas M. Antonopoulos, the guy who literally wrote the book on Bitcoin, to talk about how the banksters have taken our freedom from us an what we can all do about it.

09 May Read More

Why I hate the stock market

I get a lot of flack for not showing undying love for the US stock market. The truth is that I see it more of a casino than a true market. In this article I’m going break down my reasons for my disdain at equities and why they don’t represent at all the health of the economy.

01 May Read More

The economy after COVID19

All this shall pass. Eventually this virus will become either part of our subconcious lives or a cure or vaccine will be unleashed onto the world. The 12 months or so of time will pass quickly before we are out of the woods, but what will day to day life really look like in Q3,Q4 of 2020 and beyond?

23 Apr Read More

Myles is a guest on Rethinking the Dollar

Myles is a guest on today's Q&A show of "Rethinking the Dollar" and covers how to survive and thrive in the current and coming depression by using financial sustainability & SMART Income.

15 Apr Read More

US Small businesses false sense of security

The economic and COVID19 pandemic that has hit the USA has affected small businesses greater than most, as they have fewer means to combat shutdowns. Layoffs and furloughs have turned over 16 million to unemployment. Meanwhile the SMB owners thought they were going to get some govt assistance. Think again.

15 Apr Read More

Those with the most to lose

Business as we know it is disrupted, but not in a good way. The human natural need for socialization is being threatened as we are told to shelter in place, and the biggest immediate impact is our ability to transact. Electronic forms of transactions are strong and remain, but human to human interaction is minimized. Who is most at risk here, and how do you reduce the risk factor?

25 Mar Read More

The positive side of bushfires (and other calamities)

When things look pretty bad, everything is burning up around you and you are looking at the smoldering ashes of something that once was valued and pristine, chin up. It isn’t that bad. And maybe it is needed - in a good way...

16 Mar Read More

Re-focus on sustainability

The last few weeks have been living hell if you are vested in the DJIA. For those of us who chose to distance ourselves from stocks & counter party risk, we’re doing fine. But those that didn’t, came face to face with the fact that on a planet with finite resources, betting on infinite growth doesn’t end well.

12 Mar Read More

The real cost of your wage-slave lifestyle

If you are awake for 16 hours a day, and at least 8 of those hours, 5 days a week, are devoted to serving your boss, then you have given up a minimum of 35% of your life to your employer. More than likely it is closer to 50%. How can you look yourself in the mirror with pride doing that? Or be present for your kids or your spouse? Who's really more important here?

19 Feb Read More

Retirement = Death

According to a 2016 study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College on the Mortality Effects of Retirement, it is clear that “There may be an increase in mortality risks when people stop work.” This mirrors my own experience with Retirement and underscores the importance of removing the word Retirement from our vocabulary.

14 Dec Read More

My own personal disaster with retirement

When I was 32, I retired. It didn’t end well. This is my retirement story. Take from it what you can. Life isn't experienced in some cubicle somewhere, but the majority of people I talk to who are embracing FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) don't really understand what life looks like on the other side of the retirement line and why they might want to rethink their goals.

19 Oct Read More

Mexico Medical Tourism - The raw truth of having major surgery in Guadalajara (Part 2 of 2)

I have had my surgery in Mexico. For anyone that wants an honest accounting of the process and costs, I have laid it all out in detail here. I cover the emotional doubts, fear of surgery in a foreign land, financial truth and the outcome. You be the judge of whether this is right for you. For me, it was. Spoiler Alert: It cost me less than 1/10th of the US Price.

14 Sep Read More

Mexico Medical Tourism - Putting yourself first for a change (Part 1 of 2)

It can be a frightening thing - choosing to go to a foreign country to get major surgery. The vast majority of us find that a bridge too far to cross. I took the leap of faith, and I have begun the journey. This article (and hopefully the one that will follow it after my surgery is completed) will give a totally fact based account of the experience so you can see if something like this makes sense for you.

31 Aug Read More

Medical tourism in Mexico | How to save up to 75% on your dental costs

We should all take the best care of our teeth. But in the USA, costs are outrageous. Insurance doesn't cover most dental procedures and patients are often presented with $10K+ bills for basic dental work. If they realized there was a better option right on their doorstep, this could all be avoided. Welcome to medical tourism, and the border town of Los Algodones, Mexico.

24 May Read More

The path to a 100% financially sustainable life

In previous articles, I have stated that the concept of FI (Financial Independence) is flawed. Although the pursuit of it is admirable, the fact is that few FI followers have been able to do this through bear markets. Consequently putting yourself on that path has some dangers. I prefer to concept of "financial sustainability" and this article gives you tangible steps to take to achieve that.

02 Apr Read More

Can FI followers survive a bear market?

There is a lot of interest in the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement, but I am skeptical of whether those that achieve FI during a bull market have what it takes to make it through a bear market...

08 Mar Read More

Financial Sustainability and become debt free and unconstrained