Show Notes
My guest today is Matt Ridley, a British science writer, journalist and businessman who holds a PhD from Oxford in Biology. He’s worked for many famous publications such as The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and The Times (London). Matt is probably best known within the FIRE community for his award-winning book, The Rational Optimist, published in 2010. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read that offers a counterpoint to the prevailing pessimism of our age and proves, however much s...
More from Aussie Firebug
After 10 years of Aussie Firebug, I’m stepping back, with October 2025 marking both my final net worth update and the point we reached financial independence. My priorities have shifted away from FIRE content towards family, business, and a more intentional approach to spending. I’m taking an extended break, with the podcast likely continuing in a broader form. Firebug OUT ✌️ LinksEngaging Data Calculatorwww.aussiefirebug.com/podcast
Today’s episode is a special one - it’s the 100th episode of the show. I just want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who’ve supported the podcast over the past 10 years. Whether you’ve been here from the start or only recently discovered the show, your messages, reviews, and support have meant the world to me. Today on the podcast, we have a man who many consider to be the pioneer of the early retirement community. Pete Adney, aka Mr Money Mustache. I don’t think Pet...
This week, I’m joined by Ben Felix, Chief Investment Officer at PWL Capital and co-host of the Rational Reminder podcast. Ben is best known in the FIRE community for his YouTube channel, which has nearly 500K subscribers and features insights on investing, financial decision-making, and living a good life. Ben is one of the clearest voices in evidence-based investing. His work breaks down complex financial ideas into straightforward, data-driven insights that help investors cut through the no...
Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Alan Donegan - co-founder of Rebel Business School and host of the Rebel Entrepreneur Podcast. Alan and his wife Katie reached financial independence in 2019, and since then they’ve been travelling the world, teaching people how to start businesses debt-free and take control of their finances. In this episode we cover: What role did your upbringing play in shaping your view on money and risk? (00:04:57)Tell us about the Rebel Business School - when was it...
Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Andrew Page - founder and Managing Director of Strawman.com. With over 20 years’ experience as an analyst, commentator, and private investor, Andrew is a well-known voice in the Australian investing community. Before launching Strawman, he worked at The Motley Fool and Team Invest, and now focuses on helping everyday investors cut through the noise and build better portfolios. In this episode, we cover: How Andrew first got started in investing (00:03:09)...