You’ve done everything “right”, steady job, 401(k), a house, maybe even an emergency fund. So why does it feel like you’re stuck on a financial treadmill, running hard but not getting ahead? Welcome to the middle-class trap, where you’re technically wealthy, but not actually free.

Is early retirement the ultimate freedom, or a financial mirage? We’ve all seen the highlight reels: 35-year-olds living it up on tropical beaches, posting #retiredlife on Instagram. But behind the filtered photos is a deeper question: Is early retirement everything it’s cracked up to be… or are there hidden costs that could derail your future? In this episode, we take a real-world look at the growing trend of early retirement, and what it actually takes to get there.

Ever wonder why you keep making the same money mistakes, even when you know better? Why saving feels so hard, spending feels so easy, and your paycheck seems to disappear without a trace? In this episode, we’re digging deep into the surprising science of why we make bad financial decisions, and how to stop.