There is nothing quite like an August day in West Texas.  It’s not the kind of day where you see leaves changing colors or feel a refreshing breeze signaling the start of fall.  No, in West Texas, despite it being football season, we still have 110-degree weather days well into early fall.  It’s torturous, yes, but I also don’t know any different as I’ve never lived anywhere but a 250-mile radius from my small hometown, tucked away in the desert.  I bring this up not to complain about the weather but to set the scene for a particularly hot August day when I had to swallow the classic “I can do this myself” pill to save money.

Opportunity Knocks

I’ve heard many real estate mentors say they couldn’t resist a deal that felt like the seller was practically begging them to make money off their property.  Well, even though I was just a few weeks postpartum with my third baby, a house flip opportunity dropped into my lap, and I couldn’t turn it down.  We managed to sign a contract to fund the rehab without acquiring the property through a novation agreement.  We agreed on a purchase price, with the seller getting paid at closing after the flip.  It was a win-win: we saved on hard money costs, and the seller will get more for the property.   It was too good to pass up—even in my sleep-deprived, newborn-bliss daze.

DIY to FI

There are a few things I have a really hard time paying someone else to do: painting and hanging mini-blinds are top of that list.  These tasks are notoriously expensive to contract out, but honestly, anyone can do them with a little effort.  We’d painted the interior of a house ourselves before, but this one needed a complete paint job, inside and out, including the stucco.  My dad had recently bought an airless spray gun to paint some oil tanks but never got around to using it.  This was my perfect chance to try it out and save $15,000 by doing the paint job myself.  Despite my husband’s best efforts to convince me otherwise, there was no stopping me.  After ten years together, he still hasn’t figured out that if I make my mind up about something, there’s no changing it.

On the first day of this new project, I was at the house at 6:30 a.m., ready to go.  It wasn’t until 11 a.m. that I finally got the airless spray gun prepped and working after troubleshooting for hours.  By 2 p.m., in 105-degree heat, with sweat dripping down my face and two kids running around the job site, I had only finished one side of the house.  The excitement of saving $15,000 started to fade.  Suddenly, paying that money didn’t seem so ridiculous.

Sacrifice for FI

As I stood there at the end of the day, exhausted, I knew I would need at least another two full days of painting.  It really hit me—achieving big goals like financial independence isn’t always glamorous.  Sometimes, it’s downright uncomfortable.  Whether standing in the sun for hours painting a house or making other sacrifices, the road to FI is often paved with moments like these.  It made me reflect on the bigger picture: what are the things I’m willing to tolerate and push through to achieve those long-term goals?  We all have a version of this—a set of uncomfortable tasks we endure for the sake of a better future.

Staying Committed to the FI Mindset

In my life, there are plenty of things I don’t particularly enjoy, but I do them anyway because they move us closer to our goals.  For instance, one thing my husband dislikes (but puts up with) is our monthly budget meetings.  These meetings usually end in one of two ways—either we end up in a fight because I think we can do more, or I come up with a new business idea to increase our income and take us farther, faster. 

He jokes that “enough is never enough” for me, but I don’t see it that way.  I believe this is the time to hustle—while we’re young, full of energy, and eager to seize every opportunity that comes our way.  Yes, I try to find balance with family and work, but I’d rather push hard now than wait until we’re older when the hunger and drive’s bound to fade.

Just like this painting project, there have been many other times where I’ve taken on tasks that weren’t easy or enjoyable, but I knew they were necessary to reach our financial goals.  For instance, there was the time I stayed up until 3 a.m., hanging the last of 15 mini-blinds in another house project.  That wasn’t fun either, but it saved us $10,000 in labor costs—an amount that really mattered, especially as other unexpected expenses started creeping up.  It’s the same reason I still drive a 10-year-old car that runs perfectly fine, and why we sold my husband’s Ford Raptor to pay cash for a minivan.

Delaying gratification has become second nature.  I don’t feel the need for the latest iPhone or a shiny new laptop anymore.  My focus is on the future, and I honestly don’t feel like I’m missing out on those things.

The Bigger Picture: Fighting for FI

These decisions to do things myself or convince my husband to learn a new skill to save money almost feels like second nature now.  Early on, we made these decisions because we couldn’t afford to pay for help.  Now, it’s about something bigger: it’s the decision to keep fighting the good fight.  Even though we can sometimes afford to take the easier route, I want to keep feeling like we can’t—because long-term financial security is the goal.

We do it for FI.  If your goal is Financial Independence, you’ll find yourself making sacrifices: staying frugal, avoiding lifestyle inflation, maximizing your income, starting side hustles, and finding every possible way to make your money work for you.

This is my encouragement to you—and a reminder to myself, too.  I know it’s not easy.  There’s constant pressure from society and peers to give in to temptations, to spend frivolously, or to abandon some of the decisions we’ve committed to.  But if you’re like me, and your burners (if you’ve read my article on the four-burner theory, you know what I mean) are all work and family right now, it takes every bit of your bandwidth to be a good mom, excel in your career, and keep your business running.  And you know what?  It’s all for FI.

I don’t regret the long hours I’ve spent learning real estate, building a business, or pouring my time and energy into my career.  I do it for FI.

Conclusion

So, do it for FI.  Take on those extra projects.  Learn that new skill.  Try doing something yourself instead of hiring it out.  When your ultimate goal is financial independence, every step you take now puts you closer to a future of freedom and choice.  And, once you get there, keep doing it—keep fighting for FI.  Not to become rich and lazy but to stay sharp and intentional.  I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m in it for the long haul.