J Grayson grew up poor. But with food on the table every night, he didn’t realize it. Then his sister tragically passed away from brain cancer, financially ruining the family. J fell into a pattern: skipping school, drinking, and doing drugs. A few years of this and he realized he needed to make a change. J joined the military when he turned 18 and went to boot camp before his high school graduation ceremony. The military is where his poor money habits really took shape. Living on base means housing and food is covered, so he spent his income on anything he wanted—at one point having FIVE CARS despite only being able to drive one at a time. He stayed in the military for five years and knew enough to go to college when he got out. What the military didn’t cover, the Yellow Ribbon Program did, so he left college debt-free (at least in terms of student loans). However, J did manage to rack up $30,000 in random debt by the end of college. J eventually settled into a government job. By year two, he had discovered the concept of financial freedom. This week’s episode focuses on hacking—house hacking, GI bill hacking, per diem hacking—taking these benefits and using them in ways that are advantageous. If you’re a member of the military, a government employee, or even just an employee who travels regularly, this episode is for you! And if you know someone who fits that bill, share this episode with them. In This Episode We Cover: His background and money journey The reason he joined the military at 18 His experiences in the military and his poor financial decisions during that time What he did after he exited the military On using his 401(k) funds to pay off debt Starting a business while going to school What GI Bill hacking is Stumbled across Mr. Money Mustache and learned financial independence What his financial position looked like during his first year of employment How he learned about geoarbitrage Making money through house hacking How investing helped him On using a VA loan for his house On saving 100% of his income Going from zero to $100,000 in just three years How he and his girlfriend managed to live with zero expenses And SO much more! Links from the Show Mr. Money Mustache Mad Fientist Military Guide - The Military Guide To Financial Independence Become a Military Millionaire - Finances - Real Estate Investing BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Blog BiggerPockets Money BiggerPockets Money Podcast 64: Scholarships and Other Ways to Pay for College with Zach Gautier Frugalwoods BiggerPockets Money Podcast 10: Designing a Frugal But Luxurious FI Life by Age 32 with Liz Thames BiggerPockets Money Podcast 33: From Debt to Financial Freedom While Active Duty Military with Stuart Grazier BiggerPockets Money Podcast 22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis Hornsby ChooseFI BiggerPockets Podcast 297: Mastering the Decision-Making Process with Business (and World Series of Poker) Champion Annie Duke