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You are here: Home / Miscellaneous / It’s Like Summer Camp for Money Nerds: My CampFI Review

It’s Like Summer Camp for Money Nerds: My CampFI Review

April 18, 2018 MilitaryDollar 27 Comments

Last weekend I attended CampFI Mid-Atlantic. I enjoyed myself so much that I had to tell you about it, because I think a lot of people would benefit from this kind of thing. It may seem a bit counter intuitive – paying money to hang out with frugal people??? – but hopefully by now you’ve learned that I focus on value, not just price.

CampFI

Just what is CampFI? Let me explain…

CampFI is a 4-day, 3-night retreat for people interested in financial independence. Yep. That means it’s a bunch of people who get together to talk about money. Not just money…but it did come up a lot.

But of course, financial independence isn’t just about money. It’s about having the freedom to do what you want, when you want, how you want. And what better way to celebrate that than by gathering a bunch of us together for a few days of relaxation and common thinking?

I took this photo on day 1, when I separated from the group for 15 minutes to sit quietly by myself. Introverts will understand.

What I did at CampFI

I relaxed! This part was great. I literally stopped for 2-3 minutes during a run to snap a photo of this guy and make sure he got across the road okay. Do you know the last time I stopped what I was doing to make sure an insect lived? Or really just —stopped—? It’s been a long time. It was nice to have some quiet time with no responsibilities beyond getting to lunch before the food went away.

I went rock climbing! This is not me – it’s a good friend – but I went too. I didn’t ask how high it was, but I’d guess maybe 40 feet? We also went ziplining and canoeing. There was a high ropes course, plenty of hiking, and some dock sitting, too.

CampFI

We played board games…a lot of board games…and sang karaoke and roasted marshmallows around a campfire.

And there may have been a teensy bit of drinking and staying up late.

Oh yeah…and we talked about money.

In fact, a big part of the schedule is sessions where popular names in the community put on presentations. Our schedule included:

Hunter Post talking about optimizing your fitness and diet (and then everybody gleefully eating carbs in front of him for the rest of camp – he was a good sport to put up with our shenanigans)

Karsten from Early Retirement Now scared everybody with stories of not-so-safe withdrawals in retirement

Justin from Root of Good spoke about how to develop a retirement budget

J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly (one of the very first blogs I read!) and Money Boss taught us about finding a personal mission statement (maybe I’ll tell you about mine sometime soon). We’re Facebook friends now. NBD.

Joel from FI180 told us about his former six-figure spending lifestyle and how he/his wife turned their life around

And of course, the main “celebrities” (are money bloggers/podcasters celebrities?) were Jonathan and Brad from ChooseFI. Jonathan hosted a roundtable the last night with some surprise(d) guests!

We also had more bloggers in the crowd:

  • Miss Mazuma (FI and travel)
  • Reaching for FI (achieving FI on a lower income)
  • Guy on FIRE (FI and real estate)
  • Teal Collar (real estate)
  • Aardvark Advisor (FI and life optimization)
  • Rethink The Rat Race (FI)
  • Jazz and Lee (round the world travel) and their more current Flicker account Jazz and Lee
  • FIology (lessons in FI)
  • The Give and Get (meaning and money)
  • Clackapedia
  • Seonwoo Lee
  • Money Letters (raising your financial IQ)
  • College Factual (helping students get education for less)
  • Richmond Savers (famous for their article on how to travel hack Disney! For military tricks, check out my posts too)

And two brand new blogs that are just starting as of this weekend – I Love FI (intersection of FI and work life balance) and Ms. Fiology (redemption and FI).

Update: This one is about to start. As of this update (May 1st, 2018) it’s still in works: Rewire Behavior

Hopefully I didn’t miss anybody!

Not a blogger? Not a problem. While there were plenty of bloggers there, the group was mostly comprised of non-bloggers who were there just to be with “their people.” We had about 70 people at CampFI Mid-Atlantic. That clearly isn’t a list of 70 blogs.

Value

So how much did all that cost? Here’s my breakdown.

CampFI

I paid $300 for my ticket. This gave me a shared room in the lodge, with a real bed and an ensuite bathroom. There were also $225 tickets available, but they were for chalets (basically a screened-in porch) in the woods, and you had to hike a short distance to the bathrooms. I’ve done that kind of living in the Middle East…I didn’t particularly want to do it in Virginia.

Transportation is pretty self explanatory. The Ricola and allergy medicine, though…

Stories from previous events always include at least one person losing their voice, either through getting sick or just talking too much. And we heard there was a lot of pollen in the air down at the site (and there was!!). So I picked up some Costco packs of each to put on the community table. Other people brought everything from board games to chips to liquor. It was quite the table!

The Ricola was a brilliant contribution. Between 3-5 of those every day and many cups of tea, I managed to walk away with only a slightly hoarse voice. Without them, I would’ve lost my voice entirely. Much like Brad did last time!

Overall – $340 for almost exactly 72 hours of fun, friends, and some much needed sunshine. Some pretty good cupcakes and tacos, too. Not a bad price to pay at all.

Why I Recommend Attending a CampFI

I met so many amazing people!

I was able to chat with dozens of people from all walks of life. We had engineers and professors and landscapers and people who were already retired. Not to mention quite a few military members! There were singletons, married couples, and even a few kids.

I learned something from everybody I met. We talked about investing, and keeping busy in retirement (can’t let those stories of early retirees dying young come true!), and health and healthcare.

I also learned about a potential investing opportunity in my future 🤔 and I talked to several people about my thoughts on opening a non-profit when I retire.

The James River. Nice view, no?

Future CampFI and similar events

Who should attend CampFI? Anybody interested in financial independence, geeking out over board games, relaxing, and enjoying a cheap vacation should at least consider it.

If this sounds like you, there are still plenty of opportunities.

Stephen, the guy who runs the CampFIs, is hosting two more this year: Southwest and South. Those two are more expensive than CampFI Mid-Atlantic, but still a bargain considering how much you get out of the weekend.

Military: the next two CampFIs are being held very close to military bases. CampFI Southwest will be held in August in Joshua Tree, CA. That’s just down the road from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at 29 Palms. And CampFI South is being held in Little Rock, AR – just across town from Little Rock Air Force Base. Consider it!

I’ve purchased my ticket to CampFI Southwest…now I just need to get settled into my new job so I can turn around and request time off. That’s how it works, right?

If you can’t make it to CampFI this year, keep an eye out for 2019 dates (Stephen announces them in the ChooseFI Facebook group).

There are also other, similar events you may be interested in.

  • Camp Mustache is super popular – the last one sold out in 40 seconds. You’ll want to follow the Facebook page for that if you are interested.
  • FI Chautauquas are even more extensive and immersive. The 2018 events are also sold out, but that link will take you to the waiting list. These are much more expensive, but are held in beautiful locations, last longer, and really let you get to know the people you are with. I’ll go…someday.
  • FINCON: this is really more for the bloggers/podcasters/money media types, but anybody can attend. If you want to hang out with all of your favorite personal finance nerds in one place, this is it. I’m going this year to the event in Orlando. I missed out last year and I regret it, so I bought tickets to the 2018 event literally within minutes of them going live. That wasn’t necessary – there are plenty still available. But I did get a good deal, heh heh.

Local events

If you can’t/don’t want to attend a CampFI (whether due to cost, proximity, or another reason) then find out what local events are happening near you.

There are ChooseFI local groups around the world. In the DC area, we meet up about once every six weeks.

If not that, you might be able to find a local Mustachian group online. I’ve also had success finding groups of fellow money nerds on Meetup.

One of the really surprising things I’ve learned since becoming a blogger is that while few people want others to know they are interested in personal finance, many people are interested. So if you are interested – go meet people! You might discover 70 new friends.

CampFI
Image courtesy of Seonwoo Lee. I’m in there…somewhere!

More Reviews

Check out these other CampFI Mid-Atlantic reviews from fellow attendees!

  • I went to money nerd camp (aka CampFI Mid-Atlantic)
  • My Experience at CampFI
  • CampFI Mid Atlantic: Recap of a Great weekend
  • Camp FI 2- Mid Atlantic Boogaloo

Lastly, some inside jokes/moments for my fellow CampFI Mid-Atlantic campers:

  • “So FI!”
  • ERN singing
  • Kevin performing
  • Dominque and Declan
  • The neverending box of wine…how????

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Related

Miscellaneous Budget Travel, Financial Independence, FIRE, Travel

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin | Reaching for FI says

    April 19, 2018 at 5:14 am

    Awesome recap and so much more concise than mine! 😅 It was great spending so much time with you last weekend, friend!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 19, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      You too! Let’s do it again!!

      Reply
  2. Dustin says

    April 19, 2018 at 12:14 pm

    It was great meeting you, and what an awesome weekend! In hindsight, I feel like our dinner table discussion the first night probably came off as highly dogmatic on my end LOL. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 19, 2018 at 3:45 pm

      lol, no worries! I love these conversations! Give me a Mustachian vs DR vs non-dogmatic personal finance conversation over talking about the Kardashians any day and twice on Sunday.

      Reply
  3. Justin says

    April 19, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    Good call on bringing the Ricolas. I brought cough drops fully expecting the pollen to kick my butt so the ricolas were a more pleasant tasting remedy 🙂

    Great to put a face with a blog and meet in person!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 19, 2018 at 3:46 pm

      You too! It was so nice getting to know people “in real life” instead of just through blog posts and Facebook comments.

      Reply
  4. Christine says

    April 19, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    This sounds like a lot of fun. Just curious if you know…for people that are married that attended, did both spouses go or just one? Do you know?

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 19, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      It was a mix. There were plenty of couples, but several married people who didn’t bring their spouses for one reason or another.

      In other words – feel free to join us next time even if hubs can’t get leave!!

      Reply
    • Andy says

      April 19, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      My wife came to the one in January, but couldn’t make it to this one.

      Of the spouses that did attend, there was also a mix of couples that were both very into FI and couples where one person was the fanatic (like me) and the other spouse was just along for the ride.

      I think in all cases people had a blast, even if they didn’t know much about FI going into it.

      Reply
  5. Kevin says

    April 19, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    Great review! It was a pleasure to meet you at camp FI, and would love to see you again in the future.

    Whenever I see these reviews I find how we sometimes just scratch the surface. I’ll definitely have to talk to you about your non-profit plans next time!

    Finally, I’m glad you enjoyed my “performance” 😉

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 19, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      It was great to meet you too! Yes, it’s amazing how even with 72 hours of dedicated time we still were all barely getting into the details. So many people, so many awesome stories!

      I look forward to future performances!

      Reply
  6. Angela @ Tread Lightly Retire Early says

    April 19, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    I’m loving these Camp FI recaps but I’m seriously jealous as well! I won’t make it to camp mustache this year even though it’s local (because I won’t be that weekend), but now I REALLY want to make it to one in the future.

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 20, 2018 at 1:33 am

      You would love it! It was a bit hard for me interacting with so many new people, but you would be in your element.

      Reply
  7. Accidental FIRE says

    April 19, 2018 at 11:03 pm

    Great rundown, I was offered a ticket but had family obligations. Hope to see you again before you leave DC!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 20, 2018 at 1:31 am

      All weekend long we kept telling people we will have 1-2 more meetups before I leave, because people want to drive in from a few locations. So we’ll have a few chances! Let Erin and I know what works for you and we’ll work something out for sure.

      Reply
  8. Ms. Fiology says

    April 20, 2018 at 12:32 am

    Great recap, phenomenal weekend! Kevin’s performance was definitely once the best highlights.

    So good to meet you and defeat you at Avalon. Re-match??

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 20, 2018 at 1:30 am

      Let’s do it! I’m still pretty shaky on that game…I definitely need more practice. Southwest in August?

      Reply
      • Ms. Fiology says

        April 20, 2018 at 10:34 am

        Either that or FinCon!

        Reply
        • MilitaryDollar says

          April 20, 2018 at 9:25 pm

          Yes!!

          Reply
  9. Doc G says

    April 20, 2018 at 3:23 pm

    There is also going to be a CampFi Midwest this summer in Minnesota which I am going to. I can’t wait!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 20, 2018 at 9:25 pm

      Oooo! Is that one full?

      Reply
  10. Lisa says

    April 23, 2018 at 5:43 pm

    I’m loving these recaps! And you’re Facebook friends with JD Roth?!?!?! So jealous.

    I told my friends that I was going to a personal finance retreat and, after obligatorily calling me a nerd, they either 1) geeked out that I would meet JD Roth – because everyone reads his blog or 2) asked me about financial advice. It led to some interesting money talks. Well worth the price of admission in my book.

    I’m really glad other bloggers I knew were there. When I registered, Stephen was like, do you know anyone here or did you come by yourself… and I would have felt like a real loser if I didn’t know anyone. =P So good to see you and see you at the next meetup!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 24, 2018 at 1:47 am

      I know, I’m still a little star struck.

      I haven’t even talked to my real life/non PF world friends about CampFI. Most of them would look at me sideways, even the ones that are interested in personal finance, lol. But that’s awesome that so many of your friends had positive reactions!

      Can’t wait for the next meetup! Mid-May sound good?

      Reply
  11. Frogdancer says

    April 28, 2018 at 3:26 am

    This all sounds like so much fun. Particularly that neverending box of wine!
    It’s a pity it’s all so far away – add a plane fare from Australia and the weekend suddenly looks a lot more exxy…

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 29, 2018 at 3:34 pm

      You should figure out how to have a Chattaqua in Australia! I’d go to that.

      Congrats again on your win!

      Reply
  12. Dragon Guy says

    April 28, 2018 at 8:29 am

    Thanks for this post. I just signed up for our local ChooseFI group and I am definitely exploring the option of attending one of the CampFI’s for later in the year!

    Reply
    • MilitaryDollar says

      April 29, 2018 at 3:34 pm

      Yes, definitely do! I dragged a friend to a military money meetup yesterday and even though it’s not something he’d ever go to on his own, he said he really enjoyed it. It’s weird but awesome how much we can have fun sitting around talking about money!

      Reply

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