Why where your money works matters more than how much you make One Morning, Two Worlds The coffee arrives before I’ve fully settled into the chair — a small, handmade ceramic cup filled with a dark, creamy espresso with beans freshly arrived from Honduras touched with a tinge of chocolate. A luxurious morning start that … Read more
A testament to ExpatFIRE, NomadFIRE, BaristaFIRE, CoastFIRE, and financial creativity on the path to financial independence As I sit on another one way flight to Bangkok, this time from Seattle, I can’t help but smile, excited with both anticipation and appreciation…for what I experienced on my financial journey of the last 9+ years, for what … Read more
Everyone would love the idea of being “financially independent,” and the FIRE approach is a great option that makes that life accessible. Unfortunately, the prospect of sacrificing life’s comforts to achieve and live in Lean FIRE, or even FIRE, is too much for some to fathom. At the other end of the spectrum, the millions … Read more
For the average person who wants to achieve financial independence, that desire for early retirement is also for comfort. For many, the prospect of never having to work again is only a worthwhile opportunity if it comes with a lifestyle worth living, and without compromise. This is the prospect of Fat FIRE. The Fat Financial … Read more
Most people want financial independence and the opportunity to retire early. Unfortunately, the small margin of savings that many Americans have after paying the bills doesn’t make it easily possible to early retire with $2 million in the bank, or an $80,000 retirement withdrawal. But luckily, the solution doesn’t have to be working forever, or … Read more
If you’re in pursuit of Coast FIRE and aiming to do so via a one time windfall or burst savings, the way to think about this is: you’re hunting for “earnings density That means (1) high pay per month and (2) unusually low living expenses and/or (3) a structure that makes saving automatic (housing/food provided, … Read more
Most people love the idea of financial independence and retiring early, but these possibilities can seem remote on the standard path of saving and investing 10% of one’s paycheck. At the same time, though the FIRE movement offers proven approaches for early financial independence, it often comes with hefty sacrifice, and few people want to … Read more
Many people love the idea and possibility of financial independence, but in the current mix of average salary of ~$67,000 to average cost of living in the US, $60,000 to $70,000, that dream of retiring early can feel unlikely. With barely any financial room to breathe as is these days, the idea of stoic austerity … Read more
Many people fantasize about what life would be like if they could travel wherever they desired – financially secure enough to make such adventurous wanderings not just possible, but commonplace. In same moment, most people dismiss this “forever travel dream” as an impossibility. But as I sit in a public park in Montevideo, Uruguay, scouting … Read more
Calculate the portfolio you need for “semi-FI” — where part-time income covers part of your expenses, and your investments cover the rest. Enter your annual expenses, your expected part-time income, and your withdrawal-rate assumption to estimate your Barista FIRE number, then adjust the “dial” to see how much faster financial independence can become when you … Read more