Financial Independence

Studies show that Gen Z is focusing less on aggressively saving for early retirement and more on enjoying life in…

Coast FIRE is one of the more interesting versions of FIRE, aka Financial Independence, Retire Early. With Coast FIRE, you build a portfolio early in life that can grow enough to fund your retirement, then live your life - or coast - until the big day arrives. That’s where this FIRE flavor gets its name.

Like the other FIRE versions, Lean FIRE relies heavily on the safe withdrawal rate and building an extensive portfolio. But the main difference is that this version of FIR has a much stronger emphasis on frugality. Lean FIRE works incredibly well for people who can live on less than the average person does.

If you've been spending much time reading personal finance blogs, you're probably aware of something called the FIRE movement. FIRE, in this case, is a moniker for Financial Independence, Retire Early. There are different FIRE versions, but Fat FIRE is like early retirement on steroids. That is, it's full-blown FIRE and not one of the watered-down variations.

Financial independence is a shared desire of millions of people. There’s even a moniker for it – F.I.R.E., which stands for financial independence, retire early. But how does one achieve FI? After all, it’s just a theory unless you have a plan in place to get there. Let's find out.

In the world of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), Barista FIRE is like 'retirement light'. It's easier to achieve because it lets you supplement your income with part-time work. Even if you never become a millionaire, you may still be able to enjoy a partial life of FIRE - Barista FIRE.

Financial independence is one of those rare goals many people hope to accomplish – someday. But few ever do. Most of the time, the problem isn't a lack of desire, but the absence of a plan or willingness to commit. The good news is that you can start working towards financial independence now, no matter where you're at in your life.

Not everyone wants to make the sacrifices it takes to save enough to retire "early," whatever that means to them, and that's totally OK. I think there are a lot of great takeaways from the FIRE movement even if you don't want to retire early, or be extremely frugal, or anything else that you find unappealing about it.

Behind every mainstream story about a couple retiring in their 30s and traveling the world is a story of struggle,…