Financial Independence Retire Early

Patience is the Smoldering Heart of the FIRE

November 15, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

The flames of the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement can spread rapidly. Just like a campfire stacked with kindling, the flames are tall, flickering, and bright at first, but over time, these flames subside leaving the dull glow of smoldering coals.

But you don’t cook on the flickering flames. This short blast of high heat would scorch the outside, leaving the inside raw. You do your cooking on the coals, sustaining just the right level of heat over a longer time.

Having an open mind, self evaluation, and taking bold action are critical to igniting the FIRE and the bright dancing flames of the initial burn.

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How FIRE Can Help Mitigate Disaster

November 8, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

“Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!”

“Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes…”

“The dead rising from the grave!”

“Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!”

– The Ghostbusters

We all like to think glowingly about our future. Raising our families, fun vacations, memorable meals, and retirement, of course! We spend a great deal of time thinking and planning about what fun things we are going to do and how we will go about doing them. In the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) community, we use high savings rates to reach Financial Independence (FI) much quicker than our non-FIRE peers.

But unfortunately, S^&T happens, and our best-laid plans could go up in smoke. However, the same skills you use to propel yourself on the path to FI can serve you well when everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.

Seeing the Opportunity in Adversity

September 20, 2018 by Mr. Heartland on FIRE

“When one door closes,another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

When you are on the path to Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) you need to be looking for every edge. This way of thinking allows FIRE seekers to uncover opportunities for savings and growth in everyday activities. Whether it be house or travel hacking, biking over driving, or making delicious home-cooked meals for pennies on the dollar, the FIRE lifestyle is centered around creative thinking for everyday issues. Housing, transportation and food are predictable everyday facts of life.

However, one facet of everyday life is not so predictable:

Adversity

How can FIRE thinking take advantage of that?