Millennial FIRE
How I Achieved Financial Independence and Retired Early in My 30s
I remember the exact moment I decided to retire early. I was sitting in a cubicle, surrounded by the subtle hum of fluorescent lights, feeling my soul slowly being sucked out of my body. The clock read 3:47 PM, and the prospect of another hour and thirteen minutes felt like an eternity. I glanced at my coworker, Steve, who was zealously typing away, possibly on his fifteenth cup of coffee for the day. He had the look of a man who’d accepted his fate. Not me. I wasn’t going to be Steve.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. Steve’s a nice guy, but I didn’t want to spend the next thirty years calculating the best time to microwave my lunch to avoid awkward conversations in the break room. So, there I was, contemplating my escape plan: Financial Independence, Retire Early — also known as FIRE. It sounded like a cult, but I was ready to drink the Kool-Aid.
The Realization
It all started with a book. No, not a self-help book or one of those get-rich-quick guides. It was actually a dog-eared copy of “Your Money or Your Life” by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. A friend lent it to me, probably after sensing my existential dread during our usual Saturday brunches. “Here,” she said, shoving the book into my hands. “This might help you. Or at…
