> The common thread is that just because you can buy something, or can qualify for a particular mortgage, doesn't mean you should if you're goal is to "retire" early. One of the engineers I worked at Sun with told me that once he had enough value in Sun stock he just decided it was enough. He never moved out of his "starter" house (small 3 bedroom) and always drove his budget/no-options economy car at least 100,000 miles. And his idea of a "great vacation" was camping in the Sierras. So it didn't take much for him to get there and in the middle of the dot com "boom" he sold all his stock, paid his taxes, paid off his house, and retired.
My problem with the FIRE and /r/of communities is that their loudest proponents shun anyone who _doesn't_ want to live like this.
Anyone who wants new cars, nice vacations (don't you dare mention flying business class!), and nice houses are anathema to these folks, even if you can clearly (a) afford it and (b) continue to save towards retirement, albeit less aggressively.
This is why I like the /r/fatFIRE community instead. They acknowledge that one can want to retire early (or just retire at a normal age, but with thick assets) and live a nice life while getting there IF you are willing/able to push for higher income jobs.
I mean, that's just called being rich, which is great work if you can get it, but kinda rude because not everyone can just pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
My problem with the FIRE and /r/of communities is that their loudest proponents shun anyone who _doesn't_ want to live like this.
Anyone who wants new cars, nice vacations (don't you dare mention flying business class!), and nice houses are anathema to these folks, even if you can clearly (a) afford it and (b) continue to save towards retirement, albeit less aggressively.
This is why I like the /r/fatFIRE community instead. They acknowledge that one can want to retire early (or just retire at a normal age, but with thick assets) and live a nice life while getting there IF you are willing/able to push for higher income jobs.