Financial independence Retire Early…

F.I.R.E (sing to the tune of the F.E.A.R by Ian Brown and you get what goes on in my head)

I make no secret about it, I find working a challenge these days. I have a great job and I get to do great things each day, but I yearn for the freedom that having the money to cover my basic living expenses for the rest of my life may give me.

I am not greedy, I don’t need much and my planning is all about keeping things simple, buying and owning less and then exploring a future life of travelling while working – like a digital nomad.

Will I ever achieve this, who knows… but I believe so, that’s what matters the most. I am focused on that future self. One where I can still contribute, give back and inspire my children who will also explore moments of this life.

I will never truly retire, I intend to keep working and my inspiration for that is my own mother who is still making things (she created and made things her whole life – and not just her 12 children) even now as she is in her 90’s.

I first stumbled onto the idea of FIRE by accident. I was low, I was skint and I was furious because I was paying out more than I was making. I decided to do something about it and after a morning of research I started to find a path and the ‘lightbulb moment‘ came when I ran across a rich stream of content with the theme of retiring early. I was blown away by the audacity of it and I wanted a part of it. That was almost five years ago and it became an obsession for me.

From that day, I had set myself out with a different focus every morning. I would watch every penny and build the mindset around getting to a place of freedom; TIME FREEDOM.

I am not there yet and will I keep the attention on the detail, It is not always easy.

Every day is a case of holding the discipline but I know that it will be worthwhile. I want to knock the retirement age for myself down from the planned 65 – that is the norm with so many – to somewhere like 55.

I will continue to work, but I will work on the things that I choose to do and I am inspired to do. The things that I will have the passion for, like creating and sharing content, writing and helping others find their way.

I am in an extremely fortunate position and life was not always like this. I miss so much and through the blogs you might get a feel for that. I am an arse at times and I speak some sense at other times, but one thing I am sure that you will be inspire by if you do your own research, is the idea of FIRE.

Do it, research it. Understand it and be inspired by it. I will leave some starting web page links and book, podcast recommendations below… feel free to explore, but one back to my blog when you can by following me on the link below.

The younger you do the better. I wish I had found it in my younger years because then I could have made a different journey – but there is no point in looking back.

The important thing is that I have started, I got that course correction at the right time and I feel like I am on a path to something.

Feel free to follow me as I explore that path… and when I am being an arse tell me, if I have helped you change your thoughts on anything, tell me.

Please leave the comments and feedback that you want to leave across any of my content. I have thick skin.

I would like to help and I will help more as I get more Freedom!

Some links and things to explore:

The Escape Artist … This is a great place to start.

Meaningful Money… This is an excellent place to start and develop your journey with money and you should spend a lot of time here, the content is breathtaking.

Mr Money Mustache… The first place I stumbled on, lost his way a little but it is written with great humour.

ChooseFI… This is US centric but so good to get your Money Mindset in place

The idea of minimalist living from the minimalists… for a much more simple and clearer life.