If you want to FIRE, one of my regrets was pulling the ripcord too early at age 34 in 2012. Even though I started writing about FIRE in 2009 with the launch of Financial Samurai—trying to uncover as many blind spots as possible before taking the leap—I still feel like I made a mistake. In| Financial Samurai
Since writing about FIRE in 2009, I’ve favored investing in growth stocks over value stocks. As someone who wanted to retire early from finance, my goal was to build as large a capital base as quickly as possible. Once I retired, I could convert these gains into dividend-paying stocks or other income-generating assets to cover| Financial Samurai
On July 3, the House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) with a 218–214 vote. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will add an estimated $3.3 trillion to the budget deficit over the next 10 years. Trump signed the bill the next day on July 4. To help pay for it, OBBBA| Financial Samurai
When I recently read in Joe Fairless’s Best Ever Report about how Lue Chen achieved financial independence (or in his case fatFIRE) at only age 38, I had to reach out to him…and boy am I glad I did!| Debt-Free Doctor
The desire to retire early and live a financially independent life has been around since the beginning of organized labor. Let's explore who started the FIRE movement and how it has evolved over time. In 1992, the book, Your Money Or Your Life, was published by Joseph R. Dominguez, Monique Tilford, and Vicki Robin that| Financial Samurai
It's safe to assume the vast majority of you reading Financial Samurai want to be rich. I trust those of you who've been reading this site between 2009 and 2012, when I was writing heavily about investment strategies, have indeed become much richer. The compounding forces since then have been enormous. We are probably one| Financial Samurai
As someone who helped ignite the modern day FIRE movement back in 2009 when Financial Samurai began, I'm amazed at how popular the movement has come! There are so many different types of FIRE to fit different people's lifestyles. Today, we'll discuss what is Coast FIRE and whether it's the right type of FIRE for| Financial Samurai
Your financial independence number is the amount of money you think you need in order to be free. Unfortunately, if nothing changes in your life after reaching your financial independence number, then the number simply is not real. You need to accumulate more capital and generate more passive income. Some people continue to believe once| Financial Samurai
Money dysmorphia is a negative and unrealistic perception of one's financial wellness or position. If you have money dysmorphia, you might constantly worry about your finances, even if you are doing well for your age. One significant reason for experiencing money dysmorphia is the unhealthy comparison with others facilitated by social media platforms like Instagram,| Financial Samurai
On August 7, 2023, I received an email from Amy X. Wang, the assistant editor at the New York Times Magazine, inquiring about the modern-day FIRE movement and its Fat FIRE offshoot. Amy is a self-proclaimed FIRE enthusiast who has worked side hustles to earn extra money and utilized rewards points to save. As one| Financial Samurai
When my kids were born, I made a promise to be a stay-at-home father for the first five years of each of their lives. Mission accomplished with my son in April 2022, and my daughter in December 2024. I'm now wondering how I will fill the void once both kids are in school full time.| Financial Samurai
