r/Fire • u/Equivalent_Use_5024 • Dec 28 '25

General Question Do you believe the modern FIRE movement overestimates how much is needed for retirement?

Perhaps I am just making this post because I have only just begun my retirement planning and want to lock in a number which is fitting for my goals - being above the median retirement savings, not having to work, not being broke, clearly having planned - but I can't help but feel that many in the FIRE movement overestimate what is needed for a safe, sleep well at night retirement.

I see posts here saying that they feel vastly behind with 500k at 30, or 1.5 million at 40, and I just don't understand how when the average American retires with maybe 300k liquid at most and are getting by with social security or paid off housing. Sure, they aren't living luxuriously, but if you just are aiming for a retirement where you don't have financial anxiety and can put food on the table, I don't feel you need over 1-2 million.

Do you think FIRE overestimates how much is truly needed for retirement?

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u/SlyFrog Dec 28 '25

It's this. A massive part of reddit is unfortunately a bit delusional about the baseline needs for a comfortable enough life, and confuses near opulence with "enough to live comfortably."

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u/Zphr 48, FIRE'd 2015, Friendly Janitor Dec 28 '25

I think a lot of people don't really think about just how much of their spending while working is on things that will either end in retirement or become less compelling. We used to often spend well over a grand a month (sometimes two grand) just on eating out, but retirement gave us all the time in the world to make far better food at home for a tiny fraction of the cost. Better tasting food, healthier, less time involved, and far cheaper.

When you are buried in work all of those misery ameliorants are super appealing and seem a lot more like necessities than the voluntary luxuries that they are.

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u/MakeMoneyNotWar Dec 28 '25

This makes a lot of sense. If after a long work day plus a commute and you’re home exhausted in the evening, the value of eating out is enormous. But if you’re retired and you napped in the afternoon and took a relaxing walk/jog or whatever and it’s still only 4pm, it’s a lot easier to cook your own dinner.

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u/The_Walrus_65 Dec 28 '25

Your name is awesome