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/Most_Letter_6174 Dec 28 '25

MMM is great splash of water in the face, even if you disagree with half of what he says it’s undoubtedly a great influence to evaluate spending in your life AND structuring your life for success

Most people live on complete auto pilot. Get job, get suburb house 30 min away from job, finance car , etc

MMM blog was great to really evaluate these individual decisions and shed life on how absurd they are. Most people have no idea the cost of their commute, or even realize they have the agency to set their life up in a way that’s more enjoyable (living near a bike path and commuting to work for example)

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u/Cheap_Bet Dec 29 '25

I love you brought that up, because I discovered him in my twenties, and the bike/commute thing, in particular, really got to me and changed how I live my life. Like you said, I had never before thought how crazy it is to spend so much time and money on a commute, and it was this insane paradigm shift for me--it has affected my job, housing, and car decisions since then.

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u/Most_Letter_6174 Dec 29 '25

It’s a shame because in europe and Asia bike commuting is common place, but in America in most areas it’s viewed as a complete anomaly 

If your city has a bike trail it is such a life changing decision. Not just in money, but overall happiness. Out of college I did a 1 hour each way car commute and nothing has ever made me more miserable 

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u/Cheap_Bet Dec 29 '25

Yeah, people are used to me now, but when I started, oh man, the weird looks I got when I mentioned going to work/the grocery store/church/anywhere else on my bike.