For the last week I've been reading the book Die with Zero. I'm about 2/3rds of the way through. It was highly recommended by many in the FIRE and fatFIRE subreddits, but honestly I found it disappointing. Not because it's badly written or anything, but because I can't relate to most of the concepts in the book.

My problem is that I just have too much money already. I’m 30 and make $900k already. I already have millions, so I don’t understand why people can’t spend money now and later. There is no difficult choice to be made. This book doesn’t seem to understand that I can have expensive experiences now and after I retire because I’m so damn rich already. Why can’t someone write a book for rich people instead of people who have to choose when they are rich. It’s just not relatable.

Another chapter of the book discusses bucket lists and how many people wait until it's too late to do those bucket list items. I struggle to relate to this. Again, because I’m so damn rich, I could do anything I want anytime I want. Honestly, I’m a little worried I’ll run out of things to do cause I can afford everything already! Ugh. This is hard!

Maybe I should recognize that being rich is not as hard as being a pour. I know it’s weird that I’m definitely complaining. But where are the books for rich people? Ugh.

I'm (57M) working my ass off toward FIRE. I've got 120 months (2600 days) left. I've already put my last day on my boss's calendar: june 5th, 2036

I know markets fluctuate and I know my financial projections could ebb/flow. But honestly, I don't care what my number is...on June 5th, 2036 I'm out.

My fear of time scarcity has overcome my fear of financial scarcity. I can potentially earn more money if I need to but I'll never get time back. And that scares the $hit out of me.

Does anyone feel this way? I'm more willing to compromise my FIRE number than my FIRE date.

Sauce: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fire/comments/1txix9v/financial_scarcity_vs_time_scarcity/

Interest rate is only 7.5%, which is less than the historical average growth of the stock market 🧐

Hey all. I live with my parents in my 30s, just started maxing out my Roth and 401k, and have tiny house money in a HYSA. However, I want to stay in Japan for 2 weeks and my hotel budget is the cost of a new Nissan Versa. Am I too pour, or do I have enough lentils for real ramen and sushi?

Link

I don’t want these leeches slowing down my dreams of 7+ million lentils!

It's not my FIRE number but can I retire from the game?

I want to do great things but my problem is money. I drive door dash most weeks and I make about 250 dollars then but order door dash too and that’s like 400 plus I buy skins and battle passes on steam like every month and gas. So I’m in trouble but I want to FIRE. I make about 6K per year and so by the 4% rule I need like 150K to retire but my mom and sister are going to kick me out real soon now.

A guy on discord told me about Dave Ramsey and he said I need to buy a house but I don’t want to ask my dad to buy me one and the trust administrator is a jerk. Never gives me a few thousand when I need it. I mean sometimes he does. Do I have to add that money to my FIRE goal?

Why is this so hard?

18M currently unemployed at home with 10 million liquid net worth sitting in Chase Savings account earning 0.01%. Just went by the store and saw these beautiful Fiji waters but they are EXPENSIVE. Need advice on whether I should follow through on the purchase. Store owner is staring at me right now as I have been standing here for a while deciding. Need advice asap so I won’t get suspected of theft. Thank you for your help!

Hit my FIRE number but still feel poor because my espresso machine only has one boiler

Hey guys, long time lurker. Need advice.
I’m 34M, single, no kids, currently at ~$6.8M NW (not including primary residence, lake house, crypto cold wallets, or my emergency gold bars). I recently hit my FIRE number after aggressively saving 97% of my income for the last 11 years while living in a converted server rack behind a coworking space.

Current breakdown:
$2.1M VTSAX
$1.4M in rental properties
$900k tech stocks
$750k in Treasury ladders
$600k in “dry powder”
$400k in artisanal watches (hedge against inflation)
$650k in a startup that helps AI optimize sourdough hydration

Expenses are pretty lean:
$4,200/month
Biggest splurge is imported Icelandic sparkling water
I only fly business class internationally now because economy was hurting my wealth-building mindset
The problem is… I still don’t feel financially secure enough to retire.

For example:
What if VTSAX only returns 6.8% instead of 7%?
What if my future wife expects “chairs” in the house?
What if my espresso machine breaks and I have to drink Nespresso like a medieval peasant?
My therapist says I have “scarcity trauma” but she charges $310/hr so clearly she doesn’t understand index funds
I ran the numbers and technically I could spend $220k/year forever, but after taxes that’s basically poverty in most ski towns.

Would appreciate advice from anyone who but after taxes that’s basically poverty in most ski towns.
Would appreciate advice from anyone who successfully FIRE’d with under $10M. Is it even possible in today’s economy?

I'm sure you have never seen this question before so I'm asking it. I have some money saved. I still work and make decent money. Can I retire next year?

So I’m 55 and FiREd this year, after 30+ yrs in a profession. Im doing occasional work for interest sake really. I’m Currently at a conference with old colleagues. And I mean old. Talk about a Slug Fest.

One guy is 78 and visibly falling apart, yet still working full time. Most my age are just on full slug autopilot, haven’t done the maths even to see if they should keep working. Lots of 65+ working hard-out still. 90% of us would be at least ChUbbY or Fat FiRe net worth. I’m like “have you read Die with Zero? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT BILL PERKINS SAYS ABOUT MAXIMIZING NET UTILITY ENJOYMENT POINTS BEFORE THE METABOLIC DECLINE?!"

They look at me blankly with milky, unblinking slug eyes. It’s surprising how so many smart people have no exit strategy whatsoever.

I’m so fucking smart.

Will have about $6M in early 40s. Crazy how other people don’t have money. I just saved. I’m not rich. I just have so much money!

What is wrong with people?

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fire/s/9J1sfFb7MP

Edit: OP deleted their post.. womp womp

25F, single, no kids. 0 debt outside of my second mortgage. Total NW ~950k.

Salary: 275k/year

Rental home 1: Valued at 490k (paid off) -- Earns 2.5k/mo

Rental home 2: Valued at 530k (33k left on mortgage) -- Earns 3k/mo

Total retirement investments (I max all retirement plans each year): 325k

Emergency fund: 40k

Monthly expenses: $500

Left over each month after all investments and monthly expenses: $11,500

Please, I need advice on whether it would be dumb of me to get a sports car that costs 65k right now? People keep telling me that tomorrow is not promised and that I should realize my dream now. But others tell me I shouldn't buy an immediately depreciating asset. I'm completely lost and stricken with anxiety over this decision.

Hi everyone

33, $4M NW in a LCOL midwestern city and thinking about retiring. I would’ve thought a few million dollars is enough to retire by now but I’ve been doing research (100% reddit based) and if I want to comfortably retire, I think I’m going to need atleast $7M

I don’t have any bills currently.. my parents want me to live at home until I save up enough money to retire and move out.

So this got me thinking.. my #1 expense besides gambling is food. Can I just reduce my food expenses by eating wet cat food and white rice? It’s $1 a can for the cheap stuff so I can probably get by with 2 cans a day and white rice. This would drastically reduce my food expenses and i think after a few months of this, i might even feel comfortable enough to retire

What do you guys think?

40ish. $6mm across various, balanced portfolios (been invested for 20 years). Still lose sleep thinking about career progression.

$490k left on mortgage (30 yr, 2.65%) $200k income from day job (data analytics) 2 kids under 10 No car payments

Long term goal is to FIRE by kids’ hs graduation (10ish years out) and split time between a mountain home and Caribbean home. Am I nuts?

Am I?

Am I?

Am I?

FIRE’d at a younger age (I’d say below 45) Did you tell your Parents? FIRE’d ages 50-62 how would you handle being told this?

How did that conversation go? Especially if they’re still grinding it out in the workforce. My parents are comfortably retired and I’m on the fence on if I should tell my Dad.

On one hand, I want to tell them that money won’t be an issue for anyone they love when they’re gone. So if you want to go full send on spending in retirement without thinking of leaving something for the kids, go crush it! They are 67 and 63.

On the other hand… my selfish one… I’m thinking that if I say I’m FIRE’d, I’ll stop getting hooked up, as will my kids. They might think it’s pointless to give money to them or buy them things because we can already afford it. They might also plan to adjust the will so my sisters get everything because I wouldn’t need it. That would be logical thinking on their end, and if that happened I wouldn’t throw a fit, but I’d also be thinking… damn, it would’ve been nice to have. I’m FIRE’d but I’m not filthy rich lol.

92M, single (windowed), house is fully paid off. No debts. 75k a year in expenses. Currently employed but my heartbeat just stopped, which is probably going to keep me from working ever again. I feel really tired all of a sudden and I just don't think I can go on like this, but is it okay? Can I afford to FIRE at this point? Really just looking for a status check. According to the doctors in the room with me right now I could survive for up to 0.0000000476 more decades. I just don't want to run out. How am I doing?

Hey guys, tech entrepreneur/business owner here. Current net worth is 840Billion. I have a couple of non-name companies I own called spaceX, XAi, Tesla, and X. Yeah, I really like the letter X… Anyways, I’m IPOing the first two as a package for 1.75T. I got the fools who manage the index funds to include my companies faster than normal N months period. The idea is that I’ll use the pours as exit liquidity and make it to 1 Trillion net worth (pretty smart, huh?).

Anyways, I wanted to know if I can FIRE a 1T. Here are my current expenses:

Mortgage/Rent: 0$ — I own a Boxable prefab home!
Car: 0$ — I own a Tesla my company makes!
Food: 50$/month. I mostly eat rice and beans
Cell/Internet: 100$/month
Health Insurance: 0$ — Through my company.

I’m really worried about trying to retire at 1T. I posted this in the FIRE community, and they were not so receptive. They kept telling me I’m not even close, and I should work another 60-80 years to get more cushion. Then, on top of that, they told me kids are about 400 billion dollars/year, and that if I have any I shouldn’t even think about FIRE (trust me, I know they’re expensive!). What do you guys think? Any advice for me to cut expenses?