4 ms·

The concept of living frugally to require less money is the basis of FIRE ideology, which the article decries. Unusual.

neogodless 6y ago
> I’m living on about US$10,000 to $15,000 a year. I'm not sure the article decries frugality. Unless I'm really missing something, I don't think you're right. It just says that being financially independent and having "f-you money" are not the same thing. Which I agree with - having enough money to say no to a bad job is plenty enough "f-you money" but I'd want about 20x more to consider myself financially independent.
- the_only_law 6y ago
  I don’t get it. That sounds miserable, not like freedom at all. Sure you don’t have to work, but can you really do much else? Same reason I never understood FIRE. Yeah I can live off a minimal amount of money, but then I can’t afford to do the things I wanted to do if I wasn’t working.
  - neogodless 6y ago
    You may be reading into things I didn't say. First, I didn't say I was financially independent (at all) let alone based on my current spending. Second, I didn't mention my current spending, nor did I call it "minimal." Third, I didn't say I couldn't afford to do things based on the money I do have. FIRE means literally "financial independence, retire early." None of that prescribes spending the absolute bare minimum just to survive. You may be thinking more along the lines of earlyretirementextreme.com, which embraces a whole different level of independence and capability and minimizing expenses and resource consumption. But you can reach FIRE simply by accumulating and investing about 25x your annual spending, whatever that spending may be. Personally, we live in a big house, have a somewhat expensive pet, drive two late model (albeit economical) cars we enjoy, travel, eat well, have nice laptops, etc. We just did and do all spending mindfully and somewhat optimally. Often you can put the Pareto principle into play, and get almost all the enjoyment of something for a fraction of the cost. Sometimes you can simply avoid waste.
  - boring_twenties 6y ago
    Dunno about $10-15k, but in the best year of my life I only spent about $25k. That covered rent, food gas and my Alta-Bird pass which I used around 120 days of that year. Had some left over for some really good summer trips, too.
bryanlarsen 6y ago
I wouldn't say it decries FIRE, it explains the difference between FU money and FIRE. FIRE is fairly boolean: either you have enough to retire or you don't. (According to the blogger), FU money is a range. If you don't have FIRE money you might still have enough to say "no" to some things but not to others. A broke 25 year old kid who can still live in Mom's basement is well into FU money.

> I’m living on about US$10,000 to $15,000 a year. I'm not sure the article decries frugality. Unless I'm really missing something, I don't think you're right. It just says that being financially independent and having "f-you money" are not the same thing. Which I agree with - having enough money to say no to a bad job is plenty enough "f-you money" but I'd want about 20x more to consider myself financially independent.

the_only_law 6y ago
I don’t get it. That sounds miserable, not like freedom at all. Sure you don’t have to work, but can you really do much else? Same reason I never understood FIRE. Yeah I can live off a minimal amount of money, but then I can’t afford to do the things I wanted to do if I wasn’t working.
- neogodless 6y ago
  You may be reading into things I didn't say. First, I didn't say I was financially independent (at all) let alone based on my current spending. Second, I didn't mention my current spending, nor did I call it "minimal." Third, I didn't say I couldn't afford to do things based on the money I do have. FIRE means literally "financial independence, retire early." None of that prescribes spending the absolute bare minimum just to survive. You may be thinking more along the lines of earlyretirementextreme.com, which embraces a whole different level of independence and capability and minimizing expenses and resource consumption. But you can reach FIRE simply by accumulating and investing about 25x your annual spending, whatever that spending may be. Personally, we live in a big house, have a somewhat expensive pet, drive two late model (albeit economical) cars we enjoy, travel, eat well, have nice laptops, etc. We just did and do all spending mindfully and somewhat optimally. Often you can put the Pareto principle into play, and get almost all the enjoyment of something for a fraction of the cost. Sometimes you can simply avoid waste.
- boring_twenties 6y ago
  Dunno about $10-15k, but in the best year of my life I only spent about $25k. That covered rent, food gas and my Alta-Bird pass which I used around 120 days of that year. Had some left over for some really good summer trips, too.

bryanlarsen 6y ago

I wouldn't say it decries FIRE, it explains the difference between FU money and FIRE. FIRE is fairly boolean: either you have enough to retire or you don't. (According to the blogger), FU money is a range. If you don't have FIRE money you might still have enough to say "no" to some things but not to others. A broke 25 year old kid who can still live in Mom's basement is well into FU money.