r/leanfire

I’m kinda venting here, kinda asking for advice on how to deal.

I am constantly daydreaming about not working or
working just enough to pay my bills and eat and I’m only 28, feeling burnt out, paralyzed to do anything about it. By all considerations, we (my wife and I) are doing excellent. I’m a programmer and my wife is a marketer, so the job market is a little uncertain for us, we don’t assume this money will last forever.

We are on track to gross about $200k this year. 10% 401k + match with about $175k already invested across all retirement accounts. Depending on how the paychecks line up, we net about $10-12k a month.

We target spending at about $7k a month. We just bought a house and the (15 @ 5.25%) mortgage ($3500) alone makes up half of this. we’ve been pretty decent about following the budget since buying last Oct in a neighborhood we adore and will stay for a long time. we’re rebuilding e fund as fast as possible and just trying not to freak about AI and our jobs.

I’m just… so disillusioned with work. it feels meaningless and not worth it. I have a decade or so of history with overextending myself and burning out. I just changed jobs and trying to get out of one of these burn out periods. it didn’t work. again. idk what to do anymore.

I’m daydreaming about cashing it all in paying the taxes and penalties and trying to live off 100k in some far flung place for 1-2 years, but if I leave the job market i’m not sure i could easily renter it, certainly not at the same wage. I know this is wrong but I’m just so tired of

I know that $100k is not enough to retire on, at least not for my QoL, and we’ll probably need a minimum FIRE no of 1 mil in today’s dollars. Idk, just not sure I can do this for 15 years until the house is paid off. Yes we could cut spending (3500 for everything else is still kind of a lot, especially for this sub) but at the end of a hard week or day I feel I am unable to resist the temptation for some fast food (CAVA) or a cold beer at the bar down the street. We love traveling and splurge on that, but sometimes a trip is the only thing that keeps me going bc i’m looking forward to it.

Anyone else a little further down the path have any advice pushing thru burnout / “boring middle”?

sorry if this Q gets asked a bunch in this sub

E: thank you everyone! i know that our spend and FIRE goals are a bit of a stretch for this sub, but my wife n I are really trying to get to the mindset to be good with 1 mil nest egg and a paid off house. we will get there!

E2: To expand more on what I meant by boring middle!
I mean like anyone have advice for dealing with the intersection of burnout and the boring middle where everything is automated and you’re just building a sick ass life within your means while saving for an early retirement. I didn’t mean to say I thought my life was boring, but rather that I’m burned out by my work and feel a bit stuck because I am in the boring middle.

Hi! Wanna help me brainstorm?

I am stuck. I am open to all ideas. I have a suspicion FIRE is impossible for me, but you all seem like experts, so lemme throw out my situation and we'll see.

My version of FIRE
From reading the forum it seems like everyone has their own version of FIRE. Which is beautiful. I actually want to keep working forever, I just want my creative work to stop being tied to income.

I do set design work - so I need to be in VHCOL cities for projects (mostly Paris and NYC). Probably 4-5 months in NYC, 1-2 months in Paris. Rest of the year I can be somewhere LCOL (thinking southwest France so I can surf, but a bit inland, because coastal is expensive). I put set design costs on a travel credit card and use points for flights.

Financial status
~860k net worth. Willing to do *anything* with this money if it gets me close to FIRE.

• $160k cash in HYSA
• $230k index fund
• $85k crypto (BTC and ETH)
• $380k 401k
• No debt
• 38 years old. No kids, pets, partner - totally flexible (and will likely stay this way)

Happy to share any more details. While in France I won't have health insurance costs, but will need health insurance while in NYC. Aside from that, primary costs are housing. In NYC i keep costs low by cooking at home, doing free creative events, working out outside, etc.

I'm willing to sell assets to buy a property if that makes sense, could invest in a rental property to generate income if that makes sense, could get an apartment and house swap...will do anything to make this work! I'd love to find a way to not *have* to work again, so that I can have freedom in my creative work. Open to all ideas.

I am very interested in early retirement this year and want to get thoughts on if I’m ready for early retirement (lean fire)? I’m married, 49, house is paid for and I will go on my husband’s medical insurance. here’s my financial information:

401k: $750k

brokerage: $170k

HYSA: $200k

mortgage:$0

Annual expenses: $18k

I will be living off of my brokerage and HYSA. so, any thoughts on how my investments should look when I retire so that I can count on that money in my brokerage account. should I leave my 401k investments alone for now, keep them a bit risky? Am I ready for lean/fire? Any advice would be appreciated.

Started my FI journey in 2018 at 26 with about $12k. Today at 34 I'm at roughly $620k. Not a tech salary story. I started at $45k in marketing and I'm at $115k now after a couple job switches and steady raises.

For the first three years I was fully bought into frugality as the main lever. Tracked every purchase, cancelled everything I could, meal prepped religiously. Got my savings rate from about 25% up to 42% and thought I was going to frugality my way to FI. But when I sat down with 8 years of actual numbers, the stuff I'd been obsessing over barely registered compared to the stuff I was ignoring.

The two job switches I made in 2020 and 2022 added $22k and then $31k to my income. Those two moves did more for my net worth than every expense I ever cut. I'm not saying frugality doesn't matter because without a 40%+ savings rate none of this works. But going from 40% to 45% through expense cutting did way less than going from $45k to $76k while holding the same savings percentage. I probably should have been job hunting sooner instead of agonizing over my grocery budget.

Income was the biggest factor but it wasn't the only thing I was wrong about. Once I started looking at the data more carefully I realized my own behavior was quietly costing me in ways I never tracked. Staying invested through the 2020 and 2022 downturns was huge. I came close to panic selling both times, genuinely had the sell order ready to go. If I'd gone to cash in either period I'd be roughly $80k to $100k behind where I am now. Years of careful frugality potentially gone from one bad afternoon.

Cash drag was even sneakier. I found two stretches where I had $8k to $12k just sitting in checking for months because I'd stopped paying attention. I went through a bunch of tracking setups over the years, Mint before it died, a Google Sheet I barely kept up, and eventually MuleRun which generates a monthly report. Having consistent month over month data is what made those checking balance buildups finally obvious. Rough estimate is idle cash cost me about $15k over 8 years. More than all the subscription cancelling and coupon clipping combined.

My savings rate showed the same pattern. I assumed it sat around 40% but it actually swung from 35% to 52% depending on the quarter. Q4 was consistently terrible because holiday spending stacked with annual insurance premiums hitting at once. All that expense cutting from earlier in the year kept getting partially undone by predictable seasonal spikes I never planned for. A sinking fund smoothed things to a consistent 44%, which on my current income works out to roughly $4k more per year actually hitting my brokerage versus the old pattern where Q4 dragged the effective rate down. Not dramatic in any single year but it compounds.

My girlfriend and I have rented this entire time in a VHCOL area so there's no home equity in these numbers. Just brokerage and retirement accounts.

Net worth by year: $12k, $38k, $67k, $112k, $148k, $240k, $355k, $480k, $620k. The acceleration in the later years is almost entirely compounding. Contributions haven't changed much since 2023. Target is $1.5M at a 3.5% withdrawal rate, about $52.5k a year, which puts me around 2033.

I spent way too many hours agonizing over international vs domestic splits and small cap tilts when the real data shows the gap between my best and worst allocation years was nothing compared to the quarters I just forgot to move cash out of checking. Eight years in, the boring unglamorous stuff is what actually built this number.

How can I do that?

How can I live without working too much? Like 4hrs a day for work is enough.

Do more important things for myself rather than for others.

I want to leave this rat race that others build.

Give me idea pleaseeeeee.

I'm from Eastern Europe, so it's not exactly a beacon of financial literacy(or literacy in general for that matter), but I never suspected it was this bad.

People I work with, people that I know for a fact that are above average intelligence would probably starve to death in 3 months if they lost their jobs. Some are up to their eyeballs in debt. Some immediately upgrade their lifestyle once they get even a modicum of pay bump. Some just have almost no self control and spend like there's no tomorrow. Some are saving but they have no idea what to do with their money and they just let it sit there and rot. Some are on the opposite end and just go for the riskiest things possible.

I have zero intention of talking about finances with any of them, I've made that mistake in the past and at best they'll say thank you and carry on or at worst they'll assume you want to scam them somehow.

Admittedly I'm not the best person to take advice from since I live like a monk, but God knows some of those people could use it.

I don't even have a point to this post I just find it sad.

Sure the number feels and seems low and it aint the highest. I have seen the silence when it comes up in conversation but I wanna show you.

Rent is $680 for a one bedroom apt here in Tulsa. Phone is $35 prepaid. Groceries around $210 because I cook and stopped making excuses. With utilities, internet and the basics are all in under $1,500 a month.

I have some money saved up from slots on rolling riches on top of this which is the part that surprises people most. Living at this level does not mean scraping by but means the gap between what comes in and what goes out is wide that saving feels automatic.

The things I cut were little things I stopped wanting once I was honest about whether they were adding anything to my day to day life and trust me they werent. What I do spend on I spend on without guilt. I travel once or twice a year, have good food at home like the things that matter to me.

The math isn't complicated. It just looks different from the outside than it feels from the inside.

What have you been working on this week? Please use this thread to discuss any progress, setbacks, quick questions or just plain old rants to the community.

I've been doing some math lately, I've been investing about $1,200/month recently, have about $41k invested, and I just turned 30. I had been planning on my current contributions until 34 when I (hopefully) reach $100k, then backing off to about $600 until I turn 45, then stopping contributions, going part time, and coasting until retirement at 59.5.

However, if I just did $600 all the way until 45 it really doesn't change much in the long term while saving me a ton of headache in the now. $600 is quite a lot of money to me these days, and while it's nice to watch the numbers go up a little faster, it doesn't move up my retirement date at all, makes me a millionaire only about 2 years earlier, and nets me about $300k extra for retirement. Now I'm questioning whether I should even keep investing this much or if I would be better to enjoy my life a little more, maybe pay off my house a little faster.

Have you guys ever done the math on this? I know most of you guys are more interested in retiring as early as possible but I'm happy to get my nest egg situated and then do part time work that I enjoy for awhile after. Just curious what everyone's thoughts are.

Hey everyone, I own my own apartment with an estimated value of at least €550k. €160k of mortgage is left but I’m not paying it off, only paying a little interest. I rent it out at the moment getting in €1950 a month. €450 goes to my dad who pays the interest on the mortgage and my life insurance. So €1500 is left. From that I pay off my student loan which is €100 for the next 30 years so im left with €1400 a month. Every year I can increase the rent with 4.4%.

Right now I live back with my parents which costs me barely any money since they are kind to pay for groceries. But I also move to Turkey, where I have a citizenship, once in a while where I stay at my father’s apartment. This is where I can spend some time alone. This costs me approximately €600 a month and I plan on staying for about 6 months a year. This means I can save 6 months of €800 a month and the other 6 months I can probably save like €900-€1000. Let’s say that I save €10k yearly and I put it all in WEBN (an ETF) which has generated approximately 10% of annual interest historically. And my starting point is €3000 invested.

I also have $9000 dollars in Turkish Lira’s and the bank is giving me at least 30% on that. But I leave it out of the equation for now.

Now why I’m making this post: I’m 26 atm and here in the Netherlands you get €1500 when you reach the retirement age of 68. And as you can tell I don’t spend a lot of money so let’s be conservative and say I’d need €1200-1500 when I live back in my own apartment in The Netherlands. The 4% rule says I’d need €360k-€450k. A compound interest calculator on the internet says I can reach that within 12-14 years. Let’s say I’m 40 when I reach €400k (the calculator says €480k after 14 years) and let’s say history repeats itself with its 10% on the ETF’s. It means I’d have €40k of interest annually. Which is €3.3k a month which is way more than I need. And also considering I get €1500 after I bridge from 40 years to 70 years, my question is: can you help me draw the line? How much money saved in ETF’s is realistic for my situation? I didn’t really understand how to use the 4% calculator in my situation. That’s why I’m asking you guys too. I’d love to have my own place back but I’m not going to rush it. If I have to wait 15 years I will.

Background: I'm 29, based in Europe, no student debt, currently living with supportive parents so my fixed costs are basically zero (gym + phone). I quit a PhD in physics in 2025 without finishing. Got into my dream company after years of trying, was laid off after 2 months due to a bad fit. Currently recovering from surgery.

Financially: €116k net worth. €71k of that is sitting in cash/HYSA at around 3%. The rest is in other assets (ETFs)

The honest part: I hate desk work. Not only in a burnout way... I've always been this way. Software dev, data analysis, consulting, research... none of it appeals to me. Making money as a goal doesn't motivate me. I recently started doing content creation but I'm so lost myself that I don't even know what to make content about, so I'm not expecting income from that anytime soon.

What I actually want: to work as little as possible and make a decent living. €3k/month net would genuinely feel like a dream. I know that sounds low-ambition but I'd rather be honest about it. I'm open to moving to a lower cost-of-living country eventually but right now health and family mean I'm staying put. Other problem is my boyfriend, that is actualy very career driven but only full remotely, so we match on wanting to live in a simple place.

Now the actual questions:

1. With €71k in cash and essentially zero expenses right now, should I just dump most of it into a world ETF (VWCE or similar) and let it sit while I figure the rest out? Or is holding cash while I think about bootstrapping a business the smarter play... even if I have zero business ideas right now?

2. For the life direction side: has anyone here designed a life around genuinely low-effort income that isn't passive income fantasy stuff? I'm not looking for dropshipping schemes. I'm thinking more like: seasonal work, niche freelancing, something physical/hands-on, long-term rental income, anything that leaves most of my time free. Would love to hear what actually worked for people.

Not looking to be talked into a career. Just want to make the most sensible moves with what I have while I figure out what kind of life I actually want to build.

I am building my passive income portfolio with higher yield dividend etfs and stocks with the goal to pay my fixed costs like mortgage and taxes plus have a good cushion to retire early.

I currently have a 8.9% yielding portfolio that is pretty stable. I am investing aggressively and have about a year or two before it sustains me with extra. Also have a paid off rental.

I don't plan to sell any shares just live off the income.

I've been on the FIRE path for eight years, been deliberate about every financial decision I've made in that time and have built up a portfolio that finally feels like it reflects the sacrifices I've made to get here. I'm getting married next year to someone I've been with for three years and while I'm excited about it there's a question I keep circling around like what happens to the assets I built before this relationship when we get married?

I'm not talking about what we build together going forward, I'm at peace with that being joint but what I'm trying to understand is whether what I came into this relationship with is automatically at risk if things ever go sideways and what the right way to protect it is before we sign anything.

I own a brokerage account, a Roth IRA that I've been maxing for years and some taxable investments that represent the bulk of what I've built toward FI.

I've read conflicting things about how pre-marital assets are treated legally and I want to go into this with a clear picture rather than assumptions.

I’ve managed to save 300k by living as frugally as possible. My employer has a history of harassing me and many emails and documents later, everything is before the CNESST (I’m in quebec in Canada). I was going to fire within two years. I estimated that I’d collect around another 100-200k; I have an inheritance on the horizon of 800k coming in. With half of that I’d buy a condo for my dad perhaps with a mortgage, the other half I’d add it to my savings. I’m not invested in the market yet either. So that’s my situation.

Work, due to my CNESST complaint is trying their best to get rid of me earlier. Should I just power through things or move to leanFIRE now? Some other things to consider: once on leave I’d collect about 20-25k plus any sort of amounts CNESST would award (hoping for 50ish)

Thanks for reading this far!

I want to either move to a state with no state income tax or to another country. I want to avoid state taxes on gov pension and retirement accounts. But I also want to keep my current retirement health benefits which are for life. I want to keep HMO and not switch to PPO, move overseas, come back for medical care to California as needed or once a year for family visits

If I keep my HMO health plan which is in California, will this trigger Californias tax department to count me as a California resident? Or will they not know or care?

There is an option for PERs platinum PPO healthcare which is for people who no longer are residents in CA, but Its MUCH MORE expensive than the HMO plans.

My financial situation and mindset have both changed a lot since I was able to become a homeowner at 27 last year in what felt like a minor miracle due to the context. (Feel free to skip ahead for my current financial situation and planned adjustments).

My partner and I had been living in an income-restricted rental studio apartment in a VHCOL city and working at large corporate non profits. Our rent was $1,650/mo and I was making $51k/yr gross and my partner was making $26k/yr gross. There were a lot of issues with the apartment, and living there was making us miserable, so I was looking for a way out when I discovered the opportunity to purchase a one bedroom condo through partnership with a local affordable housing non profit. The only requirements were income in the appropriate range (which mine was, and my partner’s finances were not included in the calculations since we are not married, and their name is not on the mortgage) and $5k for the down payment (which I had, but paying it consumed nearly all of my cash savings at the time).

Nearly a year later, I am now making $56k/yr gross and my partner is making $33k/yr gross. Our monthly housing costs have decreased to a $1,343 mortgage + $204 mandatory HOA fees. It is a small building with no shared amenities, so HOA fees are primarily a means to replace our roof in 24 years and prepare for any unexpected maintenance. The building was constructed last year and has had no issues so far. Property taxes and insurance premiums combined are currently paid through the mortgage at a total of about $2,250/yr. It’s still unfathomable to me that someday (when the mortgage is paid off) property taxes, insurance premiums, and HOA fees will comprise the entirety of our housing costs! We feel very lucky to have so much stability now, in this highly desirable city with an insane rental market.

Since we moved, I have been saving and investing a lot more than I was able to before, and simultaneously enjoying life a lot more, within the following budget parameters:

$1,547/mo housing (my partner contributes $580 a month towards this, so I only pay $967)
$450/mo food
$160/mo medical expenses (health insurance premiums, copays, prescriptions)
$80/mo utilities (power, water, wifi)
$40/mo transportation (no car, just a transit pass and the occasional ride share)

So my total essential expenses are around $1,700/mo ($20.4k/yr)
Over the past six months, my non essential spending has been around $400/mo ($4.8k/yr)

The current state of my savings are as follows:

$7.5k emergency fund in a HYSA, which I am planning to grow to at least $10k by next year via my automatic $100 biweekly contributions

$30k in an employer sponsored 401k, to which I am currently contributing 10% of my pre tax income. (Technically it’s a 401a since my employer is a non profit, but I haven’t seen any information indicating there’s any meaningful difference between a 401a and a 401k. Please correct me if I am missing anything there.) There is an employer match of 35% of the first 6% of my pay that I contribute. There is an additional discretionary annual employer contribution of 4% of my pay. This will increase to 6% after I reach a service milestone in 2028, assuming I choose to stay with this employer. I have specialized knowledge in an essential role, so I have good job security.

I have no student loans or credit card debt. My only debt is the 30 year conventional mortgage with an interest rate of 4.5% and about $212k principal remaining on the initial $215k loan.

I was following along with the flowchart from the beginner's section of the sidebar, and I see that it recommends contributing the amount needed to get the full employer match, but nothing above that amount, so I am planning to reduce my 401c contribution back down to 6% and open a Roth IRA to invest the difference, up to the maximum, which looks to be $7,500 this year. 

I am assuming that keeping my “extra” money invested this way will be more fruitful down the line compared to the amount I could save on total interest paid by making early mortgage payments now, despite my tiny initial down payment. Is there anything else that I should be doing to set myself up for a successful early retirement? Thank you for all of the guidance and motivation this subreddit has already provided!