I love reading some of the things people will go through to save money and get financially free. Some people put themselves through complete torture.
I don’t get it.
I’d much rather work a little harder and earn a little extra money than live without some things.
The concept of pain is one of the intriguing components to the FIRE (financially independent retire early) world. Everyone has their pain points.
Some people relocate to cheaper housing. Some choose to live with walking, biking, or public transportation to get by without a car. And others, I’m in awe, decide to sustain life on nothing but Ramen noodles.
I’m a foodie, so I’m completely baffled by that one.
But, the one thing all of us in the FIRE community are completely in agreement on is the fact that we will need to sacrifice something.
There will need to be a little pain to reach that golden egg goal of retiring before the government and the rest of society says it’s ok.
Besides, life is meant to be enjoyed a little along the way.
So here are the five things I refuse to live without on my FIRE journey.
Frugal Living Ideas; I’m not giving up my car.
When I think about people getting by without a car, I cringe. I live in a colder climate and cannot even imagine living in the winter struggling to get by without a car. Or, even splitting a car with my wife. We are much too independent even to consider that one.
Lugging groceries, running errands, or just having the freedom to take a little drive once in a while by myself are all things I can’t even imagine going without. But, that said, I have made some concessions in the car department which I believe to be still on the cusp of frugal.
First, I drove junk for years. I scraped by with the cheapest transportation possible. I struggled through the cold winter months trying to get a car started to go to work when the car just wanted to stay home. I slowly updated the quality of the cars every time I bought a new one. I always paid cash, and I always bought used.
Now, in my mid-forties, I finally have a reliable, comfy car with even some pretty sweet amenities. I’ve passed the time in my life when insurance will kill someone with a nicer car. So, insurance is pretty cheap.
Some people look at my car and tell me it’s not too frugal to own something that nice. But, it’s still all paid for and reasonably cheap to drive.
Frugal Living Ideas; I’m not completely giving up eating out.
I think I mentioned earlier, I’m a foodie.
I like cooking at home, but I enjoy eating out even more. I can’t give up eating out for the sole purpose of retiring earlier. Besides, my definition of retirement is a little different than most. However, I have still made concessions in this department.
I eat out much less than I used to and eating out is a form of entertainment or a treat. I don’t eat fast food because I see it as a waste of time. If I’m going for cheap and quick, I’ll whip up a bowl of Ramen noodles and dump some vegetables in it. If I’m going out to eat, I want to treat my taste buds.
I want some food and flavors I absolutely love or have never tried before. There are some things I get in a restaurant I just can’t seem to replicate at home.
The other thing I really should mention about going out to eat is, I’m not in the $40 steak crowd. I’m actually not too stuck on meat in general, so my meals can get pretty cheap, and I still love them.
I prefer little family-owned places with unique dishes and affordable pricing.
Frugal Living Ideas; I’m not giving up my TV.
I’m on the fence on this one, and someday soon my TV could end up in mothballs.
But, not yet.
I have an Apple TV unit and a Roku unit I got for Christmas years ago. That is generally what I watch now when I watch TV. Once a week in the fall, I’ll watch a football game or two. ’60 Minutes’ on Sunday night always has my full attention. But, that’s about it for standard television programs.
Lately, I like watching YouTube videos as a little wind down at the end of the night. The beautiful thing about Apple TV is you can watch YouTube right on the TV. My wife and I can sit down and watch them together on the big screen instead of being huddled around a laptop.
The sad part about Apple TV and Roku is you still need a cable or satellite subscription to get any of the cable channels. So, we get only the most basic cable package and internet through our cable provider.
Maybe someday soon when I fall off the fence to the other side, we’ll opt only for internet and kiss the cable goodbye.
But not yet.
Frugal Living Ideas; I’m not living in a cold house.
I’m a warm-weather person trapped by love in a cold-weather state. For me, I’m cold unless it’s at least mid-seventies. I’ve tried all the usual suggestions of putting more clothes on, putting a blanket on, and even getting a space heater blasting on me a full bore as I sit in my spot.
Nothing seems to work. So, I keep the temperature in the house a little higher than frugal. Well, much higher than frugal would suggest. I am interested in knowing more about what is dual fuel heating system. And when to get a heat pump repair Jacksonville FL, to make sure that the heating system is producing good air quality. Homeowners who are looking for a heat pump repair tumwater wa company may contact Taylor Heating & AC. In addition, if you notice that your air conditioner noises are not normal, contact an expert HVAC technician to help you. Hire an expert to do an AC repair service to ensure that the unit will be in top-quality condition again.
My wife refuses to leave Wisconsin.
I guess I’ll suffer through the cold Wisconsin winters for her, but I’m just not going totally frugal and suffering in the house at the same time. The cold is way beyond my pain point for frugality.
Frugal Living Ideas; I’m not opting for a cheap phone service.
Ok, maybe my phone plan is a little too high for frugal standards. But, like others, I see the struggle to get service, I can talk and use the internet without a problem. I did a ton of research when I opted for a new phone and plan. I’m happy with what I got and what I paid. I do have an iPhone.
I love Apple, what can I say.
My last phone was an iPhone 4 I bought cheap when the iPhone 5 came out. Now recently after Apple refuses to keep it updated and many of my apps don’t work because they are out of date, I opted for an iPhone 6S.
I think the most recent iPhone to come out as of this writing is the iPhone “X.” So, I’m still a couple of years behind. But, it’s new for me, and I got an excellent deal on it.
People tell me laughingly that they are only paying something like $20 a month for their phone. Yea, that is why you need to stand on one leg on the roof of your car to get reception. Like I said for now I’m happy with my decision. Maybe, like the TV, I’ll start to fade the other way.
But not yet.
Some may call me unfaithful to the FIRE movement by not giving up more. But it all boils down to the quality of life and what we are willing to sacrifice to get there. I endured years of hard back-breaking work to get to where I am.
If I indulge in some typical American pleasures to make my journey to FI (financial independence) a little more comfortable, so be it. Isn’t that what lies at the core of FIRE anyway? We want to retire early so we can enjoy life without work. Why not just pull back a little bit and enjoy life a little now?
I’m still living way below my means. I’m happy with my progress.
Till next time, be safe,
Kevin