FIRE, Ramsey's Baby Steps, etc.

[jcooke]

Pre-COVID pandemic I had a really great plan following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps and was doing a lot of research in to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) types of strategies. 
I haven't seen anyone on any of the groups I'm in talk about the Big 3 or any other "hacks", just a lot of people with the general narrative of some people are lucky and get a good return on investment (ROI) on their education and others end up in debt that wasn't worth it.
Anyone part of these two communities?
I feel like having chosen to go this route with TESU and using every resource available to keep the cost of my degree low and not taking out any loans is a step towards financial independence.

[LevelUP]

I did post a plan on how to get rich on America is Great Topic.  Below is copy/paste of that.

America is one of the easiest countries to become rich if you do these simple 3 things:
- Get a college degree
- Stay off of drugs
- Save 50%+ of your money
De Nada!

Get a college degree fast in 1 yr seems like the best route to go.  6cr at TESU is considered a full-time student so you can quality for Pell Grant to reduce cost.  If you don't qualify then you got plenty of money anyhow and $5000 is not much to worry about.  I don't believe in spending 7yrs in school to get a worthless master's degree and coming out with over $100,000 of debt!

Drugs are going to affect your health, the ability to learn things.  Walk/run, stay somewhat fit and you will be miles ahead of the game.

Save your money.  Minimalism is a great philosophy to help you do that.  Once you value things such as experiences, security, and freedom over things, that is the mindset you need to help you achieve financial independence and thus retire early.

[LongRoad]

Pre-COVID pandemic I had a really great plan following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps and was doing a lot of research in to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) types of strategies. 
I haven't seen anyone on any of the groups I'm in talk about the Big 3 or any other "hacks", just a lot of people with the general narrative of some people are lucky and get a good return on investment (ROI) on their education and others end up in debt that wasn't worth it.
Anyone part of these two communities?
I feel like having chosen to go this route with TESU and using every resource available to keep the cost of my degree low and not taking out any loans is a step towards financial independence.

For me, being around folks who have similar views reinforces the frugal lifestyle. Even though I have friends who are less frugal, I'm (usually!) able to maintain.My father used to say, "If you didn't see it, you wouldn't want it." It never made sense to me as a kid, but it makes complete sense now. Going to friends' houses who have TVs that would cover half a wall in my house could get me thinking. Maybe I need that TV? Hmm. Maybe I need a bigger house. 

While I've read Ramsey's books, and I've heard of FIRE, as the child (old hag, now) of Depression-era parents, I've always been petty frugal. Fingers crossed you'e young. Starting early, and saving as much as you can, really helps. Most of the stuff we think will make us happy, won't. Good luck.

[jcooke]

Pre-COVID pandemic I had a really great plan following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps and was doing a lot of research in to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) types of strategies. 
I haven't seen anyone on any of the groups I'm in talk about the Big 3 or any other "hacks", just a lot of people with the general narrative of some people are lucky and get a good return on investment (ROI) on their education and others end up in debt that wasn't worth it.
Anyone part of these two communities?
I feel like having chosen to go this route with TESU and using every resource available to keep the cost of my degree low and not taking out any loans is a step towards financial independence.

For me, being around folks who have similar views reinforces the frugal lifestyle. Even though I have friends who are less frugal, I'm (usually!) able to maintain.My father used to say, "If you didn't see it, you wouldn't want it." It never made sense to me as a kid, but it makes complete sense now. Going to friends' houses who have TVs that would cover half a wall in my house could get me thinking. Maybe I need that TV? Hmm. Maybe I need a bigger house. 

While I've read Ramsey's books, and I've heard of FIRE, as the child (old hag, now) of Depression-era parents, I've always been petty frugal. Fingers crossed you'e young. Starting early, and saving as much as you can, really helps. Most of the stuff we think will make us happy, won't. Good luck.

That's great advice! 
Both of my mom's parents were orphaned and taken in during the Great Depression, and a lot was passed down from them to my mother and then to me.
I am really trying to start as early as possible. I was well on my way to having a decent emergency fund before I had to use it for emergency expenses during this pandemic. I'm going to try again as soon as these medical bills stop pouring in. I guess it's evidence that it works haha
I didn't grow up with much, and and have definitely seen how making more can = spending more, when it shouldn't necessarily.
I definitely feel like a lot of folks on here tie right in to the same line of thinking.

[LongRoad]

It's not a new idea. In Charles Dickens's "David Copperfield," is one of my favorite quotes. "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery."

One caveat I'll share. Rainy day funds are for rainy days. I get anxious when it rains and I dip into the fund, but that's what it's FOR. As you said, go back to building it back up. And trust compounding. It's made a difference for me.

[tjguitar85]

It was actually a FIRE blog where I first found the idea of pursuing the types of schools that are mentioned here.

http://freedomisgroovy.com/7500-college-...12-months/

[SteveFoerster]

Save 50%+ of your money

I read this as "Don't have kids." 

[ARhead]

I've been doing this long before it had a trendy name. I'm 34, I haven't worked in 5 years. I only made good money for 4 (got semi-disabled). I don't want kids or a big house....The insane US stock market bubble, which will pop eventually (unless central banks just cause massive inflation), will blow out many people in the FIRE community. For the fact that most people don't actually know how to invest, they are just taking part in a bubble.

To FIRE you need three things:
-A reasonably well paying job for a while
-Ability to save a lot
-Know how to make a decent return on your money FOR THE LONG RUN.


....That's it. It's simple but most people don't have all three. Another thing that is a shortcut is to live in a cheaper country. You can live in probably 85% of the planet's countries for $1200 a month. At least the type of person that can actually FIRE, can. And if you can work from there you can really stack.
Most people can either have things, or do things. You can't have both.

Employment income is a really shit way to make money. The tax structure is made by rich people, for rich people.
You want your income from dividends and capital gains.....and maybe a well paid part-time job. That's why I'm getting my degree.

[tjguitar85]

-Know how to make a decent return on your money FOR THE LONG RUN.

What's the simple method for this?