Let’s Retire Young: Embrace Simplicity, Escape the Rat Race, and Achieve Lean-FIRE

Let’s Retire Young: Embrace Simplicity, Escape the Rat Race, and Achieve Lean-FIRE

I retired at 34. I can teach you how. My story doesn't involve huge inheritances, rich relatives, or cushy jobs obtained through the Good Ol’ Boy Network. I'm a double immigrant: from Russia to the US when I was 16, from the US to Canada when I was 32. I never made six figures, never got huge scholarships, and my first job after college was as a box packer at an Amazon warehouse. (Thanks, recession!) Over the years, and by necessity, I mastered the art of frugal living and taught myself how to earn more, spend less, and invest the rest. This book grew out of my personal finance blog, with a few extra chapters thrown in. Consider it your instruction manual for achieving frugal early retirement, aka lean-FIRE. (FIRE is a financial movement: it stands for "Financial Independence, Retire Early.") This book is written in a conversational and informal (sometimes too informal) style, and it has something for everyone who wants to improve their financial situation. Even if you don't replicate my journey entirely, you'll still be able to avoid some huge mistakes and boost your savings rate. Together, we'll learn: How to get a tech job without learning how to code. - How to get motivation from your future self. - How attempts to make quick cash can backfire. - Quick gigs that can actually make you money. - How to use geographic arbitrage to live happily ever after on $1,000 a month. - How to find cost-efficient hobbies (or why video games are 100 times better than movies). - The difference between frugality vs frupidity. - How to treat yourself: balance avocado toast and happiness. - How to actually start saving money. - How to have fun dates on a budget. - How to travel without spending a fortune. - How to contribute 90% of your paycheck to your 401k. - How to find free books. - How to avoid lifestyle inflation. - How to get rid of your student loans. - How to invest in individual stocks (and why you probably shouldn’t do it). - How to invest in yourself. - How to avoid investment stress. - How to pick your own FIRE style. - How to overcome the gravitational pull of your old job. - Why Quebec City is the ideal retirement destination. - How to live without a car. - How to retire with kids. - How to convert your friends to FIRE. - How to align your retirement with global warming. - How to balance your "wants" and your "needs." - How to spot misleading personal finance memes. - The many easy ways to move abroad. ...and much, much more. If this seems overwhelming - good. That means we've got a lot of ground to cover. Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!