You'd think achieving FIRE would mean we’d stop worrying about saving money and simply spend freely. Nope. Reaching financial independence doesn't mean you suddenly start ignoring price tags. If anything, FIRE changes the way you think about spending. We don't avoid spending money because we're afraid we'll run out. We avoid wasting money because we'd rather spend it on things we actually value. It goes back to thinking like a CEO and putting our money to work where it genera

As the six-month mark of my early retirement approaches, I’ve started looking back at how it’s gone so far. Before I retired, I pictured waking up late, spontaneous adventures, and maybe a new hobby or two. And while some of that has happened, the reality has been a little less “vacation mode” and a little more “figure out how to make retirement enjoyable” mode. Many people assume retirement is like flipping a switch—you leave your job on Friday and wake up Monday in permanen