I’m having a relaxing day today. My fiancee has been here for the week so we’ve adopted the Simple Sunday approach together.
We started the day with a long walk on the beach, followed by a leisurely breakfast and have pottered in the garden. It’s been so lovely to spend some time together as lockdown has kept us apart.
Last night we watched the Playing with FIRE documentary which sparked a discussion about our plans for the future. It turns out that we’re both on the same page and want to achieve financial independence so that we can spend our days doing the things we love.
We’re both quite frugal people and tend to value experiences more than things, so I’m looking forward to planning our FI journey.
Playing with FIRE documentary
Playing with FIRE follows Scott and Taylor as they explore the world of FIRE (Financially Independent Retire Early). It’s filmed over a year and follows the couple as they begin to implement some of the FIRE strategies in their life.
It’s an honest account, showing both the highs and lows they experience. One particularly relatable moment is when the couple ‘torture’ themselves by choosing to visit their ‘dream home’ – it’s within their budget but would lead them away from FI.
Similarly, I’ve had many times when my eye has been caught by something shiny and new which could easily have blown my financial plans out of the water. That’s why having a plan and mini-goals are essential for success – when I’ve not had them in place I’ve always drifted.
In Playing with FIRE, Scott and Taylor meet many other individuals who have achieved or are working towards FI.
Advice is also given by some of the ‘experts’ of the FIRE movement including Mr Money Moustache, Vicki Robin, JL Collins, J.D. Roth and The Mad Fientist, all of whom advocate controlling your money rather than allowing it to control you.
One example of the pair taking back control is when they discover that owning only one car can give them 5 years of freedom. The choices on the path to FIRE aren’t always easy but they do lead to freedom.
Start small
Over the year, Scott and Taylor’s countdown to FIRE is constantly updated based on the choices that they make. This helps to keep things in perspective and make them more ‘visible’.
On my journey to mortgage-freedom, I found that it was very easy to overlook the full impact of small changes that I made. Yet sometimes, it’s the compound effect of these small changes, such as planning your meals and taking a shopping list to the supermarket, that can make huge financial differences in the long term.
The Happiness List
One of my key take-aways from the documentary was the happiness list. Basically, you figure out the top 10 things that make you happy and you focus your time and energy on those. If any of those things cost money then budget for them accordingly but cut back any spending on things that aren’t on the list. I’d never thought of making a happiness list before.
If someone asked me what made me happy then I could reel off a few things, but I like the idea of having a finite list to help me get really clear on what is important to me.
I’m going to write my happiness list over the next few weeks. I’m sure it will include spending time with family, reading, running and being outdoors. What would you put on your happiness list?
Image by Dino Reichmuth on Unsplash