What FIRE Means to Us
Cody and TJ share their biggest reasons for pursuing financial independence. On their path, they’ve learned that money is just a tool, and it should not control your life.

This concept simply allows you to buy your time back. It allows you take back control of your future, and focus all of your waking hours on things you are absolutely passionate about.

This what makes FIRE so important!

Highlighted Idea: Cody says he is “not getting the best use of his life hours” by crunching numbers behind a desk or working on projects that mean nothing to him.
A Backwards System
TJ highlights how we have been conditioned from a young age to pursue things that don’t matter…. Like getting a good degree, so you can find a good job, to make the most money.

What’s sad is, these things are never enough. So we double down, in hopes of getting a promotion, or a 10% raise. These things mean nothing!

FIRE frees you from that hamster wheel mentality. Instead of going down a path that leaves you stuck for 40 years, spend the next 5-10 years designing a life you can’t wait to live!
The Trappings of the Hamster Wheel
Stop spending your money and all of your paycheck trying to keep up with the jones. When all you do is focus on buying new stuff, you literally trap yourself I the 9-5, with no possible means of escaping.

“They cannot leave their job no matter how miserable they get, no matter how much they hate their job, they cannot leave…”

Does this sound familiar? This is the sad reality many Americans are living today! Make a change. Choose a different future!
It Takes Introspection
These days we are constantly bombarded with ads about how inadequate we are. And about how we need all these external items to make us happy. So we spend 40 years doing the same thing every single day, in hopes of catching that ever elusive leprechaun…. Happiness!

It takes introspection to realize that all you really want is your time back. Time to spend with family, and loved ones.

FIRE will set you free!
It is Simple Math
Cody highlights an actual example, take the example of a person spending, $2,000 a month to rent a house, and $400 a month to lease a car. Just by being intentional and finding a way to cut those expenses I half, they can save close to $15,000 a year!

Just choose value over keeping up with the Joneses. By making these types of choice in multiple other aspects of your life like this, it is easy to understand how one can quickly save tons and tons of money.
Life After Retirement
Both Cody and TJ are on the fast lane on the path to FI. TJ is realizing that he may want to pull the retirement trigger even long before officially hitting FI. When you find your passions, those are the things you want to spend most of your time doing.

FIRE allows you to find yourself

Cody’s post-retirement life involves not only podcasting but teaching kids in high school and college about money and finances, traveling the world with his girlfriend, and helping others who might be less fortunate.
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Resources
Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog)

Half Life Theory (TJ’s blog)

Personal Capital