From Side Hustlers to Millionaires: The 4 Real-Life Paths to FIRE
“Can ordinary people really retire early?” These real stories show that it’s not just possible—it’s happening in more ways than one. The FIRE movement— Financial Independence, Retire Early —is more than a goal. It's a spectrum of strategies people use to reclaim their time. Whether through aggressive saving, high incomes, or creative side hustles, each path is unique. In this post, you'll meet four people who chose different FIRE paths—and learn what worked for them. 🔥 Lean FIRE: Living with Less, Gaining More Jen, a minimalist public school teacher , reached Lean FIRE at 38 by living on just $18,000/year. She cycled instead of driving, meal-prepped diligently, and invested consistently. With a 60% savings rate and a $450,000 portfolio, she now lives simply but freely, relying on a 4% withdrawal rate . While Jen didn’t have a traditional side hustle, she did tutor occasionally on weekends to accelerate her savings...