FIRE
Lean FIRE refers to financial independence reached through a deliberately minimalist lifestyle and significantly reduced spending.
Lean FIRE describes a route to financial independence built around a deliberately minimalist lifestyle. Those who choose it keep spending permanently low and therefore need a smaller portfolio than more comfortable variants require.
Because the capital needed generally depends on annual spending, a frugal lifestyle lowers the target noticeably: lower running costs mean a smaller portfolio is enough to cover them. The trade-off is greater spending discipline and a thinner financial buffer.
Lean FIRE sits at the lean end of the FIRE spectrum, in contrast to Fat FIRE with its more comfortable spending frame. Whether it fits depends heavily on personal priorities, where you live and a willingness to live modestly over the long term.
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