Chasing FIRE without losing today

Most lives follow a script: school, college, job, mortgage, family, and retirement at 60. It works, but it often delays the life you actually want to live. FIRE exists as a response to that script.

FIRE is not about never working again. It is about working on your terms. Some people go all in, saving aggressively to exit early. Others build a slower path that balances living today with saving for tomorrow.

Two ways people chase FIRE

• The sprint: cut hard, invest aggressively, and exit the 9 to 5 quickly.
• The balance: save consistently while still spending on a meaningful life today.

The Rule of 25 is a starting point

A simple rule says your FIRE number equals annual expenses times 25. If you spend Rs 1 lakh a month, that is Rs 12 lakh a year. Multiply by 25 and the target is Rs 3 crore.

But real life is not tax free. A safer rule is 30. And the rule only covers living expenses, not big goals like a home, education, or medical reserves.

The buckets the rule ignores

• Housing and upgrades
• Education for children or yourself
• Healthcare and emergency buffers
• Travel and life experiences

Tradeoffs are real

Early retirement can change your identity, friendships, and even your relationship with ambition. A career is often a social anchor. Leaving it has a cost, even when the math works.

Lifestyle creep is the quiet leak

Inflation is expected. Lifestyle creep is not. As income rises, spending often rises faster. That gap is what quietly pushes the FIRE number out of reach unless you revisit it every year.

A simple annual check

• Update your monthly spend and apply a conservative multiple.
• Separate must-have costs from nice-to-have goals.
• Stress test for taxes, health, and market downturns.