A Response to the Questions About My Numbers
Where the heck are my numbers?
I started this Substack less than a month ago, and I’ve already gotten messages from people who think this isn’t possible. A lot of that criticism comes from one thing: I haven’t shown my numbers yet. That’s fair… And they’re coming.
Like I said from the beginning, this is a journey. I’m trying to find out how far this idea can go in the real world. I’ve already run the numbers myself and the different FIRE calculators say it’s possible, but I also understand why someone would question it when they can’t see the math. I’m not asking anyone to believe I’m going to manifest this into existence. I want to show the work.
The reality is that between my full-time job and my side hustles (which is the only way I have been able to save what I have saved up) I work over 60 hours a week. I haven’t had endless time to figure out the safest way to share my financial information, organize my experience, and write it in a way that is useful to anyone other than me.
Another thing I want to clear up is that I’m not saying everyone can reach financial independence on one $25 an hour job alone.
I don’t believe the average American could build a traditional Barista FIRE lifestyle on less than $25 an hour if they’re living an average American lifestyle. Housing costs, location, eating habits, and fun money are higher for some people than others. If you make $50,000 a year and your lifestyle costs $50,000 a year, then of course this isn’t going to work. The question I am exploring is whether you can make this possible on a lower income if you are willing to lower your expenses, build extra income streams, and live differently than most.
My goal is to show that someone with a lower income can still make progress if they’re willing to put in the work and make tradeoffs that most people are not interested in making.
Part of this journey is building side hustles. Part of it is figuring out how to lower my housing costs. Part of it is documenting what one gives up to do this on a lower income. I already make sacrifices that most people wouldn’t choose, and I’m okay with that. This approach will not be for everyone, and I have never claimed that it would be.
Another piece that people may not realize, because I have only been writing this for a couple weeks, is that I’m not starting from zero. I didn’t start this journey this month. The numbers are coming. The wins and the epic fails I’ve had are coming too. I’d rather show my process than pretend I have everything figured out.
If you’re skeptical, I understand. Healthy skepticism is reasonable. But tearing someone down while they are still building something is, in my opinion, a pretty unhelpful thing to do. If you are judging this Substack after only the beginning of its journey, this might not be the right place for you.
For everyone else who is interested in watching the process unfold, and are willing to share their own journey in this space, I appreciate you being here. Let’s see what’s possible together.
The information shared in The FIRE Freedom Project reflects my personal experience, opinions, and investment decisions. It is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. I am not a licensed financial professional. Always do your own research and consider consulting a qualified advisor before making financial decisions.