The Accidental FIRE Journey

It was suggested that since this is a new blog I should probably give a bit more detail about my story.  My “Start Here” page covers to purpose of the blog but I’d like to explain more of my journey to becoming ‘accidentally’ financially independent…..

I’m in my mid 40’s, single, and live in the Washington D.C. metro area. I’m an outdoor sports junkie, which is perhaps strange since I grew up in the concrete jungles of Baltimore city.  My desire to retire early from my day job is to enjoy my hobbies more while my knees still work, or maybe start a business in the outdoor industry. Be it climbing, paddling, cycling, running, snowboarding, hiking, or backpacking, I like it all.

One Of My Happy Places

From my early childhood, I liked to save things. I would lay on the basement floor with my coin collection – not a historic collection at all, they were just plain old nickels and dimes – and line them up, categorized by the year on the front and count which years had the most coins.  I enjoyed this, but had no idea why. I also started cultivating a habit of delayed gratification, although that didn’t come until my college years.  The delayed gratification did not apply to beer.  Especially in college.

I got my first credit card in college and to this day have never carried a balance once.  It’s a miracle they don’t ban me.  Growing up lower-middle class instilled some values in me that have served me well.  As a kid I didn’t go without, but my parents didn’t have much money and what they did have paid the bills with little left over.  After my first job I started wondering what to do with the excess money in my checking account since I wasn’t blowing it all on beer (but I was blowing lots of it, trust me).

Then I stumbled across an issue of Money Magazine.  I subscribed, I was hooked.  I opened accounts with Vanguard and a few other companies and plowed my savings into mutual funds.  I kept doing this, and never looked back.  I figured everyone else was doing it too because why wouldn’t you!?  It GROWS!  Who doesn’t want more money?  It takes no effort!

Long Distance Bikepacking Trips Are A Favorite

I switched from a dot com company to a Government job and worked my ass off, moving up quickly. I took a second job on the faculty of a large university as an adjunct instructor, even though I didn’t really ‘need’ the money. I always stashed those extra paychecks right into my mutual funds.  As my salary kept going up, my lifestyle intentionally didn’t, or at least not as much.  I shunned new/expensive cars, and expensive rents/mortgages.  I maxed out my 401ks and IRAs.  Saving was always a priority.  Always.

During the 2008 crash, I didn’t sell.  All my friends were switching their 401k money from stocks to cash, but I held out.  This too shall pass, I’ll never be able to time the bottom….  I kept on the straight and narrow path of building wealth, but never consciously had the intention of retiring early since I was too young to think about it.  I just wanted security.  And again, the money just multiplies and you don’t have to do anything!!

I managed to make it to upper management at my job, the Director of a large office,  Around that same time I discovered the Trinity Study through Mr. Money Mustache and well, the rest is where I’m at now. 

Paddleboard Touring Is Another Favorite

As my happiness at my job continued to decline, and my realization that my outdoor hobbies are hard to pursue in an office, I started to look into going part-time at my job, which I did a little while back.  I’m fully FI with a good deal of extra buffer based on my current spending.  Full retirement is in my future, probably sooner than later but we’ll see how the story plays out.  I never had the balls to forgo a regular job and start a business, too much risk.  But now I have the safety-net to try that.  Being FI brings so many things.

Do We Need Another FIRE Blogger?

You’ll have to tell me, but I think we do. Not that the ones out there have any deficiencies, actually they’re awesome.  But the perception of the general population seems to be that we’re outliers or that we have trust funds.  Every time a story of someone going FIRE gets picked up by a more mainstream media outlet you see it in the comments section.  A mix of anger, disbelief, pissy-ness, with a smattering of “I could never do that!”

But they probably can!!!

That’s why I think we need more voices.  If people see it’s way more than just MMM and a few others who have done this, the more they’ll understand that it’s achievable.  Everyone who made it to FI or FIRE has a different story.  Sure, the basic tenants tend to be the same – spend way less than you earn, invest the difference, don’t be a consumer sucka.  But dig a layer deeper and the stories reveal differences, and different paths. I’ve spent ungodly sums of money climbing big mountains all over the world.  A voracious traveler or moutaineer might say “I can’t do that with my lifestyle and passions!”  They probably can, I’m proof. 

Every additional story is more confirmation that this is real and not hype.  I realize that some people are given much harder circumstance in life, but with knowledge and discipline I believe financial independence can be within reach of almost anyone!  I hope someone out there can learn something from my story, as I’ve learned from others.

Thanks for reading!

– Dave