I started my movement towards financial independence many years ago. One might even say I was aiming to build up my - F You money. That means that I would be in a safe financial situation where I could say no thank you and good bye if I felt like it. Work is not always easy, it is not always fun but you can even face a situation where you are asked for far too much or if you just feel you are not treated equally or your work or your points of view are not valued. So my aim was to build a safety net of sorts. And I also had an early retirement in mind. Maybe not fully but still I wanted to have more freedom later in life - not just work from 9-5 and change my time for money.
So this inspired to have a discussion about different kind of FIRE possibilities. I remember I had a dream to start my early retirement when I am 35 years old - and I am nearly there. The idea was to stop grinding 9-5 from Monday to Friday. Or atleast to be able to work way less or stop working for a while. I would use my savings but I would always have the options to do odd jobs if I felt like it or if I burned my savings too fast.
How AI (chatgpt) would suggest different FIRE lifestyles:
Starting FIRE at 35: Which Path Fits You Best?
The dream of retiring early and living life on your own terms has never been more achievable — especially if you’re already 35 and sitting on a solid foundation of assets. But FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Whether you’re ready to pull the plug on full-time work now or want to ease into freedom with stocks, side gigs and real estate income, this post breaks down the major variations of FIRE — and how each plays out from age 35 to 50.
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🚀 Assumptions for All Scenarios
• Starting age: 35
• End of plan (and a possibility return to work): Age 50
• Initial net worth: €600,000
• €90,000 in liquid/stocks
• €325,000 in real estate (net equity, with 6% annual return)
• €185,000 in family home (excluded from sellable assets)
• Annual expenses: €30,000
• Inflation: 2%
• Returns:
• Real estate rental yield: 6%
• Liquid investments: 6%
• Optional part-time or odd jobs to supplement cash flow
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🧢 1. LeanFIRE — Total Freedom, Minimal Lifestyle
You retire now and live on €30,000/year with zero income. You sell 2–3 properties during the 15 years and rely on a combination of:
• Real estate rental income
• Liquid investment growth and dividend income
• Strategic property sales for liquidity
✅ Outcome
• Finish at 50 with ~€330,000 net worth
• Real estate portfolio halved, but still intact
• Completely self-funded freedom
💡 Tips
• Renting out existing properties provides cushion
• Staying below 3% withdrawal rate is safe
• Unexpected costs? Sell stocks or one more property or pick up freelance work
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🍵 2. BaristaFIRE — Semi-Retirement with Flexibility
You quit your main job but work 1–2 days/week at something low-stress — enough to cover basic expenses like food, hobbies, or insurance.
Let’s say you earn just €1,000/month from part-time work.
✅ Outcome
• Your portfolio barely gets touched
• May not need to sell real estate at all
• End wealth could grow to €800,000+
💡 Why It Works
• Small income drastically reduces your withdrawal needs
• You can delay selling properties until markets are optimal
• More free time + sense of purpose + social interaction = win-win
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🔥 3. CoastFIRE — Let Your Investments Do the Work
You keep a job until 40 but stop saving completely. Your existing assets coast and compound until full retirement at 50.
✅ Outcome
• No new contributions needed after 40
• Real estate and stocks continue growing in background
• At 50, you’re financially free without massive sacrifice
💡 Works Best If:
• You like your job but want flexibility
• You already saved aggressively in your 20s and early 30s
• Your lifestyle isn’t too expensive
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💼 4. SlowFIRE — Downshift Instead of Retire
Rather than retiring early, you gradually reduce hours, take sabbaticals, or switch to lower-paying, fulfilling work.
Let’s say you earn €20,000/year, needing only €10,000 from your portfolio.
✅ Outcome
• You preserve your capital
• Real estate continues compounding
• You may never need to sell your properties
💡 Why People Choose It
• You want more balance, not full exit
• You enjoy your profession, just not 40-hour weeks
• You reduce burnout and increase long-term wellbeing
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💰 5. FatFIRE — Early Retirement with Luxury
You want to retire early and spend €50,000–€70,000/year, traveling and living comfortably.
To support this:
• You need to sell more properties (or larger ones)
• Use higher-yielding investments
• Possibly delay FIRE until 38–40 to build a buffer
⚠️ Risk
• Drawdown rate is higher (4–5%)
• You’ll need careful planning and tax strategy
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Example: Combining FIRE with Occasional Income
Even just €500–1,000/month from part-time consulting, teaching, or passion projects can:
✅ Delay or eliminate the need to sell real estate
✅ Preserve capital for later decades
✅ Smooth out market volatility
Real-world example:
You’re 35 with €600k net worth. If you work 10h/week teaching online or running a hobby business that pays €750/month, you’ll only need ~€21,000 from your portfolio annually — reducing long-term pressure on your assets.
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Conclusion: FIRE at 35 is Doable — Pick What Suits Your Life
At age 35 with real estate and a strong asset base, you’re in a powerful position. And you don’t have to be a millionaire. You can:
• Retire fully
• Work part-time and stretch your money farther
• Coast into retirement
• Mix strategies as life changes
There’s no one right way to FIRE. Only the one that gives you the lifestyle, peace of mind, and time freedom you’re looking for.
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I did go through a long conversation with multiple comps and different scenarios but this seemed simple and close enough with the ones which I tried to make understand more how much cash flow from residential income goes towards mortgage payments.
This does not cover all bases and/or points but gives good and rather practical guidelines how FIRE could work in different situations. And the fact that you do not have to be a millionaire to atleast ”miniretire” at the age of 35.
