What is Chambers's take on the "Financial Independence, Retire Early" movement?

I'm getting back into reading Chambers after some time away, and I saw a post for r/financialindependence that's really piqued my interest. (For those who don't know, the basic idea is to save and invest your money carefully, live frugally, and retire VERY VERY early, like 30s-40s.)<br><br>I'm already pretty frugal, but the idea of not being chained to a desk for 40 years really speaks to me.<br><br>I've done some research, but I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Is this realistic? What are common pitfalls? Do you have advice for someone looking to get started?<br><br>Thanks for any feedback!<br><br>Edit: thanks for the advice and responses, everyone! I'll definitely check out the sub and Suze Orman's books are on my list to read. I'm a bit overwhelmed but I think I have a better idea of where to start. Thanks again!<br><br>Edit 2: Wow, didn't expect this to blow up. Again, thanks so much for the advice, I really really appreciate it. I'm also getting a lot of messages asking me questions and offering advice, so thank you for that as well. I'm trying to respond to as many as I can. <br><br>This thread will probably die down in a couple of days, but if you're someone who's close to achieving FIRE, I'd love to chat with you about what it's actually like. I'm intrigued by some of the comments saying it's not all it's cracked up to be...<br><br>Added: I have many problems with the movement...<br><br>1) You don't get to make the decision to retire w/o some negative work history like layoffs or burnout, or even leaving the workforce for a few years for kids. It is a decision made for you.<br><br>2) The movement ignores the impacts of aging parents and other life issues that require both money and time. Typically these impacts hit in your 40s and 50s.<br><br>3) The movement ignores the impacts of mid to late career success. I know several people who are doing quite well now, half way through their career, and couldn't have anticipated this success at the beginning. <br><br>4) The movement ignores the impacts of being a high earner. If you are a high earner, you have many many options to both cut back hours as desired, take sabbaticals, and/or retire early. You can also hire help with, e.g., the aging parents. <br><br>5) The movement ignores the impacts of both increased longevity and awesome medical technology. If you make it to 60 in decent health, you will likely live into your 90s. That means you may be in retirement for as long as you worked. You also will face both anticipated and unanticipated medical expenses. E.g., some people get dental implants in their 50s. Some people get Parkinson's diagnosis in their 50s. <br><br>6) Very few FIRE people have kids or have kids young and are relying on a 4% withdrawal rate. <br><br>7) Early retirement is not all it is cracked up to be. You will have too much time on your hands. You will miss your colleagues and work identity. You will have to be wealthy to hire other people to entertain you. You will get old and be unable to do the things you wanted to. <br><br>8) Lastly, the movement is a reaction to modern work/capitalism/industrialization. It is not some grand solution. It is a knee-jerk reaction to bad work environments and fear of not having enough.