FIRE-Bewegung: Wer finanziell frei werden will, sollte auf diese sechs Punkte achten

Wants to become financially independent many - but few succeed. Two who have managed are Romanian Rob and Scottish Emma. Since 2015 the couple has lived completely off their own money. They met while studying in Stuttgart in 2015. Rob worked as a freelance software developer, Emma worked in a large IT company. Together they earned about 6000 euros gross - which was not a lavish amount even in 2006.

In 2009, shortly after the global financial crisis, the pair bought their first small apartment in Stuttgart, initially for their own use. Over time, five more apartments were added. "An absolute no-brainer," says Rob today. "Back then, two-bedroom apartments in the city center only cost about 100,000 euros." Since then, the value of the properties has likely doubled, and rental income has grown.

At the age of 30, the couple became financially independent, moved to Romania, and have been living with two children in Timisoara since then. They do not want their real names published in the Handelsblatt. Even family and friends believe that the early retirement couple is still working. Rob and Emma are part of the FIRE movement ("Financial Independence, Retire Early").

The movement brings together people who want to retire as early as possible and for this purpose save a lot of money, live frugally, invest in rental apartments and ETFs. When income from wealth - dividends, interest, rent income, or investments - is high enough to support a person's life indefinitely, one is considered financially independent.

However, the path to this goal becomes more difficult due to inflation and stock market downturns. Many FIRE enthusiasts have already abandoned the goal of retirement at 40 - as, for example, Oliver Noelting from the online blog frugalisten.de, who postponed his retirement indefinitely after the birth of a family. Other common pitfalls are often overlooked by many frugalists.

Therefore, the Handelsblatt has researched: What matters most when wanting to become financially independent? How to avoid the six biggest pitfalls? And what lessons can be learned from people like Rob and Emma, who have succeeded? FIRE Mistake 1: Insufficient Savings Planning What can go wrong: Becoming financially independent requires careful planning, especially when it comes to savings.

Many FIRE followers base their savings on the 4% rule, which is based on the Trinity Study: In 1998, US researchers investigated which withdrawal rates from a portfolio are sufficient for lifelong retirement. The result: If you withdraw 4% annually for 30 years, the money will usually last for a lifetime. Conversely, you need 25 times your annual expenses as wealth for financial independence.

If you need 40,000 euros per year, you need around one million euros for financial independence. How to do it better: Privateer Rob advises for a larger buffer. He says, "The 4% rule would be too conservative for me. I wouldn't sleep well if I relied on it alone." He wants to remain flexible and not have to check his stock portfolio every day to see if it's still enough.

Therefore, he keeps more reserves than necessary. The added peace of mind is worth it to him: "If the stock prices fell by 50%, I wouldn't be nervous, I would buy more." However, this is an individual decision. Other FIRE enthusiasts feel comfortable with less buffer. Rob and Emma continue to work part-time even after retirement.

Emma occasionally translates books, Rob runs a small online business that may soon be displaced by AI. The importance of the buffer is even greater.