FIRE: "Who becomes financially independent often ends up in an existential crisis"

Vicki Robin, a renowned author and the spiritual pioneer of the FIRE movement, shares her insights on financial independence and the philosophy behind it. In a recent interview with the Handelsblatt, Robin discusses her bestselling book "Your Money or Your Life," which was first published in 1992 and has since sold nearly two million copies. The book aims to change the way Americans think about money, focusing on sustainable living and conscious consumption.

Robin, who achieved financial independence at the age of 30, emphasizes the importance of frugality and conscious consumption. She advises readers to question the happiness and alignment with their values before making any purchase. According to Robin, the goal is "enough is enough" rather than the consumerist mantra "more is better." This approach to frugality is central to the FIRE movement, which advocates for conscious spending, low expenses, and a high savings rate to achieve financial independence early in life.

Robin's journey to financial independence began in the 1980s when she and her co-author Joe Dominguez, a former Wall Street analyst, started giving seminars on money, consumption, and life purpose in New York and California. The demand for their seminars was immense, and in 1992, they published "Your Money or Your Life," which has since become a seminal work in the FIRE movement.