The FIRE movement is burning up, but is it actually worth it?

Kathleen Elkins has for years covered the FIRE lifestyle, short for financial independence, retire early. The movement has long meant aggressively saving and investing to build a nest egg large enough to escape the 9-to-5 decades ahead of schedule. A newer, more relaxed approach front-loads retirement accounts early and then eases off once portfolios are on track, with the idea of working enough to cover current expenses and letting investment gains compound in the background.

Elkins spoke with 30-year-old Cody Berman, whose income quadrupled in three years while his spending stayed the same; he outlined the two levers and the simple formula he used to reach financial independence before his 26th birthday. There's also a 24-year-old Meta software engineer who makes over $300,000 a year and doesn't own a car, couch, or TV, and who plans to retire around age 30.

Financial independence doesn't have to come at the expense of enjoying life, but context matters.

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