I love sharing FIRE case studies to inspire you.

They prove the dream really is achievable for normal people with no extraordinary financial skills.

They also unmask the dream to show how the reality of financial independence and early retirement differ from your idealized vision.

The truth is everyone hits potholes, makes mistakes, and questions if it's worth all the hard work.

Our guest, Chris Mamula, is no different.

He candidly shares his FIRE story in this interview – warts, blemishes, and victories as well.

Despite several costly errors he managed to achieve financial freedom in just 5 years.

Chris paid excessive fees to a financial advisor
He bought a variable annuity within a 401(k)
He felt “less than” when comparing himself to other FIRE success stories
But he got several critical factors right like keeping expenses low and saving a high percentage of his income, and that proved to be good enough.

Financial freedom isn't about luck, brains, or a single great investment. It's about having a valid plan based on proven principles and taking sufficient action with enough persistence to reach the goal (exactly as taught in my Expectancy Wealth Planning course here).

Anyone can do it, and these case studies prove it.

I hope you enjoy the example Chris has shared.

And if you got great value from Chris's story then please check out the other FIRE success case studies on this podcast.

In this episode you'll discover:

What inspired Chris and his wife to become financially independent
Why Chris is so debt-adverse, and how it worked to his advantage
How Chris adopted the term “dirt bag millionaire”
The important role values play for achieving financial independence (they matter way more than you think)
Chris's personal definition of financial independence
How the 25x Rule, Rule of 300 and 400, and 4% Rule can give you a rough benchmark of how much money to aim for in retirement
The mistake that occurs when you get overly focused on retiring early
How to balance spending now versus saving for the future
What Chris did once he realized how unhappy he had become on this journey
How to avoid the insidious trap of “I'll be happy when I'm retired”
The benefits of continued work after financial independence
How to redefine what early retirement and financial independence mean, and why it matters
Abundance versus scarcity in early retirement
How Chris's plan reflects the “new retirement“
The surprising reason why most people pursuing financial independence will continue to work
Risk management for early retirement
The key to understanding mathematical expectancy
Why it's paramount to become your own financial expert, lest you get taken for a ride by your financial advisor
The danger of financial advisor fees. Chris was paying over $8,000 every year!
The tax consequences Chris and his wife faced for not doing their due diligence quickly enough
Why it might make sense to select a fee-only financial advisor instead of one paid via commissions
How the pursuit of financial independence changes your thinking at a fundamental level
Why learning to be happy and present is the key
The resources that were most helpful to Chris for investing without any prior knowledge
Other sources of income that Chris and his wife are looking into
Why Chris doesn't feel like he really paid a price to become financially free
How living in alignment with your values creates happiness
and much more….

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Session Include:

Step 3 – Wealth Planning Course
Can I Retire Yet? – Chris's blog
@caniretire_yet – Follow Chris on Twitter
Early Retirement Extreme
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
Mr. Money Mustache // Early Retirement Police Article
The 4% Rule, by Todd Tresidder
Mad FIentist
Variable Annuity Pros & Cons, by Todd Tresidder
How Wall Street Can Legally Rip You Off – Article
The White Coat Investor // Investment Advisors Are Not Doctors Article
The Secret to Happiness and Why It Has Nothing to Do With Money – article
Stock Series from JL Collins
The Simple Path to Wealth, by Jim Collins
Intelligent Asset Allocator, by William Bernstein
All About Asset Allocation, by Rick Ferri
Recommended Reading – Beginner Investing
Coach Carson
(Please note: some of the links above are affiliate links so if you buy a course or book using these links I will receive a little compensation. Thank you for supporting this site!)

Click here to download the transcript of Chris's best tips for FIRE!

In this episode you'll discover:

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Session Include:

FM 025: FIRE Case Study with Chris Mamula