Interview: Alex @girlchasingwealth
What do you do?
I am a Digital Marketing Specialist for a luxury architectural products manufacturer.
What’s your age?
27 years old
Where do you live?
Southern California
Salary?
$65,000 + bonuses
When did you learn about FIRE? (If you don’t know what FIRE is, read more here)
I learned about FIRE in January 2021, when I saw a TikTok about it. I instantly became obsessed!
Why do you want to reach financial independence?
I want to reach FI because I want to take back ownership of my time. I don’t want to rely on a 9-5 for my livelihood.
How do you currently have your money allocated?
About 45% of my investments are in my brokerage, 41% tax-advantaged, and 13% cash. Non-cash investments are in index funds.
Average savings rate?
For 2021, my savings rate was 59.5%
What has been the most difficult part in this journey?
The hardest part about this journey is finding the balance between spending and saving. I still prioritize spending on the things that bring me joy, but I sometimes struggle justifying certain expenses.
At what age do you expect to hit FI and have the option to retire?
I expect to hit FI by age 38.
If you could offer someone a piece of advice to help them on their path to FI, what it would be?
I would tell anyone pursuing FI that they need to enjoy the journey, even if it means delaying financial independence or early retirement for a couple years. The journey is just as important as the destination and it isn’t worth it to suffer for a decade or longer in pursuit of FI.
Also, don’t get discouraged by what others are doing, especially personal finance influencers. A lot of people in the community are way ahead of the game (with a 300-400-500K net worth), and that’s great and should be celebrated. But we are all on our own path and as long as we are working towards FI, we are better off than most!
If others want to follow your FIRE journey, where can they find you?
You can find me on Instagram @girlchasingwealth
