172. The Great Debate: Sabbatical vs FIRE (REPLAY)

Build A Wealthy Spirit

Michelle and I first heard about taking a sabbatical in 2017 from a woman at Artesa Winery in Sonoma pictured above. This is the first time we had heard of anyone taking a long break from work. The woman, of Indian heritage like us, inspired us by her easygoing approach to life. She mentioned nothing about her previous work life and nothing about plans to return to work. She was simply enjoying each day with her sweet German husband as they traveled the world.

It would be three years before we discovered FIRE or started planning for our own work breaks, but this moment sticks in both our memories as a brief insight into a potential future reality that we had never considered. Though we were deep in our consumeristic ways and would continue to be for a few more years, that meeting felt like a premonitory vision of what could be if we took a different path.

This week we take a look at the two popular ways to escape the rat race: sabbaticals and the financial independence retire early (FIRE) movement. Is one better than the other? Is there a better fit for you in your personal finance journey?

References Made In This Episode:

• CampFI
• Artesa Winery
• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Indian Snacks: Samosas, pakora, vada
• Riverside Link
• The Sabbatical Project
  • Sabbatical Quiz
• 4% Rule for Financial Independence
• Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
• Referenced Build A Wealthy Spirit Episode: 27. Compound Interest

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