BBC Reel just released a short film on the FIRE movement, interviewing three FIRE people / couples: Mr. Money Mustache, Rich and Regular, and Millenial Revolution. I think it’s a great, short introduction to FIRE. One thing I really like about it is how it focuses on aspects beyond money — freedom / flexibility, reducing consumption, and the fundamental unreliability of employment. I especially liked how the couple behind Rich and Regular talked about how they thought FIRE would ultimately change the nature of work.
I definitely agree that the freedom to choose is one of the biggest benefits of a frugal lifestyle. For us, for example, being able to take time off when our daughter was born (2.5 years for my wife and 1 month plus 5 months part-time for me) was wonderful. In other words, FIRE isn’t all about saving as much money as quickly as possible. It’s about freedom.