The day I realised I could stop saving forever
Hey Future Millionaire,
What if you could quit the job race years earlier than you thought?
In 2023, I found out I already had enough money saved. I just didn't know it.
Let me explain...
Back in 2020, I discovered Financial Independence (FI). The idea is simple: When your investments pay your bills, work becomes a choice, not a must.
But I thought I needed to keep climbing the sales ladder for years to reach my 'magic number'.
Then everything changed during my drive home one day.
I was listening to the Irish FIRE Podcast when I heard about something called Coast FI.
Here's what hit me like a lightning bolt:
Once your investments reach a certain size, you can STOP adding more money
Time and compound growth will do the rest of the work
You're free to make different life choices NOW
Think of it like this: Your future self is taken care of, so your present self can breathe.
What could this mean for you?
Swap a high-stress job for work you love
Spend precious years with your kids while they're young
Take a gap year without guilt
Work part-time instead of full-time
When I ran my numbers that night, I couldn't believe what I saw.
I was already 'Coast FI' and didn't even know it!
See how this works with two quick examples:
Anna is 40 with €500,000 invested. If she never adds another euro but lets that money grow at 7% (the S&P 500's inflation-adjusted average), she'll have €2.7 million by age 65.
Jack is only 30 with the same €500,000. By age 65, his money grows to €5.3 million!
The magic formula? Time + compound interest = freedom
Could you be closer than you think?
Here's how to find out in 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Find your FI number
Monthly expenses × 300 = Your number
Example: €3,000 monthly spending → €900,000 is your FI number
Step 2: Add up what you have now
Savings accounts
Investments (shares, ETFs, crypto)
Pension pots
Step 3: See what your money will become
Put your total into this calculator:
Use 5% for a safe estimate
Use 7% if mostly in stocks
Play around with diffferent contributions and time periods.
You might be shocked how close you already are.
What next?
If you're not yet at Coast FI, you now have a much smaller target to aim for.
If you're already there (surprise!), you can start thinking about what freedom looks like for you.
Need help figuring this out? Just hit reply. I'm here to help.
Or book a free strategy call:
I am off to enjoying the sunshine at our local Dutch school's King's Day celebration 🇳🇱. Whatever you're up to, I hope it brings you joy!
To your financial freedom (sooner than you think),
Sjoerd
P.S. I started sharing quick coaching videos! Below is the video that got the most views this week. I'd love to hear what you think!
