This post speaks to me, because, essentially, this is the transition that I made. While I initially set out to retire in my early-to-mid-forties, by the time I got there, I had developed this website and online community and was not remotely ready to give it up.
However, working remotely has been a blessing. The flexibility in terms of time, location, and commitment has allowed my family and me to spend weeks and months traveling in Mexico, Spain, Europe, and more.
Two of the most desirable things in life are freedom of location and control of our time. These were also two major driving forces behind the FIRE movement. Let’s take a look at how these two factors fit into the context of FIRE and remote work.
A similarity between FIRE and remote work is not being tied down to a certain location. Remote work is not just working from home, it is defined by being able to work from anywhere. As long as you have an internet connection and an excellent laptop for remote work, you have all you need.
The major difference between remote work and FIRE is that you still have a job to do. As such, when it comes to control of time, remote work still can’t completely replace FIRE. There is typically some sort of time commitment as long as you have a job.
I personally think the remote trend can be a good alternative to FIRE. For those who still wish to achieve FIRE, remote work can serve as a bridge to FIRE.