Diary of a future rentier (17)

Kss kss kss... There's a little bit of Provence in the air. In the space of a few weeks we've gone from winter to summer, taking on nearly twenty degrees in our faces. All this makes you want to swap your ant costume for that of a cicada, to lounge in the sun, or on a shaded terrace with a nice cold beer. The quest for financial independence only makes sense if it leads to this kind of pleasure. Saving just for the sake of saving is useless. The goal is not money, but time. Being able to enjoy the present moment, without worrying about tomorrow, without freaking out at the idea of finding your mailbox overflowing on all sides... that's real life.

L'indépendance financière se décompose en trois phases. D'abord, la quête elle-même, longue, décourageante parfois mais passionnante aussi. Durant cette période, il s'agit de travailler, d'accumuler les richesses et de les placer. Mais tôt ou tard (le plus souvent tard), il faut lâcher sa casquette d'investisseur et faire le grand pas. C'est la seconde phase, celle, courte, où l'on décide d'arrêter de travailler et de voler de ses propres ailes. C'est un instant à la fois magique et plein d'inconnues. Que va-t-on devenir, a-t-on assez d'argent, ne va-t-on pas s'ennuyer... ? Enfin la dernière phase est celle de la "retirement", c'est-à-dire celle où l'on vit en dehors du système du travail rémunéré. La fourmi devient alors cigale et profite des fruits de son travail.

Some people stay in the first phase, with no other goal than to get rich. But if the will to take the big leap is lacking, it is like cultivating the vine without ever wanting to taste its wine. In the quest for financial independence, we do not seek to become the richest but to make the most of the heritage we have built.

Today I am still in the accumulation phase, but I am already allowing myself to have a little fun and daydream. I have cleared all my bad debts, those that are based on liabilities (consumer credit / leases) and not on assets (real estate). I have also made some downward adjustments in my expenses, especially in those related to transport, which allows me to increase my savings capacity. I have also completed building up my emergency fund, which allows me to calmly see the various hazards of life arrive. I have also put aside a little cash to make a few investments here and there, depending on the opportunities, and above all to take a more massive position when the market corrects downwards.

Kss kss kss... There's a little air of Provence...