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.

Financial independence is broken down into three phases. First, the quest itself, long, sometimes discouraging but also exciting. During this period, it is about working, accumulating wealth and investing it. But sooner or later (most often later), you have to take off your investor hat and take the big step. This is the second phase, the short one, where you decide to stop working and fly on your own. It is a moment that is both magical and full of unknowns. What will become of you, do you have enough money, won't you get bored...? Finally, the last phase is that of "retirement", that is to say, the one where you live outside the system of paid work. The ant then becomes a grasshopper and enjoys the fruits of its labor.

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...