If you read traditional financial independence/retire early (FIRE) bloggers, many of them reached their goals by simply pairing a high savings rate with a standard portfolio of stocks and bonds. There’s nothing wrong with that. It works, and anyone can replicate it. But my wife and I follow a different path to FIRE. You do need a stable financial floor—but that’s just the beginning.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices