The financial independence movement has spawned a ton of varieties. It’s not a one-size-fits-all crusade anymore, which is a great thing! Financial independence should be for everyone, shouldn’t it? The different flavors give everyone the opportunity to pursue financial financial independence, in one way or another.
That begs the question – with so many kinds, what type of fire is right for you? You’re in luck, because I made this awesome quiz to help you figure it out! You may even find out that you’re FI without even knowing it!
Types of Fire
But before you take the amazingly innovative (and fun!) “what type of fire are you” quiz, let’s go over the possibilities. These will be super brief, but don’t worry – if you’re really interested in any of them – well, there’s a post for that.
Coast Fire – Security of FU money when you like your job
Barista Fire – Low stress part time job for pocket money
Fat Fire – Living the luxury life, no work but tons of cash
Lean Fire – Frugal, sustainable living on less than 40K
Traditional FI – I just want to live a normal life without having to work
All in Good Fun
Also remember – this quiz is mostly just for fun. If you answered the questions honestly, you’ll probably get an answer that works for you, but the quest for financial independence is incredibly personal. There’s always going to be nuance that quizzes just can’t capture. This is post is a fun way to get you thinking about the type of life you want, whether you’re on the path for financial freedom or haven’t even considered it yet.
Have fun with the quiz, and don’t forget to share it with your friends!
Take the Quiz:
Do you want to quit your job before traditional retirement?
How much money are you going to spend in retirement?
What about the FIRE movement is most appealing to you?
What do you like about your current job?
What are you going to do about work when you hit your FI number?
What do you hate about your current job?
Where do you imagine yourself living?
Is your healthcare covered in your FI/RE plan?
What three words are most appealing to you?
What Type of FIRE are You?
Passion Fire
You don’t want to quit working entirely – all you want is to trade that bucket of aggressive rattlesnakes hanging around your neck for a bag of adorable kittens. Both are a ton of work, but the first is a chore, and the second a delight. Work that delights is definitely a top priority.
To learn more about passion fire, read this: https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/passion-fire/
Barista Fire
Deadlines, and spreadsheets and stress – oh my! You wouldn’t mind working if it didn’t feel like walking into a hurricane every day. Hurricanes make it rain, but if you’re only looking for a little pocket money, trading the chaotic storm in for a light drizzle might be a great option.
To learn more about barista fire, read this: https://partnersinfire.com/fire101/barista-fire/
Coast Fire
Ever wonder what it would be like to work as a deep-sea firefighter? Uneventful, judging from the number of ocean fires on the news. Kind of like what you’re doing now, isn’t it? But if it pays the bills and keeps life full of comfort, why rock the boat? Your safety net is growing, even if your list of adventure stories isn't, so hug the coast and keep on coasting.
To learn more about coast fire, read this: https://partnersinfire.com/finance/what-is-coast-fire/
Lean Fire
It's not as bad as it sounds, watching all your friends move into bigger apartments. They can't understand how liberating it's been since you moved out from under all that debt. Admittedly no one visits you since you started sleeping in a cardboard refrigerator box, but you can't beat the location. Who needs a car when you're blocks from work, the gym where you shower, and the fuel station where you microwave your dollar burrito everyday. Just think about how many years of retirement you get to enjoy, while your friends are busy discovering the link between desk jobs and hip replacement surgeries.
To learn more about Lean Fire, read this: https://partnersinfire.com/blog/what-is-lean-fire/
Fat Fire
There was a shipping crate on your front porch this morning. So what if every day is like that one holiday, finding boxes and bags that have your name written on them as if by magic? You can't take any of it with you, might as well go out knowing friends and relatives are salivating while they read your will. There's a little bit of joy delivered to your door everyday, and all you have to do is open it. Which you will do, just as soon as you remember... Did you order a cute tiger on a gold leash, or a golden tiger on a cute leash? Doesn’t matter, you have enough money stocked away to pay for either.
Traditional FI
Would you take a job in hell to afford a condo in heaven? That's how it feels when you toil for every dime, and still come up short at the laundromat come Saturday. But if you grind it out for half a lifetime, you can set yourself up for second life of leisure. Waiting until you’re too old to enjoy life is a waste, but so is scrimping and saving and not enjoying anything. A nice middle ground isn’t too shabby.
To learn more about financial independence, read this: https://partnersinfire.com/blog/fire-fundamentals-basics-fire/
Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.
13 thoughts on “What Type of Fire are You? Take This Quiz and Find Out!”
I got Traditional FIRE, but I think if you were to add a question asking something like “Do you have a plan to reach your FI number?”, then I could define the all new classification of “Clueless FI”.
I think you have the makings of an awesome blog post right there!
Dads for Dollar$, your funny! I actually laughed out loud! At least you have a sense of humor about it all! Besides, I am guessing you are hoarding more “clues” than your letting on!
I got Lean FIRE! Um, what just happened?! It did force me to think about things I haven’t really thought about. This was a good way to bring insight and fun into a finances which, at times, can be lacking in fun.
My BF wrote the “results” for me. I gave him a guideline and asked him to be funny. I think the lean fire one was his best – it was so ridiculously hilarious! But I’m glad it got you thinking about some of the reasons for pursuing FI – that was the whole point! Glad you enjoyed it!
I have Passion Fire and I am d´accord with it 🙂
Passion Fire is the best fire!
Hi Melanie
Cool Quiz and very interesting blog.
I got PASSION FIRE which describes pretty well what I expect once we achieve our goal. My wife target FI by end of 2024, I guess we could get there even sooner but want to make it as enjoyable as possible and by then it will be easier to travel with our two children.
Cheers
I’m glad you liked it! Passion Fire is the best! And 2024 will be here before you know it!
“What do you like about your current job?”
–> This question needs a “the content”, “the impact” or “learning new things” option 😀
I got passion fire, but I actually love my job haha. Maybe this is as good as it gets for me 😉 😉
It’s great to hear that you love your job! I’ll check out the options there, maybe it’s time to tweak it!
Hi, what happened to the quiz? I tried in Firefox and Chrome and instead of the quiz, I see [wp_quiz id=”190876″]. Thanks.
So sorry! It was a plugin problem, but it should be fixed now!
I got Traditional FIRE, but I think if you were to add a question asking something like “Do you have a plan to reach your FI number?”, then I could define the all new classification of “Clueless FI”.
I think you have the makings of an awesome blog post right there!
Dads for Dollar$, your funny! I actually laughed out loud! At least you have a sense of humor about it all! Besides, I am guessing you are hoarding more “clues” than your letting on!
I got Lean FIRE! Um, what just happened?! It did force me to think about things I haven’t really thought about. This was a good way to bring insight and fun into a finances which, at times, can be lacking in fun.
My BF wrote the “results” for me. I gave him a guideline and asked him to be funny. I think the lean fire one was his best – it was so ridiculously hilarious! But I’m glad it got you thinking about some of the reasons for pursuing FI – that was the whole point! Glad you enjoyed it!
I have Passion Fire and I am d´accord with it 🙂
Passion Fire is the best fire!
Hi Melanie
Cool Quiz and very interesting blog.
I got PASSION FIRE which describes pretty well what I expect once we achieve our goal. My wife target FI by end of 2024, I guess we could get there even sooner but want to make it as enjoyable as possible and by then it will be easier to travel with our two children.
Cheers
I’m glad you liked it! Passion Fire is the best! And 2024 will be here before you know it!
“What do you like about your current job?”
–> This question needs a “the content”, “the impact” or “learning new things” option 😀
I got passion fire, but I actually love my job haha. Maybe this is as good as it gets for me 😉 😉
It’s great to hear that you love your job! I’ll check out the options there, maybe it’s time to tweak it!
Hi, what happened to the quiz? I tried in Firefox and Chrome and instead of the quiz, I see [wp_quiz id=”190876″]. Thanks.
So sorry! It was a plugin problem, but it should be fixed now!