Welcome To The FIRE Journal.

The FIRE Journal is for working professionals who feel trapped in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle despite earning a good income.

Every working professional wants to build lasting wealth and achieve financial freedom. But most end up stuck in the rat race because they follow conventional retirement advice that's designed to keep them working for 40+ years. If this sounds familiar, you've probably tried budgeting apps and financial planning software. Maybe you've even paid for expensive financial advisors - but still haven't seen real progress toward financial independence.

Here's why:

Most working professionals in  focus on saving a small percentage of their income and following traditional retirement timelines.

As a result, they end up living on just one-third of their working income in retirement, feeling anxious about market volatility and economic uncertainty, and missing out on their prime years waiting to reach "retirement age."

But after years of studying investment strategies and helping clients achieve financial independence, I discovered that reaching FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) isn't about having millions in the bank - it's about creating systems that make work optional by having your investments generate enough income to cover your expenses.

So, if you want to achieve financial freedom, but also need practical strategies that work with your busy schedule to make consistent progress, then this newsletter is for you.

Who am I?

I'm Justin Saffel, an engineer and investment advisor.

I've spent 15 years learning how to become an individual investor so I can achieve financial freedom. Now, I help clients transform their finances through my FIRE OS courses and community. I also started an asset management company in 2024, growing it to over $6 million in assets under management in under a year. Along the way, I achieved my own financial independence, making my 9-to-5 truly optional.

I started this newsletter because I was frustrated seeing so many hardworking professionals struggle to believe they could make money from their investments. What began as sharing personal insights and strategies has grown into a community of people actively working toward financial independence.

Now I'm sharing everything I've learned about achieving FIRE through smart investing, strategic debt management, and building multiple income streams.

Why subscribe?

Every day, I send one actionable insight that helps you move closer to financial independence without sacrificing your current quality of life.

• No more living paycheck to paycheck.
• No more anxiety about your financial future.
• No more trading your best years for a paycheck.

Each issue combines practical strategies and real-world examples to help you build lasting wealth, delivered in a conversational, straightforward format that takes just 5 minutes to read. These insights don't rely on extreme frugality or get-rich-quick schemes, but instead focus on proven methods to help you achieve financial freedom in years, not decades.

I cover everything from optimizing your investments, to strategic debt management, to building additional income streams. Not only do you get actionable financial advice, but each issue also comes with the following:

• Real-life case studies and examples
• Specific steps you can implement immediately
• Tools and calculators to track your progress

My goal is for you to find something worth implementing in every single edition.

And my promise is that I'll never recommend anything I haven't personally tested or successfully used with clients because your financial independence journey is too important for theoretical advice.

Ready to make work optional?

Join hundreds of readers who are accelerating their path to financial independence with The FIRE Journal's daily insights and proven strategies.