The popular image of a FIRE practitioner is someone eating rice and beans, clipping coupons, and driving a car older than their kids. All luxuries are shunned in order to grow their wealth as large as possible to break free sooner. FIRE folks are cheap and should enjoy life more critics say.

There's some truth to it. To retire early, you usually need to save aggressively for 10 to 20 years. Along the way, you develop frugal habits that help you appreciate more of what you have. You may even start treating investing as an entertaining expense that motivates you to save even more.

After 10+ years of aggressive frugality and a 50%+ saving rate, it's very hard to change your ways once you break free from the corporate grind. I used to work late until 7pm all the time so I could eat free cafeteria food. Then I'd take some fruits and snacks out so I could save for breakfast the next day.…