Why Most FIRE Advice Doesn’t Work in New Zealand (And What I am Doing About it)

Yes, another blog about FIRE and Lifestyle. Super original, right?

Well… maybe a little. If you’ve read my story and made it this far, something must feel a little different, At the very least, you’re probably curious.

You see, I don’t have it all figured out. I’m 23 – barely an adult by most standards, but I at least have some sort of grasp on what I want out of my life, and that is choice. Independence in this ever-changing World.

Now you might be thinking: “What could a 23-year-old with virtually no life experience possibly tell me, that I don’t already know?” And fair enough. The truth is, not much.
But this isn’t a story about expertise. It’s a story about Exploration.

Knowing what you want in life is one thing. Knowing how to get there is a completely different beast. And to form a plan, you need research.

I’ve spent hours, probably far too many for someone my age, reading FIRE books, articles, and blogs. Listening to those already retired telling me what to do, how much to save, where to save, how to live… you name it.

And eventually, a pattern emerged. Every path I explored. Every article I clicked. Every blog I read led me to the same conclusion:

This advice doesn’t work for me.

How could it when it’s built for an American system; A system I do not live in.

In other words, it’s like being told to play rugby in a swimming pool.  

So yes, the internet is full of advice – but almost all of it assumes you live somewhere else. Somewhere with more choices, bigger, and very, very American (not to mention, much of it was written over a decade ago, when the global market looked a lot different all over the world - but we’ll get to that later).

Here in New Zealand, things look different: Housing is expensive, wages aren’t exactly skyrocketing, and the financial tools aren’t quite the same as across the Pacific. And we’re far from the only country in this boat. Smaller economies, from South Africa to parts of the Asia-Pacific are almost entirely overlooked in the FIRE world.

That’s where this blog comes in. I’m not pretending to have all the answers, but I do know one thing: you can’t just transplant outdated, American FIRE advice and assume everything will work. What you need is context. Local examples. Ideas that actually fit your economy, your market, your life.

So here I am, not perfect, but compelled to put thought to paper – or, well, to keyboard – and document my journey towards FIRE and a fulfilling life here in New Zealand. To share what works for me, what doesn’t, and what lessons can apply to other countries where the standard FIRE playbook just doesn’t fit.

Consider it a roadmap for elevating your life in the Global world.

See you in #2.