My name is Scott and this is my site: Scott on Fire. Here, I share my thoughts on modern life, personal finance, self development, and how to Choose Work You Love.
Financial Independence Retire Early (or FIRE) has played a formative role in both my life and my writing. Improving the financial wellbeing of myself and others is a passion of mine, and this has also heavily impacted my career. Dealing with money can be difficult – but it doesn’t have to be.
This site is a collection of the lessons I’ve learned in life – especially regarding Saving, Investing, and Choosing Work You Love. Part of that is my personal philosophy, which underpins everything I do.
I want you to be able to save for your future, invest in yourself, and work on things that matter to you. I hope my writing helps you on your journey through life.
My interest in personal finance started from a young age. I was always interested in saving money and saw the benefit of delaying my spending to buy something bigger later. Whether it was saving for a Game Boy or a new car, I have always been a “saver”. Several years of dedicated saving allowed me to purchase my first car brand new without finance, as well as a deposit for a small apartment. While saving for major purchases is a long-term goal, being in a position to save up this money was something I was lucky to have, and grateful to be in.
Catching FIRE
It was only a few years ago that I learned about the FIRE Movement, an acronym that means Financially Independent, Retired Early. The basic FIRE principle is that if a person saves enough money and invests it, they can theoretically earn enough passive income that they never need to work again.
Learning about FIRE reframed my relationship with money. FIRE helped me realise that a life without full-time work is possible. Instead of using money buying random things, I was able to give my money a purpose. Every dollar would bring me closer to a work-optional life. My money allowed me to buy back my time and attention- my most precious resources.
More recently, my opinion of the FIRE movement has changed. The principles of FIRE are essential for anyone looking to build a better relationship with money. But I believe that life is better without fully retiring. If you find work you enjoy and get paid for something that matters to you, you don’t need to save as much as you may think. You can even leverage this earlier in life to enjoy a level of freedom you may not have thought possible.
About Scott
I’m a 30-something-year-old living in Melbourne, Australia. I exited full-time employment in 2023 after an 8-year career in payroll and payroll system administration following the principles of Slow Financial Independence. I now use my free time to share my philosophy, Choose Work I Love, and learn new things.
While I haven’t yet achieved full Financial Independence yet, I decide how work fits into my life, instead of fitting my life around my work.
My current goal is to continue working on my brand and consulting business while maintaining a saving rate above 50%. That savings rate will ensure I stay on track to achieve a work-optional lifestyle before I’m 40 years old. With less than 10 years to go, the clock is ticking fast!
If you’d like to read more from me, check out the blog page for access to all of my posts. You can follow me on X @ScottOnFire and Facebook page Scott On Fire. You can also sign up to my newsletter – The Fireside – to get even more content, delivered straight to your inbox.