No, I’m not a CPA. I’m not a financial advisor, either.

I’m an allied health professional, just like you!

If you stumbled upon this blog as an allied health professional who is interested in learning more about personal finances, financial freedom and the FIRE community, you have come to the right place.

2020: The Worst Year EVER

In 2020, my husband (who is also a PT) and I went through significant financial stressors. We moved to LA for his job, just two weeks before the COVID-19 quarantine. I lost my full time job and had trouble finding more hours to work. My husband drained his PTO and Sick Leave bank just to keep income coming in. Our new tenant was unable to pay the rent, leaving us to pay our condo’s mortgage and our LA rent. I found myself in a ridiculous lawsuit and had to pay a lot of money for lawyer fees. We lost one of our beloved dogs just a month after we began quarantining. We also lost three close family members, and could not make their memorial services. 

In summary, 2020 was just not our year. And this made me turn into the true definition of an “Ice Queen.” 

Instead of becoming an emotional wreck, I became the complete opposite. I became a stone wall – emotionless, void of warmth, outwardly stoic but internally crumbling. I did not acknowledge my true feelings with all this going on. Instead, I let it build up until I finally had a mental breakdown months into the quarantine. 

But how does this all fit into FIRE? 

My husband learned about the FIRE movement in 2019 from a podcast called Choose FI. He started listening to ChooseFI after Googling “best investing podcasts” to help the time go by during his commute. Because he was now working in LA part-time, so he was driving almost 4 hours daily. He soon found himself swept up into the world of FIRE. 

He would come home and tell me about this concept of “financial independence.” But instead of listening to him like a good wife, I ignored him. Everything he said would go in one ear and out the other. 

Decrease our spending? But I love eating out and drinking craft beer on tap every other night! 

Find a side hustle? I’m already working full time, if I work even more, then I won’t have time to do fun things like spending money on stupid things!

Investing? What’s the point, when I can spend our hard earned money now! 

Think ahead for the future? But I’m having so much fun NOW!

FIRE = Financial Independence Retire Early? There’s no way we can do that! More like ICE = Independence Can’t Exist!

(I love a good acronym haha).

Poor guy. Instead of pushing me to learn more, he patiently waited until I was ready to be receptive. He opened up a low cost index fund with Vanguard and began putting whatever money we had left over at the end of the month after bills and my insane spending into VTI. He switched his retirement contribution to VTSAX, and upped his contribution to 17% to max out his 401(k).

Meanwhile, I was bathing in my cushy life with a low contribution to my 403(b), could care less about a budget, and spending frivolously on items that gave me instant gratification but did not fulfill me in the long term.

Then 2020 hit, and my mental breakdown finally allowed me to open my eyes to FIRE.

FIRED Up For Allied Health Was Born

This blog, while I hope to help others in my situation learn more about the FIRE movement, is also a personal chronology of my journey. If you’re still skeptical, that’s cool, do your thang. I can’t force you to read my blog. 

But when you’re ready to learn, keep exploring my webpage, check out my Instagram, and let’s get started on your personal finance journey. 

Note: I am not a certified financial advisor/planner or a certified financial analyst or a CPA or an accountant or a lawyer. Remember, I am an allied health professional, just like you! I am a self proclaimed amateur investor, and personal finance enthusiast.

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