The Irish FIRE Podcast explores the journey to financial independence and early retirement from an Irish perspective. Hosted by Michael, the podcast covers prac...
In this episode, Michael sits down with Sjoerd Bak, founder of BAMillionaire.com. Originally from The Netherlands, Sjoerd moved to Ireland in 2006 and worked in the tech industry before becoming a qualified financial advisor. Today, he provides financial coaching to help professionals in the tech sector build financial literacy and achieve their financial goals.
We dive deep into Sjoerd's own FIRE journey, and he shares valuable insights and advice that he offers to his clients on how to become financially independent.
Show Notes:
Connect with Sjoerd on Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjoerdbak/
Visit Sjoerd's Website:
https://www.bamillionaire.com/
Get Sjoerd's tracking template by subscribing to his newsletter:
https://bamillionaire.kit.com/template
Subscribe to The Irish FIRE Podcast Newsletter:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
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25:50
The Cat is Out of the Bag
In this episode, Michael shares the news that he has been asked to write regularly on personal finance for The Irish Independent and how writing on a main stream newspaper has meant that his near FI status is now being shared on a national scale! He discusses the challenges and joys of transitioning to semi-retirement, from embracing flexibility in his work schedule to tackling more household tasks. Looking ahead, Michael outlines his family’s plans for 2025, including a long-awaited trip to New Zealand and paying off a personal loan for solar panels and vehicle upgrades. He explains the financial balancing act of covering these expenses, working less, and managing higher taxes while letting his FI portfolio coast.
Show Notes
Read The Irish Independent article here:
https://archive.ph/NDQLZ
Subscribe to the newsletter:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
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12:33
The Transition to Semi Retirement
In this episode, Michael discusses how embracing a low-cost lifestyle has helped him and his family move closer to Financial Independence. He shares updates on his portfolio, his transition into semi-retirement, and the conscious trade-offs he's made to prioritise time freedom over material wealth.
Show Notes:
The Three Phases of FI
https://www.firepodcast.ie/three-phases-of-fi
Limerick FI Meet Up Group:
https://www.meetup.com/financial-independence-limerick/
Subscribe to the monthly newsletter:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
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13:30
Realisations on 100 Episodes
In this episode, Michael celebrates episode 100 of The Irish FIRE Podcast by looking back over the last 7 years of his FIRE journey, and giving his reflections on a year by year basis since he started his journey in 2018.
Michael is now only a few months away from hitting FI, and Michael shares his thoughts on both how his journey has panned out, but also what he expects from the future once he reaches FI.
Show Notes
Subscribe to the monthly newsletter:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
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18:05
When FIRE Goes Horribly Wrong
In this episode, Michael dives into the Playing with FIRE documentary and explores the balance between achieving financial independence and living a fulfilling life in the present. He discusses the Rieckens' journey, the challenges they face, and whether the sacrifices they make are truly aligned with their core mission of spending more time as a family.
Show Notes
Learn more about An Dúlra Co-Op (planting native forests):
https://www.andulra.ie/co-op
Youtube "Playing with Fire Full Documentary" to find the Playing with Fire Documentary
Mr Money Mustache FIRE video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Li_sFNc4Q
Join the newsletter and keep in touch with monthly updates:
https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter
The Irish FIRE Podcast explores the journey to financial independence and early retirement from an Irish perspective. Hosted by Michael, the podcast covers practical strategies for saving, investing, and designing a life of financial freedom. Each episode dives into topics like tax efficiency, property investment, pensions, and lifestyle optimization, all tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities in Ireland. Whether you’re just starting out or well on your FIRE journey, The Irish FIRE Podcast offers actionable insights to help you achieve your financial goals.
Ireland