The FIRE movement — Financially Independent, Retiring Early — is built around the idea that young people can break from traditional career paths and retire in their 20s, 30s, or 40s. Some followers take an extreme approach, saving up to 75% of every paycheck, which isn’t realistic for most people. But the philosophy behind FIRE still offers valuable lessons about intentional spending, disciplined saving, and designing a life you actually want.

This week we glean insights from FIRE and offer a “diet” version that may work for you.