Page 32 - Kiplinger's Personal Finance - November 2018

F F F II RRR E

inducement for those who have before they became “fully McHugh fills his days with a mix Adeney’s home, a 1,500-square-
achieved financial independence. Mustachian” and trimmed their of leisure and work that he does foot, mid-century modern house
And running a business “addresses expenditures (now, they spend for enjoyment rather than out that he purchased and exten-
a lot of what people need to be about $40,000 annually). of necessity—he’s a CrossFit and sively remodeled a few years ago,
happy,” says Adeney. “It gives Last year, she left the Air nutrition coach, and he works on is just a mile from the headquar-
you access to people and a daily Force, and she considers herself his business idea an hour or two ters, and he makes the commute
challenge.” retired. She pursues her lifelong a day. “I don’t think I’ll ever be on foot or by bicycle. (At last
Alan Donegan, cofounder of passion for dance, teaching up retired,” at least by the conven- count, he had spent just $105 on
the PopUp school, has traveled to 15 hours of classes per week tional definition, says McHugh. gas in an entire year.) Adeney en-
to Longmont from his home base and performing with dance com- courages the PopUp staff and
in England for the second year to panies. She’d also like to start The Mustachian lifestyle. Nor students to do the same, as evi-
present the business crash course. a business focused on dance does Adeney subscribe to the “TV denced by more than a dozen
and golf” conven- bikes rimming the outdoor area
tional definition of behind the building, where the
retirement. He be- students relax and mingle during
lieves that social in- downtime. Workout equipment
teraction and mental is also scattered about; one stu-
stimulation are cru- dent fits in a few pumps on the
cial, and echoes of bench press during a break.
that philosophy per- Adeney’s active lifestyle and
meate the headquar- thrift go hand in hand with his
ters. After he pur- commitment to conserving the
chased the building environment and reducing
■ MANY FIRE last year, he busied waste. “My blog is secretly an
FOLLOWERS himself with remod- environmental blog,” he says.
HAVE DREAMS
OF LAUNCHING eling the run-down A few years ago, he wrote about
THEIR OWN structure into a sleek, the top SUVs for families—with
VENTURES. modern space. Now, a disclaimer at the end that the
he calls it a “friend- post was an April Fool’s Day
Most PopUp presentations are education for people of modest harvesting machine” for its visi- prank and that the best mode
for people in areas with low in- means. “It may not make money, tors, including the 50 or so people of transportation for a family
comes and high unemployment, but it would be well worth my who are members of a co-work- is a pair of bikes with trailers for
to foster entrepreneurship in time,” she says. ing collective (they pay $50 a the kids. For this year’s business
those communities, but the Sean McHugh, 42, is at the month for membership, and the school, the PopUp team focused
course also appeals to a frugal PopUp school to get guidance fees cover the building’s operat- first on inviting Coloradans to
FIRE audience. and feedback on his plan to have ing expenses). He also hosts free the event to reduce fossil-fuel
Sarah Pritchett, a PopUp a monthlong beach retreat in Gulf events at the headquarters, such consumption (and to help locals
school student, drew inspiration Shores, Ala., for people who want as movie and live-music nights form relationships with one an-
from the Mr. Money Mustache to turn a skill into a business or and classes on subjects ranging other), although about half of
blog when she came across it a course they could teach. Like from weight training to computer the attendees are visiting from
in 2014. Pritchett, now 31, was Pritchett, McHugh gained finan- games, and he occasionally trav- outside the state.
serving as an Air Force officer cial independence through real els for FIRE gatherings. For the Whatever form of FIRE a fol-
at the time—a career that she estate investing, a common past five years, for instance, a lower finds suitable, Adeney
found rewarding but exhausting. theme among the FIRE crowd. group of Seattle blog readers emphasizes that seeking joy, and
She began purchasing invest- He once owned several rental have organized “Camp Mustache” directing your money accordingly,
ment properties to generate properties but now has two rent- over Memorial Day weekend, a is a central tenet. “The whole
income— financing them with als that pull in about $2,500 a retreat for Mustachian disciples Mustachian lifestyle is not about
mortgages and a home-equity month—more than enough to to learn and share ideas. living a terrible life of deprivation.
line of credit—and in 2016, she cover his basic monthly living Adeney also espouses physical It’s about understanding what
reached her goal of pulling in expenses of about $1,200. fitness. Longmont, situated north makes you happy and cutting
$50,000 annually from the “I don’t make as much money of Denver and boasting the Rocky down your spending on what
properties. That’s roughly the as I used to, but my quality of life Mountains as a backdrop, offers doesn’t make you happy.”
amount she and her husband has gone way up, and my stress abundant access to outdoor ac-
put toward living expenses has gone way down,” he says. tivities, such as hiking and skiing. CONTACT THE AUTHOR AT LGERSTNER@
KIPLINGER.COM.
11/2018 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 41

K11M-EARLY RETIREES.a.indd 41 9/21/18 3:24 PM