Welcome to my FIRE blog reflections — a personal look back at the blog comment sections that helped shape my journey into Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE). Long before I launched Frugal Harpy, I was an active reader and commenter on the most respected FIRE blogs. These reflections explore what I learned, how the community impacted my mindset, and why these interactions still matter in 2025.
Why FIRE Blog Reflections Matter
FIRE blog reflections aren’t just nostalgic musings. They represent a trail of conversations, questions, and breakthroughs that many of us had while learning about financial independence. For me, engaging with these communities provided clarity on debt reduction, investment strategies, and the psychological challenges of early retirement.
Each blog comment wasn’t just a throwaway thought — it was part of a dialogue that deepened my understanding. These reflections help document those moments and honor the FIRE content creators who sparked real change.
💬 Mr. Money Mustache – “The Race to Retirement”
One of the most influential posts in the FIRE space. I commented on the tax strategy side of retirement withdrawals and how standard deductions could offset early drawdowns. This was an eye-opener — FIRE isn’t just about saving aggressively, it’s about understanding tax efficiency and optimizing your cash flow in retirement.
💬 Go Curry Cracker – “What If It All Went to Hell?!”
This blog helped me see beyond fear-based investing. In the comment section, I appreciated the discussion on how real FIRE families handled bear markets. It reassured me that staying the course was smarter than panic selling — a lesson I now share on Frugal Harpy all the time.
💬 JL Collins – “A Guided Meditation for Market Drops”
My FIRE blog reflections wouldn’t be complete without JL Collins. His calm voice and data-driven approach changed how I thought about volatility. I commented about our decision to invest the proceeds from our home sale into VTSAX — a big moment in our FIRE journey.
💬 1500 Days – “Getting Rich With a Mortgage”
From a background in classical music, I’ve always dealt with unpredictable income. I shared how paying off a mortgage felt like the right call for us — not out of fear, but because of lifestyle fit. 1500 Days helped me realize that FIRE must be personalized to work long-term.
💬 Millennial Revolution – “FIRE Doesn’t Fix Everything”
In this article, I found resonance with the emotional aftermath of reaching financial freedom. My comment reflected my realization: FIRE doesn’t solve your internal issues — it simply gives you time and space to address them. This was one of the most honest conversations in the FIRE space.
💬 The Physician Philosopher – “What is Financial Independence?”
I contributed a comment about how difficult it was to mentally adjust after reaching my “number.” I had spent years tracking money daily — letting go of that control was hard. This blog gave me a framework to explore emotional transitions within FIRE.
💬 JL Collins – “Why We Bought a Brand-New Car”
In this comment, I reflected on the idea of spending from a position of strength — a mindset that JL Collins emphasizes. While I don’t own a car and prefer to invest in experiences, this post helped me see that smart spending can be part of FIRE too, when done intentionally.
Final Thoughts on These FIRE Blog Reflections
Looking back, these FIRE blog reflections helped build the foundation for everything I write on Frugal Harpy today. They taught me that FIRE isn’t just numbers — it’s mindset, behavior, community, and resilience. If you’re on your own financial independence path, I hope this page helps you see the value in community and the comments section too.
These FIRE blog reflections are just a small part of the wider FIRE movement. There are hundreds of inspiring voices out there, and I encourage everyone to explore different perspectives. The more we share our stories, the more accessible financial independence becomes for all.
Disclaimer: This page contains links to external blog posts, which are the intellectual property of their respective authors. My reflections are based on my personal experiences engaging with their publicly available content through comment sections. I do not claim ownership of or affiliation with these blogs, and all opinions expressed here are my own. Links are provided for reference and to give credit to the original creators, with no intent to impersonate or misrepresent their work.