A long time ago in a galaxy far away...

Oops! Wrong episode IV.

In the News section we cover how the war in the Middle East is affecting the value of shares and bonds. Are bonds still useful at these times and what about the effects of inflation?

In the main section Mike interviews Andy about his FIRE journey - how could a regular earner could reach financial independence in 8 years? And what challenges were there on the way?

And in the Q&A we talk about the role of cash savings and cash equivalents such as Premium Bonds for investors and those aiming for financial independence.

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In this magazine format episode, we cover the introduction of new low-cost investing platforms in the News section: are these useful for those planning for financial independence and FIRE and how do they compete with existing platforms?

In the main section Andy interviews Mike about his FIRE journey. When did the penny drop that you could live off your investments? And what did he then do about it?

And in the Q&A we talk about what tasks investors should be undertaking at the end of the tax year and whether it is a good idea to invest while there is a war underway in the Middle East?

Here we ask: what is FIRE? How does it work? How can you expect to reach financial independence and early retirement?

This 15 minute introduction covers the basics for people to whom FIRE and investing is new territory.