I saved aggressively from age 34 to achieve FIRE. Here's why I stopped despite living the dream of quitting my job to travel.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Travel
Charlie Brown standing with a view of Lisbon behind her.
Charlie Brown quit the FIRE movement earlier this year over a moral dilemma.

Courtesy of Charlie Brown

I thought I'd save money living as a digital nomad, but managing finances on the move was unexpectedly stressful — and I was lonely.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Matt Lillywhite in front of the Sydney Opera House
Lillywhite now lives with his family in Dorset, England.

Courtesy of Matthew Lillywhite

I'm experimenting with AI in my 70s. I've had to adapt to new technologies my entire career — those who embrace change survive.

Tech Insider : Business, Technology
Orrin Onken in a chair looking at his phone
The writer, Orrin Onken, realized he was checking his phone dozens of times a day for little or no reason.

Courtesy of Orrin Onken

I moved from the US to Argentina for the lower cost of living. It helped me pay down student debt, but living abroad had its dark side.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Economy
Left: Greyson Ferguson. Right: An aerial view of Tirana, Albania
Ferguson moved to Tirana, Albania, in April 2025.

Courtesy of Greyson Ferguson; starpik/Getty Images

I turned my failed Etsy shop into a business that made $1 million in its first year. Here's how I did it by 21.

Tech Insider
Keida Dervishi, co-founder of Soulmate Customs
Keida Dervishi is the 21-year-old cofounder of Soulmate Customs.

Keida Dervishi

I made $144,000 last year as a virtual assistant working flexible hours. It cured my burnout.

Tech Insider
Vintage image of a woman using office equipment.
Virtual assistant Rebecca Morassutti thought she was too experienced to be anyone's assistant but now makes six figures.

CSA Images/Getty Images

I moved to Europe thinking living and working there would be a dream come true. I wasn't prepared for the loneliness.

Tech Insider
Illustration of a woman sitting alone at a table.
When Kate Bettes went freelance, she wasn't prepare for how lonely she'd be.

soleil420/Getty Images

I'm an AI startup founder and love hiring liberal arts grads. They give us a surprising edge.

Tech Insider
Students wear decorated graduation caps during The Fashion Institute of Technology's 2017 Commencement Ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium on May 25, 2017 in New York City.
AI CEO said creative thinkers with humanities backgrounds can help "connect the dots" for AI tech.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

I moved to Japan having never visited. Here are the 7 things I found surprising after living there for 17 years.

Tech Insider
A busy street at dusk in Kyoto, Japan.
Kyoto, Japan.

ARUTTHAPHON POOLSAWASD/Getty Images

I moved to Australia to be with my boyfriend and for a better quality of life. I was nervous, but I'm saving money and much happier.

Tech Insider
A woman stands in front of the Sydney Opera House
Gabriella Ferlita in Sydney on a trip to the country's east coast

Gabriella Ferlita

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