The concept of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) has attracted growing attention in recent years. While the idea of leaving work decades before the traditional retirement age sounds appealing, FIRE is really about something much more valuable: having choices. Financial independence means reaching a point where your investments, pensions and savings can support your lifestyle without you being entirely dependent on employment income. For some, that may mean retiring

Answered by Sian Hinton-Woodier FPFS, Amber River Premier Q: I feel like I should be doing more with my money—where do I start? A: This is very common, and the key is not to try to do everything at once. Start with the basics: understand your income and outgoings, build some accessible savings, and then look at longer-term goals like pensions or investing. Small, consistent steps are far more effective than trying to make big changes all at once. Q: How much should I have in