This couple wanted to spend more time with their children. A flexible FIRE strategy was the answer.

For many people, the plan is simple: finish school, get a job, build a family, buy a house, and, after decades of climbing the corporate ladder, retire around 65.

Brendan Pon calls that life trajectory the default path, and it's been two years since he stepped off it through the FIRE movement.

FIRE — Financial Independence, Retire Early — is a strategy that combines aggressive saving and intentional investing to accumulate enough money to retire ahead of the traditional schedule.

"It was my wife who introduced it to me, and she's honestly the brains behind our whole journey," Pon, 37, told Business Insider.

Initially, Pon thought the FIRE method sounded like an incredible opportunity, but questioned how feasible it would be for them in North America.

Canadian citizens spend 35% to 50% of their paychecks on housing and utilities, according to the Canadian government.

Pon and his wife were living in Toronto, where life was going according to plan.

"We had a great house and a really good social network, so we were living well," Pon said. "Financially speaking, we were both working full-time."

The rising cost of living was hard to ignore, however.

"We had good spending habits, but going to the grocery store, only getting two bags of groceries, having to pay a hundred bucks for both of them total, was getting a little bit ridiculous," he said.

The couple paid 1,800 Canadian dollars for groceries and 400 Canadian dollars for utilities, which is about $1,200 and $285, respectively. Their mortgage cost a few thousand dollars a month, and they also owned a car.

Rising costs aren't what ultimately convinced Pon and his wife to consider other possibilities. The couple welcomed their first son in 2020, giving them a new outlook on life. Their daughter was born three years later.

"The turning point for us was when our son was born. It changed our perspective on life a little bit because it's scientifically proven that kids need their parents early in their lives," Pon said. "That's the most important time for cognitive development."

So, the couple began to seriously consider ways to escape the typical 9-to-5 lifestyle.

For them, the answer was moving from Toronto to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2024, before relocating to Osaka, Japan, one year later. The lower cost of living allowed the couple to save money and step away from the daily grind, so they could spend time with their children.

Thailand

Although the FIRE movement took shape in the 1990s, it has swelled in popularity as people seek ways to live life on their own terms. These days, a quick Google search will bring up a labyrinth of blogs, YouTube videos, Reddit posts, Facebook groups, and podcast episodes all about the FIRE movement.

People navigating the FIRE movement often gather in online spaces, sharing tips, asking questions, and sharing in-depth breakdowns of their financial goals. Pon has also documented his family's adventure online, including their move to Thailand, through his YouTube channel, @BrendanInJapan.

They sold their home in Toronto and used that lump sum, plus money from investments and savings, to finance their new life.

"We went from Canada, where we had a mortgage and high costs of living, to Thailand, where we were renting and paying around 2,500 CAD bucks a month on rent. That's relatively high for Thailand, but we got a lot for that," Pon said.

Food, utilities, and transportation were also much cheaper than in Canada, allowing Pon and his wife to quit their full-time jobs. Utilities cost about $216, and they purchased a car for about $20,000. The couple could afford to eat out more in Thailand, so they spent about $73 a week going out. Groceries were about $91 over the same period.

"Having the lower cost of living in Thailand allowed us to achieve our goal because the whole purpose of being independent and pursuing FIRE was to be present with our son," Pon said.

Although there were many positive aspects about living in Thailand, Pon and his wife soon realized that Thailand wasn't a perfect fit for them. He said it felt like they lived in an "expat bubble," struggling to assimilate into the local community. The weather in Thailand is hot almost year-round, too.

So, they decided to relocate to Osaka, Japan, in 2025.

Japan

While Japan has a higher cost of living than Thailand, it's still less expensive than Canada, making it a perfect location for the Pon family.

Groceries cost about $936 a month, while utilities cost about $137. The couple used their funds to purchase a home in cash for about 50 million Japanese yen, or about $320,000, meaning there's no mortgage. They've also bypassed car payments by relying on public transportation and bikes.

However, moving to Japan altered their FIRE plan.

"We're flexible because I don't think that we're going to be doing FIRE forever," Pon said. "We won't be because we have two kids, and the original plan was to live in Thailand with our kids. The original cost planning was a little bit different than the actuals."

Still, Pon said he doesn't regret the decision and learned to appreciate that not everyone's FIRE journey looks the same.

"Fire means something different for everyone. For us, FIRE meant that we just had flexibility with our time during these years, not indefinitely," Pon said.

Pon now earns income from YouTube and a side job, meaning he can still be present as his children grow up. That includes frequent trips to local parks, exploring the city, and taking trips together as a family.

"I think that our relationship with our kids is very good. I think that we have a very fair, honest, and happy relationship with them. Time will really tell, but I think we're off to a good start," Pon said.