The 25 Best Financial Independence and Early Retirement Blogs In Canada

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    The Great Resignation is upon us, and it took corporate North America by surprise. Well, it wasn’t a surprise to people in the financial independence community. They’ve been planning on taking back their money and their time for a while. Quitting your job may not be your FIRE goal, but it helps temper financial stress when you need to replace a car muffler, get a cavity filled or take an unpaid sick day.

    If you want real financial freedom, you have choices. You can earn more money with a side hustle, or you can forget and relearn everything you think you know about money. Canadians have questions, and they turn to places like Reddit or personal finance blogs for advice built for life in Canada. FIRE, which is the acronym for  Financial Independence, Retire Early, is the financial revolution taking the world by storm. So, if you’ve ever dreamed of escaping the nine-to-five grind for a better life but don’t know how, here are the Top 25 Canadian FIRE-related blogs you need to read.

    1. Mr. Money Moustache

    Get everything you need to know about FIRE straight from the guy who started it all when he retired at the age of 30. Canadian expat, Peter Adeney, is the financial firecracker that set the world ablaze when he decided to share the secret to his success. Peter cuts through the noise with some loud hard truths, like the solid fact that living beyond your means is just irresponsible

    On his blog you will have an epiphany about life and traditional finance. You will be indoctrinated into the religion of budgeting, frugality, money-saving hacks and sound investing advice from someone who has hacked the system and beat the odds. Find resources for stock index funds, student loans, mortgages and a ton more.

    2. Millennial Revolution 

    Basically celebrities in the FIRE world, bloggers Kristy and Bryce achieved financial independence and retired early at just 31 years old. These two computer engineers, and children’s book authors, hacked the FIRE fundamentals by renouncing the cult of homeownership. That’s right. They’ve never had a mortgage and never will.

    Instead, they leveraged their position as renters to maximize their investing potential. On their site, Millennial Revolution, you will find everything you need to know about, well, everything. They’ve created an investing crash course that covers it all like ETFs, dividends, dollar cost averaging, portfolio allocation, taxes, inflation, and the list goes on. They’ve even written a book, “Quit Like A Millionaire.” This blog is definitely a must-read.

    3. Tawcan

    On his “quest for a joyful life & financial independence,” Bob Lai became a heavyweight blogger in the FIRE scene. He originally started his blog to chronicle his journey while raising two young kids on a single income in one of Canada’s most expensive cities. His wealth of knowledge and down-to-earth voice of the everyman made him one of the most popular personalities in this space.

    On his site, Tawcan, you will find extensive information on dividend and ETF investing, budgeting hacks, the best credit cards for your FIRE goals, estate planning, and so much more. Bob also offers personalized one-on-one FIRE coaching tailored to your specific situation. This site is basically the Costco of personal finance; come for information on one thing, leave with a lifetime supply of FIRE resources.

    4. My Own Advisor

    Founder and CEO, Mark Seed, is a FIRE veteran who already surpassed his $1 million dollar net worth goal. When you see his site, you’ll understand that he is bringing his A-game. Mark has set new goals and is sharing his journey, expertise and resources with all of you.

    Mark used the FIRE fundamentals to invest vigorously in low-cost ETFs and dividend-paying stocks. On his site, My Own Advisor, you will find extensive information and resources on things like how to invest for inflation, minimizing money management fees, tax efficiencies, index investing, mortgages and the list goes on. If you need information, his site is guaranteed to have it. No FIRE journey would be complete without this powerhouse blog in your toolbox.

    5. The Financial Pupil

    Jeff was accepted to Harvard just before Covid thwarted his plans. Instead of attending virtual classes, he took a gap year and threw himself into the FIRE movement. He’s devoted himself to researching, experimenting and learning all there is to know about financial independence. The goal of his blog is to help young people just like him achieve financial freedom and “live life on their own terms.” 

    On Jeff’s, Financial Pupil, you will find heavily vetted resources that you’ll swear came from a 60-year-old financial advisor, not an 18-year-old kid fresh out of high school. He has written an excellent article detailing his personal portfolio allocation and why he has chosen mostly ETFs. He also talks about best strategies for young investors with long time horizons, the importance of buying and holding, and how market downturns can be a good thing.

    6. Miss Money Sensei

    Gen Z needs FIRE advice, and Miss Money Sensei is sharing her FIRE expertise. Her blog is a pivotal resource for young people to develop a healthy relationship with money in order to prevent bad habits and costly mistakes down the road. If you cannot read it often, subscribe to her newsletter.

    Her “Money Talks” series is an in depth look at long-term investing strategies and deconstructing common Canadian money habits. She’s written a fantastic article on how to navigate the stock market with a particular emphasis on choosing stocks vs ETFs and building dividend income. She’s one of the few blogs to discuss building and maintaining a good credit score and how to use credit cards the right way.

    7. Eat Sleep Breath FI

    Chrissy did it! She achieved FIRE in October 2021. Her blog shared it all. Her passion for helping others achieve financial independence is palpable. As a stay-at-home mom of two living in one of the most expensive cities in Canada, she still brings a fresh and relevant female perspective to an often male dominated space.

    Chrissy has designed a free Financial Independence course. Her site is well organized and broken down into categories such as frugality, parenting, lifestyle, etc. She’s even taken the time to create a glossary of financial terminology to help you understand the more technical terms in finance. Chrissy has lovingly created the FIRE family you’ve been looking for.

    8. Modern FImily 

    It’s not just a cool name for a FIRE blog. Modern FImily is the brainchild of Courtney and Nic, a couple who retired in their thirties but continue to work on their own terms. Court even coaches people on how to achieve their own financial independence. The Modern FImily blog keeps it real and details how Court and Nic, and others, are continually managing their goals. In fact, they recently posted their Q4 2021 update about how their financial independence journey continues to evolve. They give you hard facts and numbers about ratios, rates, income and other money. The blog is engaging and Court and Nic also offer chances for people to guest post on their site.

    9. Our Life Financial 

    Melissa is a 49-year-old retiree from Ontario living off the dividends of her investment portfolio. Her FIRE journey began in her early 20s, when she and her husband started investing in real estate. Melissa’s blog is a wellspring of financial education with an emphasis on developing a healthy relationship with money and addressing toxic money habits.

    She offers educational resources on rental income properties, dividend/passive income, growth investing as well as what to look for in companies when picking stocks. One of our favourite blog posts is a fantastic piece about dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs). Among her best recommendations is the book “The Behavior Gap” about investing without emotion; a critical skill for any investor

    10. Hardbacon

    Founder and CEO, Julien Brault, is on a mission to put financial freedom back into the hands of every Canadian. What started in 2017 as a blog, is now also a fintech app that helps users budget, plan, and invest. Everything revolves around helping Canadians make better decisions about personal finance. Instead of just how-to advice, the site has some of the best financial calculators and comparison tools in the business.

    Financial independence means making smart financial decisions, and the Hardbacon site lets you compare credit cards, travel insurance, life insurance, car insurance, bank accounts, mortgages, and loans. Best of all, you’ll find everything you need to know about the FIRE movement on their blog, complete with full feature articles on people just like you who have achieved financial independence and retired early.

    11. Learning To FI

    Sterling is fairly new to blogging, this dad of 3 has been nominated for a Sunshine Blogger Award. He started his FIRE journey in 2020 and is currently carrying a large mortgage and consumer debt. If you want to follow a blogger just like you, taking his first step on this journey, he’s your man.

    On the blog you’ll find a cornucopia of resources. He has quite literally thought of everything you need to optimize your success. In addition to the standard financial disclosures, you’ll find extremely well researched investing vehicles complete with cost/benefit analysis and their tax implications. He’s included a portfolio management fee calculator as well as an in depth look at how to take full advantage of your employee benefits and compensation package.

    12. Modest Millionaires

    Mel Dorion joined The Great Resignation in the early fall of 2021. She achieved her FIRE goal, quit her job, and now lives life on her terms. Mel is a blogger from Quebec writing with a focus on women and families. She brings a unique perspective representing working women who want to enrich their families and the next generation. She’s appeared on popular personal finance podcasts like FIRE Drill, and was featured in an article for the Globe and Mail. She is also the first blogger to acknowledge and discuss how her privilege has contributed to her FIRE success.

    As an experienced Business Analyst, Mel has crafted an effective 10-year road map to financial success while raising two small children. On the blog you will find important tools like a net worth calculator and a detailed comparative analysis of TFSA’s vs. RRSPs along with exactly how to leverage each to your maximum advantage.

    13. Canadian Dream: Free At 45

    Engineer and published author, Tim Stobbs, proves that if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. He made a plan to retire by 55 and ended up crushing that goal 15 years ahead of schedule. This seasoned pro has been hailed by almost every personal finance heavy weight in the FIRE movement. 

    The best thing about this blog is the sheer wealth of knowledge and resources to get you started on your FIRE journey. You can find the answer to almost anything like optimizing investment tools like RRSPs, TFSAs, and minimizing taxes before and after retirement. He even teaches you the best way to access your investments by selling the right ones at the right time, and how to live off dividends.

    14. Reverse The Crush

    Graham is a popular part time blogger from Toronto. He has been featured on major blogging outlets such as Campfire Finance and Making Sense of Cents. Graham has already achieved partial financial independence and is now working on his long-term goal of building passive income through dividend investing. 

    This site is focused mainly on how to monetize a blog as part of your FIRE strategy. It is also one of the only blogs to discuss cryptocurrency investing as an income stream. Graham provides a crash course in how to blog effectively with great insight about SEO optimization and how to leverage social media. He’s posted two great articles on high paying part-time jobs as well as low skill jobs with high pay. This is a great blog that makes the FIRE lifestyle accessible to pretty much everyone.

    15. Our Financial Path

    Mr & Mrs XYZ are bloggers working to achieve financial independence by age 35. This blog is a great read for those who don’t necessarily want to stop working, but just want more freedom to do the things they love. Written by a banking industry insider, this site is a wealth of valuable information.

    Here you will find incredible resources for living debt-free, travel hacks, budgeting calculators, and personal net worth trackers. He speaks openly about their expensive investing mistakes and why they switched from picking individual stocks to index investing. He even highlights the best savings accounts and credit cards to help you on your journey.

    16. Freedom 101

    Phai and Mike understand that the FIRE lifestyle isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. So, they’ve created a blog with all kinds of tips, tricks, and hacks for readers to choose from. Like a buffet, take what makes sense for you and leave the rest. As parents committed to raising financially literate kids, they’ve provided amazing resources to teach your children critical money management skills.

    On their site you’ll find all kinds of information on personal finance, parenting, money, as well as wealth and relationships. Best of all, they’ve created a 52-week series on how to design your best life after retirement. Whether you’re a young family just starting out, or already living the dream, this blog has something for everyone.

    17. Incoming Assets

    Inspired by FIRE founder Mr. Money Moustache, Cel and Steph have forged their own path to financial freedom and are documenting it every step of the way. They’ve even written a book detailing money saving hacks you can apply to almost every aspect of your life. And they’re doing it all from Vancouver.

    Cel and Steph show us how even in the second most expensive city in Canada you can still carve out your own piece of the pie. On their site you’ll get access to their monthly financial statements and resources for budgeting, financial minimalism and frugal cooking hacks.

    18. Fire We Go

    Fairly new to the FIRE scene, bloggers Kristine and Gean started their journey in 2019. They were carrying a combined debt load of $60K when they realized their spending habits were holding them back from financial independence. In the first year of their FIRE journey they were able to eliminate that debt and refinanced their mortgage to maximize their dividend investing strategy.

    This blog is tailored to older Canadians who are new to the FIRE movement with a much shorter time horizon. Here, you will find monthly net worth updates with a complete breakdown of assets, liabilities, and investment income from dividends. They show you exactly what stocks they’re invested in, how much, and how well the stock is performing. They also have a YouTube channel!

    19. FI Garage

    Born from three friends talking shop over pints of microbrew, FI Garage was born to tackle big financial topics in a comfortable laid-back setting. What started as a podcast has now turned into a burgeoning community of everyday people like you tuning in for insight and inspiration.

    If you’re like most people, you likely don’t have much time for reading anymore. On their site you can scroll through countless podcast episodes and hone in on the ones that relate to you. You’ll find great content on real estate investment income, stages of investing and how to level up, information on ETFs, high cash flow investment properties, and their thoughts on Bitcoin.

    20. The Fire Journey

    29-year old’s Mr & Mrs B are an Ontario couple pursuing financial independence with a newborn baby in tow. We can’t think of anything requiring more grit and gumption than aggressively planning for your future during the hardest stage of parenthood. These two have made commercial real estate investment the crux of their FIRE plan, and they are killing it!

    On their site you will find monthly net worth updates complete with assets, liabilities, and portfolio allocations. They detail their monthly activities to showcase what’s working and what’s not. This site is fantastic if you’re considering rental income as part of your FIRE strategy. They provide detailed updates on what it’s like to be landlords of a multi-family commercial six-plex. Mrs B also provides an in-depth, comprehensive breakdown of Canadian taxes and how they work, and how to make them work for you!

    21. Canuck on Fire

    A devoted husband and loving father to four kids, Ryan is every one of us who has ever felt like just another cog in the machine. He knew the slow climb up the corporate ladder would never yield the kind of financial compensation you need for true freedom. 

    He set lofty goals for 2020, like paying off all his consumer debt, building up a $25K emergency fund and creating a blog to hold himself accountable. Here, you will find quarterly net worth updates, progress reports on his personal growth, and inspiration for your own unique path.

    22. Settling Nomad

    Mr. R is a blogger who immigrated from India to Toronto in search of financial independence. He currently works full time at a financial institution and that insider knowledge comes through in his writing. On his blog you will find his personal dividend portfolio, monthly progress reports, and a year-end analysis.

    His strategy is built heavily on dividend investing and he includes his top three Canadian dividend stock picks, along with a handy dividend calendar. This blog is one of the few that uses investment properties as an income stream. And so far he is the only one to talk about real estate lending and peer-to-peer business lending, called Lending Loops, as other viable sources of income. This is a great site for some off-the-beaten-path investing strategies.

    23. Calm N Cents

    This husband and wife duo are proof that teamwork makes the dream work. In the first year of their relationship, they saved $30K, paid off student loans and started married life 100% debt free. They paid off their first home in nine short months and started aggressively investing their money into index ETF portfolios. 

    On their blog you’ll find quarterly financial reports documenting their journey. Every dollar is accounted for along with candid and vulnerable updates disclosing their failures and celebrating their successes. Their raw vulnerability reveals how money permeates every aspect of our lives. This understated blog makes the FIRE way of life accessible to almost everyone.

    24. Financial Orchid 

    This West Coast Canadian blogger demonstrates that financial independence isn’t all about getting rich and retiring early. It’s about giving yourself the freedom of choice and the joy that comes with it. Financial Orchid uses the FIRE lifestyle to underpin values like relationships, children, and building wealth for the next generation.

    The nine to five doesn’t feel like a grind for everyone. Continuing to work is something you should do if you enjoy it or if things like health insurance are important to you; a refreshing perspective from this blogger. On this site you will find creative hacks for saving, budgeting, side hustles as well as a great article dissecting the pros and cons of self-employment vs. keeping your day job.

    25. Our FI Nest

    Our FI Nest was started by MamaBird when she realized she wanted to spend more time with her children than what the nine to five grind would allow. She chronicles life as a frugal mom living in Alberta, Canada. She is also writing about life during the pandemic. It is all very personal.

    The most recent posts are about turning 40 and how living up to an expectation is not the most important thing. She talks about her family’s FIRE number and how each decision she makes is so carefully thought out. FI enthusiasts might not find a calculator or a guest blog opportunity, but they will find the human perspective of living with FIRE.

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    Arthur Dubois is a personal finance writer at Hardbacon. Since relocating to Canada, he has successfully built his credit score from scratch and begun investing in the stock market. In addition to his work at Hardbacon, Arthur has contributed to Metro newspaper and several other publications