How do you decide you've saved enough?

[SteveR]

Money is not just useful for material things or events, it allows you to buy free time (e.g., ER or partial retirement) and for many people that is more valuable than almost anything they could buy.

So if you are concerned about oversaving, just think in terms of how much you are "spending" to buy free time.

Just saw this and wanted to comment.

Money is a tool to buy you freedom. Essentially, the more $$$ the more freedom you can afford (so to speak). $$$ buys you freedom from working at a job you hate. $$$ buys you the means to travel and see the world on your one dime and in your own time. $$$ buys you the freedom from landlords or mortgage companies. $$$ buys you time; time to do what you want and when you want. Of course, like in all things, everything is relative. Those that have more can afford to do more. Those that have less find ways to spend less but still do what they want...but perhaps not as high on the hog.

Most of us work to make $$$ and to at least make an attempt at doing something that also makes us feel worthwhile at the same time. How we spend/save our $$$ is the difference between being FIRE or working into your 70s to feed yourself. FIRE people make their money work to make even more money rather than having to physically work longer to get to the same place. Knowledge is priceless as is the willingness to put off spending today so you can leave the work place sooner. But, as has been said..it is all about balance. Anything taken to extreemes is unhealthy. I know, I am preaching to the choir here but it never hurts to state the obvious sometimes.

As for divorce and it affecting your FIRE plans....
My divorce help me focus on what I wanted and allowed me to put together a plan to get to FIRE. Before my divorce I was lucky to have had $500 in savings and had zero investments....all I had was credit debt. My divorce gave me the freedom to get out of debt and start saving and investing. If I can get to FIRE anybody can; especially since I am no "rocket scientist" when it comes to investing. But, what I do have is the willingness to save and to want a better life outside of working 12 hour days for someone else.

Motivation and the drive to keep at it is all it takes...that and some basic knowledge of how and where to invest and the rest falls into place. FIRE takes as long as it takes. We are all different in our resources and our skills so there is no one set way to get there. Whatever works for you.