Hi, I’m Sayu (@sayu_FIRE), a former nurse in Japan who reached financial independence and retired in my 30s.
FIRE means “financial independence, retire early.” In this article, I’ll share the choices that helped me reach FIRE: keeping everyday spending under control, using my nursing qualifications to build stable income, and investing for the long term.
A note for readers: This is my personal experience, not financial, tax, legal, or career advice. Income, taxes, benefits, tuition, investment results, and the cost of living vary by person and location. Please check the current rules and your own situation before making decisions.
Why nursing worked well for my FIRE plan
For me, nursing was useful both before and after early retirement. Nursing qualifications can offer relatively stable demand, a range of workplaces, and flexible work options. Some employers also provide housing, childcare, meals, training, or other benefits.
After retirement, the qualification gives me a possible route back to work if my circumstances change. Nurses can work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home-care services, and other settings—not only in large hospitals. The exact opportunities and conditions depend on the qualification, employer, and region.
1. Save money without making life miserable
I believe that a sustainable savings rate matters more than extreme frugality. Saving should make your future more secure without making every day unpleasant.
Start with a household budget
First, understand where your money goes. Recording income and spending can reveal patterns even before you make major changes. A household-accounting app can automate much of the work by connecting to your bank and payment accounts.
Cook more often
Learning to cook can reduce food costs while giving you more control over what you eat. Simple meals, batch cooking, and useful appliances can make home cooking easier. The initial cost of an appliance should be weighed against how often you will use it.
Choose housing carefully
Housing is one of the largest fixed costs. If your employer offers company housing or a housing allowance, compare the conditions carefully. In my case, employee housing helped me keep rent low. Affordable housing near universities or outside city centers may also be worth considering, depending on your commute and lifestyle.
Do not over-optimise small utility costs
I do not spend much time chasing tiny reductions in utility bills. Some savings are worthwhile, but the time and effort required should also be considered. A simple plan that you can maintain is usually better than constant optimisation.
Look after your health
Healthy food, regular movement, enough sleep, and stress management support both quality of life and long-term financial plans. Japan’s public health insurance system helps make medical care more accessible, but medical costs and insurance premiums still depend on your situation.
Review communications and transportation
Compare mobile and internet plans instead of assuming that a major carrier is the best choice. When practical, walking or cycling can reduce transportation costs and add exercise. In areas with limited public transportation, a small motorcycle may cost less to run than a car, but safety, maintenance, and local conditions matter.
Learn about tax deductions and programs
Tax rules can be complicated, but learning the basics is valuable. Depending on your circumstances, relevant topics may include medical-expense deductions, hometown tax donations, NISA, and iDeCo. These programs have different eligibility rules and tax treatment, so check the current official information rather than relying on old articles or social media.
2. Build income and assets steadily
Use long-term investing
I am a long-term investor rather than a short-term trader. In the past, I aimed for roughly 4% annual returns from stocks and mutual funds, but investment returns are never guaranteed. Markets can fall, and a plan should be able to withstand periods of loss.
NISA and iDeCo are Japanese tax-advantaged programs that may be useful for long-term investing. Their rules, limits, and withdrawal conditions differ, so learn how each one works before using it.
Treat real estate as a business
I bought an older single-family house and rented it out. Real estate can provide another source of income, but it also requires time, capital, repairs, tenant management, and risk assessment. It is not automatically more profitable than stocks. Vacancy, damage, disasters, financing, and local demand can all affect the result.
Buy back your time when it is worthwhile
Robot vacuum cleaners, washer-dryers, and automatic cookers can reduce routine work. I consider these purchases in terms of both money and time: an appliance is worthwhile when I will use it often enough to make my life easier.
3. Nursing qualifications in Japan
Japan has different nursing qualifications. The English names below are only approximate, because they do not exactly match nursing licenses in every English-speaking country.
Assistant nurse (准看護師)
An assistant nurse qualification can generally be obtained through a two-year course, followed by the relevant examination. Some schools make it possible to study while working. The number of schools and available programs changes over time. Employment conditions and scope of practice differ from those of a registered nurse.
Registered nurse in Japan (看護師)
The usual routes include a three-year nursing vocational program or a four-year university program. Someone who already holds an assistant nurse qualification may be able to take a two-year course, depending on the program. Tuition varies widely. Scholarships, public support, and employment-related training programs may be available, but eligibility must be checked individually.
I was able to study for two years while receiving unemployment-related support. That experience reduced the financial burden of returning to school, and I remain grateful for it.
4. Ways a nursing career helped me save
Make the most of employee benefits
When comparing nursing jobs, look beyond salary. Benefits may include company housing, a housing allowance, childcare support, medical assistance, meals, commuting expenses, family allowances, and training subsidies. The details vary greatly, so read the employment conditions carefully.
Consider shifts and part-time work carefully
Night shifts and specialised part-time work may pay more than ordinary daytime work, but pay differs widely by employer and region. A higher hourly rate is not worthwhile if it harms your health or your main job. Protecting your sleep and recovery time is part of a sustainable FIRE plan.
Compare job changes by total value
Nurses may have many job options, but changing jobs should be based on the whole package: pay, commuting time, benefits, workload, schedule, training, and future opportunities. A job with slightly lower pay may be better if it reduces housing or transportation costs and leaves more energy for life outside work.
5. My path to early retirement
Here is the short version of my own path.
- I worked after high school and saved money.
- I attended assistant-nurse school and began working in a hospital.
- I worked for about five years while building savings.
- I attended a two-year nursing program and was able to study while receiving unemployment-related support.
- I used employee housing, workplace benefits, and affordable meals to keep fixed costs manageable.
- I invested in U.S. dividend ETFs, Japanese individual stocks, investment trusts, and an older rental property.
- I also invested in myself through books and training.
- I used part-time nursing opportunities and job changes when they suited my health and goals.
By combining these choices with steady saving, I was able to retire at age 35. This was my route, not a universal formula.
6. Life after FIRE
Prepare for unexpected changes
I enjoy early retirement and can live on income from my assets when I keep spending within my plan. However, markets can fall, properties can need expensive repairs, and life can change unexpectedly. Besides money, I try to keep two forms of preparation:
- Maintain my nursing knowledge. I continue to study nursing and medicine so that returning to work would be less difficult if I chose to do so.
- Maintain my health. Sleep, food, walking, exercise, and stress management help me preserve the freedom that FIRE is meant to provide.
Use time to reduce costs
Retirement does not have to mean spending more. I enjoy libraries, cycling, exercise, music, photography, blogging, and other low-cost activities. Subscriptions, museums, camping, and travel can also be enjoyable when they fit the budget.
Having more free time can create savings in practical ways. I can compare contracts, cook at home, travel on weekdays or during off-peak seasons, and choose slower but less expensive transportation. I call this “using time to save money.” It is the opposite of paying money to save time.
I have saved from several hundred thousand yen to several million yen by handling some inheritance procedures myself. That was my experience, not a recommendation to do every procedure alone. Complex inheritance, tax, legal, or real-estate matters may require a qualified professional.
Remember that expenses do not fall for everyone
After retirement, some people spend less because they commute less, have more time to cook, or no longer need work-related expenses. Taxes and health-insurance premiums may also change when income changes, but the result depends on income, deductions, municipality, household, and account type.
At the same time, medical care, long-term care, housing repairs, and other costs may rise later in life. I expect my spending to change over time rather than assuming it will always decrease.
I also wrote about why my expenses stayed low after early retirement: Why my expenses stayed low after early retirement.
Conclusion
My path to FIRE was built on three things: sustainable saving, income and benefits from a nursing career, and long-term investing. Nursing is not the only route to financial independence, and my results cannot be copied exactly. Still, I hope my experience helps you think about your own skills, spending, work options, and definition of a good life.
Thank you for reading!
