The Fading Index Fund Dream

Make a decent salary, live frugally, invest the rest in index funds and retire early. This was a mantra to live by at one point for me. I’d quote Mr. Money Mustache in regular conversation.

A lot of the advice is still valid. There’s nothing wrong about a simple and reasonably frugal life. Not living paycheck to paycheck gives you options.

But as a lifestyle, there are cracks from the early retirement influencer crowd. I can only image what’s not being reported.

When Jack Bogle pioneered index funds, they were a pithy way for a few crackpot investors to beat the system. Yet if index funds become the majority of investors, they will destroy the system.