
Warm thanks to everyone who made yesterdayâs 4th Basel
FIRE-Meetup at KLARA 13 AG such an unforgettable experience! With a record-breaking 19 participants representing 11 different nationalities
we absolutely smashed the attendance record! (Maybe even the one from my days organizing the Bern FIRE-Meetups
) ⊠we even had to pull extra chairs and tables to accommodate the growing crowdâproof that FIRE is alive and thriving in Basel!
From the very moment the first of you arrived, the atmosphere was already warm and lively. It was great to reconnect with familiar faces (some I hadnât seen in over a year!) and welcome so many newcomersâsome traveling from Bern, Biel but also from as far as London, and even Toulouse in the south of France!
(Not all attendees shown on the photos)
After a warm welcome and introductions, we split into two flexible groups to facilitate deeper discussions: one table focused on real estate while the other delved into stocks and ETFs, with our âtax expertsâ helping out on either side. As always, participants were encouraged to move around, mingle, and dive into a wide range of topics, all while enjoying some delicious food from the nearby food stands (the shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce from Non LĂ were a hit!
).
From the lucky fews who FIREâd already, to young professionals just starting out on their FIRE-Journey; we had various professions ranging from big pharma executives, software engineers,medical doctor and data analysts to professional hockeyplayer and asset managers!
The topics discussed too, were as diverse as ever:
- From managing rental properties in Paris and Saint-Louis to bold plans for flipping land in Jura.
- We discussed the concept of âSocio-Financial Insanityâ i.e. "spending money that you donât have, to buy stuff that you donât need, to impress people that you donât know/donât care about you ". A catchphrase coined by the ever-creative Matthias AKA âFinancial Imagineer.â
- International FIRE Strategies: we discussed moving across borders for tax and lifestyle optimization, navigating Swiss real estate, and the pros and cons of financial independence in France, the UK,Hong Kong and Singapore.
- Personal Experiences: From FIRE at 37 to managing the kidsâ financial education, our seasoned members generously shared their lessons learned, sparking engaging debates and their fair share of laughter.

âŠAll in all, whether it was hearing about the poignant testimony of one canton-crossing attendee whose overexposure to the Nasdaq 100 made Mondayâs market âdipâ particularly sobering, investing in niche assets, revealing the hidden secret of swiss money using AR, or hearing about hockey players turned landlords, the evening was full of entertaining surprises!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the vibrant discussions, especially those who traveled long distances to join us. 
(Special shoutout to the attendee from Toulouse who sought tips on organizing his own FIRE meetups back homeâproving that the spirit of financial independence is contagious!)
Until next time, stay on FIRE
⊠but stay cool!
Cheers,
Nick