My Dog Diva and My FIRE Journey

When we talk about personal finance and FIRE, we usually talk about savings, investment returns, dividend income, cash flow, expenses, portfolio size and retirement age.  But sometimes, something indirectly related to finance ends up influencing our financial journey.

For me, that something is Diva.

Diva is a Singapore Special, a local mongrel, whom I adopted in 2020.  She was already seven years old when she came into my life.  Today, in 2026, she is 13 years old, and thankfully, she is still healthy and going strong.  I have to give credit to her previous owner for raising her so well.  Diva is obedient, well-mannered and remarkably easy to take care of.  Over the past six years, we have settled into a rather unusual but comfortable relationship.

We both mind our own business.

Minding Our Own Business

When I first adopted Diva while living alone in Singapore during the Covid period, I suppose I imagined the usual pet-owner relationship, lots of playing, lots of interaction and a dog constantly looking for attention.  Diva had other ideas.  She is a very independent dog.  Most of the time, she prefers to do her own thing and does not want me disturbing her.  If I disturb her at the wrong time, she will give me a snarl, basically telling me to leave her alone.  Fair enough, at least she gives me warning before any "attack".  However when she wants affection, she comes to me on her own.  She will come over, wait patiently and let me "sayang" her.

So there is a certain understanding between us.  I do not disturb her unnecessarily.  She comes to me when she wants some love, and most of the time, we simply mind our own business.  In some strange way, I think Diva's personality resembles mine.  We appreciate our private moments.

In addition, she is low-maintenance and uncomplicated.  Her daily meals are simple, which includes home-cooked food or kibbles.  That is quite similar to how I eat most of the time.  My usual diet is pretty much cai fan and other simple meals.  But just like me, she appreciates a good upgrade once in a while.  She enjoys her freeze-dried fish, whole quails and duck breast strips as treats.

So perhaps we share the same philosophy: Keep everyday life simple, but enjoy the occasional good stuff.

A Surprisingly Low-Maintenance Dog

From a financial perspective, Diva has also been remarkably easy to take care of.  She has short fur, so there is no need for regular professional grooming.  Her food and treats cost roughly SGD 100 to SGD 150 a month.  The best trait of hers is she does not destroy things around the house.  She is obedient, and when I am away for work, she knows how to go to the toilet herself, and she has own praises from my mum.

One of the things that always amazes me is how she manages her food.  When I travel, I can leave sufficient food and water for her, and she does not simply eat everything at once.  She knows how to ration her meals.  I sometimes joke that Diva has better financial discipline than some people.  She understands that just because you have access to something today does not mean you have to consume everything today.

When I travel overseas on my own, or take longer trips with my mum, Diva is generally fine staying at home.  Of course, I do not simply abandon her.  I have a trusted friend come over every two or three days to check on her, make sure she is comfortable, and replenish whatever she needs.  But because Diva is so independent, I do not have to put her into expensive boarding facilities every time I travel.  That makes life much easier.  And financially, her recurring expenses are relatively modest.

Of course, being 13 years old means I cannot assume that things will always remain this way.  Older dogs can eventually require more medical attention, and veterinary bills can become significant.  So I still need to keep some financial buffer for unexpected expenses.  In that sense, Diva also reminds me of something I already know from my FIRE journey:  A low-cost lifestyle is great, but you still need a buffer for the unexpected.

Diva Influences My Retirement Timeline

This is where Diva becomes much more than simply my pet.  She has actually influenced my retirement plans.  I have spent years thinking about FIRE (since 2017), building my investment portfolio, increasing my dividend income and working out how much I need to retire comfortably.  I have also spent a lot of time thinking about eventually moving from Singapore to Johor.

Financially, the logic is quite straightforward.  I have accumulated my wealth and investments largely in Singapore dollars.  If I eventually live in Malaysia and spend in ringgit, the purchasing power of my accumulated wealth gives me considerably more breathing room.  The numbers make sense.  The retirement plan makes sense.

But spreadsheets do not dictate the timing of a life.  Diva does.  Diva is already 13.  Moving an elderly dog across the border is not something I want to put her through unnecessarily.  There are logistics, unfamiliar surroundings, changes in routine and simply the stress that comes with moving an old dog into a completely different environment.  I could probably make the move work, but I do not think I want to.

So I have decided that Singapore will remain my home for as long as Diva is here.  This means that my retirement timeline is no longer purely a financial calculation.  I could potentially move to Johor earlier, sell my Singapore home earlier, optimise my finances a little more aggressively.  But why rush?  I have spent many years working towards financial independence so that I can eventually have more choices in life.  If my finances are strong enough, I should be able to make a decision that is not necessarily the most financially optimal one.  I can choose to wait.

I can let Diva spend her remaining years in the home and environment she knows.  And when her time eventually comes, I can then begin the next chapter of my own life.  Proceed to sell the Singapore home, consolidate my finances, move to Johor and start the next phase of my FIRE journey.

For now, Diva and I will continue doing what we have always done.  She minds her business, I mind mine, and yet we are silent companions of each other.  I do not know exactly how many years we have left together.  But I know that I am willing to wait, and hope that she gets to live healthily with good quality of life, able to eat, able to sleep, and able to go down for her favourite daily strolls.  Because perhaps that is what financial independence is ultimately supposed to give us, not just the ability to leave work, but the freedom to wait for the things that matter.  Barista FIRE, here I come...!

Comic Version: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdaUT9zkiVu/?stkn=MnQwaml1cGM3Y3do