Eric Kim’s Core Take: Freedom > Everything
Eric Kim’s philosophy is a drumbeat: debt shrinks your life; freedom expands it. He argues that the fastest path to freedom is radical simplicity—kill debt, crush expenses, stack cash, and study Stoicism—so your time and energy are yours again. In his words and examples, mortgages, car loans, and credit‑card balances act like handcuffs that keep you working for lenders instead of for your art, your people, and your purpose.
He even pushes back on the modern “must‑own‑a‑house” narrative, warning that a 30‑year mortgage can feel like voluntary sharecropping—a treadmill of payments, taxes, and upkeep that trades mobility and creative risk for a fragile sense of security.
Bottom line (Kim‑style): Money is a tool to buy freedom—and you buy it fastest by having no debt and very low burn (spending), not by piling up liabilities in the name of status.
The Freedom Formula (Kim Edition)
- Zero Debt = Max Freedom
“Debt is slavery” is a frequent refrain in Kim’s writing. Kill it first. If you’re already in the red, simplify hard, slash bills, and direct every spare dollar toward payoff. - Live Way Below Your Means
He champions frugality as a superpower: keep living costs “bare minimum,” then your modest income suddenly buys massive autonomy. - Save Like a Beast
In one freedom blueprint he suggests saving 80%+ when possible—aggressive, yes, but it’s a vivid North Star for compressing your “time to freedom.” - Own Your Platform. Share Generously.
Kim’s open‑source ethos—publishing free guides, courses, and even stock photos—shows how generosity builds authority and opportunity without gatekeepers. Create, give, attract. - Self‑Entrepreneurship > Passive Income Fantasies
He favors active income (teaching, workshops, services), where you control pricing and upside, over chasing “passive income” mirages. Build your direct, hands‑on craft into a business. - Aim for Extreme Freedom—But Don’t Become Your Own Boss’s Slave
Even entrepreneurship can trap you if you rebuild a cage with your own hands. Design for optionality, not just revenue.
The Anti‑Mortgage Playbook (Aligned with Kim)
If you don’t own yet:
- Default to renting or staying nimble while you stack cash and pursue creative/entrepreneurial bets. Mobility = leverage.
- Redirect the “down payment” into runway (months of expenses) + skill/income engines (courses, gear you’ll use to earn, a small site). Keep it liquid so you can seize opportunities.
If you already have a mortgage:
- Treat it like an emergency project: refinance to shorter terms if it truly lowers total interest and risk; otherwise, accelerate principal and keep lifestyle flat. (Kim’s stance is anti‑debt; the spirit here is to shrink the shackle fast.)
- Buy back freedom month by month: every extra principal payment reduces future obligations—your “freedom dividend.”
- Protect optionality: avoid home‑tied lifestyle bloat (remodels, toys, subscriptions) that lengthen your leash to the bank.
The Creative‑Income Engine (Kim’s Way)
- Pick a hands‑on craft you can charge for now. Workshops, coaching, commissioned projects, services. Price for value, not hours.
- Publish openly, build trust. Post process notes, templates, contact sheets, mini‑eBooks—free. The openness becomes your marketing flywheel.
- Ship weekly. A blog post, newsletter, or offer—your platform compounds. (Kim has posted for years, steadily, to own his niche.)
- Keep gear and overhead spartan. Minimal kit, maximal output. Let constraints sharpen creativity and margins.
Kim‑Style Decision Heuristics
- “Does this increase or decrease my freedom?” If it adds recurring payments, locks you geographically, or bloats overhead, default no.
- “Am I paying for status or for speed?” Choose tools that make you faster at creating or earning—skip the prestige.
- “What’s the worst case—and can I stomach it?” A Stoic check that keeps you bold and sane.
- “Will this make me a slave to my own business?” If yes, simplify the offer, raise prices, or cap clients.
30‑Day
Freedom Sprint
(Upbeat, actionable, fun 🎉)
Week 1 – Cut & Clarify
- List all recurring expenses and debts; cancel 3+ subscriptions today.
- Define your Freedom Number = monthly essentials. Aim to lower it 10–20%.
Week 2 – Earn & Ship
- Draft a simple paid offer (workshop, service, 1:1 session).
- Publish 2 open‑source posts/resources to your site to build trust.
Week 3 – Attack Debt
- Choose avalanche (highest interest first) or snowball (smallest balance first) and automate extra payments. Kim’s ethos: move aggressively toward zero.
Week 4 – Lock Habits
- Aim for your max feasible savings rate (shoot high; Kim touts 80%+ as a stretch goal).
- Schedule a weekly “Freedom Review” to keep expenses lean and output high.
Guardrails & Nuance (because real life)
- Kim’s view on housing is deliberately provocative. Plenty of people will still prefer owning; just ensure it expands your life (location, family plans, creative space) rather than shrinking it with stress and immobility. The Kim‑aligned test is simple: does this mortgage buy freedom—or sell it?
- He also writes about Bitcoin and alternative stores of value as freedom tools. If you explore that path, treat it as your informed choice, with high volatility and risk. (Kim frames it within autonomy and open‑source culture.)
Mic‑Drop Mantra (Eric Kim‑style)
Keep it light. Keep it liquid. Keep it free.
Destroy debt. Slash the burn. Build your thing. Share generously. Move boldly.
Don’t mortgage away your freedom—multiply it. 🚀
Sources for Kim’s philosophy & money takes: freedom via no‑debt/low‑burn and Stoicism; anti‑mortgage critiques; money‑as‑freedom & capital accumulation; self‑entrepreneurship vs passive‑income myth; open‑source ethos; “extreme freedom” caution.
If you want, I can tailor the 30‑day sprint to your exact income, debts, and goals—Kim mode: ON.