[dreamdu5t]

I would say financial freedom is not having to trade labor to survive. From that perspective, responsible spending doesn't lead to financial freedom, but ownership of capital that pays for living expenses.

For example, someone who pays their living expenses by collecting rent from property they own is financially free. A software engineer who has to go to work 9-5 or starve is not financially free, even if they are responsibly spending and free of debt.

[fgheorghe]

My thoughts exactly. And freelancing can get you there - provided it pays more, and it can teach you how to be less reliant on a monthly paycheck.