What are the pros and cons of using a very high savings rate like 60% or more?

A savings rate above 60% can compress your path to financial independence into roughly a decade, which is the headline appeal. It forces intentional spending, builds strong money habits, and creates a large buffer against setbacks.

The downsides are real, though. Extreme frugality can strain relationships, crimp experiences during your healthiest years, and prove hard to sustain, leading to burnout and backsliding. It also concentrates all your reward at the finish line. A more balanced view treats the savings rate as a dial, not a maximum: fast enough to make real progress, humane enough to keep for years. Many find a 40% to 50% rate captures most of the speed while leaving room to actually enjoy the journey.