Have you ever thought about giving up everything?
How many times have you imagined a life without depending on the fixed time and card?
I can confess it to you.
I too occasionally think of the famous Chiringuito to be opened on an island in the Caribbean.
Then I think about it and I realize that, although (perhaps) more pleasant, it would still work.
So, in those bad days, I fall back on the idea of quitting work before reaching retirement.
I like the idea of being able to shorten my career to a minimum.
Although (through normal ups and downs) I like my job, I would also like to travel the world and get to know new cultures, countries, people.
The ideal I think would be to retire still in full shape at the age of 50.
I honestly don’t think it’s going to be easy to do.
But it is by no means impossible to stop working much earlier, as long as you follow a whole series of steps.
The world of the web is full of examples of individuals who have decided to retire early.
On Rockstar Finance there is a blog directory with more than 330 blogs dedicated to Early Retirement.
Every so often I read these stories for inspiration.
I must say that the experiences told by the protagonists are not bad at all and have common traits that can be identified with relative ease.
But let’s see how you too can enter the category of baby-retirees and what steps you need to follow.
In this article
- # 1 – Live below your means
- # 2 – Maximize your savings at a young age
- # 3 – Don’t get into debt
- # 4 – Invest to create income
- # 5 – Look for a place to stay to minimize your expenses
- Conclusions
# 1 – Live below your means
Living below your means is a bit like the mantra of anyone who wants to stop working early.
How do they do it?
They save on the expenses of the house, on food, on the car.
They spend the least on clothes, holidays, vices.
They self-produced food and energy.
They do not care about the judgments of others and only think of new ways to avoid spending and be able to save.
They, therefore, optimize consumption and review all categories of expenditure.
In this way, they accumulate money and manage to generate a positive flow between income and expenses
Obviously getting used to a frugal style also helps to plan a future in which you will not have an excessive need for money.
Of course, it is not easy at the beginning and when you have a family you have to convince all the members.
But if you have a shared goal, everything is simpler.
It becomes quite easy to save and spend less without excessively worsening one’s standard of living.
# 2 – Maximize your savings at a young age
If you want to stop working at a young age, you need to start saving at a very young age.
This is because obviously the more years you have to save, the easier it will be to reach your goal.
Saving at a young age means having the capital to invest and make an income.
It is not easy to invest, but it is true that, if you start early, you can take advantage of the famous multiplicative and magical effect of compound interest.
You will also be able to acquire skills that you will need later in life.
In principle, however, those who decide to pursue this path do not risk excessively in investments.
In fact, a wrong investment could frustrate the whole project.
Here, especially when you have accumulated a fair amount of assets, you will have to act by diversifying investments and minimizing risks.
# 3 – Don’t get into debt
Unlike investments, debts reduce your available capital.
They also create dependence on third parties.
They are therefore generally never recommended, nor are they compatible with a life in which one aspires to stop working early.
Any debts?
Well, let’s say that not all personal finance experts agree on the Mortgage to consider it negative.
I think it can be compatible with the indicated objective, as long as it is short and affordable.
If you really want to quit working, you need to try to reduce the amount to zero once you quit your job.
Obviously, if you buy a house, it must be the house where you think you will be able to spend your life or in any case a property that you can sooner or later make an income.
# 4 – Invest to create income
A life without work is possible, but an existence without spending is not imaginable.
You must therefore think, while you still have a job, how you will be able to support your needs in the future when your income from work ceases.
You have to start creating annuities.
Most people invest in a property to make an income.
In fact, the rental of one or more houses, even for short periods, guarantees a constant and additional income practically forever.
Alternatively, you can choose the investment in Government Bonds, Bonds, Shares with high dividends.
You can also opt for a balanced mix of investments in order to balance possible fluctuations.
The most important thing, when you stop working, will be not to unduly affect what you have saved.
In fact, you should also take into account the effect of inflation.
The devaluation of money in fact reduces your spending power annually and must therefore be considered in your calculations.
# 5 – Look for a place to stay to minimize your expenses
Once you have obtained some income you will have to make your choice.
Alternatively, you can decide whether to stay in your city or move.
Many consider relocation with a dual purpose.
They are looking for a more beautiful place, where the cost of living is lower.
Here we abandon the big cities for more secluded places where the lifestyle is more relaxed.
The main point to consider is always the cost of living, obviously in relation to the assets and income earned.
If you manage to reduce your cost of living during your early retirement, you can be very lucky.
It will be a way to guarantee you the necessary serenity without having unnecessary anxieties.
Conclusions
For many it is a dream, for others a myth, for others Quitting Working is a reality.
Those who have reached this state generally have some well-defined characteristics.
First of all, he has great willpower and the ability to challenge clichés.
In fact, we are not used to thinking that we are not working.
For many, work is a moral obligation.
That’s why even talking about this goal isn’t easy.
But I am convinced that it is possible to withdraw early as long as you minimize expenses and start saving as soon as possible.
If you want to give it a try, give yourself a time horizon and try extreme savings as a philosophy.
Then start creating passive income and plan your future very well.
In fact, you will have to maintain a frugal lifestyle forever and guarantee constant and as guaranteed income as possible.
It is not at all trivial but obviously if this is your dream …