I put in my two weeks notice at 29 and retired on my 30th birthday.
I've never used a retirement calculator without getting some sort of coding error. Retirement blogs set 65 as the target age, or a goal of >$1 million usd net worth. Retirement is not some sort of elusive dream or complicated math formula. It only requires that you prioritize retirement over material goods/services. I'll detail my finances below, but it's much like weight loss advice, if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.
save 1/2 of salary for 10 years.
have 5 salaries saved. (~6 counting interest)
buy an apartment worth ~5 salaries.
rent it out for .35 salary per year. (.25 salary after taxes/HOAs)
retire.
so now you just have to live under 1/2 salary while working, and under 1/4 salary in retirement.
while working (big expenses):
housing (live with family or rent a garage)
food (don't eat out, eat less meat)
transportation (scooter, bicycle, or bus)
entertainment (drink before the bar, no smart phone)
clothes (goodwill, target)
while retired:
go to a country where 1/4 usd salary = the average salary.
from usa? go to brazil, costa rica.
from greece? go to el salvador or jordan.
from peru? go to nicarauga or cambodia.
from india? the philippines? go to nepal.
left: two garages i lived in
left: bike everywhere, shop at goodwill
***warning the following is political***
and once we're all living in nepal or somalia, global disparities will be understood.
if you fight for a place in influential society, you only make it more influential.
explore the world, live where it feels best, and fight for a place that you connect with.
by saving money you are using less resources and shrinking the human impact on the world,
and at the same time buying yourself more freedom in the future.
Philippines Surf/Rain Seasons
