Life in Early Retirement Archives - Page 2 of 7

Striving to Let Go and Be a Better Person

Well, tomorrow is the big day… we’re finally flying out and moving to Panama! And with that, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about change and my plans to be a better person. That’s right – who woulda thunk I could be any more of a better person than I already am?! Well, guess what – even people like little old me have a little breathing room to improve on in our lives! Striving to let go So let’s start on the side of letting things go… I’m a planner and a worker and always have been. Organization is my middle name. When a trip or event is being scheduled with friends or family, I’ve

Flexible Travel Can Yield Huge Benefits

One of the facets of early retirement I was looking forward to the most was flexible travel. I knew that we’d be able to save some money by not having to be so rigid in our plans. I didn’t realize the extent of how beneficial it could be though. We’ve been retired for less than eight months now and what we’re already experiencing is awesome! Between cheaper flights, hotels, and cruises, the price is definitely right. Then you throw in that the destinations are generally less crowded and that makes things even better. Mix in a little more hassle-free travel along the way like smaller lines through security screenings and life becomes a real winner! Vacations step up their game

Did These Flip-Flops Lead Us to Financial Freedom?

People hear that my flip-flops are now over 12 years old and love to say, “No wonder you were able to retire!” But are my old shoes the reason we were able to reach financial freedom? You might decisively be thinking that’s silly, but let’s talk about this a little more before you jump to a conclusion. I think we all know that my shoes aren’t going to be the reason we were able to retire early. But, I can also tell you that these flip-flops could really be a symbol representing part of what made it possible. Being able to save more money means you’re either making more money or you’re spending less of it. In our case, one

Retirement Problems: My 2 Biggest Fears Since Retiring

Having retirement problems when you’re early retired can sometimes sound petty. It’s like winning the lottery and then complaining about the amount you have to pay in taxes. So, don’t get me wrong – I’m having the time of my life since I left my job in 2018. Gaining freedom and more time are two facets of life that only a small percentage of people can fully realize and I’m loving every minute of it. We’ve been enjoying time together as vagabonds over this past month playing at Kelleys Island, Great Wolf Lodge, Cedar Point, and more. When this post comes out, we’ll be on vacation in South Carolina… yeah, just what we need, another vacation! And all of this

Striving to Be (Somewhat) Lazy in Early Retirement

“Lazy” is a word I sometimes struggle with. I like to be doing something productive or I feel guilty. That productivity might have been something most of us are familiar with like mowing the lawn or staining the deck. It also might be something smaller like organizing and sharing photos with friends and family on Google Photos.* Regardless of what it is, I have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing. I can’t seem to just say, “You know what – I’m going to take a break and just watch a movie right now.” The exception to this guilt is when we have something scheduled in our plans like a night out or a vacation. When I’m taking time

6 Months of Early Retirement… We’re Now Homeless

I left my management job in IT at the end of 2018 at the age of 43. The goal was to reach early retirement with my family so we could live a life of freedom and adventure… and now we’re homeless. This might sound unexpected, but here’s the thing – that was exactly the plan. Being homeless is something we’ve been working toward for a long time now. For those of you familiar with our path, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. But for my new readers, you might be a cringing a little bit. No need to fear though, we’re not homeless in the sense of sleeping on the streets. We’ve just decided to spend about a month and