I'm new here - just found these booards & WOW!! do I love them.
I retired 3 years ago at 42. Live very modestly by most peoples standards. Didn't do anything fancy- just lived well below my means always and saved my pennies. Was in the Coast Guard for a while & then worked for the government after that - taking several years off inbetween to first go to college (thank you Uncle Sam) and then to travel for 2 years. Was able to combine my C.G. time with my Gov. pension and can begin collecting that when I'm 50 - in 5 years. When I retired I had a paid for house, no debt (never had any except house) and enough in savings to last me quite a while. I'm single with no kids.
I've been travelling around the U.S. & Canada for several months at a time with my 2 dogs since retiring. I decided I liked doing that so much that I sold my house in S. California last winter, bought a camper van & am now a full time homeless vagabond!! YIPEE! Plan to spend about 8 months of the year travelling and then stay in Calif with family the other months. Once the pups are gone I plan to do the expat thing & backpack around the world for as long as I feel like it before I settle down again in a little condo or apt in some small but very interesting city.
I'm very happy to have found a place on line with so many people that share the same desires to retire early.
I retired 3 years ago at 42. Live very modestly by most peoples standards. Didn't do anything fancy- just lived well below my means always and saved my pennies. Was in the Coast Guard for a while & then worked for the government after that - taking several years off inbetween to first go to college (thank you Uncle Sam) and then to travel for 2 years. Was able to combine my C.G. time with my Gov. pension and can begin collecting that when I'm 50 - in 5 years. When I retired I had a paid for house, no debt (never had any except house) and enough in savings to last me quite a while. I'm single with no kids.
I've been travelling around the U.S. & Canada for several months at a time with my 2 dogs since retiring. I decided I liked doing that so much that I sold my house in S. California last winter, bought a camper van & am now a full time homeless vagabond!! YIPEE! Plan to spend about 8 months of the year travelling and then stay in Calif with family the other months. Once the pups are gone I plan to do the expat thing & backpack around the world for as long as I feel like it before I settle down again in a little condo or apt in some small but very interesting city.
I'm very happy to have found a place on line with so many people that share the same desires to retire early.