SWR:
I read the article in Money last week and immediately thought of this board. Neat surprise today to check in and find out that, indeed, the article was about a contributor! Congratulations on successfully executing your plan.
Yesterday, while enjoying Thanksgiving day with my son and his family, I mentioned the article to him and especially your difficult decision not to have children. At that moment I was prone on the living room floor with grandchildren Liam and Molly crawling over me. Brendan, the newborn, was being held by DW on the couch.
My ER took me ten years longer to get to than yours, but at 58 I still consider it early. And, in hindsight, we could have pulled the plug a few years ago except that I was a neverous fretter about it. So I hope readers don't walk away from the article thinking that not having children is mandatory for ER. It isn't. Sure, being childless can level out a few of the bumps along the way. But having a family, at least in my case, has been tremendously rewarding. The application of the same principles of LBYM, stringent saving, wise investing, etc., can still get you to the land of FIRE. Simultaneous successful dual careers, family and ER can happen.
youbet