I want to retire early too

[jason]

Im 12 and herd about this site from my uncle. I think I culd retire now if my parents gave me the money theyd spend sending me to college and i invested it. If evryone did tyhis we wuldnt all need to go to school and work. How shuld I invest my money?

(Note: This is a fake . Who knows why retirement before puberty won't work? Or why retirement before 60 won't work for most people?)

 

[Michael]

Since the Amish routinely retire at age 50, the reason most Americans can't retire before age 60 is that most Americans prioritize heavy consumption rather than preparing for retirement. There are a relatively few goods, such as food and medical care, that would have to be produced on an ongoing basis. Almost everything else could be stockpiled for use in retirement. For example, build a sturdy house when you are young, and you can live in it when you are old.

This would certainly mean that workers could consume less when they are working. That is the only way they can consume more in a longer retirement. Most Americans have made the choice to lavishly consume more when they are working, and by default made the de facto choice to consume less in retirement.