About ten years ago I made a plan: leave Corporate America and walk away from my cubicle by spring 2020. I was ready in March of that year, but the pandemic hit and everything changed. The “big plan” had to wait.
After working three more years, I finally quit in June 2023. What I meant to do in six years took nine. It felt like forever in a cubicle, but with two little kids, time also flew by.
This is for the planners and spreadsheet people — the ones who aren’t afraid of using debt wisely and can stick with steady, long-term investing. One big lesson: you need to find contentment while you’re still working, and a purpose after you leave. If you live miserably for years thinking retirement will fix everything, you’ll likely be disappointed.
From day one at my first job, making $27,500 with no bonuses, I started putting money into a 401(k). I contributed 8% while living a modest but not extreme lifestyle. I had a roommate, a decent car bought new for $18K, and I took only two big trips in ten years. Coming out of college with over $20K in debt, I had to live within my means. Carrying credit card debt scared me — I even had a collection agency after me during my senior year over about $200, and that stuck with me.
Ten years on, after a few job changes, getting married, and buying a house, we still had debt and almost zero net worth. A book pushed me toward real estate, so I took a chance and started buying rental properties.
Using debt always has risks — a house, a car, education, rentals. But rentals can work when rent cash flow comfortably covers loan payments and upkeep. We used home equity and later a 401(k) loan for down payments on our first two rentals. Because we knew the neighborhoods and ran solid cash-on-cash numbers, those risks were manageable.
Cash flow from our four single-family rentals covered childcare for the twins before school. Later, rental income helped pay off our mortgage. I raised my 401(k) contribution to 15% and eventually maxed it out. My wife’s practice began earning enough that she could use a solo 401(k) — a great tax-advantaged plan for small business owners.
In short: our portfolio is simple — a few reliable rentals and 401(k)s invested in a large-cap index fund on autopilot. No crypto, no fancy schemes. It works.
A practical first step for most people: live within walking or biking distance of things you use often — schools, grocery stores, pharmacies, libraries, even a coffee shop. If you live where you have to drive for everything, costs for gas, maintenance, and insurance add up fast. More than that, driving everywhere takes away chances to walk or bike, and a sedentary life can lead to higher healthcare costs down the road.
Even though we live close to everything in Minneapolis, I couldn’t wait to stop being tethered to a desk. Living frugally also meant eating plant-based most of the week. A mostly plant diet saves money at checkout and can lower the risk of heart disease, dementia, and cancer.
If you need a car, buy paid-off, fuel-efficient, easy-to-maintain vehicles. Skip the expensive luxury cars until you’re truly financially independent. When you can afford the maintenance bill for a fancy car without stress, go for it — at least you’ll be secure.
Accelerating your timeline means putting raises and bonuses toward retirement, not toys. A jet ski is fun, but you can rent one when you want it. Go after promotions and put extra money into kids’ 529 plans, mortgage pay-downs, or home maintenance like a new roof.
If you receive an inheritance, use it wisely: pay off debts, help the family, and donate more if you can. I lost my father to cancer in 2021. He never really enjoyed the money he saved in decades of union work at GM — he lived very frugally and seemed fine with that. His inheritance helped accelerate my early retirement, funded a good chunk of our kids’ college savings, and paid for our basement renovation so the kids finally had their own bedrooms. I won’t pretend the inheritance didn’t matter. That said, we could have still made early retirement work without it.
A hard truth: drawing down savings is emotionally tough. Whether you’re bridging the gap before Social Security or pulling from a 401(k), it feels strange. That’s why many wealthy people work to preserve capital and only give it away late in life. I think donor-advised funds are a great option for giving.
Another big part of retiring early is finding peace where you are. Cubicle life can be stressful and hurt your health and relationships, but there are ways to cope. Improve your emotional intelligence, learn how to manage workplace relationships, and if an environment is toxic, move departments or companies. With more remote work now, there are more options than before.
Find a job with decent vacation time, reasonable hours, and no weekend work. Use all your vacation — it’s part of your pay. Don’t check in while you’re away. Going off the grid proves your value, and colleagues notice how much better things are when you return.
Make the most of your cubicle years. And remember: if you land a job you truly love, early retirement may not matter. Those dream jobs exist but are rare, and they can be ruined by bad bosses or company upheaval. If you want to retire by 50, always plan for the unexpected. Keep working toward financial independence no matter how much you enjoy your work.