The 5 Effective Habits of People Who Retired Early

Most of the people who retired early have a lot of the same habits in common. I am not a financial planner but rather just a mom, wife and friend. I did retire over a decade early, and I would like to help you do the same. In fact, I know you can retire earlier than I did if you give retirement careful thought earlier in life. It is almost impossible to obtain an early retirement if you do not have a percentage of the money you make working for you. You can’t achieve early retirement if you are living from paycheck to paycheck each month. If you get your money working for you now, then you can earn money even while you sleep. The best way to do this is with compound interest.

people who retired early

Let’s look at some habits of people who retired early.

1. They Never Pay Interest

The people who get rich are the ones who are earning interest not paying it. Some people think nothing of taking a loan to buy a new car or buying the latest electronic gadget on their credit card knowing they still have credit left. All of this adds up to paying interest. Not something you want to do if you ‘re going to get ahead in your early retirement.

Cars are expensive to own so make sure you need one before buy. I recommend saving your money and buying a good used car. New cars may be fun to drive, but they are not a good investment. A 2 to 4-year-old vehicle is a much better choice and makes it easier to pay cash.

Never purchase TV’s, furniture or anything similar with credit. People who retired early do not spend their money on interest by carrying credit card debt from month to month.


people who retired early

Mortgage and Education Interest is Hard to Avoid

Two things that can be difficult to buy without a loan and paying interest are housing and education. Consequently, it may be necessary to have a student loan for college. Education is something I feel you can go into debt for. If you do, make it your goal to pay it off as soon as possible. Work a part-time job on the weekends and use all of that money to help pay off the loan quickly.

Sometimes, getting a mortgage to buy a home is an ok investment and other times not. If I were buying a home today, I would look for an undervalued one in the area I would like to live in, maybe a fixer-upper. In addition, I would only buy it if I thought I would be staying in that home for five or more years. Remember when determining the total cost of a home to include closing costs to both buy and sell the home. Most of your house payments in the first five years will go towards interest so you may owe almost as much as you borrowed after five years.

Houses can appreciate, and your best chance of that is with time and by buying something that is below market value and not the most expensive house in the neighborhood. It is ok to buy if the cost of owning the home, including taxes, insurance, maintenance, and closing costs is less per month than what rent would be. Just remember, the way the worldwide economies have been, there’s no guarantee of appreciation in 5 years or less of home ownership. People who retire early generally live a house that is less than they can afford.  


people who retired early

We Did Everything Right, and Things Still Went South

We bought our first house the year we got married. Then we moved six times in 25 years and always used the equity/appreciation from one home to buy another. We even made two extra house payments a year. Then while we owned our sixth house, we found ourselves having to sell our home during a down housing market. We lost all of that equity we had built up. At this point, the money we had spent on buying, maintaining, improving and selling homes was nothing more than rent.  Remember there are no guarantees.

people who retired early

2. They Max out Employer Matching 401K Investments

A 401K is a great way to save for retirement. Many companies have a matching program where for every dollar you put in, the company will match it with .25, .50 or even a dollar up to a certain amount. Therefore, you should never pass up this free money. Always contribute to receive the maximum matching possible. Employer matching 401K programs are so powerful that this should be a significant consideration when looking for employment.


people who retired early

3. They Save in Other Ways

If your goal is to retire early, before 59 1/2 years old, you will need to have money saved that is accessible to you penalty free and without age restrictions. Which means having part of your after-tax savings in a standard brokerage account. Or, some people who retire early, invest in rental property. Rental property is excellent to own since it gives you a monthly income you can use for early retirement. Or you can just sell the property outright at retirement time. Others we’ve know have sold their small businesses and used that money to retire early on. The point is, you need to have money outside of age-restricted retirement investments that you can live on for early retirement.

people who retired early

 

4. They use Credit Cards to Earn Points

The first thing I said was that you should never pay interest. Many people get into financial trouble with credit cards. I think credit cards are great. Their convenient in that you don’t need to carry around a lot of cash. In addition, most people who retire early use credit cards but never carry a balance from month to month. Most credit cards offer some reward for using them. With some cards, you earn airline miles or points, and others pay you cash back. I say use credit cards to pay for everything that you possibly can and then pay the balance off each month. Credit card points are a great way to get free travel and buy gifts.people who retired early

people who retired early

 5. They Have a Budget and Stick to it

If it is your goal to be like one of those people who retired early then you have to know how much money you have each month for savings and spending. Consistently overspending will wreck your ability to invest for retirement. Budgets are great for seeing where your money is going each month. You may want to make it a game by trying to come in under budget each month. And if you do come in under budget, take the money you saved that month and invest it. Because every little bit today will make a big difference in the future.

people who retired early

People Who Retired Early

Most people who retired early have certain habits in common. They avoid paying interest whenever possible. These people use credit cards extensively to earn points or cash back while paying the balance off each month. They understand the value of compound interest, and they know where they are spending their money. Work is rewarding and enjoyable, but there are many other things you can do with your time. Make sure you are giving yourself the option of retiring early if you want too. It’s easy, and anyone can do it at any age with a little discipline.

If you liked this post, check out How to Retire Early in 6 Easy Steps


QUICK ANSWERS


How old do you need to be to retire?

You can retire at any age. Retirement simply means that you are financially secure enough that you no longer need to work to live. Most retirees have their money working for them so they do not need to work to make money. Some people work after retirement at something that is fun. Other people start non-profit organizations. While some spend their newfound time honing a hobby. The point is you can retire as soon as you have the money to do so.

At what age should you begin saving for retirement?

It is never too early to begin saving for retirement. The longer your money is earning interest the better off you will be. On that same note, no amount of money is too small. Begin saving for retirement as soon as possible which many people who retire early do.




people who retired early
Pin It!

You might also be interested in this idea using Airbnb to help with early retirement.

52 thoughts on “The 5 Effective Habits of People Who Retired Early”

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Linzi. Hopefully it’s a quick 9 years for you. Good luck.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      You’re welcome Shivendra

  1. I’m close to retiring and liked the information… and What a beautiful place this is in the photo… very beautiful. Seeing this photo gave me a strong desire to take a tour of this region, the view of the sea is breathtaking. 🙂

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Travel is great and an early retirement gives you the time to travel. Thanks Lara

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Jagdish. Everyone should be able to find some time to explore. Even if in the next big city over from you. A lot of people just do weekend travel which is great in itself.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      You’re welcome.

  2. I never thought early retirement can have some great kickbacks, don’t even need to wait for the retirement seminars organized by employer. great advice!

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      LOL… thanks Irene. Glad you enjoyed the article.

  3. Great article. All great advice. We met at the TBEX in Ireland. It was a pleasure.
    I’ve since taken a break from my blog. I just had a fusion done in my neck. I’m starting a redesign on my blog on April 2nd. I hope to run into you in the future. Take good care and enjoy your retirement!
    -Andrew

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Hi Andrew, nice to hear from you. Glad you liked the article. Good luck on the fusion.

  4. Great article on early retirement. I agree with you on all points. Especially about putting money away for your retirement. If one doesn’t plan for their retirement, they are in for a shock! Getting rid of all debt for starters is a must.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Agree wholeheartedly with you Mick. You have to start saving young. That’s the key.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Lucky. Glad you enjoyed it.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Molly. Glad you enjoyed it.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Debbie.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Raj. It is simply. It just takes some discipline.

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      We are happy you find it useful. Thanks Terry

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      You’re welcome Jim

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks John

  5. hey, such a fantastic blog your blog’s appearance is its USP, it’s easy to read and it’s insightful. the way you molded your experience into
    words is amazing. and it is motivating bloggers to go ahead and follow their passion. keep motivating us and thanks for recognizing. I too write a travel blog. it will be so supportive if you give a review on this.keep writing

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thank you John

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      I’m assuming you mean the guillotine one. LOL Yes that is a great example of credit card debt. Thanks Sam

    1. Keith

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      The Real Person!

      Author Keith acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
      Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

      Thanks Edna

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top