Do you want to retire early ??

@ashuli Thank you for the ideas. My wife and I already save a fair % of our income and we cook and clean for ourselves. My reference was more to my age and the fact that I am nearly ready to retire anyway.

@ashuli No offense taken at all. I was only saying that we have practiced much of your advice for several years and will soon be ready to retire ourselves.

@DWDavis My idea is not to prove anybody wrong. I have a philosophy that I want to convey. That is all. In case I have hurt you and your better half I am sorry for my words.

@LadyLuck It is no body's call. It is our call to make. It starts with working on your own definition of financial freedom instead of working for your life hoping that you will get your pension/social security when you turn 65. I must say that the way things are going and life expectancy is increasing thereby putting more and more load on the social security network, nobody knows till when the system will sustain. It may collapse by the time you become eligible. What then, after all politicians are known to break there promises. Haven't they done it in past. What then ? At that time you do not even have time on your side to start on a different plan. So the solution lies in starting now. Make sure to save maximum b y paying yourself first by saving 10 to 20% of your net income, retire all your debts with at least 20% of your monthly income and teach yourself to live in the remaining amount. It you are able to persist, you will be out of the clutches of devil that is forcing you to work for a paycheck.

@ashuli You are lucky. In Europe you can retire at 50 if you like and if you have enough money, but if you have not worked AT LEAST 40 years, you will get nothing.

@LadyDuck All the set up of retirement at age 65 and social security was set up when the average life expectancy in developed countries was much lower than 65. American president Franklin Roosevelt proposed the Social Security Act in 1935 and at that time average life expectancy in USA was 61 years. So there were not a large population that was relying on social security and things were manageable. But today the average life expectancy has increased ( at rate of 2 to 3 years every decade for last 200 years). This is putting aggressive load on system and it is possible that there may not be any social security by the time the current young generation reaches 65 years. SO the solution lies is using an alternate strategy and that is what I am advocating.

What is stopping you to start your own business now? Why make your dreams wait till your are sixty ? If you can not do it know when we are young and full of energy, then will it not be even more difficult when you are in your sixties. Can you think of and suggest ways to break your bond to 9 to 5 job and do the business related to your passion.

By feeling that retiring early means doing no work is wrong. Only when you feel that you are stuck in wrong 9 to 5 job because you need your paycheck, I am invoking the concept of early retirement. Idea is how to break the shackles of unworthy job and able to free from being salve to earning money, and instead devote time to work for passion. For this one needs financial freedom.