My DH had a HORRIBLE job, so I made up an elaborate exit plan and he finally quit in 2011. I showed him our finances and we've done just fine on my income. We are mid stream with our FI plans of owning rentals, we have found the funds to purchase 2 and are paying cash for a third (using a HELOC). I discovered MMM in April and it has been great fun to read up on other's strategies for FI. Being that we are adverse to the stock market, our focus in on rental income. My DH is a tradesman so does all maintenance on them, saving us a ton of money.
I am 45 and had planned to work until 50, but alas my back has decided it is done working for me. After emergency surgery in July, I've spent the last 6 months in pain and no improvement in sight. Dr says "you much change your lifestyle and daily habis". I have a stressful job as a lead Web Analyst at a big company, like the work and pay, but my back doesn't like it one bit. I have to sit for hours fixing production issues, sit in very intense long meetings and sitting is not my strong suit right now. I come to these forums to look for every little possible tip or trick to expedite my time at a day job. I do best when I am at home where I can manage my back pain as needed.
Alas, We are not ready to have me not working, but I am keeping a close eye on our plans and hope to survive no more than 2 years at my day job so we can get rental 3 and 4 locked in. At that point we will be comfortably FI for our current rather lavish annual living expenses (4.5k/mo). We will be able to whittle away at that, ending up with 3k/mo expenses down the road some day in our true "retirement" phase of life.
I have an entrepreneurial spirit and over the years have established a few reputable side gig hobbies, love them all, some will have to go if my back can't handle them (for instance, I don't think being a horse trainer on the side will work out for me!), but I am sure in the end I will find lots to keep me busy. These hobbies are all well seasoned money making ventures that without the day job I can focus on them for any extra money I feel like earning. It will in fact be these side ventures that help us pay down some things to get to that magic retirement expense level goal of 3k - you know like our primary mortgage and the like.
Keep all the case studies, thoughts, tips, ideas rolling in MMM!