How old were you when you first mentioned early retirement?

[RobFIRE]

When I was a child I used to save up nearly all of my pocket money, birthday money, earnings from extra household chores and put it in my savings account. Saving it "for a rainy day" is a British expression. I generally didn't desire many material goods, for example normally preferred to have a small number of well-used games received as presents than buying a large number myself. When I started working student jobs as a teenager I continued saving the majority of my salary. At that point I was saving, but perhaps not really knowing why other than saving for your own future has to be worthwhile and gives you choices later on.

After university when I started working full time I continued the theme of living sensibly, avoiding excessive consumerism and therefore saving a good portion of my salary. Again because saving for your own future has to be worthwhile. Secondly because I never wanted to have the stress of day to day money issues and realized that there was always some risk of being out of a job/required to move out of rented place etc. at short notice due to reasons out of your control. And thirdly, as somebody with a science degree and scientific mindset, it just seemed really inefficient and wasteful to do things like buy brand new cars at three times the cost of a second hand one, or spend £7 a day on lunch when I could make my own for say £1, so efficient living seemed a valid approach in its own right (I use "efficient" over "frugal" as to me "frugal" has at least the implication of going without, whereas efficient is having what is appropriate in the most optimal way).

Once I'd been working for a handful of years, so say mid twenties, it was clear to me I was not interested in "career progression" or "climbing the corporate ladder" and was much more interested in work-life balance. While I was a child my dad had told me for years he would retire at age 52 (in the end he retired at 57). So I certainly knew then I would prefer an earlier retirement, but within the normal range.

Then in my late twenties I concluded that being a house husband would be better than working full time (I said so to my immediate family who thought I was joking. I wasn't). Now at 32, I think I came across the FIRE concept in the last couple of years and it immediately made complete sense (I think I had found The Simple Dollar via a general article on Lifehacker and after reading some general budget/efficiency articles came across some of the financial philosophy ones, they mentioned ERE and MMM etc.).

So short answer would be about 2 years for exact FIRE concept, but looking back I have always had the foundations of that mindset.

[Mesmoiselle]

Caucasian female, 29.

I was 16 when I said I would never work for minimum wage. 18 when I declared there was no way I could keep working as a CNA. 21 when I met a 72 year old woman who had her first cool million when she was 30 and gave me a wake up call. 22 when I further realized I wasn't passionate about the work I'd gone to a two year program for. 24 when I kicked my workaholic ways for part time work-- and realized I could breathe and actually be a person with hobbies. At the same time, I'd met my now husband, and we both wanted him to be a house husband someday. So, financially, we started getting a feeling that we needed to switch things up. But, sadly. It wasn't until two years ago when my husband lost his TA job and I freaked out about "being poor" that I really scraped over things. Punched myself in the face (his income turned out to be entirely superfluous, we could have been banking aaalll of it all along). And I've been on this path for 18 months. I took a page from that 72 year old lady, quit my normal job and tripled my income just by doing the same thing except travel is involved. I think I could be FI in 3 -5 years at 32-34 years of age.

[Metric Mouse]

So short answer would be about 2 years for exact FIRE concept, but looking back I have always had the foundations of that mindset.

I think this is so important. Having the mindset early is much more powerful than having a label.  One can often save and invest an incredible amount of money when they're young and their expenses are low and their free time is vast.  If one waits until they're 25 to start working towards a life of freedom and happiness, they've lost out on the better part of a decade of compounding; look at how many people on this board FIRE in less than a decade of work. I don't regret a moment I spent working or a single dollar I saved while young.

[Seppia]

About three years ago, age 32.
It never entered my brain that I could retire earlier mainly because:
1- I made very little money till I was 29
2- nobody mentioned this to me.

I was always relatively frugal from day 1, but we Italians start late and earn shitty money for long.
I always worked part time since age 14, but i saved very little as my parents never paid for anything superfluous for me.
Want that nice SEGA Genesis? Work and pay for it (I did, age 14)
Want to go out have a beer with friends? Work and pay for it
Etc.
This basically brought me all the way to college with almost zero savings but it was a great lesson (the whole learning the true value of money etc).
Started working full time at age 24 (can't do any earlier if you study economics), and after a 5 month internship (salary: €500 per month) I got moved to Paris, making a fabulous wage of 1200€ net per month.
Rent for a 1 bedroom in Paris was around €750 per month.
Obviously I shared with friends, but when you make so little you can't save a lot.
I started making a decent salary at age 29 when I moved to the USA, bumped up my savings rate from about 20-25% to 35%, but with a shitton of lifestyle inflation.
About three years ago I discovered MMM and immediately bumped my savings rate to 55%.
now moved back to Italy with a decent salary.
This year I will probably hit a savings rate of around 66% but that's because I sold my motorbike and my Rolex.
"Real" savings rate would be 55-56%.
Planning to be FI around 2022, will probably not RE before 2026 because my expenses are artificially low now (I have a free car and spend a lot of time traveling, fully expensed).

[Cannot Wait!]

Great stories!

I randomly saw the ERE book while browsing the online library catalogue on a bad day at work.  Looked intriguing so I put it on hold.  That was about 2 years ago at age 48.  It led me to MMM and I became an evangelical convert.  :0
I started selling everything that didn't move - and somethings that did (car, extra bikes, :)).  I converted my house into two apartments, I took on side gigs and just said 'no' to eating out, new clothes, etc.  Got on my bike.  Negotiated down most of my bills.  Learned about investing.
I think the most important thing I did was really, really look at what makes me happy.  Friends, kayaking, yoga, pets (other peoples' that I take care of), hammocking, good food, being healthy, community events, reading, hiking, loving.  All pretty much free! 
First I hit FI (O glory day!), and when 6 months passed and I hadn't needed my regular paycheque...well I couldn't think of one good reason to go to work even one more day.  So I didn't.  I'll be 50 this fall.

[dougules]

It's not something I would have even thought of without stumbling on it being explained.  I think most people wouldn't either.  The concept is fairly straightforward, but I don't think it's that obvious until it's pointed out. 

Anyway, I was 36 when I stumbled on this site looking for investment advice a couple years ago.  I was already saving half of my income by that point, but I didn't really have any clear plan.

[rocketpj]

I was about 20.  I took a different path and just lived as if I were retired for the first half of my 20s - broke, frugal as hell and travelling constantly.

At the time, and now, I described it as the first 5 years of my retirement, enjoyed while I was young and healthy.  So I work for another 5 years later in life.  It was worth it.

[LAL]

25?  I'm 37 and DH is 38.  We've been on a year sabbatical, so I guess we've always been FI not RE.  We always said we'd say FU whenever we felt like it or needed it.  Needed it last year and now we're back.  From true FI?  Couple more years.  FIRE?  I always told DH by 55 we should hang it up.  But he said no way that young.  We'll see.  Most importantly is that we can quit when we want and do what we please. If he chooses not to then it's not a big deal.  But he freedom to say FU and walk away is the only thing that matters to us.

If we had thought about it more we'd have picked different careers and waited for kids. Then we'd have FIRE like MM.

[Luck12]

It's not something I would have even thought of without stumbling on it being explained.  I think most people wouldn't either.  The concept is fairly straightforward, but I don't think it's that obvious until it's pointed out. 

I don't understand that.  Everybody gets the concept of retirement, early retirement is just earlier than average.    I don't think I mentioned it to anyone 'til a few yrs after college, but even when I was like 10 I knew I wanted the option to not work if I didn't want to. 

[Fresh Bread]

Like a lot of people, I was into saving while I was young. Also I grew up in 80's Britain when greed was everywhere and there were stories of stockbrokers earning millions and retiring at 30. Then my mum passed away from a potentially hereditary cancer at 52 and I knew I didn't want to miss life by working too hard, ever. Then add to that in my first job my big boss dropped dead of a heart attack a few months before retirement. I just didn't want to risk it. Although until I found MMM a couple of years ago I must say my focus was on downshifting and quality of life rather than actually quitting early.

[Squirrel away]

I think the most important thing I did was really, really look at what makes me happy.  Friends, kayaking, yoga, pets (other peoples' that I take care of), hammocking, good food, being healthy, community events, reading, hiking, loving.  All pretty much free! 
First I hit FI (O glory day!), and when 6 months passed and I hadn't needed my regular paycheque...well I couldn't think of one good reason to go to work even one more day.  So I didn't.  I'll be 50 this fall.

I think that is so true.:)

[Susan]

I'm also a born saver, it was what my parents taught me. Although I became a bit looser with money during my years at uni, and the first year I started working, I discovered MMM quite quickly at 25 (3,5 years ago). I had thought about retiring early before that, but more in the 55-60 range. I also didn't know anything about investing at that time.

[shelivesthedream]

I'm rather surprised that so few people here thought about early retirement before their twenties.

Really? I thought and still think it's absurd to think about retirement before you ever worked full time (which for most people will be in their early twenties). My reasoning is as follows: You give your life purpose by choosing how to spend your limited time on this planet. Especially before the twenties all thoughts would go into how to make a living by doing the things you enjoy. I think there has to be a lot of cynical outlook on life if you already think that any activity that exchanges your time for money is mindless and boring and should be avoided.

Did no one else have parents that came home and talked to each other about how stressful work was, how annoying their colleagues are, how frustrating their boss is? Did everyone's parents come home every day filled with the joys of corporate living? Neither of my parents hated their work, but I sure got the impression early that work was a PITA. I suppose I was kind an independently-minded child, and I didn't want to have to do things that I didn't want to... like all the stuff that came along with work.

[Susan]

Did no one else have parents that came home and talked to each other about how stressful work was, how annoying their colleagues are, how frustrating their boss is? Did everyone's parents come home every day filled with the joys of corporate living? Neither of my parents hated their work, but I sure got the impression early that work was a PITA. I suppose I was kind an independently-minded child, and I didn't want to have to do things that I didn't want to... like all the stuff that came along with work.

No, I've never heard my father complain when I was younger. He was always home at six to have dinner with us, did not travel a lot and did not work evenings. My mom was a SAHM. I do however have 2 uncles that were both layed off when I was around 15, and they were mid-50. They were very stressed as it was hard to find something new. I remember thinking that I would never put myself in that position; I would just save enough money so I didn't need a new job.

[Metric Mouse]

I'm rather surprised that so few people here thought about early retirement before their twenties.

Really? I thought and still think it's absurd to think about retirement before you ever worked full time (which for most people will be in their early twenties). My reasoning is as follows: You give your life purpose by choosing how to spend your limited time on this planet. Especially before the twenties all thoughts would go into how to make a living by doing the things you enjoy. I think there has to be a lot of cynical outlook on life if you already think that any activity that exchanges your time for money is mindless and boring and should be avoided.

Did no one else have parents that came home and talked to each other about how stressful work was, how annoying their colleagues are, how frustrating their boss is? Did everyone's parents come home every day filled with the joys of corporate living? Neither of my parents hated their work, but I sure got the impression early that work was a PITA. I suppose I was kind an independently-minded child, and I didn't want to have to do things that I didn't want to... like all the stuff that came along with work.

I can't recall my parents ever complaining about their jobs to me.  They've always been proud of what they do and are not the kind of people who ever slow down or need a break. Even now as they enter their fifties and are preparing to retire very shortly, they are as busy as ever and happier than ever, performing tasks that many people would consider 'work', on top of their full time employment.

[Bertram]

Did no one else have parents that came home and talked to each other about how stressful work was, how annoying their colleagues are, how frustrating their boss is? Did everyone's parents come home every day filled with the joys of corporate living? Neither of my parents hated their work, but I sure got the impression early that work was a PITA. I suppose I was kind an independently-minded child, and I didn't want to have to do things that I didn't want to... like all the stuff that came along with work.

Interesting, I hadn't thought that could be an influence. My dad had a rather low stress job and my mom stayed home. They did not have the career choices I had, yet my dad was lucky to have a fair income and a good pension. They were also rather older when I was born. When I was 10 my dad was in his mid-fifties.  And when I think about it... he sometimes talked about colleagues that he had become friends with, but he never talked about work, neither positively not negatively. It was just something you did, like cooking or watching TV or driving, but never something about which there was much to talk about. I think the only reason he retired early was because he was bored with work, but then again he never did anything with his time once retired either.

Now that I think about it: I guess that probably influenced my world view significantly in that I always found the most important thing was to find something interesting to do, and that everything else would kind of work out itself.

[Squirrel away]

My dad had a well paid job he liked with a lot of travel and socialising at business functions and my mum was a SAHM so I didn't really get a negatve view of working life.

[Luck12]

Did no one else have parents that came home and talked to each other about how stressful work was, how annoying their colleagues are, how frustrating their boss is? Did everyone's parents come home every day filled with the joys of corporate living? Neither of my parents hated their work, but I sure got the impression early that work was a PITA. I suppose I was kind an independently-minded child, and I didn't want to have to do things that I didn't want to... like all the stuff that came along with work.

LOL.   I remember my dad (who rarely came home after 6 and rarely travled for work) would always half-jokingly say on Sun nights that he was having stomach cramps thinking about going into work Monday.  He would always talk about being overworked and underpaid.  I figured if someone who worked 40 hours a week and had a lot of autonomy at his job felt this way, this work thing must really suck. 

[boarder42]

I'm also a born saver, it was what my parents taught me. Although I became a bit looser with money during my years at uni, and the first year I started working, I discovered MMM quite quickly at 25 (3,5 years ago). I had thought about retiring early before that, but more in the 55-60 range. I also didn't know anything about investing at that time.

Almost identical boat to this only found mmm a bit later after our lifestyle had inflated slightly. Boat and mcmansion. But its something we aren't giving up and I do frugally. I have a super lucrative work ESOP private that this adds little to our retirement date actually. Worth an extra year or 2 IMO

[LAL]

My  dad is still working at 85.  My mom retired at 55 because she took her pension but misses it and still works part-time.  She would be working full time if she could.  I guess they just love what they do. For sure my dad and my mom likes helping people (social worker) and still helps out friends and family with paperwork.