Author Topic: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?  (Read 4016 times)

25andfree

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Hey All, I'm trying to find the youngest self-made early retiree. I want to find someone my age who has done what I've done. Someone who meets the definition of having a minimum of 25x their annual expenses for their desired lifestyle, and they did this entirely self-made (through saving and investing).

ABOUT ME:
I retired early, FI 2% SWR at the age of 24 with 1,200,000 in net worth. The majority of my net worth came from saving. We lived frugally (my wife, daugther & I) on less than $1500/month. We saved almost all of our salaries and invested that in real-estate, and I renovated the properties (buying them well below market value because they needed work). Anyway, majority of my wealth - say $1,000,000 of it was saved over the last 7 years of hard work. I graduated school debt free etc., and didn't really have a lot of help - I left home at 17. Am I the only one who found guys like early retirement extreme at age 17 and went dead set on retiring early?

I blogged about it, and I've used that medium where I was trying to find others like me (a cult of sorts) and to help others...anyone know anyone? Am I the only one my age? There must be a fellow mustachian in here who is doing it at age 24/25? I am who I am because of articles like MMM's I followed religiously in 2012/2013.
Message me if you do and if you don't message me anyway! I want to build a community now that I am financially independent of others that support the lifestyle decision to stop consuming for consumption sake.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2018, 11:24:30 PM by 25andfree »

bacchi

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I ERed at 18 but decided to go back to work and do something. It sucks to have all the time in the world but your homies are in classes or working.

25andfree

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You must have been living very frugally?
Isn't retirement by definition when you reach the 4% rule (25x annual expenses of your desired lifestyle). For instance, I could move in with my parents, but I wouldn't be retired early. I'd just be living for free with a 0 net worth. The self-made aspect is also important having saved their way there.

There must be someone else who has done this as early and young as I have? Who sacrificed their late teens and 20s for it? Just curious.

Frankies Girl

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While it is admirable to have figured out early retirement before your mid 20s, coming into an established ER/FIRE forum and making all of your posts about your blog/self promotion isn't exactly going to endear you to the audiences you're looking for.

Might want to review the rules here: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/forum-information-faqs/forum-rules/
Quote
5/21/14 Edit:
"Spam" in rule number 5 ("No spam.") includes linking to your own blog.  You may add a link to your blog in your signature, and it will show up under every post you make.  Please do not start a new thread just to link to a post you wrote.  If the content is good enough, others will do that for you.  If your blog post is relevant to another thread that is ongoing, feel free to add the link, but do not abuse this - if too many of your posts are direct links to your own content, that is spammy.  Enforcement will be at the moderators' sole discretion.  If you are not sure, please contact a moderator before posting.

My suggestion would be to start participating in the ongoing discussions here, start new posts on subjects you have an interest in sharing viewpoints or gathering information on, and let people get to know you HERE, and just link to your blog in a signature. You'll likely end up with more readers that way if you have a decent voice and interesting enough things to say, and not end up coming across as spammy (which you absolutely are seemingly as it stands now).

25andfree

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That's a great idea about the signature - didn't know that was a thing!

Yes, this is my first post technically but I've been following long in the shadows for years.

25andfree

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Test with signature.

soccerluvof4

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What is your back up plan as you have along was to go? Do you have rentals? any Income? in either case congrats on your early success.

Dicey

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"One of the youngest self-made early retirees in North America."

This is enough to make me not click on anything you put up. Sorry, but you're coming off as a lot of things, none of which are especially compelling or attractive.


Herbert Derp

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I started working at 21 after I graduated from college. I am among the most frugal people on this forum and became FI at the age of 25 after working for four years. Now I am 27 and have $1MM saved up. I have done it all myself and have no spouse to help me. I am not FIRE yet, as I plan to save more so that I can afford a nicer retirement. So I guess my story is kind of similar to yours.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2018, 02:50:06 PM by Herbert Derp »

Herbert Derp

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Here's a thread I remember from a while back:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/retire-at-21/

He didn't get a very warm reception either.

BoonDogle

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2018, 03:46:48 PM »
Don't worry too much about pleasing everyone on this forum.  It can't be done.  I find your story interesting and believe it is quite an accomplishment.  I doubt there are very many, even on this forum, that can say as much.  Great job!

Cwadda

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2018, 05:00:05 PM »
Quote
I blogged about it, and I've used that medium where I was trying to find others like me (a cult of sorts) and to help others..
So, like the MMM forums?

Actually, maybe not. You seem a lot more into self-proclaiming success and self gratification. Definitely not what the MMM community is about.

boarder42

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2018, 06:08:48 PM »
What is your back up plan as you have along was to go? Do you have rentals? any Income? in either case congrats on your early success.

Seriously. Backup plan??? He's living on a 2% swr. Don't really need a backup plan when you one save to that level.

undercover

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2018, 06:51:45 PM »
I started working at 21 after I graduated from college. I am among the most frugal people on this forum and became FI at the age of 25 after working for four years. Now I am 27 and have $1MM saved up. I have done it all myself and have no spouse to help me. I am not FIRE yet, as I plan to save more so that I can afford a nicer retirement. So I guess my story is kind of similar to yours.

Not to derail the thread, but aren't your expenses like under $15k already IIRC? What are you waiting for? How much are you planning to spend in "retirement"? Your first post in 2012 projected you'd have just under $300k by this time and you're saying you've got $1M now? Did you triple your income or what?

Dee

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2018, 07:25:00 PM »
Wonderful! Looking forward to reading the details on your blog.

Herbert Derp

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Re: The Youngest Self-Made Early Retiree ...through frugality? Age 24? Age 25?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2018, 08:43:27 PM »
Not to derail the thread, but aren't your expenses like under $15k already IIRC? What are you waiting for? How much are you planning to spend in "retirement"? Your first post in 2012 projected you'd have just under $300k by this time and you're saying you've got $1M now? Did you triple your income or what?

My spending is under $6K / year, actually. That projection turned out to be inaccurate due to me more than doubling my income over time, as well as the bull market. My goal is to be able to afford a $60K / year retirement budget.