For the last few days this idea of early retirement was
running in my head. I came across a blog (among several more) which talked
about retirement even in 30’s provided one starts working at 20’s and save up to
75% of take home income! Funny and sounds impossible to me but I know someone in
her who exactly does that and I want to see whether she can retire in her 30’s.
So for people like us who may have started thinking about retirement after
their 40th birthday there is still hope. There are few baby steps
and few giant ones including some life-style changes but there is chance. But it
is like your fitness diets you should be serious enough to continue till the
end. Some of the steps are even big for me which I am suggesting to myself also
you need support from your partner and children.
Here is a step by step instruction which I am implementing
for myself which I gathered (read researched) from several blogs.
1. Assess your
monthly spending, group by categories like Grocery, Utilities, Credit Card etc.
This will give you a rough idea of the areas where you can make changes to
save.
2. Find out the
difference between your monthly spending and earning.
3. If it is negative
meaning you are spending more than your earning, stop reading further or take a
second job and start all over again from step1.
4. If you are still
reading then make the list of things which you do not require like an extra
pair of tennis shoe or an extra purse just because they are on sale or an
expensive jacket for your kid because you can afford it.
5. Keep a check on
your groceries and do not spend more than what an average middle class American
household spend. For a family of 3, it should not exceed $100 per week and it
should include cheese, wine, organic meat/produce and occasional take-outs.
6. Make your own
lunch and shun the Starbucks.
7. Be active and that
will not only save copays to the doctors but also will keep you happy.
8. Invest on a good
car and try to keep it as long as you can. Your car is not an extension of your
electronic gadgets neither your Lazyboy sofa but it is necessity if you live in
a suburb in US. The other alternative is bike as much as you can, but only
possible if the weather is not too adverse.
9. Save a fixed
amount of money each year to pay off a part of the principal of your mortgage
in case you don’t live in a rented house. If possible pay off the mortgage as
soon as you can with a second income.
10. If you achieve
all of the goals mentioned above celebrate with something you like and have
long lasting memories and which is expensive. It can be a trip to a place you
planned for long or throw a party at your house or can go and meet your parents
and family, something which you desired for long and will cherish longer. But
remember not to spend more than what you saved for it. Yes, you must have saved
for it in before step4.
11. Now you should
see a significant amount in your savings account as you have been cautious and
trying hard. This should be 30% to 50% of your take home income. If not then
you have to keep reading.
12. Make maximum
contribution to your 401k plan that will help you save money which you are not
even access to, it is like having a pay cut.
13. If you pay off
your car then take that money out of your checking account to savings account
so that you are saving it and not absorbing it in something you were surviving
without for so long.
14. Whenever you are making a big purchase (anything over $100),
plan for it and never make any decision without checking your current earning
vs current spending and not breaking the ground rule Earning should be greater
than Spending.
15. Lastly and most
importantly have a Stoic or prudent life which is an ancient philosophy called
Stoicism which was to remind yourself at all times of what you can control and
what you can’t. We can’t control geopolitics, we can’t control the weather, we
can’t control the economy, we can’t control other people, we can’t even control
our own bodies, not entirely anyway. The only thing we can really control are
our own thoughts and beliefs. If we remind ourselves of that, and focus our
energy and attention on our own beliefs and opinions, then we can learn to cope
wisely with whatever the world throws at us.