The title of this post should be “Top 5 Reasons to be Financially Free at 35” instead. It is okay to continue working if you love your job or the business that you’re in. The problem is that most of us don’t even know whether we have an option of retiring early. That’s what the corporate world does to us; it can kill the Creative, Imaginative and Adventurous side of us if we are in it for too long.
But what’s the big deal if we retire at 35 or 40? What’s in it for us?..one may ask.
So I have prepared top 5 reasons to retire early in current landscape: in terms of economy, our lifestyle, relationships etc. They say we only live once. With that in mind, let’s see if we have anything to gain by dropping out all of a sudden…of course with careful planning behind the scenes 🙂 .
1) Family time: In today’s fast paced world, we often have very little time with the young ones. I remember when I worked for Credit Suisse in NYC..most of the folks left for work early in the mornings and got back home around 7-8 pm..often the kids were in bed by then.
There is a lot of work pressure as well during the weekdays and when it comes to weekend, don’t even know how fast it goes by.
Having nannies, babysitters and daycare has become the norm these days. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all in for help. I understand it comes handy and plays an important part in raising kids. But it seems like the daycare/nannies have taken the fulltime role of parents and made us the part-time guardians.
I read it somewhere: the best thing you can do for your kids is to have time for them. When some of the most successful people reflect upon their past; the biggest regret they have is, not having spent enough time with their kids.
2) Travel and Experience: It is one thing to travel and experience the world while we’re young, and quite another when we’re a walking pharmacy.
We get a typical 4-6 weeks of vacation in a year but how much of it do we really get to use? To explore and experience the world.
The flexibility is there while we’re young. We can appreciate other cultures better; the adaptability factor reduces with age.
3) Perfect for 2nd innings: Got the urge of being your own boss after all these years in the corporate world? You must have had some ideas to start your own venture, right? Or how you can make this world a better place.
Mid thirties is a perfect time to do just that. Now that you have gained maturity over the years, you will be sensible with money and in making important business decisions.
A 10-15 year stint in the corporate world arms you well enough to get out there and do your thing. You don’t have to spend rest of your life “chewing the chewed”. You don’t necessarily have to be in CEO’s position to know what’s like to be on the top.
Another advantage of starting something of your own in your thirties is that the kids are still small; you can afford to take risks. You have time to make up if things don’t work out.
4) Money: Now we’re talking money, don’t we all love that? 🙂 The Investment horizon is an important factor when it comes to making above average returns. Warren Buffet didn’t become a billionaire overnight; it took him several decades to get there. It is due to the result of constant learning, honing investment skills and putting the same into practice.
Imagine you’re just 35 with that decent size nest egg and some financial awareness under your belt. Now you have all the time to learn and focus. You can make a killing if you really want to. Just be sensible while making investments and let the power of compounding do the magic for you.
If you’re not into investing, fine. Make partnerships with the folks that you can trust, let them make the best of your investment horizon.
5) Riding the Middle-Age blues: Don’t know whether it is 40s, 50s or 60s that is considered the middle age now a days 🙂
If you’re a free bird by the time you hit..let’s say 40. You can still feel young and use your time to stay young. When you’re adventurous, pursuing your passions, doing what you love..all of this helps you to remain energetic and motivated.
There are lot many jobs when you have 5-8 years of experience, you can easily make the switch. Many times I had to tone down my experience when I had passed 10 years in the corporate world. The market gets very selective as you get older.
As you can see, there are several advantages of having a plan and being financially free early in your life. It is a win-win situation for everybody. If you can take care of yourself, then only you can help your family, friends and the society at large.