Retire Early at 38

* Today we begin our Ultimate Escape Plan series with Akaisha and Billy Kaderli's story. They decided to retire early (they were in their 30's) with little planning and have traveled the world ever since. As Akaisha puts it: "For years I assumed retire early meant at 55…but when we tuned 37 we knew something had to change…" You, too, can do something extraordinary in the next 12 months. All you need to do is make a decision to make the change. Worldwide opportunities abound…and you'll find the inspiration below. Enjoy.

Escape Plan #1: Retire Early at 38

Since my husband Billy and I left the working world behind to retire early at the age of 38 in 1991, we’ve been traveling the globe and have lived in dozens of countries.

But when we were employed, our demanding careers of working 60 to 80 hours a week for years took its toll. Something needed to change, and it seemed that Billy had the answer for us--leave the daily grind.

Then the number-crunching started. Trade-offs between one lifestyle and another had to be made. There was plenty of what we fondly call “high-volume discussions.” Besides that, in the 1980s, the notion of chucking the rat race aside seemed absurd. People told us we were committing financial and social suicide. Would our plan work?

Retire Early so You Can do What You Really Want to do

We had prestigious jobs and fashionable clothing, and we drove new cars. After an expensive two-week vacation, we’d slam ourselves back into our careers without questioning our priorities too much. The commitment to these high-status jobs and to our high-maintenance home was getting in the way of what we really wanted to do--and that was to travel, to experience more of the world firsthand, and to become global residents.

Basically, we wanted to accumulate experiences instead of stuff.

We left the working world for a life of daring experiences, and now there are no regrets. Retirement is a lifestyle--in our case an adventurous one--and not a vacation. It’s an avenue of new opportunities, not an escape.

Over the two decades of our retirement, we have literally lived years overseas. Due to our youth or to particular quirks of our personalities, it’s been difficult to choose just one country in which to settle. There are so many beautiful paradises around the world, with such broad offerings for enrichment, why decide on just one? This has led us to living a global lifestyle.

“Back home” in the U.S., many considered us an oddity. However, there are thousands of global travelers throughout the world. Some global residents travel for months at a time, others for years. Some have no home base at all.

Can You Afford to Retire Early?

“Can we afford it?” Whenever we’re considering one of our adventures, we ask ourselves if we can afford it. Our answer is always the same: “We can’t afford not to go.” Gaining life experience is more important to us. When we retired in 1991, we sold everything to fund our retirement--our home, two cars, our “stuff”--and we hit the road. We invested in liquid assets (equities/stocks) to make our funds readily available at any time and to be able to control it via telephone or online.

Over the years, we have dived for lobsters on the Caribbean island of Nevis in the West Indies…traveled the length of the Ecuadorian Andes and spent time in the cloud forest, seeing volcanic lakes and llamas…visited Spanish-conquered Quechua villages and centuries-old cathedrals.

The wonders of both north and south islands of New Zealand were eye-catching, and we lived in an oceanfront apartment watching the sailboats in Sydney Harbour drift by for only $25 a night. We explored different cultures, like living in tiny Chinese villages where no one speaks English, which posed a challenge to our communications skills. And the impressive beauty and history of Vietnam touched us deeply. We hired a private boat at 5.00 a.m. to savor the sunrise over the Thu Bon River, watching the night fishermen return with their catch for the market.

Last year we traveled extensively through rural areas of Thailand, where we rode in horse-drawn carriages to tour the town, had two-hour Thai massages for a total of $6, and participated in ancient Buddhist traditional holiday celebrations.

The bottom line is that most people will only see these countries in books or magazines, but this is our daily lifestyle.

Because you're an International Living reader, you already have what it takes to live this lifestyle, too.

Everyone looks at retirement differently. Some people have said to us, “We’re going to work a few more years. You never know what the future will bring.” It’s hard to dispute that statement. However, others have said to us just as firmly, “We’re going to retire now. You never know what the future will bring.”

Akaisha Kaderli
For International Living

Editor's note: For the next 5 days, we're going to give you your own personal Ultimate Escape Plan. Whether your overseas dreams involve starting a business, living somewhere new full- or part-time, investing, retiring, or simply relaxing…we've got it covered.

That's why we've just published a brand-new resource called the Overseas Retirement Kit--dedicated to helping you retire in the next 12 months. And for the next five days, when you buy the Kit you also get a bundle of free bonuses including: the entire Live and Invest Overseas Conference Audio Collection (worth $199)…and our online "Where to Retire" Selector Tool which helps you compare and contrast the world's top destinations based on your personal priorities (worth $39). Your own personal Ultimate Escape Plan is only available until May 22 with this link.

To read more IL articles about retiring early, see:

Can I Retire Early?

Retire early and open your own B&B in paradise

Your Own Beachfront House for $100,000