Tired of the rat race? We hear you. It’s one of the most common pain points voiced in meetings with clients at White Sand Wealth, and we’ve spent years working with others to help them get out of the race and into early retirement. If you’re wanting to retire early, you’re in the right place.

 

Maybe you feel like it’s too late—it’s not. Don’t stress, just start.

 

And it always starts with a plan. (Doesn’t everything?) You need to know what you want in terms of retirement before you can begin. By asking yourself the following questions, you’ll begin to have a clearer view of what your end goal actually is:

  • How early is early? Early means different things to different people. Maybe you want to retire at 55, or maybe 65 feels early to you. Whatever the number is, write it down.
  • How much do you need? Drilling your goals down to hard numbers is typically a surefire way to figure out where your bullseye lives. This number is going to vary for everyone. Some retirees plan on living large, and some opt for a simpler life. This number is up to you, but a chat with a financial advisor will definitely help if you’re feeling a little lost.

 

Okay, so you’ve done the hard work of figuring out when you hope to retire and what kind of lifestyle you want to live once you do. Now it’s time to focus on the tactical things you can do to turn your dream of retiring early into an actual plan. These are all practical items that, when consistently implemented, will have you well on your way to being out of the office—for good.

 

Focus on your spending (not your salary). And by this we mean spend less than you make. This may mean you have to get comfortable with getting a little more uncomfortable. Make coffee at home (instead of grabbing those daily $7 lattes), try cooking at home more instead of eating out, and shoot for fewer impulsive trips to Target—you get the picture. We’re not saying give up all the finer things in life, but the harsh reality is that the more you save, the sooner you can retire.

 

Focus on today (not years to come). Wait. This is supposed to be an article about planning for the future. It absolutely is—and that’s why we had to include this as a tactical step. Spend less time wishing today away while you’re hoping for a better tomorrow. We are 100% here for planning and setting financial goals—it’s our job. But we strive to have a holistic view of your financial health and well-being, and we know that overall satisfaction in your current situation is only going to propel excitement and drive to save for your future one.

 

Plan on having a part-time gig. If you are shooting for an earlier retirement date, it may be prudent to consider a small part-time gig after retirement. Many retirees plan on working 10-20 hours a week after they retire from their career. By doing this, you can retire without as much savings as you’d originally planned, because you’ll still have cash flow from a part-time job to help bridge the gap. You could consider looking for low stress part-time jobs that fit with your interests.

 

 

Meet with a financial advisor. We’ve covered some basics that you can start implementing today. But if you’re ready to take the plunge and get serious about investing, let’s get together and create a clear roadmap to get you there. After all, we work to live. Not the other way around. Send us a message here to get started.