But for the most part, people who retire in their 30s or 40s-usually those involved in the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement-get there because they’ve super-hustled and managed to become millionaires. Lauren and Brian, on the other hand, were “not rich,” Lauren explains. Because of this, they knew they couldn’t stop working forever." So, as a dream realized but also as a compromise, they decided to take two years off to have an adventure. Lauren refers to it as their “mini-retirement”-aka sabbatical-something that wasn’t quite a forever retirement, but would provide them a much-needed break and reset. And, she figured, it may even enliven the careers they would eventually return to. The two began their adventure by sailing a refurbished sailboat from New York City to the Caribbean. They settled in San Juan for a bit, until Hurricane Maria came along; finally, they relocated to Rockland, Maine, and purchased a waterfront restaurant. Eventually, they had to close that restaurant, but by then, their years spent adventuring had already given them a fresh perspective on life and their careers. Now, they’ve both made career pivots in heading back to work; Lauren works for a software company, and Brian is a coder. Lauren explains that she defined their mini-retirement sabbatical as “a finite period of time during which you immerse yourself in something totally new, that hopefully, you are passionate and excited about.” If you, too, are young but feeling disillusioned in your career, taking a year or two off to paint or go surfing around the world likely sounds appealing; that said, it does require some financial moxie. “If you are in the financial position to take time off for reflection, I say go for it,” Lauren says. “Having the ability to take a gap year or two is a privilege that not everyone has. And I can say firsthand: It can be life-changing.” It certainly was for Lauren and her husband. Lauren explains that upending their lives in such a major way gave them the space to evaluate what they wanted to do upon reentry into the working world: They no longer wanted to do work that ties them down geographically. Now their newfound tech careers mean they can practice geographic arbitrage; they “have the freedom to move and travel while maintaining our income,” Lauren explains. If you wish you could retire early, but it’s not financially feasible for you, read on to discover the savings hacks that helped this couple make their mini-retirement dream happen. From her own experience, Lauren recommends getting a “realistic understanding of what your plan will cost, and what you can expect to get for your money.” Read sabbatical blogs, ask questions in relevant Facebook groups, and contact other people who are living the way you want to during your mini-retirement. “Understand your non-negotiable limits when it comes to amenities and lifestyle,” Lauren says. “In our case, living a ‘glamorous’ boat life with things like daily showers, laundry on board, eating out a lot, air conditioning, and staying in marinas would have shortened our trip by a year-or more. We were comfortable with giving up a lot of comfort to extend our adventure. But, that’s not for everyone.” “Prior to leaving, I didn’t think enough about how we spend our money, but now I am very tuned into our spending and finances,” Lauren shares, saying that she and her husband are back in the growing and investing phase of their careers-that is, currently planning for their future full-on retirement. “Have enough saved for after the adventure,” Lauren urges. “We knew that we’d need something to get us going again on the other side.” “We didn’t set a timeframe for our adventure, but we did set a threshold for how low we were willing to allow our bank account to sink,” she explains. “We agreed that once we hit that number, it was time to return to work.”
