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Teacher Retires Early at 45 Thanks to Strategic Living (FIRE in Paradise!)

60 min • 25 februari 2025

Teachers aren’t known for their high salaries, so how did this one reach early retirement and FIRE at just 45 years old? Through “aggressive” saving and smart cost-of-living choices, Amy Minkley was able to quit her demanding international teaching job only three years after finding out about the FIRE movement. Now, she spends her days living in paradise and hosting “FI Freedom Retreats” once or twice a year for like-minded FIRE-chasers.

To reach FIRE in your 40s, you must make some strategic moves like Amy. Thankfully, you don’t need to make six figures to retire early in 2025. Throughout Amy’s career, she never entered the “high income” threshold but could still save aggressively, thanks to the perks of teaching at international schools. We’re talking free rent, subsidized travel, and plenty of paid vacation.

But it wasn’t always the dream life that it sounds like. Amy had constant stress and was routinely feeling burned out, forcing her to take multiple sabbaticals, change where she lived, and deal with some of the money trauma that had plagued her past. Now, she’s FIRE, thriving, and living entirely on her terms. You can (and should) do it, too!

In This Episode We Cover

How to reach FIRE in your 40s even if you feel like it’s too “late” for you

Why teachers should look into teaching abroad to save a significant portion of their income

Investing from abroad and what to do when you have little-to-no social security contributions

How much cash you should keep on hand when you’re ready to retire early

Living off the three percent rule (instead of the traditional four percent rule) by moving to low-cost-of-living areas

Why you must take a sabbatical at least once in your working career

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Mindy on BiggerPockets

Scott on BiggerPockets

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