things we sacrifice to retire early

[timothy_S]

I've been thinking about retiring early for a long time. for you retirees, what did you sacrifice to retire early, and was it worth it?
was it just about cutting spending, did you have to choose a higher paying but stressful job, or maybe you needed to sacrifice your relationship and social life?
do you feel like it was all worth it, and would you do it again if you had the choice?

 

[b0rscht]

my stepdad didn't live frugally, but also never bought luxury items like expensive clothes, shoes, sports cars, and didn't go to parties often, although sometimes he hung out with friends
he's a pension at 50 as a multimillionaire, has a couple of properties in the US, and currently living in SEA with my mom
I'm also following in his footsteps now, he taught me a lot of things about financial

 

[montemartre]

For me, retiring early meant making deliberate choices: limiting dining out, skipping expensive vacations, and prioritizing savings over some social activities. I also chose work that paid well but was occasionally stressful. Looking back, it’s absolutely been worth it, you know? Having the freedom and flexibility now outweighs the sacrifices. I would make many of the same choices again.

 

[doxiedoxie]

For me it was mostly lifestyle stuff. Fewer nights out, cheaper trips, saying no to things other people were doing. I didn’t sacrifice relationships, but I was definitely less social at times. It was worth it though. The freedom later on beats a lot of short-term fun, at least for me.