Savvy saver reveals how she was able to RETIRE at 42

A savvy saver who retired at age 42 has revealed how she and her husband were able to save enough “f**k you money” to quit their full-time jobs.

Charmagne Chi, of Buffalo, New York, quit her nine-to-five banking job two years ago to focus on “just doing fun things.”

Her husband, who previously worked in IT, also quit his job at the same time, leaving the couple without a major source of income.

Charmagne, now 44, has revealed how the couple are “living as small as possible” to maintain their new lifestyle.

Charmagne, now 44, has revealed how the couple are “living as small as possible” to maintain their new lifestyle

Charmagne started saving as much as she could in her 30s after researching the FIRE method of saving – which stands for “Financial Independence Retire Early.”

She didn’t reveal how much the couple could have put aside, but said the method, where someone aims to have $1 million in the bank before retirement, was “not enough” for them to settle initially. to lay.

She and her husband then began implementing some time-tested money-saving practices before taking the plunge.

Not only did they cut back on excessive spending, but the couple also maxed out their 401,000 and IRA retirement accounts each year.

But the smart spender said a lot of it was due to their situation rather than their lifestyle.

The couple has no student debt, no high medical bills and never had children, which would have allowed them to make “huge savings,” according to Charmagne.

Likewise, they both enjoyed high paying jobs while living in an affordable city.

She said Fortune“I’m a white, able-bodied person who was raised by middle-class parents and didn’t have to pay for college. Yes, there was a lifestyle component. But it’s not just “avoid avocado toast,” that’s so bulls**t.’

Charmagne, who now spends her time with a local theater company and writes, has said she and her husband are “living as small as possible”

Charmagne didn’t reveal how much the couple could have put aside, but said the method, in which someone aims to have $1 million in the bank before retirement, was “not enough” for them to commit to initially. to lay.

That said, Charmagne said many privileged people fall into the trap of feeling like they have to live a certain way when it comes to the brands they use or the places they live.

She and her husband decided to eschew “standard consumption habits” to fund their retirement.

They decided they only needed one car together – and this realization led them to look into other expenses.

Charmagne had previously indulged in getting her nails done, buying new clothes and seeing a beautician regularly, but she told the publication, “Those things didn’t make me happier.”

Speaking about how to fund their early retirement, she said, “I’ve certainly been lucky and privileged.

‘But many people are lucky and privileged.

“They could achieve their goals and be a lot happier if they changed their lifestyle.”

Charmagne, who now spends her time with a local theater company and writes, has said she and her husband will continue to do so “live as small as humanly possible.”

And she’s now encouraging other people to try, concluding, “Even a 10 percent adjustment can make you enough money to quit a job you hate.”

“If you’re in that privileged group, check it out and just do it.”