A millennial FIRE couple shares how moving abroad and living on a $50k income helped them quadruple their net worth to $700k in 6 years

• A millennial couple has increased their net worth to over $700,000, up from $150,000 in 2018.

• Living abroad and spending only a portion of their $50,000 income helped them boost their finances.

• Brian Davis Shares Why He Didn’t Achieve His Goal Early retirement But to pursue his dream job.

Nearly two decades ago, before he heard about fire movementBrian Davis decided to pursue financial independence and early retirement.

He started investing his savings in Properties for rent“He thought that if he owned enough of them, he would eventually be able to live on rental income alone,” the 43-year-old told Business Insider via email.

But it didn’t go according to plan. He hated to be Property ownerSome investments proved less profitable than he had anticipated. The idea of ​​retiring early seemed out of reach, so he decided to explore other options. Today, he runs a digital real estate investment platform.

However, in the years since, a lot has changed for David — both financially and philosophically. First, his net worth has increased to more than $700,000 as of May, from about $150,000 in 2018, according to documents reviewed by BI.

Davis and his wife aimed to live entirely on his wife’s salary as a school counselor of about $50,000 a year while saving and investing all of his income, which came primarily from real estate. a job He co-founded the company in 2016 and said his family’s annual income is about $150,000. This savings strategy has been key to boosting their finances.

Davis’ financial goals have also evolved. After learning more about fire movement – A financial lifestyle that aims to save enough to be financially independent and retire before the traditional retirement age – Davis said he’s found that most people who manage to retire early eventually get tired of “drinking margaritas on the beach” and go back to work in some form or another. Instead of retiring early, Davis said his current goal is to live his ideal life, and he believes staying in the workforce can help him achieve that.

“I have no plans to retire, but I hope to be financially independent within the next five years,” he said. “The less you worry about money, the more fun, creative and limitless your work becomes.”

While many Americans are facing problems saving for retirementSome people put themselves in a position Stop working These people aren’t looking to retire early through a variety of savings and investment strategies. However, not all of these people are aiming for early retirement. Some, like Davis, want to continue working while they seek financial security. But not just any kind of work: They want They spend their time at work. that they enjoy or find satisfying.

The story continues

Davis shares how he grew his net worth — and why he believes finding one’s dream job can help him live his ideal life.

Lower costs of living may make saving easier.

Davis and his family, including his wife Katie and their daughter, have a huge financial advantage: they don’t pay for housing.

That’s one of the perks of Katie’s job: She works as a school counselor in international schools around the world. Davis said they first moved abroad in 2015, spending four years in Abu Dhabi and four years in Brazil before moving to Lima, Peru About a year ago. Davis said it’s not uncommon for international schools to provide free housing for faculty and staff.

In addition to saving money on housing, they were able to take advantage of the “lower cost of living abroad,” including cheaper food and health care costsDavis said this was one of the main reasons they decided to venture abroad.

“You can buy beef and pork in South America for a quarter of what it costs in the United States,” he added.

Another big way Davis has been able to save money is by Avoid owning a car He said he hadn’t owned a car for five years.

“People don’t realize that the cost of cars is much more than just the monthly payment. Without a car, we don’t have to pay for car insurance, repairs and maintenance, fuel, and parking,” he said.

The lower living expenses have allowed the family to live entirely on Katie’s paycheck. However, Davis said they don’t expect to have these financial benefits forever, so they’re trying to take advantage of them now.

“At some point, we know we’re going to have to move back to the U.S. for family reasons,” Davis said. “So we’re trying to build our net worth and passive income streams as quickly as possible before we do that.”

How Pursuing a Dream Job Can Help a Person Live Their Ideal Life

When Davis learned that many early retirees were returning to work in some form, he said the discovery was disappointing in some ways.

But he has since changed his position. For example, if someone retires at 60 — instead of 50 — it will be much easier to achieve their retirement savings goal.

“This means you don’t need as much money as you thought,” says Davis. “If you continue to do some type of work on your own terms, you’ll still be earning an active income.”

However, that extra decade of work may not be satisfactory for everyone, which is why Davis believes the key is to find your dream job.

Someone who is doing work they enjoy is unlikely to be desperate enough to quit and retire, Davis said. Even if that means moving to a lower-paying job, Davis said that’s where it can be hard to retire. Savings strategies The points that are well discussed in the FIRE community can be helpful: They can help bridge the gap between desired income and actual income.

“You just need enough money to cover any gap between what you want to spend and what your dream job pays you,” he said. “In other words, you can start living your ideal life now, or very soon, without being financially independent.”

Finding a job—let alone a dream job—is certainly easier said than done in today’s economy. Many Americans are now facing unemployment. Difficulty finding work As companies pull back on hiring.

For David, his business is just one component of his dream job. He says he gets all the benefits of real estate investing without the headaches of being a property owner.

“I don’t consider myself financially independent, but I live the same life I would if I were financially independent,” he said. “I can do the work I love, on my own schedule, from anywhere in the world.”

His most important advice to people is to envision their ideal lifestyle and determine what type of work and income level they need to make that a reality.

“Once you reframe FIRE in those terms, it becomes easier and more fulfilling, rather than just dreaming of sitting on a beach as a bum for the rest of your life,” he said.

Have your savings and wealth increased significantly in recent years? Are you willing to share your best financial strategies? Contact this reporter at gzincola@businessinsider.com.

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