I Never Made 6 Figures, But Retired 10 Years Ago at 39 With About $700K. The Portfolio is Now Sitting Around $1.2M to $1.5M

A Reddit user shares his story of retiring at age 39 with $700,000 in savings, despite never earning a six-figure salary (his best year was $75K). Over 11 years, he saved roughly 70% of his income by prioritizing freedom over spending. Ten years into retirement, his portfolio has grown to between $1.2 million and $1.5 million. He and his wife live on less than $30,000 annually, spending about five months traveling in Southeast Asia and the rest in Indiana. His withdrawal rate is around 2.5%, well below the traditional 4% rule. The article highlights that low expenses are as important as high savings for early retirement, and includes promotional content for the personal finance app Albert.