How I Am Retiring Early (Without a Six Figure Salary)

the simple formula that can cut decades off your working timeline

Five years ago, I was doing everything "right."

I had a stable government job as a software engineer, I was saving for a house, contributing 15% to my 401k, and building what looked like a responsible financial life on a $70k salary.

My immigrant family was proud. My grandfather had been a bracero farm worker, my parents never had access to education or opportunities like mine. By every measure that mattered to them, I was successful.

But deep down, something felt misaligned.

I wasn't an office job kind of person. If you've seen Fantastic Beasts, there's a scene where the main character’s greatest fear turns out to be "having to work in an office."

That is me.
It might be you too.

If it is, let me know, I’m curious to know when you realized that you’re not an office job kind of person.

Then I had a perfectly timed encounter with a retirement calculator that changed everything.

For the first time in my life, I connected the money leaving my wallet to the number of years I'd have to work for paychecks. What I discovered was both simple, but liberating: the more of my money I invested, the earlier I could retire.

I saw a path that was different than decades of taking my coffee to-go, working in an office, and living a life that felt unaligned to me on a soul level

That's when I learned the shockingly simple math behind early retirement—and realized I could literally buy my freedom with my paycheck, even without a six-figure salary.

he Math That Changes Everything

In this week's video, I break down exactly how your savings rate (not your income level) determines how many years you need to work:

• Save 10% of your income? You'll work about 51 years

• Save 25%? About 32 years

• Save 50%? Just 17 years

• Save 70%? Only 8.5 years

I walk through the actual calculations using real examples, showing how even a modest increase from 10% to 15% savings rate can cut 8.6 years off your working timeline (!!)

But more importantly, I share the realization that transformed how I think about every purchase: every dollar spent mindlessly costs you time and freedom.

This is the first video in a three-part series where I'm sharing exactly how I’m retiring early without ever earning a six-figure salary.

The beautiful thing about this math is that it works regardless of your income level. Whether you're making $50k or $150k, the principle is the same: your savings rate, not your salary size, determines your timeline to freedom.

The Question That Changed My Life

After seeing these numbers, I had to ask myself: Is the money I'm spending mindlessly worth the extra years I have to work?

For me, the answer was absolutely not.

• That mortgage I wanted in my 20’s? More years trapped in an office job.

• Those boutique shopping trips? More decades until freedom.

• All those meals out where I didn't even finish the food? I was willfully trading my future freedom for moments I wasn't even fully enjoying.

If you've ever felt like you're following someone else's template for success while ignoring what you actually value, this video is for you.

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Resource Corner

1. Save money on your auto insurance

Are you overpaying on your auto insurance? I have a better idea. Get a better quote and use the savings to put towards your current financial goals instead.

2. Find a professional advice-only advisor*

Do you have a one time investing question you want to run through a certified professional that legally has your best interest in mind? Or do you need help developing a strategic plan? How Nectarine can help: retirement planning, portfolio review, estate planning, 401k rollovers, tax planning, Getting started with investing, Investing for kids, and more. Find an advisor today!

3. Create a plan for your income with an easy to use budget app

Pay off debt, buy a car, and save for your dream home years ahead of everyone else. All in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee each week. Start your free trial today.

*I am not the creator or employee of this company, but I will be compensated by them if you use my affiliate link. As with all affiliate partnerships, I am incentivized to share these links which is a conflict of interest.

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Talk soon,

P.S. Your dreams are on the other side of passive consumption. Your dream become real, not when you learn everything, it’s when you take one small action at a time in the right direction.

This week's challenge walks you through the exact formula I used to calculate my timeline to freedom—the same math that helped me realize I could retire decades earlier than the default path. It includes step-by-step calculations so you can see precisely how many years your current savings rate requires and how small changes can save you years of work.

These transformative weekly challenges are available exclusively for paid subscribers. If you're ready to move from consuming content to taking action, you can join the tribe when you're ready.

Weekly Challenge

Sometimes the smallest shift in perspective creates the biggest change in trajectory. This exercise might be that shift for you.

This week's challenge is simple but powerful. Follow these steps to discover your timeline to freedom: