I Retired Early and Love It — Here’s Why I Believe More People Should
While most people are still trying to figure out their 401(k) match at 29 years old, Lauren Keys and her husband Kyle decided that was the perfect age to quit their jobs for good.
Keys, a former marketing manager, and Kyle, a former physics teacher, are the co-creators of Trip of a Lifestyle, a blog dedicated to helping others "get rich, work less and travel whenever." And they're not just preaching it; in their mid-30s today, they're living proof it works.
So, how did they do it? According to Keys, it wasn't anything special. In the years leading up to and since their early retirement, they spent less than they earned and invested the difference. No lucky break, no huge salary — just a handful of deliberate choices, made consistently, long enough to add up.
It's a simple enough formula that anyone can apply it. Here's why Keys said more people should give it a try.
Freedom
Keys and her husband love having extraordinary experiences and taking multi-month vacations without being tethered to a 9-to-5 job. Now that they have financial freedom, they’re not beholden to a boss giving them time off. They make their own schedule and answer only to themselves. So far, they’ve been to every national park in the US, spent three months in Australia and spent a full month driving around Iceland.
Better Physical Fitness
Keys has heard the same line from fellow travelers again and again: "It's smart to travel while you're young." It's not just a platitude — it's true. Most people wait until 65-plus to finally see the world, by which point energy is lower and the list of physical ailments is longer. Keys and Kyle didn't want to gamble their adventures on a "someday" that might show up with bad knees. So, they moved the timeline up while their bodies could still keep pace with their ambitions.
Mental Breathing Room
Stressful jobs, tight deadlines and office politics don't do much for your mental health. Keys knows that firsthand. Off the clock for good, she's traded hours chained to a desk for the things that actually matter to her: eating well, meditating and giving her attention to what she cares about instead of what's due by 5 p.m. It's not just a nicer lifestyle. It's the kind of mental space most people never get to prioritize while they're working.
The Best Things in Life Cost Very Little
Keys and her husband never bought into the idea that a bigger paycheck means a bigger life. Spending decades grinding away to afford luxury items never appealed to them. They'd rather have time spent together than things. Because they've always lived and traveled cheap, they never needed much money to begin with, which meant they could walk away from work that much sooner. For them, quality time traveling together and seeing the world makes them feel like billionaires.
What Steps Did They Take To Retire Early?
By now, the obvious question on your mind is "how?" It sounds almost too simple to be real, but Keys insists it is. Their approach comes down to two moves, repeated over and over — cut expenses and grow income.
They Cut Their Expenses
Keys and her husband moved to Gainesville, Florida, a city with a famously low cost of living, and split housing costs with roommates instead of renting alone. Instead of financing a new car, they bought one used, shared it between the two of them and skipped the depreciation hit entirely. At home, they cook roughly 90% of their meals rather than eating out. They've even delayed having kids, giving their money more time to grow before life gets more expensive.
It may not sound glamourous, but all these decisions added up to huge savings.
They Increased Their Income
Keys and Kyle both went straight into full-time jobs after college, prioritizing early earnings so their money had maximum time to compound. They didn't stay loyal to employers who weren't paying up, either. Job-hopping for a raise was standard practice, and having in-demand skills gave them leverage to negotiate.
With income consistently outpacing expenses, they knocked out debt fast, built an emergency fund and funneled everything else into investments they mostly left alone. Pre-retirement, their combined salaries were modest — five figures each — but they kept household spending between $18,000 and $26,000 a year, letting them save or invest 60–80% of what they earned.
Even though they're retired from full-time work, Keys and her husband are still earning money. They pick up remote freelance work, collect passive income from their investments and rent out their home while they travel. As Keys put it, it can feel like they're getting richer just by going on vacation.
Bottom Line
Retiring at 29 isn't about a windfall or a rare skill. It's about math, repeated consistently for years. Keys and Kyle didn't do anything most people couldn't do — they spent less than they earned, invested the gap and gave it time to grow. Do that long enough, and "retiring early" stops sounding like a fantasy and starts looking like a plan.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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