No one Likes the Downside.

Dear readers, we have often read or heard about the positives of having an early retirement. Some might feel that it's pretty easy to achieve, but is it really? The answer is no, unless you have a huge inheritance, strike the lottery or invented a cure for cancer.

The road to an early retirement is filled with sacrifice, people putting you down and loads of complaining and grumbling. Here is a list of downsides that we might experience depending on our individual situations.

The Want That Now Syndrome - As humans, we are often tempted by advertisements of new and interesting "toys". Companies spend millions to create and cultivate this 'want that now' syndrome in all of us. However, in order to retire early and still maintain our current level of lifestyle, we have to learn to cut off this habit. We have to sacrifice what we might want but not need now in order to have an early retirement with all our needs satisfied. You might not have what your friends are having now, but 10 - 20 years down the road, they will not have what you will have then. Freedom.

Where's Dad/Mom? - This might not be applicable to most people, only to those who are really hardcore about early retirement. I would not say whether this sacrifice of current family time is right or wrong. It's a matter of your personal preference and priority. However, I do have something to advice. If you sacrifice too much family time now, you might not have the chance in the future to spend time with them. Second or even third jobs will bring in that extra money and cut that time to retirement down. Worth it or not, you have to decide.

When I grow up, I want to be a... - It extremely rare to have everything in life, God is fair. You win some you lose some. More often that not, we have to sacrifice what we always wanted to do or be in order to achieve a goal, which in this case is early retirement. To achieve early retirement, we first have to get at least a moderate paying job. Being a writer or an artist probably won't get you there - unless you are some kind of a genius in that field. We all have to be realistic. We might have to get a job we do not like so much but pays well in order to have enough money to invest for an early retirement.

Vice President XXX - A high post would be something that we have to admit will not be attained if we are to choose early retirement. We would be retired before we are able to reach that level. There is just not enough time. One of the traits to reach early retirement is to be contented. Knowing when is enough. Well, technically you could still hold a high position in a company and still be retired. It all depends on what your definition is. It could be - Not working for the rest of your life OR Having the CHOICE of not having to work when you do not want to. I prefer the latter as working kinda keeps your mind active. Working whilst retired takes out all the stress and pressure of having not enough to survive. ( I hope you understand what I'm trying to say)

Why's the Grape so Sour?? -  I think that I have talked about this point in a previous post. People are always jealous of what they cannot have or achieve. They will try to talk you out of it, say nasty things behind your back or simply ignore you. Guess what, we should not care. It's our life and we own it. We should live or die by our very own rules and choices. If you have made the choice, stay committed no matter what. No one every achieves anything by backing out of everything.

There you have it, some of the down sides en route to an early retirement. Hope you get pass all these downners and emerge victorious. All these are temporary. Freedom( If well planned) is forever.

As Always, save more, spend less and Invest wisely.
P.