079 | Tim & Amy Rutherford talk about early retirement, living with lower expenses and a busier schedule of fun, free activities, and what life changes they made to get there. How did Amy and Tim meet and what were their spending habits at the time? What did “frugal” look like for Amy and Tim initially? With enough money in the bank, cutting their spending gave them an opportunity to retire almost as soon as they became aware of financial independence. Managing spending is equally as important as replacing income when it comes to reaching financial independence. Optimizing life is one of the most enjoyable things Amy & Tim ever did. What factors did Tim & Amy consider prior to leaving the workforce? Physical health Mental health How did a chart help Amy get excited about saving? “What’s tracked and measured can be improved.” There are fun, free activities in every part of the world. How do Tim & Amy fill up their days now that they’re retired? Walking Inviting friends for dinner Finding local activities Who are Tim & Amy’s “tribe” and how do they find them in new cities? What does it look like for Tim & Amy to be house sitters? They watch houses and pets, for free, with a place to stay for free. How much are Tim & Amy spending now, and how did they get there from $115k? Tim & Amy are actually living below their current budget – they aren’t missing out on things they wish they weren’t. “I want to walk the world while I still can.” How do Tim & Amy describe their retirement? Would Tim & Amy consider selling their house and traveling full time? How would people get started with house sitting? House Sitting Magazine House Sitting World Tim & Amy buy experiences instead of things. For the links to resources mentioned in this episode, go to http://ChooseFI.com/079