In 1989, Billy and Akaisha Kaderli decided they wanted — and could afford — to retire early.
“We were both working outside,” Billy tells CNBC Make It, and they realized they didn’t want to continue that way until they reached a “normal” retirement age or could no longer physically work.
Billy was a French-trained chef and the couple owned a restaurant in Santa Cruz, California. By around 1985, Billy had burned out on cooking commercially and was recruited to work in investment banking – “one of the easiest jobs I’ve ever done”, he says.
After making some good money and investing on their own, the couple took a look at their finances and estimated how much they would need to fully retire.
“We were investing as much as we could, tracking our expenses to find out what we were spending on ourselves … and we realized we had enough at the time,” says Billy.
It took them two more years of planning before they retired in 1991, when they were both 38 years old and had $500,000 invested. Adjusted for inflation, that principal would be worth nearly $1.2 million today.
That was before the FIRE movement — which is short for financial independence, retire early — hit the mainstream. Today, there are many online blogs, resources and communities dedicated to FIRE. But in 1991, the Internet itself was still in its infancy.
“We had so many obligations—jobs, bills, and competition in California in terms of houses, cars, vacations, and other things. We wanted to do something different,” Akaisha says. “We were very freedom-oriented people.
For more than three decades now, the Kaderlis have enjoyed their retirement, traveling the world and documenting their experiences on their blog.
They have weathered major market shocks like the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic without ever regretting their decision to stop working. Here’s how they know early retirement was the best path for their lives.
‘You own your life’
There’s a common misconception that retirement is just sitting around – and that it can get boring, says Akaisha.
That’s part of the reason why the Kaderlins prefer to call themselves “financially independent” rather than “early retirees.” They didn’t just want a break from the physical taxes of work, they wanted the freedom to choose how to spend their time.
So far, this has been true of their experience. “You can choose what you want to do – you can teach children or teach the blind, or travel the world or work wherever you want to work, because you own your time,” says Akaisha. “You own your life.”
“Once you become financially independent, do whatever the hell you want,” adds Billy.
“It’s a way of life, not a vacation”
In retirement, the Kaderlis have traveled the world learning about new cultures, meeting fellow travelers and locals, trying new foods and activities, and writing about their travels in books and on their blog.
“It’s a lifestyle, not a vacation,” says Billy. “We like to settle in an area and learn about the people, shopping and food in that area, and make friends.”
The couple has lived in various countries over the years, including Thailand, Guatemala, Indonesia and the island of Nevis in the West Indies. They have been renting an apartment in Chapala, Mexico for the past seven years and return from time to time.
“We always wanted to go, go, go and try new things, eat new foods and meet new people,” says Akaisha, who studied anthropology in college. Coupled with Billy’s culinary background, they stay curious and excited to meet new places.
“We like to be able to call the shots.”
It hasn’t always been a walk in the park. Over the years, they have suffered injuries and illnesses and had to decide where to seek the best medical treatment. Earlier this year, Akaisha was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, prompting the couple to return to Mexico for about three months while she sought treatment.
“We’ve used medical tourism everywhere we’ve been and had great results,” says Billy.
Overall, financial independence has allowed the couple to constantly re-imagine what their lives could look like. “It just keeps getting better,” Akaisha says.
Their investments have continued to perform well and allow them to live the long, happy retirement they dreamed of over 30 years ago.
“We love being able to call the shots, go where we want, stay as long as we want to stay, just by thinking a little outside the box,” says Akaisha. “[Retirement has] it made us more flexible, physically, mentally and emotionally. We have seen the world.”
Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s online course How to earn passive income online to learn about common passive income streams, tips for getting started, and real-life success stories.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.
