HeyNow

And valuing time does not mean you want to go broke, or will go broke because you retired early. You can value time more than money, and still have enough money to be content and make it just fine. Nobody said money isn't important. Of course it is. It's just that some of us don't desire as much money as others in order to call it quits. I, too, am an accountant.

Yes, you can do it and I hope you do. People are so focused on money and careers, and don't prioritize time. Life is short. We aren't promised tomorrow. You know, and I have felt this out in the Mountains at our cabin, you don't need much to live a simple life. In fact, the more time you spend outside in remote nature, near a creek as you said, you realize you don't really need much at all. I feel the same way. I, too, plan to retire early and will forfeit some money in retirement, because I value time more than money. I actually feel like people were created to live simple lives, and not chase the dollar, but it's become so engrained in us to work, work, work, that we forgot what a simple life looks like. I feel bad for people who work into their 60s and 70s because they have nothing else to look forward to. I wish they could find themselves in the middle of nowhere in a National Forest sitting by themselves next to a crystal clear creek, close their eyes and just listen to the sounds of the water moving downstream. Then, I think they would understand the meaning of life.

I was talking to my neighbors recently in the Ozark Mountains. He told me that most people in our County live on about $36K/year, including him. He has a decent older country log home on top of a mountain, an old flatbed truck, and he's doing just fine. Family of 5. They are happy. Not rich, but happy and content with a simple life. I love that.

So yes, I think you can retire in your situation. And I applaud you for valuing time and life more than the almighty dollar.