I quit my job to retire at 43 — here are my tips for becoming financially free

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A self-proclaimed millionaire discontinue her $300,000 a twelvemonth firm occupation and “downsized her lifestyle” to retire astatine nan property of 43 and beryllium “financially free.” 

Pav Lertjitbanjong, 43, worked nan firm grind for 23 years earlier deciding capable was enough.

In April 2025, her grandma passed distant and Pav realized she was excessively engaged “chasing success” to beryllium location for her family.

So successful May, Pav took nan leap to discontinue her $300,000 a twelvemonth job, sold her Honda Civic, put her her $1 cardinal location connected nan marketplace and downsized to Minneapolis, Minnesota — surviving disconnected betwixt $30,000 to 40,000 a twelvemonth successful a rented a 2 chamber flat that costs her $680 a month. 

Pav Lertjitbanjong discontinue her firm occupation and retired astatine 43. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav has been capable to money her retirement utilizing much than $1 cardinal successful savings she stashed distant while she was successful her firm occupation and nan waste of her $1 cardinal three-bed location successful Morris County, New Jersey, gave her a “cushion” to beryllium financially free.

Pav said she doesn’t person immoderate large status plans conscionable yet but feels “liberated” and is hoping to thief different professionals return this leap.

Pav, who antecedently worked successful trading successful New York City, said: “I would opportunity that this process has been a fewer years successful nan making.

“I sewage divided successful March 2020, which made maine recognize I was my ain back-up plan.

Pav made nan move aft redeeming up $1 cardinal done her profession successful trading and trading her New Jersey house. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

“Since then, I person been building up my ain security.

“I person been done a fewer different life steps recently. I sold my home, car, and now I person discontinue my job.

“It was scary, but astatine nan aforesaid time, it was really liberating — I consciousness free.

“Financial state for maine is being capable to walk clip pinch nan group that I love.

“It is not astir buying everything I want, but walk my time really I want and walk clip pinch whoever my bosom desires.”

Pav relocated from New York City to Minneapolis aft retiring. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav had been moving for a large tech institution successful nan US erstwhile she decided to drastically overhaul her life.

She wanted to discontinue aft her grandma died and she realized she had spent excessively agelong watching her loved ones property done a screen.

Pav said: “I missed seeing my grandma for nan past clip arsenic I was excessively engaged moving connected a PowerPoint presentation.

“That was my wake-up call, I spent 23 years chasing success.

“That infinitesimal erstwhile my grandma passed distant made maine recognize that I had what group thought was success, but I didn’t person bid — I felt quiet inside.

“Then it deed maine that I had been watching nan group I emotion turn aged done FaceTime.”

Pav decided to discontinue aft her grandma passed distant and she realized her profession was keeping her from spending clip pinch family. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav discontinue her occupation successful May 2025 and said she felt “liberated.”

She said retiring was not a spur-of-the-moment thought, but thing she had been reasoning astir since her divorce.

Pav said: “I person had that infinitesimal rehearsed successful my caput hundreds of times.

“It was not an irrational moment, wherever I was done pinch firm life and quit.

“This was a process of years successful nan making.”

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A self-proclaimed millionaire discontinue her $300,000 a twelvemonth firm occupation and “downsized her lifestyle” to retire astatine nan property of 43 and beryllium “financially free.” 

Pav Lertjitbanjong, 43, worked nan firm grind for 23 years earlier deciding capable was enough.

In April 2025, her grandma passed distant and Pav realized she was excessively engaged “chasing success” to beryllium location for her family.

So successful May, Pav took nan leap to discontinue her $300,000 a twelvemonth job, sold her Honda Civic, put her her $1 cardinal location connected nan marketplace and downsized to Minneapolis, Minnesota — surviving disconnected betwixt $30,000 to 40,000 a twelvemonth successful a rented a 2 chamber flat that costs her $680 a month. 

Pav Lertjitbanjong discontinue her firm occupation and retired astatine 43. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav has been capable to money her retirement utilizing much than $1 cardinal successful savings she stashed distant while she was successful her firm occupation and nan waste of her $1 cardinal three-bed location successful Morris County, New Jersey, gave her a “cushion” to beryllium financially free.

Pav said she doesn’t person immoderate large status plans conscionable yet but feels “liberated” and is hoping to thief different professionals return this leap.

Pav, who antecedently worked successful trading successful New York City, said: “I would opportunity that this process has been a fewer years successful nan making.

“I sewage divided successful March 2020, which made maine recognize I was my ain back-up plan.

Pav made nan move aft redeeming up $1 cardinal done her profession successful trading and trading her New Jersey house. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

“Since then, I person been building up my ain security.

“I person been done a fewer different life steps recently. I sold my home, car, and now I person discontinue my job.

“It was scary, but astatine nan aforesaid time, it was really liberating — I consciousness free.

“Financial state for maine is being capable to walk clip pinch nan group that I love.

“It is not astir buying everything I want, but walk my time really I want and walk clip pinch whoever my bosom desires.”

Pav relocated from New York City to Minneapolis aft retiring. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav had been moving for a large tech institution successful nan US erstwhile she decided to drastically overhaul her life.

She wanted to discontinue aft her grandma died and she realized she had spent excessively agelong watching her loved ones property done a screen.

Pav said: “I missed seeing my grandma for nan past clip arsenic I was excessively engaged moving connected a PowerPoint presentation.

“That was my wake-up call, I spent 23 years chasing success.

“That infinitesimal erstwhile my grandma passed distant made maine recognize that I had what group thought was success, but I didn’t person bid — I felt quiet inside.

“Then it deed maine that I had been watching nan group I emotion turn aged done FaceTime.”

Pav decided to discontinue aft her grandma passed distant and she realized her profession was keeping her from spending clip pinch family. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

Pav discontinue her occupation successful May 2025 and said she felt “liberated.”

She said retiring was not a spur-of-the-moment thought, but thing she had been reasoning astir since her divorce.

Pav said: “I person had that infinitesimal rehearsed successful my caput hundreds of times.

“It was not an irrational moment, wherever I was done pinch firm life and quit.

“This was a process of years successful nan making.”

Pav's apical tips to discontinue early :

  • Don’t hold for permission 
  • Know your state number — nan magnitude of money you request to past on
  • Work retired really you tin make money accelerated if needed
  • Downsizing your life to set to retirement

When it came to deciding to retire, Pav worked retired nan minimum magnitude of money she could unrecorded disconnected and really she could make an income quickly if needed — opting to spell into freelance trading for other income.

Pav says she lived disconnected $100,000 a twelvemonth earlier status and realized she would beryllium capable to unrecorded disconnected astir $30,000 to $40,000 a twelvemonth arsenic a minimum erstwhile she retired.

She said: “You person to cognize your state number — nan minimum magnitude of money you are consenting to unrecorded on.

“For me, my aged life, my state number was for illustration $100,000 positive a year.

“Now, since downsizing my life, I person been capable to trim my expenses to $30,000 to $40,000 a year.

“It is besides bully to activity retired really you tin get money quickly if needed.

Pav now lives disconnected of $30,000 to $40,000 a twelvemonth successful Minnesota. Pavinee Lertjitbanjong / SWNS

“For me, I would thief my neighbors pinch canine walking, truthful I would get immoderate emergency income.

“Typically, for people, it could beryllium freelancing aliases doing reappraisal activity online.”

Pav believes it is ne'er excessively precocious aliases excessively early to retire, and excessively galore group hold astir for support earlier making nan jump.

She says group show her she is excessively young to discontinue and insist she is making nan incorrect decision.

Pav said: “When you talk astir early retirement, particularly group of my age, group will show maine I americium excessively early.

“I felt for illustration I was waiting for support from group to discontinue early.

“There are voices from nan extracurricular telling you it is not a bully prime to make.

“You don’t request anyone’s permission, astir group are not lazy who retired — they are exhausted.”