I retired from a career that I loved at 54 because I wanted to travel longterm. I started collecting my pension and comvinced my husband to quit his job so we could lead a nomadic lifestyle for four years. We sold everything that we owned and lived everywhere but nowhere until my granddaughter was born. Then we settled close to her but continued to winter in Spain.

My husband went back to work and then retired at 65. I even created an international housesitting business where I traded my services for a client's amenities. We reaped the benefits of this bartering system without the headaches of taxes. I like knowing that by retiring when I did, I gave a younger person the opportunity to fill my position. Through the years I've learned two things about myself. Acquiring stuff is a headache and I can live without a lot of money better than I expected.