Recently my family and I have made a conscience decision to stop wasting our precious time and hard earned money on servicing our debt, a.k.a. mortgage. And since we are self-employed, we decided we were going to make use of our homes equity to relocate to an economically depressed area of our fine country where we can live a debt free life. I see this, as a giant step towards an early retirement, after all isn't retirement defined as a time of financial independence and a slowing of lifestyle. Not a time for sitting on my ass doing nothing, but a time to smell the roses, to find enjoyment in my everyday activities rather than finding them a chore. Something as simple as tending my own garden can prove challenging when your daily activities keep you away from home 10-12 hours of each day. As long as I continue in a pattern of 8-5 'til 65, I fear I will not find the time nor the energy needed to actually live a meaningful life. Now to me, that would be shamefully WASTEFUL.
