|
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
|
Briefcase to
Backpack
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
It has been over three
decades since we
exchanged our briefcases for backpacks and as it has turned out, it’s
one of the best decisions we’ve made. Trading an office
for the
world,
opening our minds instead of books, and swapping sandwich lunches for
global cuisine, what an experience it has been!
The fine people, intriguing
characters
we have met and the exotic places we have been are only part of the joy.
The challenge to overcome obstacles and the
flexibility we have learned
in order to move with the flow at times when there is no plane, train or
bus going where we wish to go only strengthens us and enriches the
experience.
Some might say we’re crazy
Akaisha and Billy in Picton,
New Zealand
We gave up the life
in the States and the familiarity it provides. These choices are incomprehensible to many,
but from our point of view, there has to be more to life than making repairs,
being held hostage to a mortgage and paying off debts. And there is - if you are
willing to make a change.
Freedom and wealth
We do not consider ourselves
wealthy based on U.S. standards. After all, we are basically
homeless and
carless, but
we’re globally connected. We have more freedom compared to the guy stuck with
mortgage payments, car loans and other debt and who has boxed himself into a
life of
dependency on his "stuff."
Does this make sense?
As recent as the 1960’s, storage
facilities came into play as people could no longer put all of their possessions
into their ever larger homes. Today there are over 2.35 billion sq feet of
rentable self storage space in the U.S. with TV shows based on auctioning off
the contents of the people who do not pay the monthly rent.
How much is enough?
We posed this question to
ourselves over 34 years ago, and decided that liberating ourselves of our
possessions gave us freedom of movement and expanded our choices. Oh sure we
still have treasured items, just not rooms and rooms of them.
Some of you may have gone
through something similar and now live on a sailboat or in an RV. For us,
trading our briefcases for backpacks allows us to travel the globe, creating
memories and gaining a
wealth of
perspective that cannot be purchased.
After all,
in the end isn't that what's it all about?
For more on
Retirement Topics,
click here and
here and don't forget to signup for
our free Newsletter.
About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their
time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly
follow the crowd.
HOME
Book Store
Retire Early Lifestyle Blog
About Billy & Akaisha
Kaderli
Press
Contact
20 Questions
Preferred
Links
Retirement
Country Info
Retiree Interviews
Commentary
REL Videos
|
