Yahoo Finance recently carried a story of a young couple that was able to retire by age 30.

After a mere 10 years of working as software engineers, Peter Adeney and his wife Simi had enough money to retire comfortably and debt free. By being frugal, he was able to save two-thirds of their combined take-home pay. He thinks 50 percent is doable for everyone.

“It really boils down to spending. Most people spend a lot more than they can afford while thinking they can afford it,” he explained.

I like a lot about this story. It should encourage us that we are able to achieve our financial goals by being faithful and disciplined. However, I question why anyone would want to retire at age 30. My goal is to work all of my life. While I enjoy down time, vacations, and some recreation just like the rest of the world, I want to use the time I have on earth to make a difference, not to use my time exclusively on myself.

I think a biblical term would be to “re-purpose” rather than “retire.”  If you want to leave a job or work that is not as missional or fulfilling as you prefer, then get to a point where you have saved enough money to go wherever the Lord leads.  Or, move to a job where you want to work until you die. Life is short, so don’t waste it in frustration just doing a job that leaves you empty.

Seventy-seven percent of middle-income American families are living paycheck to paycheck. If you have found yourself in a situation where you are overwhelmed with unsecured debt, there is help. Christian Credit Counseling is a 501(c)3 non-profit credit counseling agency.  Their mission is to educate and empower families to become financially free by eliminating credit card debt.