Quit Like a Millionaire

From two leaders of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, a bold, contrarian guide to retiring at any age, with a reproducible formula to financial independence A bull***t-free guide to growing your wealth, retiring early, and living life on your own terms Kristy Shen retired with a million dollars at the age of thirty-one, and she did it without hitting a home run on the stock market, starting the next Snapchat in her garage, or investing in hot real estate. Learn how to cut down on spending without decreasing your quality of life, build a million-dollar portfolio, fortify your investments to survive bear markets and black-swan events, and use the 4 percent rule and the Yield Shield--so you can quit the rat race forever. Not everyone can become an entrepreneur or a real estate baron; the rest of us need Shen's mathematically proven approach to retire decades before sixty-five.

“This book wants you to be rich: in money, in time, and in life. You have come to the right place. Kristy and Bryce take you through the process step by step, with actionable things that you can do no matter what your age, location, background, or education.”—JLCollins, bestselling author of The Simple Path to Wealth

“Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung, in a few hundred delightful, information-packed pages, shows exactly how Kristy went from rags (in China) to riches (retired world traveler millionaire at 30). Their stories are fascinating, told in a no-nonsense style that busts through any excuses. Their precise investment strategies, explained clearly, show you how to both get financially independent—and stay there. And they're hilarious.”—Vicki Robin, New York Times bestselling co-author of Your Money or Your Life
 
"Quit Like a Millionaire is the best possible combination: Life-changing information with a page-turning writing style that you simply cannot put down! Equal parts engaging, hilarious, and transformative, Kristy and Bryce deliver with the rare book that'll make you look at the world a little bit differently."—Brad Barrett, co-host of the ChooseFI podcast

“Quit Like A Millionaire is about so much more than making money, traveling the world, and retiring early (although it teaches you how to do all three insanely well!). It’s a new roadmap to living an awesome life! You don't need to settle for status quo. Life's too short for that; so don't. This book will both inspire and entertain you, while actually giving you the steps and mindset to become a millionaire. Retiring early isn't easy, but it's never been easier in history to make it happen. There’s no fluff here. This is the real deal.”—Grant Sabatier, author of Financial Freedom; creator of Millennial Money

“When your money and priorities are in sync, you find financial peace; I’ve taught that principle for years. Kristy’s personal story showed me how one does the scary work required to discover those real priorities. This book is a testament to the power of knowing what you want your money to do for you with absolute clarity, and then going after it unapologetically.”—Jesse Mecham, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of You Need a Budget; founder of YNAB

“A step-by-step manual to early retirement, filled with practical tips and tricks that anyone can use to accelerate their journey to financial freedom. Shen’s story is compelling and her advice actionable. I’ve been reading and writing about personal finance for fifteen years but still learned a ton from this book.”—J.D. Roth, creator of Get Rich Slowly; author of Your Money

"There's nothing better than a financial book that comes from a place of storytelling instead of preaching, and Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung elevate the art to new levels in Quit Like a Millionaire. No matter your current money situation, you will feel inspired instead of overwhelmed and be ready to make actionable change to live your best financial life."—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial Takes On Investing

“Becoming a millionaire isn’t magic… it’s math. And while numbers don’t lie, people tend to lie to themselves about money, making up stories about why they can’t get ahead or how things would be different if only they were dealt a better hand. Quit Like a Millionaire contains all the tools you need to master your money.  Even more importantly though, it’s Kristy’s personal story—from living on $0.44 a day to retiring early at the age of 31—that will inspire you to break free from your own excuses so that you can start living a life you never dreamt was possible.”—Brandon Ganch, founder of the MadFientist podcast and website

“Shen takes readers on a journey through her incredible life from impoverished childhood in China to world traveling early retired millionaire. With precision and humor, Shen outlines the choices she made along the way and the math behind her successes. Her uplifting personal story is undergirded by resonant, easy-to-understand explanations of financial mechanics that enable unusual life choices and unconventional alternatives. Shen inspires, explains, and guides with aplomb.”—Elizabeth Willard Thames, author of Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living

“Shen and Leung are the poster couple of the FIRE movement, which is spreading worldwide.”—Women's Health Australia

“Two heroes of the FIRE movement.”—Salon

“They’re spilling the secrets to their no-trust-fund-required approach to the FIRE movement in a new book, Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required.”—Parade

Auteur

Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung are world travelling early retirees. Their story has been featured in media outlets all over the world, including the New York Times, CBC, CNBC, Women's Health Magazine Australia, Germany's Handelsblatt, GQ Russia, and the UK's Independent. They spend their time helping people with their finances and realizing their travel dreams on www.millennial-revolution.com.

Échantillon de lecture

CHAPTER ONE: BLOOD MONEY

One of my fondest childhood memories is digging with my friends in a medical waste heap in rural China. As we sorted through the piles of latex gloves, soiled gowns, and used syringes, a tiny voice in the back of my five- year- old head suggested that maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. But that was overridden by a much louder, more hopeful voice saying, “What treasures will I find today?”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t live inside the medical waste heap— I’m not a troll. But I did enjoy it because unlike in a real store, if I saw something I wanted, I could actually get it. Otherwise, a typical experience went like this:

“Mom,” I would say, my face pressed up against a glass case, “I know we’re poor and we don’t have any money. But one day, when I grow up, and I make my own money, then can I have that doll?”

And somehow the answer was still no.

So that’s why my friends and I were behind the hospital that day. If I couldn’t buy a toy, I reasoned, maybe I could make one.

I did find something, believe it or not, in a seemingly infinite supply of discarded rubber bands. We tied the loops together to form a chain and then made the chain into a Chinese jump rope. The best part was that every time our rope broke I could repair it by just swapping out the wonky rubber band.

These days, this would be …