I agree he sounds happy, but it's important to remember that happy means different things to different people. Life is short and you only get one shot at it, so if you get a lot of enjoyment out of a new car every 5 years, hell, go for it. Be smart about it, make sure it's something you really enjoy and not just a temporary distraction, but do it if it brings you lasting enjoyment.
Some people, in my experience, really enjoy being frugal. Having a wad of cash in the bank is what makes them feel secure and happy. Others, not so much. To each their own.
One nice thing, being able to live reasonably happily on $25k is nice to see if nothing else than that's probably what a lot of today's middle classers are likely to get in SS benefits down the road. And given the dismal savings rates, that's a fine thing. The trick is to pull it off you need to have a paid for home and live in a relatively affordable location.
Of course that's another thought, retiring at 30 means your SS benefits are going to be small or non-existent. If this guys rental properly burned down and his investments tanked, that could turn into a pretty bad situation someday. As much as I hate to rely on SS for retirement it's the closest thing to a guaranteed income many of us are going to get, and retiring early means opting out of that.
Some people, in my experience, really enjoy being frugal. Having a wad of cash in the bank is what makes them feel secure and happy. Others, not so much. To each their own.
One nice thing, being able to live reasonably happily on $25k is nice to see if nothing else than that's probably what a lot of today's middle classers are likely to get in SS benefits down the road. And given the dismal savings rates, that's a fine thing. The trick is to pull it off you need to have a paid for home and live in a relatively affordable location.
Of course that's another thought, retiring at 30 means your SS benefits are going to be small or non-existent. If this guys rental properly burned down and his investments tanked, that could turn into a pretty bad situation someday. As much as I hate to rely on SS for retirement it's the closest thing to a guaranteed income many of us are going to get, and retiring early means opting out of that.