Everyone dreams of retiring early. But is 35 too early, even with $1 million in the bank?
Lauren was just 35 when she decided to walk away from work after years in the tech industry and freelancing. She didn't have a trust fund waiting or strike it rich on a lucky stock pick. Instead, she built a $1 million nest egg by following the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement, a strategy known for aggressive saving and investing.
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For comparison, Fidelity reports that 401(k) savers ages 35 to 39 had an average balance of about $81,600 in 2026.
After graduating from college in 2009, Lauren entered the workforce in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Living in Boston, she was barely making enough to cover rent and keep her car, taking whatever work she could find.
"That period of chronic underemployment was a kind of trauma to me. So much of my life was controlled by how little money I had," she told The Cut.
Turning things around
As the economy began to recover, Lauren's income started to improve. She landed a better-paying corporate job. Even while working full time, Lauren continued taking on freelance and gig work in video production and graphic design. Her approach was simple: If she could do the job, she rarely turned it down.
"Could I make a logo for someone's flower shop? Yes, I could. Whatever it was, if it was within my skill set, I said yes," she explained.
That hustle-heavy approach isn't unusual: 45% of millennials ages 30 to 45 reported having a side hustle in 2026, according to LendingTree, with freelance and professional services among the most common.
Lauren also graduated with roughly $40,000 in student debt, which fueled her determination to earn more.
"Having to pay my student loans instead of buying myself groceries created a spiteful rage within me, and there is no motivator like spite," she said. "I was angry."
Saving her way to $1 million
By the time Lauren retired, she was earning about $110,000 a year as a brand strategist for a major technology company, while still bringing in another $10,000 to $20,000 annually from filming weddings and other events.
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