Thank you for your post, Vermonter--you give me hope that it might be possible! However, I just can't comprehend how you're able to survive on less than $200,000 in the bank with no additional income rolling in besides interest/stock income--are you both still working part-time? I hope that's not too personal a question; I'm just genuinely very interested and can't fathom how it can be done. I get a statement from SS that tells me how much I can expect to receive in Social Security payments when I reach the appropriate age--the amount they list wouldn't pay for my expenses *now*, let alone 20 years from now, when inflation has taken its course--and I'm very careful with money. With the cost of gasoline, car repairs, property taxes, home repairs, food, medicine, etc. (just the basics, not accounting for anything recreational), a person's monthly expenses are staggering without a paycheck (or military benefits, or a pension check, etc.) coming in every month. How are you able to swing it? (The only possible scenario I can think of is that you're both skilled enough to do all of your own home/car repairs, which would make a big difference financially.) Please tell me your secret so that I can sleep better at night when I think about the future. :-)