How We’re Able to Retire in Our Early 50s | Queer Money Ep. 605

We're Retired Girls! Kinda...

We did it, queens—we retired early! 💅 At 51 and 54, we’re not sipping martinis on a trust fund (spoiler: one of us was disowned and disinherited 👀). We didn’t have cushy six-figure salaries either. Nope, we made some smart (and sometimes messy) money moves, and now those IRA checks are rolling in.

In this episode, we spill the nitty gritty on how we turned basement living, pigeon-poop cleaning, and a Mini Cooper obsession into a million-dollar retirement portfolio. From avoiding the 2008 housing disaster to buying Apple stock when everyone else was just buying iPods, we’re breaking down the real tea on what worked—and what didn’t.

If you’ve ever thought early retirement was only for the ultra-rich, think again. Tune in, laugh with us, and maybe pick up a few fabulous strategies for your own retirement journey.

Top Takeaways

• Buy the right size (for life and budget) → frees cash to invest.
• Kill lifestyle creep after paying off debt → redirect $1K+/mo to retirement.
• Invest consistently (especially in downturns) → time in market > timing.
• Complete the pyramid: stocks + income real estate + small business.
• Use a cash buffer (e.g., money market) to smooth withdrawals.
• 72(t) strategy can unlock IRAs early—plan it carefully.

👇 Grab the Happy Gay Retirement Calculator and start mapping your fabulous plan.