Naz Avo did what most people aspire to do when they are young and still have a long way to go before retirement and a life of office work.
His inspiration? Amazingly enough, it is a Justin Timberlake sci-fi movie in which time is money — when your clock reaches zero, you die. This was a great metaphor to a teenage Naz: time is the greatest treasure, and to be the owner of it is wealth.
Humble Beginnings to Financial Freedom
Naz was born in Ukraine in the 1990s and brought up in a simple household. “I can spend money very hard,” he concedes. “We never lived luxuriously, we just lived well enough but we were taught how to live simply.”
This frugality at an early age was the basis of his success later. Naz had a chance to work as a software developer in one of the American firms and could have lived comfortably in the U.S., but he opted to work remotely in Asia. Living standards were less and he could save 60–70 percent of his earnings.
His 20s resembled those of a student: he had a modest rental property, very few expenses, and simple pleasures. His rent was as low as £375 (~$500) a month and his overall monthly expenses did not go beyond £1,500 (~$2,000).
His savings continued to increase and Naz started to visit financial independence forums and the internet such as the early retirement forum and the early retirement extreme forum, where individuals discuss how to live with purpose and escape the 9-to-5 workweek.
The Road to Financial Independence
Naz had a simple, strict strategy — like what you could get in a book on financial independence:
- Save aggressively.
- Invest smartly.
- Create sources of passive income.
He invested in ETFs, bonds, and stocks — a set and forget style — but also bought two apartments, one being located in Ukraine and another one in Poland. These were Airbnb rentals and they were stable passive earnings.
He even tried to sell small passive income businesses, but favored the non-involvement of index funds and property investments.
In the meantime, he automated his savings and deployed an independent financial routing number to simplify his international banking and investments — which is an underestimated step that made the management of international income significantly easier.
Reaching the Magic Number
At the age of 32, Naz had achieved his magic number several times that he required to live comfortably without going to work again. Having read about the success stories such as that of Walter Green, who could retire at an early age, he understood that it was not the question of wealth but freedom.
That is why he left his job, shut down his laptop, and bought a one-way ticket to Bangkok. He marked this new beginning by holding a five-day music festival — “It was like a great celebration of freedom,” he remembers.
Life After Retirement
Naz now lives in Chiang Mai and spends his mornings relaxing with his coffee and a book, followed by the days of jiu-jitsu, yoga, trail running, and riding his scooter over mountain roads.
However, the change did not happen overnight. “We are but habitual things,” he says. “It is after three months that it took me to re-condition my brain to stop thinking about work.”
Today, Naz is therefore accepting the self-imposed voluntary early retirement authority of his personal life — that is, he is the person who chooses how to utilize his time.
He says that it is more comfortable to live without dependents, but he is genuinely satisfied. He says that he wants to be in control of his calendar. “Mostly, it is sunshine, fitness, and freedom.”
At one time he is questioned about returning to work, he laughs saying: “I am totally unemployable now, and I like it.”
What I Learned in the Experiential Early Retirement Process of Naz
- Live below your means. Austerity develops pliability.
- Automatic and early investment. Compound growth is speedier when you begin it earlier.
- Consider living abroad. The financial freedom can be hastened by a lower cost of living.
- Find community. Communities such as the early retirement forum and the early retirement extreme forum are helpful and hold one accountable.
- Design your freedom. In real estate, through ETFs, or an established passive income business to be sold, think long-term sustainability.
The Takeaway
The story of Naz is a real-life case of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). He demonstrates that early retirement is not necessarily a privilege of the rich. With patience, discipline, and vision, it can be the prerogative of every person who is ready to spend more time than material things.
A financial independence guide is the way to begin, then you can explore early retirement forums and create a plan that suits your lifestyle.
Because when you have your time — you have your life.
