I will share two articles with you today. My friend RetireBy35 found his love after reaching financial independence and eventually married. In his recent article about F.I/[R.E] and relationships, he correctly pointed out that whether we can:

1. Achieve F.I. /[R.E]
2. The speed you get there.
3. Remain in that phase.

All of this will depend more upon 3 major factors:

1. Your partner in life.
2. Your accommodation.
3. Your transportation.

I do agree. I would usually advise that it is better to have a fully paid-up property before you retire because you eliminate the breadth of rental income possibility or the need for a big chunk of income certainty from your most essential income. If you require a personal vehicle transport, think about how much your cost would vary if you retire in 2003 till today (20 years later). Both of these move a significant part of the equation. But none more so than your partner in life....