They retired in their 50s. I believe they lived on the lesser salary for nearly 20 years. Financially they're very comfortable now.

But it's a new day, I don't think it's as feasible for us.

They were a Doctor and an Attorney and only rented a home for one year then in the 70s they bought the house they still live in. Their childcare was free, and they sent their kids to public schools--until college. They also had pensions, then lucked out with company stock options, working for big pharma, then ED drugs happened and made those stocks much more valuable.

My Dad, a journalist, also retired in his late 50s after a buyout from the paper he was last at, he's 68 now, he then moved to Asia after his third failed marriage and lived in different Asian nations--3 months at a time for visa reasons--fairly well. He supported himself with one of his pensions and occasionally working as a freelance photog and university english instructor. He's back now, with his new woman who's in a grad program at GW, they have a comfortable condo in NoVA and he's still retired.

My Mom is in her 60's, she's twice left corporate jobs and is semi retired. Now she works part time and remotely, for a 30 year old company she's a co-owner of. She had some financial issues in the past 10 years after a couple failed relationships, but has since inherited a decent amount of cash and is ready retire totally by her 65th birthday next year.

I fully expect to be going to an office through my 70s.