I'm content with my $24,000 annual budget while traveling full time.

Since retiring at age 30 in 2020, Purple has been traveling the world with her partner.

The 34-year-old, who uses the alias Purple online and in the media to protect her privacy, tells CNBC Make It that she is very happy.

"While some individuals find having a lot of structure challenging during retirement, I excel at doing nothing, relaxing, and discovering new random hobbies," she remarks.

In 2015, Purple, inspired by her partner, joined the FIRE movement with a goal of retiring in 10 years. However, through diligent investing and a commitment to low-cost living, she reached her investment goal of $500,000 in half the time and retired five years ahead of schedule.

To ensure a comfortable retirement and stretch her savings, Purple determined her realistic living expenses and adhered to that amount. Prior to retirement, she comfortably lived on approximately $20,000 per year. Although she shares rent with her partner, she maintains complete financial independence.

Despite retiring in 2020, Purple has been able to visit 13 countries and 16 U.S. states, learn Spanish, take up new hobbies such as birdwatching, and connect with friends and family worldwide without exceeding $24,000 in annual expenses, as per CNBC Make It's review of documents.

Despite traveling to multiple countries, she is on track to spend around $23,400 in 2024, making it her most expensive year in retirement yet.

Four strategies that aid Purple in adhering to her spending goals during retirement are:

1. Eliminating major expenses

Purple has opted for a nomadic lifestyle in retirement, significantly reducing expenses compared to others. She doesn't own a house or car, nor does she have a long-term lease on a home. Additionally, she doesn't have any pets or children.

"When people are taken aback by my spending, I like to mention the typical major expenses for a household, but I don't have any of them," she remarks. "Since I don't have those big things, it's quite affordable for just me."

She usually pays her host on Airbnb for her monthly "rent," but also stays with friends and family, or housesits occasionally.

In 2023, she spent a total of 365 days away from home, with 271 days in Airbnbs, 70 days with friends and family, and 24 days housesitting. She typically stays in one place for at least a month, which qualifies her for discounts on Airbnb stays, as the website allows hosts to offer discounts for weekly or monthly bookings.

2. Travel hacking with credit cards

Purple frequently travels in first class without paying the high prices some airfare tickets can command.

Purple says, "I look for ways to buy expensive items at a lower cost."

She discovered travel hacking in 2015 and has since saved thousands of dollars on flights around the world. In September 2023, she flew first class from Singapore to Sydney, Australia, for a fraction of the ticket's $4,000 full price.

She scores deals by applying for credit cards without an annual fee in the first year and high sign-up bonuses. She meets the minimum spending requirement, collects the bonus, pays off the card, and closes it 11 months later, just before the annual fee is charged.

3. Balancing expensive locations with cheaper ones

With her retirement, Purple has the flexibility to book trips and decide how long to stay in any location. This flexibility, combined with her travel hacking skills, enables her to save on flights without sacrificing comfort.

Purple strives to find a balance between expensive and affordable travel options. She usually stays for at least a month, regardless of the local cost of living, but when she knows she will be in a more expensive location for a while, she tries to make her next destination more affordable.

She visited Mexico, a low-cost destination, and then traveled to Amsterdam, which is more expensive, such as an example.

4. Spending her money intentionally

Purple has become highly intentional with her spending since committing to FIRE and retiring. Early in her advertising career, she often spent money on clothes and accessories until she realized those items weren't improving her life at all.

She's now able to "indulge in expensive pleasures," as she's only spending on things that bring her joy, such as travel and dining at nice restaurants.

Purple always evaluates whether to pay a higher price for her phone service and, if not, she looks for a more affordable option.

"Determine what brings you joy, invest in it, and then save the remaining funds," she advises.

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