A Spanish professor struggled to save money in the US. Moving abroad helped him reach Lean FI at 47.

Something clicked for Miguel Marquez erstwhile a occupation opportunity brought him to Campina Grande, Brazil.

The professor was earning astir the aforesaid magnitude he had made while surviving successful Bloomington, Indiana, but the little costs of surviving allowed him to prevention importantly more.

"I managed to prevention 10 aliases 12 times the magnitude that I was redeeming successful the US," Marquez told Business Insider.

After completing a PhD successful French linguistics astatine Indiana University Bloomington, Marquez hoped to stay successful the US. Originally from Spain, he had spent astir 11 years successful Indiana studying and teaching, but struggled to unafraid a occupation that would sponsor his activity visa.

He began applying elsewhere and landed a position school Spanish astatine a assemblage successful northeastern Brazil. He lived location from 2016 to 2019, past returned to Spain earlier accepting a position astatine a assemblage successful Shenzhen, China, successful 2020. He taught remotely for his first 2 years because of COVID-19 restrictions, relocated to China successful 2022, and has lived location ever since.

At 47, the professor said he has achieved "Lean FI," a variety of financial independency successful which an individual has invested capable to screen basal expenses but small discretionary spending. While he doesn't scheme to extremity school anytime soon, he could theoretically discontinue and support a thin manner pinch his investments.

Moving overseas allowed his income to agelong overmuch further

Marquez struggled to build meaningful savings while surviving successful the US. Most of what he managed to group speech went toward his yearly travel location to Spain, he said: "Once I took a formation to spot my family astatine Christmas, everything was gone."

In Campina Grande, his net didn't summation significantly, but astir each of his awesome expenses declined. He said he trim his lodging costs successful half, while a emblematic luncheon would group him backmost $3 to $4, and meal mightiness tally astir $10.

He's knowledgeable a akin move successful China, wherever he pays astir $200 a period for a partially subsidized flat connected his assemblage field and relies connected inexpensive nationalist proscription alternatively than owning a car.

A subway thrust costs little than $1, while a 40-minute thrust into downtown Shenzhen runs him astir $10. Business Insider verified his rent by reviewing a June 2026 costs announcement showing a monthly complaint of 1,440 yuan.

His occupation besides includes a pension plan, a lodging money that receives employer contributions, and an yearly prize ranging from 1 to 3 months of guidelines salary.

"Everything adds up," he said. "That's really I've been capable to make advancement truthful fast."

Marquez estimates that he takes location astir $75,000 a twelvemonth aft taxes and spends betwixt $21,000 and $22,000, putting his savings complaint astatine astir 70%.

"My money has ne'er gone further," he said. "I've ne'er had truthful overmuch money successful investments, and I've ne'er traveled internationally arsenic overmuch arsenic I do now."

Achieving Lean FI

Marquez began reference individual finance blogs and books astir 2013, but said he couldn't afloat use what he was learning until he near the US, accrued his savings rate, and had much money to invest.

He collapsed his financial independency travel into stages. First came "F-you money," which he defines arsenic capable savings to time off a occupation without instantly needing different one. He past reached Coast FI, the constituent astatine which his existing investments could theoretically turn into capable money for a accepted status without further contributions.

More recently, he said, he reached Lean FI, meaning his portfolio could screen housing, food, and different basal expenses, on pinch constricted discretionary spending. Traditional FI, meanwhile, would mean accumulating astir 25 times his yearly expenses, based connected the commonly cited line that retirees tin retreat 4% of their portfolio successful the first twelvemonth of status and set that magnitude for inflation.

Marquez, who wrote "Financial Freedom connected a Teacher's Salary" successful 2025, invests astir of his money utilizing a variety of the "permanent portfolio." The strategy divides a portfolio arsenic among 4 plus classes: stocks, semipermanent bonds, gold, and cash. It appealed to him because he wanted much diversification and little volatility than a portfolio consisting chiefly of stocks and bonds.

Although Marquez is moving toward accepted FI, he doesn't person contiguous plans to time off a occupation he enjoys. Rather than viewing financial independency solely arsenic a intends of retiring early, he sees it arsenic the expertise to build his life astir what he values: education, travel, and clip pinch his family.

"I'm not a millionaire, but I consciousness for illustration a millionaire," he said.

His proposal is not that everyone should move abroad. The strategy worked for him because it aligned pinch interests he's had since he was a teenager.

"If I met personification for illustration maine who likes to travel, likes overseas languages, and likes surviving abroad, past I would springiness them akin advice," he said. "But I understand that immoderate group conscionable want to enactment put."

His broader proposal is to take a way that fits the life you really want.

"Get to cognize yourself, observe what strategy useful champion for you, and bask the process," he said.