A couple in their 40s has drawn a lot of attention on Reddit after revealing they retired at 39 with just over $1 million saved. Their monthly expenses were especially compelling, standing at only $1,241.80.

They live outside Indianapolis, purposely choosing a low-cost area. With no kids, no mortgage, and no desire to keep up with the neighbors, they say they’ve hit the LeanFIRE lifestyle most people think is impossible.

LeanFIRE is a version of early retirement where people aim to live on a modest budget, usually under $40,000 a year, by keeping expenses low and avoiding lifestyle inflation. It’s about financial independence with minimalism, not millions.

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“We paid off our house in 11 years,” the original poster wrote. “No mortgage = game changer.” They drive a 2005 Toyota with over 200,000 miles, cook at home nearly every day, and travel internationally for up to six months each year to stretch their dollars even further.

“Street food in Thailand beats cooking at home cost-wise,” they added, adding they often rent fully furnished apartments abroad for $400 to $700 a month.

Their top monthly expenses include $500 for food and household items, $275 for property taxes, $120 for electricity, and $97 for home insurance. Everything else is minimal: $50 for gas, $25 for a gym membership, $15 for internet, and so on.

They also have no health insurance premiums thanks to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies. “No asset testing in 41 states,” the poster explained, referring to how they qualify for Medicaid despite having seven figures in savings.

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This approach flies in the face of personal finance expert Suze Orman. “I hate it. I hate it. I hate it,” she said on a podcast back in 2018, referring to the financial independence, retire early movement. “I think it is the biggest mistake, financially speaking, you will ever, ever make in your lifetime.”

She warned early retirement would leave people exposed to health issues, market downturns, and long-term care costs, and claimed, “You might need $10 million…just so you’ll be fine.”

The Reddit couple disagrees. “I’m sick of the Suze Ormans saying you need $10M. It’s simply not true,” the poster replied to one commenter. “Most people never even get to $1M, and they’re not living under bridges in retirement.”