Explore resources and guides to retiring early and semi-retirement!
Retiring early to travel the world is more attainable than you may think—and these guides and stories from people who’ve actually done it will put you on the path to success. And if you’re not ready to fully stop working, semi-retirement may be the answer if you have wanderlust, but want to stay busy. Frayed Passport is community-driven, so if you have a story or post you’d like to share, have a look at the editorial guidelines and get in touch!
Not sure where to start? Check out the most popular article this month on semi-retirement: Can’t Retire Early? Semi-Retire and Travel the World

Explore Articles & Guides
Why Are Millionaires Flocking to Mexico? (And Non-Millionaire Retirees, Too!)
Around 1.1 million expats live in Mexico, with about 700,000 from the United States. Here are a dozen reasons why Mexico is attractive to those with plenty of money—and also to those who don’t have that much.
Life Lessons I’ve Learned Through Making Art
Ever since I retired, I have had more time to practice my art. This is a dream come true for me. Many times, it has occurred to me that the challenges I face in expressing myself artistically are really Lessons of Life. Below, I share some of these lessons, and hope you find them both fun and useful.
A Canadian Perspective on Health Care Overseas: Q&A with Jim McLeod & Retire Early Lifestyle
In this interview, our friends at Retire Early Lifestyle discuss with Jim McLeod a Canadian perspective of living abroad and relying on international healthcare, rather than using the health coverage provided in his home country.
Fear of Market Downturns: Keeping a Safety Net while Traveling & Living off of Investments
No one can predict when market downturns will happen and no one can predict when they will end. It is best to be prepared knowing that you will be able to ride them through.
Spending A Winter Month in London: Getting Around by Planes, Trains & Buses
As I write this, I’m sipping coffee in a comfy Airbnb in Greater London, in a town called Earlsfield, which is near Wimbledon. We (my wife Robin and I) arrived here a little over a week ago.
Affording the Early Retirement Lifestyle: Travel, Rent, Medical, Dining & More
It’s no secret that we live on $30,000 per year, and in our 31st year of financial independence we see no need to lower our spending. Here's how we do it, and how you can too.
Spending a Weekend in St. Petersburg, FL: Dalí Museum, Tropicana Field, Fort De Soto & More
This is the second in a series of articles on my semi-retired travels with my wife, Robin, who is not retired, but works remotely. Read about our visit to the new St. Pete pier, the Salvador Dalí Museum, a Rays game at Tropicana Field, and more.
Moving & Living in Costa Rica: Digital Nomad Guide for Working Remotely, Semi-Retirement, Housing & More
Costa Rica is a dream destination for digital nomads. With high-quality and affordable healthcare, political stability, great infrastructure, low crime, and plenty of nature, culture, and entertainment, it’s easy to see why so many see moving to Costa Rica and living in Costa Rica as a great idea.
Comprehensive Guide to Costa Rica Visas: Digital Nomad, Provisional Visa & More
Costa Rica has recently announced a new visa type for digital nomads. Read all about how to apply for this and other residency types in this gorgeous country!
The Ultimate Guide to Geoarbitrage: Work Where You Want, Save More Money, Semi-Retire & Travel the World
Geoarbitrage is moving to a place with a low cost of living while maintaining or increasing your current income. Learn more in this comprehensive guide.
Traveling with the Amtrak Auto Train: Living the Semi-Retired Life
What's it like to travel on the Amtrak Auto Train? Read this story from a semi-retiree and frequent traveler who knows all about it!
Why Time Is Your Most Important Asset
We write a lot about the FIRE lifestyle, semi-retirement, and more, all with an important underlying message: Live and work the way you wish, and make the most of your time on this planet.
COVID Travel in September 2020: Interview with World Traveler Dale Knight
COVID travel is changing day-to-day. Read this interview with world traveler Dale Knight for info about where you can go right now, and how.
International Travel in the Days of COVID
Traveling during the COVID pandemic is possible - but you have to be flexible, as seen in this account of traveling between the US and Mexico!
Is Retirement in Your Future? 8 Steps to Early Retirement
The perfect time for retirement doesn't exist. Things change, and sometimes radically - let's look at eight basics to keep you on track to achieving your semi-retirement or early retirement dreams.
How to Fail at Early Retirement
First of all, "failure" is not in our vocabulary. But if you want to set yourself up for disappointment in early retirement, here's what you need to do.
How Travel Prepares You for the Unexpected
If nothing else, travel trains you to become flexible - to deal with the unexpected. If you're dealing with a shake-up, remember lessons from your travels.
How to Ask Your Boss to Work Remotely: Explaining Why the Remote Office Works
If your boss has been resistant to developing a remote work policy, read our guide to get them onboard so you can work from anywhere - at home or worldwide.
Budget Ideas for Digital Nomads: Zero Sum, 50/30/20, Envelope Budget & More
In this article, we’ll put a digital nomad spin on three popular budget methods: we’ll cover zero-sum budgeting, 50/30/20 budgeting, and envelope budgeting.
Digital Nomad Tax Guide: Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, Social Security Contributions & More
Death and taxes. Even as a digital nomad, these things remain certain. But how exactly do you pay taxes as a digital nomad? Read this guide to learn how!
Want to Be More Productive? Wake up at 5am
Before you hit the snooze, hear us out! There’s a lot of good research that backs up the idea that you should wake up at 5am to be more productive.