[Ep. 118] How Lilian Was Able to Retire Early After Immigrating to the USA

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I know I’m not American, but the idea of the “American Dream” has definitely made its way over the border into Canada, and I can’t help but cry ugly tears every episode of Sharks Tank I watch when someone new to the US has managed to go from zero to millionaire.

So, when Lilian Hurn reached out to me after finding my podcast on YouTube and asked to share her story for my Listener Series, I was so excited to be able to have her on the show. She literally is proof that the “American Dream” is alive and well. Originally from Lima, Peru, she immigrated to the USA in 2005 to work for Microsoft. She ended up meeting her husband there, and they’ve both worked together to fulfill their own dream of retiring early.

Now in their 40s, they consider themselves semi-retired, with Lilian’s husband working occasionally as a consultant, and Lilian spending her days as a Spanish-language financial literacy educator. She not only has her own blog called Super Baratisimo Gratis, but she also has her own YouTube channel teaching others about the power of personal finance in Spanish!

Learning how to live frugally, work hard, save more than she earned, and earn money outside of her full-time job are what helped Lilian achieve one of her biggest goals in life. She truly is an inspiration, I’m just so glad I ended up putting my podcast on YouTube a year ago!
Since Lilian has her own blog and YouTube channel, she also had some great tips for listeners who want to be able to achieve their financial goals too. Here are some of my favourites.

How to Talk Money with Your Partner

1. Be persistent (but not annoying). Sometimes it can take a few times to convince your partner to be open, so don’t ever drop the subject and forget about it. Try a different tactic, because it’s so important to be on the same page with your partner
2. Focus on setting goals together. That’s the best way to motivate your partner to get involved in budgeting, tracking your spending, and saving for your future. When you have goals outlined clearly that you can both work towards together, you’ll become a stronger partnership for it.

How to Reach Your Financial Goals Faster

Don’t just rely on your day job to get you there in the time you want. To get to your goals faster, you may need to look outside the box and earn more on the side. Lilian sold stuff around her house she didn’t need on eBay and cut back on unnecessary expenses like a storage locker that cost her husband $50/month.

Learn More About Lilian

• Check out Lilian’s blog Super Baratisimo Gratis
• Subscribe to her YouTube channel
• Follow her on Facebook
• Follow her on Twitter