We thought we'd planned for a successful early retirement — but we're picking up side hustles just a few years in

Tech Insider : Business
Man and woman sitting on bench staring out at water
We invested in savings plans and paid off most of our debts before retiring at 55 — but we've still run into issues.

sylv1rob1/Shutterstock

I replaced my fitness instructor with AI. I'm now stronger, more motivated, and saving hundreds of dollars.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
woman in fitness attire drinking from water bottle
Ella Plevin (not shown here) used AI to create a personal fitness workout routine that's made her stronger.

Yana Iskayeva/Getty Images

My partner and I settle arguments with PowerPoint debates. We each get 5 minutes and a limited number of slides.

Tech Insider : Business
A couple looking at a computer while sitting at a desk.
The author (not pictured) and her partner started solving conflicts by using PowerPoint debates.

FG Trade/Getty Images

I thought my life would change when I moved to Ireland. Unfortunately, I never felt I belonged, and I moved home a year later.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
A woman sits next to a statue on a bench in Dublin, Ireland.
The author dreamed of moving to Ireland for years. While she enjoyed studying there, it wasn't a place she wanted to stay.

Courtesy of Nishtha Chaudhary

My family was spending $2,500 on food delivery a month — that's $1,000 more than our mortgage. Something had to change.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business
a food delivery driver placing a bag in a thermal cooler
The author's family was overspending on food delivery.

Igor Suka/Getty Images

I quit my corporate job to start a laundry business, now worth millions of dollars. 'Cockroach mode' helped me become a successful entrepreneur.

Tech Insider : Business
Alex Smereczniak in a laundromat
The author first started a laundry business in college.

Courtesy of Alex Smereczniak

Lance Bass explains how he's living his healthiest life, even after his diabetes diagnosis

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
Lance Bass attends the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Award

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

My partner and I split chores by zodiac sign. We know it's weird, but our house is cleaner and we're happier.

Tech Insider : Business
Two people in a kitchen doing chores and talking to each other.
The author (not pictured) and her partner have a system of dividing chores by zodiac sign.

Maskot/Getty Images/Maskot

After I got my Ph.D., I realized I didn't want to work in that field. I was in financial ruin until I found the right job for me.

Tech Insider : Business
A woman wearing a cap and gown.

Boy_Anupong/Getty Images

My grandmother's house burned down, and she moved in with us. At 23, I had to share a bed with my mom.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
Women posing for a photo
The author is now sharing a bed with her mom while they help her grandmother out.

Courtesy of the author

Subscribe to Essay