Ruth Ang was 30 when she met her now-partner Luc Maurice on a plane from Phuket to Bangkok.
Ang is originally from Singapore, and Maurice is from Canada, but after about a year of long-distance dating, they decided to start living together in China in their early 30s.
They grew their careers in Shanghai — advertising for Ang and IT consulting for Maurice — but slowly realized they wanted more freedom with their time.
“I had a strong calling that I need my time back,” Ang told Business Insider. “In order for me to do that, I must have a cushion or a comfort.”
So, for the next decade and a half, the two built their nest egg.
“We live hard and play so hard. So the money has to work just as hard,” Ang said about passive income that could help them leave the corporate world early.
Their solution was real estate.
The couple retired in 2016, when Ang was 48, and her partner was 50. Today, they split their time between Phuket and Canada, pursuing a variety of hobbies.
Investing strategy
For Ang, investing looked different at each stage of her life.
In her 20s, she left Singapore to pursue a career in a bigger market. She moved to China, then London, and New York with the idea of “investing” in herself and building a strong résumé.
Having a strong portfolio meant that she was earning six figures in her late 30s and 40s, which gave her and Maurice, who was also making six figures, a solid base to start buying properties without mortgages.
“I never had debts,” she said.
She said that they were careful never to buy properties that their salaries could not cover, which could lead to real estate becoming a liability instead of an asset.
The couple bought, renovated, and sold five properties in China and South Africa over a decade. It helped them hit their Financial Independence Retire Early or “FIRE number” — the amount of money that made them feel comfortable to retire.
They quit their jobs in 2016 and moved from Shanghai to Phuket, Thailand.
Seven years into retirement, in 2022, they left their real estate strategy for a new one.
“As we get older, we don’t want to go and spend a lot of time fixing up homes,” Ang said. “We decided to be even more liquid” and put the money they made from their properties toward mutual funds.
Budget split
Ang and Maurice split their finances in a simple way.
They allocate about 40% of their annual budget to expenses in their home base, Phuket. The rest is spent on travel, to Canada and other destinations.
The couple spends October to March in Phuket, then they head to South Africa or Europe in April, when Thailand heats up. They usually spend June to October in Quebec, Canada.
Ang said that not having children has also made hitting their financial independence goals easier.
Serious hobbies
Nine years into retirement, Ang said that the days still pass by quickly and they don’t get bored.
“Truthfully the angst is increasing: Feeling how fast time flies by and we only have achieved that much, traveled that much, explored that much,” she said.
This is because both of them pursue hobbies like a “second career.”
“A hobby I take up quite intensely is actually literature — both reading and research.” She is also considering taking up writing.
Maurice focuses on sports.
“Luc spends a minimum 20 hours a week following an Ironman coaching program in Phuket. They train a full year, slowing down May to July,” Ang said. He also participates in competitive ocean swims.
They both enjoy golf, and they’ve played in southern Spain, South Africa, and the western US.
Their recent non-golf trips include a trip to Turin, Italy and a safari in South Africa. They are spending the summer this year in Quebec.
Are you part of the FIRE community in Asia or Europe? If you’ve got a story to share, get in touch with this reporter: shubhangigoel@businessinsider.com
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