I Retired to Travel More; Part-Time Jobs Help Supplement My Pension

• Darcy Flynn, a lawyer, wanted to go on a 2-month trip to Spain, so he retired at 64.
• He’s been splitting his time traveling overseas, visiting his mom, driving cross-country, and taking part-time legal jobs.
• He’s delivering company cars for $0.45 per mile to supplement his pension and explore the country.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Darcy Flynn, 65, a semi-retired lawyer from Washington, DC. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Early last year, my partner and I were figuring out how to get enough time off for a trip to Spain. I was 64 and working as a legal aid attorney in Washington, DC. Although I could have applied for extended leave, I decided it was a good time to retire to have the flexibility to travel more.

We ended up taking a two-month trip to Spain. Since then, I’ve traveled — both alone and with her — to Gibraltar, Morocco, Germany, and Nigeria. I’ve also spent time in Ireland, and, as a huge Beatles fan, finally had a chance to visit Liverpool in England.

My first year of retirement

While traveling in Europe, my partner and I strategized about what to do when we returned to the US. Having both rented out our homes for a year, we knew we’d need to get creative about where we stayed when we got back.

I got into pet sitting when we were traveling and started researching other ways I could get paid to travel in the US. I found companies that pay to have cars delivered to employees around the country. As an independent contractor, I could pick up a job whenever I wanted.

So, over the past nine months, I’ve spent my time doing one of four things: traveling overseas, visiting my 91-year-old mother in Michigan, driving around the country, and taking on part-time legal jobs.

I was offered my first driving assignment when I was in DC, getting ready to travel to Michigan. The 1,200-mile round-trip ride usually costs about $700, including car rental and gas.

Instead, I drove a Chevrolet Equinox to Sandusky, Ohio, for $0.45 per mile. The drive earned me about $225, and I spent $32 on a three-hour Greyhound bus to Detroit. It was less convenient than going straight to my mom’s, but since retiring, I’ve had a bit more free time.

I’ve continued taking on these jobs at my convenience. In January, I drove for three weeks straight, starting in Massachusetts. I made it to Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

In New Mexico, I visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park. In Los Angeles, I stopped by a few sites of the infamous and grizzly Charles Manson murders. In Atlanta, I ended up reconnecting with one of my best friends from college, and we’ve been keeping in touch since.

It’s a whole different approach to travel. I used to just pick a destination, make a hotel reservation, and then hit the road. But these days, I like not knowing what city my little journey will take me to.

So far, I’ve completed 11 drives and earned over $6,000 from them. I’ve spent a little under that amount, as I travel frugally and don’t splurge on restaurants or lodging. The driving basically pays for itself and allows me to save my pension and rental income; I rent out my house in DC for about $1,500 a month, while my pensions total $2,700. I collect $300 a month in interest income. It adds up to about $4,500 a month.

I haven’t fully retired from law

I initially considered fully retiring because I had sufficient income. But then, an opportunity to work on a ten-week legal project in New York came up. I had never worked in New York and saw it as an opportunity to live like a local, so I jumped at the chance.

I like the idea of continuing to work. My original plan was to work part-time until I turned 70 and started collecting Social Security, but now, I can see myself working into my 70s.

While there are opportunities for more permanent positions, I’m not interested. I need more time off to visit my mom in Michigan, travel, and explore.

I am 65 and want to continue doing this while I can. I see people around my age whose physical health would make this lifestyle hard. These days, I walk about 7 miles per day, both to save on transportation costs and to exercise. I’ve lost 25 pounds from walking.

It’s nice being unsure about what will come next.

Got a personal essay about retiring early to travel that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: akarplus@businessinsider.com.