Published on MSN | April 2026
Jessi Chadd, CFP®, CeFT shared insights for the MSN MoneyLion article detailing poor habits that delay retiring early.
Most people don’t fall short of retiring early because of one big mistake. It’s usually a handful of small habits repeated over time.
One point stood out: Are your spending decisions aligned with what actually matters to you?
A simple “values check” can change how you think about:
🔹 Debt
🔹 Subscriptions
🔹 Everyday expenses
When your money isn’t supporting what you truly value, it can unintentionally work against your long-term goals.
Jessi recommends identifying your personal values and using them to guide spending decisions and cut costs that don’t add meaningful value to your life and redirect that money toward early retirement.
“I suggest eliminating anything on auto-pay,” Chadd said. “This type of spending is practically invisible because the charge is automatically applied to your credit card each month. By removing the convenience of a subscription, you need to decide each month if the expense is still worthwhile.”
Poor Habits That Delay Retiring Early
- High-Interest Debt
- Unused Memberships and Subscriptions
- Excessive Transportation Costs
No matter the stage you are in of your retirement planning process, making mindful decisions about your spending is always a smart financial strategy.
Remember, retirement preparation is about more than saving. Find out if you are On Track for Retirement.
Read the full article on MoneyLion by MSN.
Discover more about Financial Planning and Retirement Planning.