Isn't it more fun reading these articles from the other side? I find reading such fun and interesting, and you always gain something from them, like the 4% rule in this one, which was new to me. Of course you can intuitively plan something which is similar.
Retirement is not for me. Freedom to work on projects of choice is. Some financial independence or close to it, is needed for both, so this article and especially the story/plans of others were very illuminating. Although, my geography is different. So numbers change and I don't think its a linear on the cost of living scale, due to cultural reasons. In India for example, parents sometimes pay up to not just college, but also the marriage expense of their children. :-)
