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New for Business Insider: Disha Spath, 38, and her husband were about $750,000 in debt a few years ago and were spending above their means. Now, they have a net worth of over $1 million and are set to be able to retire by their mid-40s. Spath, who runs the blog The Frugal Physician, said she wasn't a natural saver, noting she made financial errors like taking out too many student loans or being quick to make large purchases. But after having two kids and shifting between jobs, she realized she needed to turn her finances around. She and her husband absorbed as much information about the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — movement as they could, cut back spending on daily purchases, invested more aggressively, and paid off her student loans through savings and work bonuses. She and her husband paid off their debt by 2021, and they're now slowing down their journey toward retirement so they can enjoy time with their kids without making huge financial sacrifices. "I just want a balanced life and to not feel like I'm tied to my job," Spath said. "Instead of racing to financial independence, we're trying to get more balance."