By age 30, Chabely Rodriguez had achieved what many professionals spend decades working toward: debt freedom, high earnings, and a half-million-dollar investment portfolio. Her path wasn’t accidental but the result of strategic career decisions and disciplined financial planning.
Rodriguez is a certified anesthesiologist assistant (CAA), a career she pursued after earning a master’s degree in anesthesiology. Unlike physicians who require years of additional schooling, her route allowed her to gain credentials and begin earning quickly.
Even in her salaried role, she made over $200,000 annually, often supplementing her income with overtime and 24-hour shifts.
That intense schedule was fueled by what she calls a “scarcity mindset,” a drive rooted in her upbringing that kept her focused on securing financial safety. “I always want to prepare for the worst,” she said in a 2023 interview. “I’ve worked a lot of overtime hours just to make sure that I always have something extra.”
In 2024, Rodriguez shifted gears, moving from salaried work to contract positions as a traveling CAA. The transition gave her both flexibility and a significant income boost, raising her earnings above $300,000 annually.
Though she could push her income closer to $500,000 by taking on similar overtime hours as before, Rodriguez now prioritizes balance. “I want to make more money, but I don’t want to burn myself out along the way,” she says.
Her decision to embrace contract work also reshaped her lifestyle. Once planning to settle in Florida with a home purchase, she moved to Georgia in 2023 and later to New Mexico, valuing flexibility and travel over homeownership.
“I’m still not to the point of wanting to settle anywhere,” Rodriguez explains. “I want to continue to explore and maybe spend a couple of months outside the country each year.”
The financial results of her strategy are striking. By aggressively paying off $124,000 in student loans by 2023, Rodriguez freed herself to invest aggressively.
She now allocates about 40% of her pre-tax income toward brokerage and retirement accounts. In January 2025, her investments surpassed the $500,000 milestone.
“Because I was aggressive with paying off my loans, I could then shift toward investing,” she says. “That’s made me a happier, calmer person — more secure, more confident.”
Her goals have also evolved. While she once set her sights on saving $2 million to retire early, Rodriguez now focuses less on hitting a number and more on sustainable wealth-building. Her aim is to give herself the option to slow down by age 50, not to force early retirement.
Though she shares rent with her partner and drives a modest Toyota Corolla, Rodriguez doesn’t hesitate to enjoy her success. She spends on experiences, from international travel to backpacking and camping, finding a balance between living in the moment and securing her future.
“I feel so much more comfortable,” Rodriguez reflects. “Now, I can just breathe!
