Author Topic: 2019 fire cohort  (Read 793055 times)

PhilB

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #850 on: July 04, 2018, 11:25:08 AM »
I am unfortunately definitively out of this cohort. I did some recalculations in my excel sheet and deleted 2019 from it, as it was only confusing. We still have some stash to save up.
In addition I have just been granted to work 80%, because I hope to get some more enjoyable life out of our weekends. That should influence our savings rate in a negative way, but I hope it is worth it. Otherwise I can always go back to 100%. But anyway, I think that 2019 is out of the question.

I will get an estate broker to look at our house next week. I hope he will say the house is worth a lot more than my conservative estimate that I am counting with.
On the other hand, my stash isn't growing as I hoped for this year. It is growing the amount of money I put into it every month, but I get very little help from the market this year. I have a mixture of 5 index funds, and not only the world wide one.

Although I'm sorry to hear you're out Linda, it sounds like you are making some great steps to maximize happiness!  And that's what this is really all about.  Congrats!
Sorry to hear the numbers aren't lining up yet, but 3 day weekends sounds like a great opportunity to have fun and get fit.

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #851 on: July 04, 2018, 11:43:56 AM »
Au Revoir Linda. 2020 will be lucky to have you on board.

Enjoy working part time. A nice compromise to keep the stash growth ticking over.

Linea_Norway

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #852 on: July 04, 2018, 01:12:02 PM »
Au Revoir Linda. 2020 will be lucky to have you on board.

Enjoy working part time. A nice compromise to keep the stash growth ticking over.

Thanks, all. I was already in the 2020 cohort as well, as I wasn't sure about the exact year.

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #853 on: July 04, 2018, 04:21:27 PM »
Au Revoir Linda. 2020 will be lucky to have you on board.

Enjoy working part time. A nice compromise to keep the stash growth ticking over.

Thanks, all. I was already in the 2020 cohort as well, as I wasn't sure about the exact year.


I'm sorry Linda.  I hope your home come in worth more than what you were expected!  Going to three days weekends should take out much of the sting.  Enjoy the time!

LV

TartanTallulah

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #854 on: July 04, 2018, 11:13:13 PM »
I am unfortunately definitively out of this cohort. I did some recalculations in my excel sheet and deleted 2019 from it, as it was only confusing. We still have some stash to save up.
In addition I have just been granted to work 80%, because I hope to get some more enjoyable life out of our weekends. That should influence our savings rate in a negative way, but I hope it is worth it. Otherwise I can always go back to 100%. But anyway, I think that 2019 is out of the question.

I will get an estate broker to look at our house next week. I hope he will say the house is worth a lot more than my conservative estimate that I am counting with.
On the other hand, my stash isn't growing as I hoped for this year. It is growing the amount of money I put into it every month, but I get very little help from the market this year. I have a mixture of 5 index funds, and not only the world wide one.

I hope your plan works out well for you, Linda.

Working less than the nominal full time hours has allowed me a degree of career longevity that I couldn't have had otherwise, and I'd still consider options that allowed me to work no more than 24 hours a week.

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #855 on: July 05, 2018, 10:19:20 AM »
Counting toward my earliest possible FIRE date, I now have 127 working days to go.  16 paychecks left.  Woooo!!   

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #856 on: July 06, 2018, 05:10:22 AM »
Counting toward my earliest possible FIRE date, I now have 127 working days to go.  16 paychecks left.  Woooo!!

Sooo exciting!!!

FIRE 20/20

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #857 on: July 06, 2018, 11:10:07 AM »
Counting toward my earliest possible FIRE date, I now have 127 working days to go.  16 paychecks left.  Woooo!!

Congrats, Trifele!  I wouldn't feel much counting down from 127, but counting down from 16 to 15 to 14... seems like a good way to do it to me.  When you get to 8 paychecks left post here again - you'll just need to do that same amount again and you could be done!

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #858 on: July 06, 2018, 09:38:16 PM »
I get paid monthly, so only 12 to go incl my final pay. 😬

.... and August will barely count as I will take a 3 week vacation.

gerardc

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #859 on: July 07, 2018, 05:21:03 PM »
Congrats on making the step to leave.

I have a colleague like you, answering work emails at Sunday midnight after leaving on holiday. This cannot be good for a person.

You can always consider taking a less stressful or part time job, even though that might delay your FIRE a bit.

I do this sometimes, it's mostly self-imposed, compulsive working, workaholism, perfectionism, etc. It's actually counter productive for your career, but when there's a problem left unsolved sometimes I can't let it go, it just keeps annoying me until I fix it, even if it's not urgent. It's really an obsession in my case, there's no external stress or pressure from a manager, only regular emails that are not urgent at all.

I'm reading that thread and trying to take up some tips:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/the-art-of-not-working-at-work/50/

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #860 on: July 07, 2018, 09:24:04 PM »
I think that the expectation that you’re available 24x7 to your employer is pretty common.

In my current job I can not take a vacation without working an hour or 2 most days.

On one vacation I was getting up at 5am and working for 3hours before having breakfast with DW and then again squeezing a few more hours in during the evening. This was exceptional because we were trying to close a deal and the vacation was just at the worst possible time. DW was understandably not happy.

Also, I work in the Middle East and our weekends are Friday-Sat, But HQs weekends are Sat-Sun so it seems to mean that Fridays are fair game. It’s a constant battle to keep Friday’s free of calendar appointments.

None of this is particularly healthy and so I try and keep a few personal  rules
1, I never check my emails before bed, but instead wait until I wake up. Basically after 9pm is a work free zone,
2. On weekends I am ok to work on one day if really necessary, but on the other day I don’t look at emails
3. I try to avoid sending emails to my employees on weekends, as they need a break.
4. On vacations, I am quite ruthless in appraising what is critical and must be dealt with and what can wait. I will also sometimes turn my emails off for a couple of days so I can relax.

I can’t wait to FIRE!

texxan1

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #861 on: July 07, 2018, 09:35:23 PM »
I think ive decided to up the game a little and join in.... was thinking 2021 but I think dec 31st 2019 is my Day.

46 YO single
1.5m liquid
500k paid for house
target to save 250k more and call it a day...

Tex

TartanTallulah

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #862 on: July 08, 2018, 01:02:40 AM »
I think that the expectation that you’re available 24x7 to your employer is pretty common.

In my current job I can not take a vacation without working an hour or 2 most days.

On one vacation I was getting up at 5am and working for 3hours before having breakfast with DW and then again squeezing a few more hours in during the evening. This was exceptional because we were trying to close a deal and the vacation was just at the worst possible time. DW was understandably not happy.

Also, I work in the Middle East and our weekends are Friday-Sat, But HQs weekends are Sat-Sun so it seems to mean that Fridays are fair game. It’s a constant battle to keep Friday’s free of calendar appointments.

None of this is particularly healthy and so I try and keep a few personal  rules
1, I never check my emails before bed, but instead wait until I wake up. Basically after 9pm is a work free zone,
2. On weekends I am ok to work on one day if really necessary, but on the other day I don’t look at emails
3. I try to avoid sending emails to my employees on weekends, as they need a break.
4. On vacations, I am quite ruthless in appraising what is critical and must be dealt with and what can wait. I will also sometimes turn my emails off for a couple of days so I can relax.

I can’t wait to FIRE!

That sounds like a cruel work set-up and I'm not surprised you're desperate to get out.

I'm fortunate in that once I'm on vacation I can usually switch off provided I go away. If I don't, I'll find myself offering to go into work for part of a day for this or for that because it feels easier than not going in. And the day or two before a vacation is brutal because everything has to be cleared. I look forward to not having to do that any more and to be able to pack at leisure, shop for odds and ends I might need, eat properly, exercise and sleep before a journey.

When I am going outwith travelling distance of work, though, I can say, "I won't be there," and that is respected. Apart from the time when the manager discovered that my colleagues and I should have evidence of having done a gazillion assessed online learning modules prior to a regulatory body visiting our premises the week after I returned from vacation, told me if it wasn't done we could be closed down, and I spent every evening remaining of my vacation in my hotel room ploughing through information of dubious relevance to my actual job instead of ambling along the beach. Every time I'm about to go away, something is happening that makes it feel like a very bad time to be absent, but they always cope fine without me. The fact that there's always an "urgent" matter of some sort cropping up is evidence in itself that it's not a health-promoting environment.

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #863 on: July 08, 2018, 04:33:26 AM »
Welcome @texxan1!  Paging @markbike528CBX to get you added to the spreadsheet next time he updates it.  (Our fearless OP actually FIREd with the 2018 cohort this year -- we're all very jealous.  :) )

@itchyfeet  and @TartanTallulah -- I too have a job where I am expected to be checking email and doing other tasks on the weekends and on vacation.  I have gotten much firmer recently about pushing back on the expectation -- especially on vacation.  I recently took 5 days off and told everyone beforehand that I would not be answering my phone or checking email because of no access (partially true -- we were traveling and camping part of the time in areas with no reception).  I gave everyone a name and a number they could call if they had an emergency, and told them that otherwise I'd respond to their emails when I got back.  It was a glorious, fully unplugged getaway.

Besides, what are they going to do -- fire us?   ;)

exit2019

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #864 on: July 08, 2018, 02:35:33 PM »
A lot of press lately about how returns for the next decade are likely to be poor.  Somewhat concerning

I did most of my modeling first using my own spreadsheets and then the ERN toolboxes (the original and the side hustle one) and it comes out OK, but everything rests on what happens in the decade post. 

Interesting times for those of us who are close.

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #865 on: July 08, 2018, 08:17:42 PM »
A lot of press lately about how returns for the next decade are likely to be poor.  Somewhat concerning

I did most of my modeling first using my own spreadsheets and then the ERN toolboxes (the original and the side hustle one) and it comes out OK, but everything rests on what happens in the decade post. 

Interesting times for those of us who are close.

It is possible returns are lower, remember that ERN’s stuff involves absolutely zero income post retirement.  It also can’t really backtrack using REITs as an asset class to help with cash flow management.  A low leveraged REIT and/or pipeline added to your mix that can  throws off 6% a year with increases matching inflation helps.

Ask yourself what can go right as well as what can go wrong

2Birds1Stone

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #866 on: July 10, 2018, 10:20:49 AM »
325 days!

We just ticked back over $500k NW this morning.

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #867 on: July 10, 2018, 10:28:16 AM »
2019 Cohort Roster updated with age at FIRE if known and notes.   Let me know if you have any corrections.
 

01/xx/19     MoneyStacher  (51)
01/xx/19     PhilB  (53)                         Moved to October 2018; Possible PT into 2019
02/15/19     sui generis  (41)
02/xx/19     zinnie  (35)
03/08/19     ChasesFish
03/15/19     exit2019  (40)
03/xx/19     MissNancyPryor  (50)     
03/xx/19     Roboturner  (30)
03/xx/19     Edgema
03/25/19     MaybeBabyMustache
03/31/19     TartanTallulah  (55)           Moved to 2018 and is back again
04/01/19     Trifele  (52)
04/01/19     HalfStached  (41)
04/01/19     Gerardc  (35)
04/01/19     JoJo (45)
04/xx/19     Luck12  (41)
05/01/19     Albireo13  (61)
05/xx/19     Livingthedream55  (59)
05/xx/19     cerat0n1a                          Now planning summer 2018 FIRE
05/xx/19     dude                               
05/xx/19     SamIAm38  (29)
05/xx/19     FIRE 20/20  (42)
05/14/19     Mr. Ver (40)
05/17/19     Loren Ver (37)
05/31/19     Pylortes  (42)
05/31/19     Odiedog8590  (62)
06/01/19     2Birds1Stone  (32)
06/07/19     DreamFire
06/21/19     Parizade  (62)
06/22/19     Waffles  (52)
06/xx/19     Oldtoyota
06/xx/19     Itchyfeet  (47)
06/xx/19     Bateaux  (50)
06/xx/19     CryingInThePool  (44)
07/xx/19     powersuitrecall  (47)
07/xx/19     Enigma  (39)
07/xx/19     Thedividebyzero  (45)
08/12/19     Canadian Ben  (29)
09/02/19     Cornbread OMalley  (42)
09/xx/19     RetirementDreaming
09/27/19     Spreadsheet Man
10/xx/19     VoteCthulu  (39)
10/xx/19     Trix76  (43)
10/xx/19     MoMan  (55)
12/xx/19     markbike528cbx  (55)        OLY -- CONFIRMED 6-1-18; checking in as OP
12/xx/19     HBFI  (38)
12/xx/19     luckyme13  (45)
12/27/19     moxie
12/31/19     texxan1  (47)

2019 Cohort with date TBD:

madamwitty (36)
Lowerbills (40)
Chrissy (42)
Gerard
getoutsoon (52)
ysette9 (38)
Elaine amj (40)
IPlawyer
Chairman                           SemiFIRE 2018
     


« Last Edit: July 15, 2018, 03:51:40 AM by Trifele »

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #868 on: July 11, 2018, 07:33:12 AM »
This morning I had a startling thought.  I'm getting my hair cut next week  (which I do every six weeks).  After that I only have three more haircuts until I hand in my notice.  [smile] 

I am taking great pleasure in discovering new countdown methods.

Lews Therin

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #869 on: July 11, 2018, 08:43:24 AM »
I'm two weeks away from my "Victory lap" (Final year) And I have yet to take vacation this year.

SpareChange

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #870 on: July 11, 2018, 09:54:44 AM »
This morning I had a startling thought.  I'm getting my hair cut next week  (which I do every six weeks).  After that I only have three more haircuts until I hand in my notice.  [smile] 

I am taking great pleasure in discovering new countdown methods.

Lol! Now there's someone that's ready to set themselves on FIRE.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #871 on: July 12, 2018, 05:26:54 AM »
325 days!

We just ticked back over $500k NW this morning.

The market giveth and and the market taketh away just as quickly.

Is this one of those milestones we will cross over and over again lol?

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #872 on: July 13, 2018, 08:28:20 AM »
2019 Cohort Roster updated with age at FIRE if known and notes.   Let me know if you have any corrections.
 
...snip...
     

Thank you for updating!

So Right now the plan is for MR Ver to be out May 14th 2019, on his 40th Bday.  That is a Tuesday.  I'll probably go out that Friday, May 17th.  I'll be 37. 

As of right now, I really don't think either of us are going to be able to wait that long.  We are itching really bad.  But we did decide we don't want to retire to our messy house so we are spending the next 44ish weeks decluttering, cleaning, repairing, etc. That way we will have a nice home to retire to. 

The 2018 thread is amazing to read.  I've been popping in and it is so good to see people catching FIRE almost daily.  :D.

LV

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #873 on: July 13, 2018, 08:46:03 AM »
2019 Cohort Roster updated with age at FIRE if known and notes.   Let me know if you have any corrections.
 
...snip...
     

Thank you for updating!

So Right now the plan is for MR Ver to be out May 14th 2019, on his 40th Bday.  That is a Tuesday.  I'll probably go out that Friday, May 17th.  I'll be 37. 

As of right now, I really don't think either of us are going to be able to wait that long.  We are itching really bad.  But we did decide we don't want to retire to our messy house so we are spending the next 44ish weeks decluttering, cleaning, repairing, etc. That way we will have a nice home to retire to. 

The 2018 thread is amazing to read.  I've been popping in and it is so good to see people catching FIRE almost daily.  :D.

LV

Additional info added!  How exciting -- a FIRE couple.  And I hear you Loren Ver -- I don't know if I'll make it to April 1.  I am on fire with itching as well. 

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #874 on: July 13, 2018, 09:05:07 AM »
I just had the most intense week of work ever.

I have been involved in some intense negotiations on a very big project that will be a big deal to my company if we can secure it.

I have been working 14 hour days all week, and I have actually been enjoying it.

I have done some of my best work, cleverest manoeuvring and clearest thinking. Basically kicking ass.

In my exhausted state it has given me pause about FIRE. What am I FIREing to? Actually I do know the answer to this and it’s also exciting. There are so many things I have been putting off due to work commitments.

There are just too many things I want to do and not enough time. I need two of me.

One who doesnt work and can do all things I wished I could do if I had time and one of me who can keep surprising myself with skills I didn’t know I had.

tooqk4u22

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #875 on: July 13, 2018, 10:27:11 AM »

There are just too many things I want to do and not enough time. I need two of me.

One who doesnt work and can do all things I wished I could do if I had time and one of me who can keep surprising myself with skills I didn’t know I had.

That didn't work out too well in Multiplicity....


Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #876 on: July 13, 2018, 11:11:52 AM »
2019 Cohort Roster updated with age at FIRE if known and notes.   Let me know if you have any corrections.
 
...snip...
     

Thank you for updating!

So Right now the plan is for MR Ver to be out May 14th 2019, on his 40th Bday.  That is a Tuesday.  I'll probably go out that Friday, May 17th.  I'll be 37. 

As of right now, I really don't think either of us are going to be able to wait that long.  We are itching really bad.  But we did decide we don't want to retire to our messy house so we are spending the next 44ish weeks decluttering, cleaning, repairing, etc. That way we will have a nice home to retire to. 

The 2018 thread is amazing to read.  I've been popping in and it is so good to see people catching FIRE almost daily.  :D.

LV

Additional info added!  How exciting -- a FIRE couple.  And I hear you Loren Ver -- I don't know if I'll make it to April 1.  I am on fire with itching as well.

*scratch scratch scratch*

Love April 1st by the way. Good choice on date.  :D

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #877 on: July 13, 2018, 11:49:26 AM »

That didn't work out too well in Multiplicity....

I’ll have to check that movie out I guess.

DreamFIRE

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #878 on: July 13, 2018, 04:35:46 PM »
My stash is at a level I could cut back to 2% SWR if I felt the need and could still pay my barebones expenses, but I'm also starting to shift more out of stocks to reduce volatility of shaky markets and minimize the loss in a bear market.  When I get my AA right, I'll be more comfortable to FIRE.

Barring any negative changes in the ACA or a plummeting stock market, I expect to FIRE in May/June 2019.  Those things are out of my control, although I'm moving to a more conservative AA as I near FIRE to reduce volatility of my investments and help protect against SORR.

In the meantime, I'm still saving as much as ever, possibly 80% this year.

I finally got my asset allocation closer to where I had planned it.  If I include my total stash of savings/investments/retirement accounts, I was recently 80% invested in stock funds.  As of today, I have gotten that down to a much more conservative 62%.  While the S&P is still down from the record high, the funds in my retirement account had performed significantly better than the S&P YTD, so I decided to complete the transfer as planned.  With less than 1 year to FIRE and considering current stock valuations as well as other factors, I think this is a better AA for my situation while cFireSim gives 100% success for a 4% SWR when factoring in pension/fixed income after 15 years of FIRE.

Cornbread OMalley

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #879 on: July 13, 2018, 04:38:42 PM »
I just had the most intense week of work ever.

I have been involved in some intense negotiations on a very big project that will be a big deal to my company if we can secure it.

I have been working 14 hour days all week, and I have actually been enjoying it.

I have done some of my best work, cleverest manoeuvring and clearest thinking. Basically kicking ass.
Glad you had a great week!  Mine was intense too but for opposite reasons!!  hahaha!

DreamFIRE

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #880 on: July 13, 2018, 04:56:24 PM »

It's the reverse for me.  This is my favorite time of year.  Through the end of June, I had worked over 4 straight months without using a single benefit day, although I usually get weekends off.  Then I began my string of short weeks for most of the summer to start July, and I am continuing to take most Thursdays and Fridays off to get three-day 24-hour work weeks until Sept, then a few four-day work weeks in Sept, then I'll finally return to the regular five-day 40+ hour work weeks one after an other starting the last week of Sept.  It's great to feel like a part time worker for a good chunk of the summer.  When I'm back to the regular work groove, I'll be down to 8 months to my FIRE target date.

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #881 on: July 13, 2018, 09:52:22 PM »
I have 3 weeks vacation in August.

Basically, I get through the next 2 weeks and then I’m down to 10 months till FIRE.

I am then taking a week off in October, a week in December and a week next April.

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #882 on: July 14, 2018, 07:56:28 PM »
I have 3 weeks vacation in August.

Basically, I get through the next 2 weeks and then I’m down to 10 months till FIRE.

I am then taking a week off in October, a week in December and a week next April.

Very similar to mine, spending part of the weekend trying to plan out vacation for the rest of the year.  I was doing some research and they moved around our restricted stock, pushing my notice period back for three weeks.  Looks like a February 19th resignation date with 30 days notice.  Stock comes due as long as I'm "employed" on March 15th.  Recent people who've left told me to wait until March 18th to resign just to make sure, but its killing me pushing the date further and further back, especially since this week marks two weeks worked past my original date

SpareChange

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #883 on: July 15, 2018, 02:12:41 PM »
Ugh. This year so far has been a grind. I'm putting in 6 days a week at work on average. Had a stretch a few months ago where I worked 30+ days straight. The OT is great though, and never guaranteed to come around....

2019, where art thou???

gerardc

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #884 on: July 15, 2018, 09:05:29 PM »
I have 3 weeks vacation in August.

Basically, I get through the next 2 weeks and then I’m down to 10 months till FIRE.

I am then taking a week off in October, a week in December and a week next April.

Very similar to mine, spending part of the weekend trying to plan out vacation for the rest of the year.  I was doing some research and they moved around our restricted stock, pushing my notice period back for three weeks.  Looks like a February 19th resignation date with 30 days notice.  Stock comes due as long as I'm "employed" on March 15th.  Recent people who've left told me to wait until March 18th to resign just to make sure, but its killing me pushing the date further and further back, especially since this week marks two weeks worked past my original date

Similar issue with vesting here. It depends on your company. I trust my (large) company to do the right thing as they've always done. I'd be extremely surprised if they fired me right after giving my notice.

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #885 on: July 16, 2018, 03:54:09 AM »
I have 3 weeks vacation in August.

Basically, I get through the next 2 weeks and then I’m down to 10 months till FIRE.

I am then taking a week off in October, a week in December and a week next April.

Very similar to mine, spending part of the weekend trying to plan out vacation for the rest of the year.  I was doing some research and they moved around our restricted stock, pushing my notice period back for three weeks.  Looks like a February 19th resignation date with 30 days notice.  Stock comes due as long as I'm "employed" on March 15th.  Recent people who've left told me to wait until March 18th to resign just to make sure, but its killing me pushing the date further and further back, especially since this week marks two weeks worked past my original date

Similar issue with vesting here. It depends on your company. I trust my (large) company to do the right thing as they've always done. I'd be extremely surprised if they fired me right after giving my notice.

Yes, similar vesting issue here.  One reason I decided not to FIRE in 2018 is that I vest in my employer's 401k contributions at the end of the year.  I decided to wait until after that to give notice -- to ensure no monkey business.  I would trust my employer not to do that, but we're in the middle of being purchased by MegaCorp, and who knows what they might do if they are calling the shots by then.   

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #886 on: July 16, 2018, 05:12:17 AM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?

Since DH and I moved the date up recently, we are figuring these out at a bit for a scramble.

A few of the items were are working through:
Figure out house repairs and changes we want to do before retirement.  We want to retire into a nicer clean home so much of this is decluttering.  We are also looking at some big projects, replacing porch, replacing basement stairs, replacing carpet. 

Making a draw down and conversion plan.  DH 401k, that doesn't have much in it, has big fees and other costs. We need to get that money out as soon as we can, but not get our "income" up to high doing so.  We also want to get as much money into 401ks before we leave as possible.  This could be up to 100% for DH if his company will let him do it. 

We want to pay off the house to reduce our spending to reduce our SoR risks.

We need to make sure our vacation time is used as neither company pays it out.  My company gives me all my days on Jan 1st, but if you use too many, you have to pay them back. 

I want to get some work projects nicely tied up or packaged for the next person. 

How about you?
Loren


   

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #887 on: July 16, 2018, 05:42:00 AM »
I have 3 weeks vacation in August.

Basically, I get through the next 2 weeks and then I’m down to 10 months till FIRE.

I am then taking a week off in October, a week in December and a week next April.

Very similar to mine, spending part of the weekend trying to plan out vacation for the rest of the year.  I was doing some research and they moved around our restricted stock, pushing my notice period back for three weeks.  Looks like a February 19th resignation date with 30 days notice.  Stock comes due as long as I'm "employed" on March 15th.  Recent people who've left told me to wait until March 18th to resign just to make sure, but its killing me pushing the date further and further back, especially since this week marks two weeks worked past my original date

Similar issue with vesting here. It depends on your company. I trust my (large) company to do the right thing as they've always done. I'd be extremely surprised if they fired me right after giving my notice.

Yes, similar vesting issue here.  One reason I decided not to FIRE in 2018 is that I vest in my employer's 401k contributions at the end of the year.  I decided to wait until after that to give notice -- to ensure no monkey business.  I would trust my employer not to do that, but we're in the middle of being purchased by MegaCorp, and who knows what they might do if they are calling the shots by then.

I'd give my right arm for my mega-corp to be bought, but its not going to happen.   A buyout would result in almost half a million dollars for me, but unfortunately the regulators aren't going to approve a consolidation of two already pretty large banks.

I am probably going to have to trust them to do the right thing and I'll resign on February 19th right after the Monday holiday.  Handbook says 30 days notice for officers and I'll specifically define it as a retirement, sabbatical, and spending more time with my family.   It might have to move a few days depending on how the bonus pool shakes out.


PhilB

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #888 on: July 16, 2018, 07:28:58 AM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?

Since DH and I moved the date up recently, we are figuring these out at a bit for a scramble.

A few of the items were are working through:
Figure out house repairs and changes we want to do before retirement.  We want to retire into a nicer clean home so much of this is decluttering.  We are also looking at some big projects, replacing porch, replacing basement stairs, replacing carpet. 
...
Lots of people seem to have this attitude and I have to admit I find it hard to understand.  I plan to do all those kind of jobs AFTER I retire - when I will have so much more time and attention to devote to them rather than scramble to try and fit them in around my job.

TartanTallulah

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #889 on: July 16, 2018, 07:58:22 AM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?

Since DH and I moved the date up recently, we are figuring these out at a bit for a scramble.

A few of the items were are working through:
Figure out house repairs and changes we want to do before retirement.  We want to retire into a nicer clean home so much of this is decluttering.  We are also looking at some big projects, replacing porch, replacing basement stairs, replacing carpet. 

Making a draw down and conversion plan.  DH 401k, that doesn't have much in it, has big fees and other costs. We need to get that money out as soon as we can, but not get our "income" up to high doing so.  We also want to get as much money into 401ks before we leave as possible.  This could be up to 100% for DH if his company will let him do it. 

We want to pay off the house to reduce our spending to reduce our SoR risks.

We need to make sure our vacation time is used as neither company pays it out.  My company gives me all my days on Jan 1st, but if you use too many, you have to pay them back. 

I want to get some work projects nicely tied up or packaged for the next person. 

How about you?
Loren


 

I'm now 15 weeks out from retirement and suspect my nose will be to the grindstone for the entire time and I'll get nothing done.

But ...

Ensure I have enough liquid cash/sessional work to bridge the gap between R-day and taking my pension.

Apply for my pension. It takes at least four months to organise.

Get all my details to the accountant and be proactive about getting the money I'm owed from two years of being massively underpaid (around 18 months' projected retirement living expenses, or several years of bolstering my pension) out of the business account and into my own account.

Survive, and burn no bridges.

itchyfeet

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #890 on: July 16, 2018, 12:28:24 PM »
RE will be a great leap into the unknown for us.

We will repatriate to Australia but have no idea where in Australia.

But, that’s still almost 2 years away.

We will FIRE in 11.5 months and then the plan is to travel for 9 months or so while our life is stored in a shipping container. We will just put the container on a ship to Australia andleace the shipping company to store our stuff for 9 months. Not quite sure what we will do with more personal/ valuable items.

For now everything is still quite a ways off so business as usual for us until early next year.

DreamFIRE

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #891 on: July 16, 2018, 04:44:21 PM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?

Since DH and I moved the date up recently, we are figuring these out at a bit for a scramble.

A few of the items were are working through:
Figure out house repairs and changes we want to do before retirement.  We want to retire into a nicer clean home so much of this is decluttering.  We are also looking at some big projects, replacing porch, replacing basement stairs, replacing carpet. 
...
Lots of people seem to have this attitude and I have to admit I find it hard to understand.  I plan to do all those kind of jobs AFTER I retire - when I will have so much more time and attention to devote to them rather than scramble to try and fit them in around my job.

I thought the same when I read that post this morning.  I have a whole list of projects to do around the house, and I've been putting them off since I have less than 11 months to my FIRE date.  I can see the advantage of being able to FIRE and having all (or most) of it already completed, but I don't have a lot of free time as it is without trying to squeeze all of that in as well.  Maybe I can make some progress and pick off some of the low hanging fruit, but a lot of this stuff is likely going to be postponed until I FIRE (or at least go part time, if that happens).

Prior to FIRE, I'll be following any developments in the ACA.  I might start selling off some extra stuff in preparation for possibly relocating, but an actual move wouldn't likely be in my first year of FIRE, so there's no rush to sell off.  I'll probably try to line up some travel plans in advance to enjoy some of my early FIRE time doing something special by getting away before working on the home projects.  Also need to get the "all clear" exam before I FIRE.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 05:16:07 PM by DreamFIRE »

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #892 on: July 17, 2018, 04:50:05 AM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?


We have a big to-do list, most of it house related.  We are more than halfway through a DIY gut renovation of our house.  That has to be finished (or at least the end has to be in sight) before I can FIRE.  Although we could save up the cash for expenses and have it waiting, this type of renovation -- bringing an old neglected house back to life -- has a way of taking sharp unexpected turns.  Things that cost a lot of effort and money.  Like the time we discovered the cut floor joists and had to jack one end of the house and do major foundational repairs.  Or the day we found that the roof's ridge pole (a 60 foot poplar tree with the bark still on) could not be salvaged and had to come down.  I just need to see the finish line and know there won't be any more major surprises coming.  That should happen this winter I think. 

I'm also trying to figure out health insurance, but that should hopefully be ok IF the ACA does not undergo major changes this year.  I'll have to find some travel insurance, because we're planning on a couple trips.

Last but not least I'm doing some income planning -- trying to optimize it for next year for both tax and ACA purposes.  I'll be front-loading my HSA and 401k, and maybe FIREing a little earlier.

But for the most part, yeah -- it is a leap into the unknown.  :)   

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #893 on: July 17, 2018, 05:04:13 AM »
So as we are coming down the home stretch I was wondering what items you all have on your "to do" lists before you pull the rip cord (or if you are going out early 2019, what did you want to make sure you do before hand)?

Since DH and I moved the date up recently, we are figuring these out at a bit for a scramble.

A few of the items were are working through:
Figure out house repairs and changes we want to do before retirement.  We want to retire into a nicer clean home so much of this is decluttering.  We are also looking at some big projects, replacing porch, replacing basement stairs, replacing carpet. 
...
Lots of people seem to have this attitude and I have to admit I find it hard to understand.  I plan to do all those kind of jobs AFTER I retire - when I will have so much more time and attention to devote to them rather than scramble to try and fit them in around my job.

That is a good point.  Mostly we are evaluating, like the carpeting probably wont happen until a few years after FIRE (we have been putting it off for 11 years, whats a few more).  It kinda falls into two buckets: mental and financial.

Mental - having these project means we are working toward our FIRE date with things we want to do instead of just waiting to get things started.  Having project goals in mind and completing them is a great feeling.  Why put off today if I can get it done and start enjoying it.  I'm one of those people that likes to clean the house during the work week before leaving on vacation.  Sure I can clean it up when I get back during my re-balancing day, but I would much rather come back to a clean house. 

Financial - I'd rather make big purchases while the fire hose of cash is still coming in and when that spending isn't going to be used to determine my taxes and subsidies after I retire.  Or at least have the cash on hand once the year closes.  In 2018, we are already paying lots of taxes even with all our pretax investments.  In 2019, the goal is to get our taxable income low.  That way we have some wiggle room to start getting DH 401k out of his terrible options and converted to something better and cheaper. 

Loren

edgema

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #894 on: July 17, 2018, 05:31:47 AM »
I am with those that wonder why people would want to pack in renovation style work prior to leaving work. After FIRE you can tackle (and probably enjoy) some jobs yourself and those you cannot would be better supervised closely anyway. I believe it is a cognitive bias (we all have) to find it easier to spend the money now, while you are still accumulating, even if it doesn't make analytical sense in my view. 

Over the past three years we have made the big changes to prepare for FIRE, most notably 1) Moved area and house to reduce housing cost 2) bought investment properties to provide a core income 3) fixed our home mortgage at 2.39% for 10 years to take out interest rate risk, and 3) continued to save. One of my 'problems' is that there isn't much I feel the need to do now and it is more a case of waiting for the dates to come around and not waste life 'living in the future' in the meantime.

I spend more time imagining what to do immediately after FIRE. Travel will be a big part of whatever we choose and most likely we will take our kids (8,6) out of school for up to a year. Either living on a boat for that time or breaking the time into shorter trips on boats and roaming around in our camper van.

I do sometimes consider all the jobs I would like to do on the house but that stuff can wait. I will do it, and will enjoy it, but not for me to quit my career to immediately work on our bathroom. I've ground out 20 years in a career that has paid well but I have never loved, so stage one is to reward myself and family with some hopefully amazing experiences. 

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #895 on: July 17, 2018, 10:21:47 AM »
Oh, I forgot an item on my to-do list:  Investigate starting a Roth conversion pipeline next year.  If our income is as low as I think it might be next year, could be a very good move to get that going. 

I really have to dig in and learn more about taxes this year too, as I come down the home stretch. 

sui generis

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #896 on: July 17, 2018, 12:02:09 PM »
Count me among those that consider it a win to just put a project/idea on my to-do list for after FIRE, much less the thought of actually digging into any of them.  My to-do list is so disorganized (and is actually in about 3-4 random parts depending on where I am when I think of something to add) that I hope I can figure out what I meant when I RE!  I unfortunately assigned myself a project that cannot be delayed until after RE when I popped the question to my BF on our recent vacation.  I mean, we could delay it, but it seems silly, especially at our ages, to not get married for up to 2 years after our engagement because we waited almost a year to even start planning!  It'll be small - 10-30 people probably.  But it's already stressful!

On the RE front, I updated my NW calculations yesterday and found I had hit 3.5% WR on a fairly fat FI budget.  So that feels *great*.  I should quit now, given how much I hate my job.  But, I made a plan to quit 2/19, so it feels irrational or unsafe or something to change my plans.  "Good girls" stick to the plan and don't pull the rip cord abruptly before the agreed moment!  Also, although our wedding will be pretty inexpensive, might as well save up some extra money for that right?  I don't know, though, if I will last 7 more months.  I can pretty much guarantee I'm not going to give notice today, but beyond that, who knows? :)

OTOH, I worry about *not* pulling the rip cord sooner.  I never had a firm number that I had to hit, just a range, and I am within it.  And waiting is just more time of my life I'm missing out on.  As anyone does, I want the safety of more money "just in case".  Part of it is that a significant amount of the money I am counting on continuing in perpetuity is not just traditional investments.  What if it disappeared?  But this is perhaps as likely as taking a 75% loss in the market.  Yes it can happen, and it would be a disaster, but it's tail risk, and you can't live your life based on tail risk.  Well, I guess some people can, but I'm not willing to, though it does nag at me.  Which I think is normal.  Saving up more money to hit a good benchmark like 3.5% and seeing a Life Coach to prepare psychologically for RE were two things that were going to keep me busy until I could actually RE and not get too itchy in the meantime.  Well, I made great progress with the Coach, we've already hit all the topics I wanted to address, so now I have very little to help me bide my time.  So I'm getting itchy.  Which brings me in a nice circle back to the previous paragraph, where good girls don't FIRE just because they are itchy. 

2Birds1Stone

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #897 on: July 17, 2018, 06:49:34 PM »
Count me among those that consider it a win to just put a project/idea on my to-do list for after FIRE, much less the thought of actually digging into any of them.  My to-do list is so disorganized (and is actually in about 3-4 random parts depending on where I am when I think of something to add) that I hope I can figure out what I meant when I RE!  I unfortunately assigned myself a project that cannot be delayed until after RE when I popped the question to my BF on our recent vacation.  I mean, we could delay it, but it seems silly, especially at our ages, to not get married for up to 2 years after our engagement because we waited almost a year to even start planning!  It'll be small - 10-30 people probably.  But it's already stressful!

On the RE front, I updated my NW calculations yesterday and found I had hit 3.5% WR on a fairly fat FI budget.  So that feels *great*.  I should quit now, given how much I hate my job.  But, I made a plan to quit 2/19, so it feels irrational or unsafe or something to change my plans.  "Good girls" stick to the plan and don't pull the rip cord abruptly before the agreed moment!  Also, although our wedding will be pretty inexpensive, might as well save up some extra money for that right?  I don't know, though, if I will last 7 more months.  I can pretty much guarantee I'm not going to give notice today, but beyond that, who knows? :)

OTOH, I worry about *not* pulling the rip cord sooner.  I never had a firm number that I had to hit, just a range, and I am within it.  And waiting is just more time of my life I'm missing out on.  As anyone does, I want the safety of more money "just in case".  Part of it is that a significant amount of the money I am counting on continuing in perpetuity is not just traditional investments.  What if it disappeared?  But this is perhaps as likely as taking a 75% loss in the market.  Yes it can happen, and it would be a disaster, but it's tail risk, and you can't live your life based on tail risk.  Well, I guess some people can, but I'm not willing to, though it does nag at me.  Which I think is normal.  Saving up more money to hit a good benchmark like 3.5% and seeing a Life Coach to prepare psychologically for RE were two things that were going to keep me busy until I could actually RE and not get too itchy in the meantime.  Well, I made great progress with the Coach, we've already hit all the topics I wanted to address, so now I have very little to help me bide my time.  So I'm getting itchy.  Which brings me in a nice circle back to the previous paragraph, where good girls don't FIRE just because they are itchy.

3.5% has never failed
F will continue to work
You will get SS at some point (even reduced or changed system)
You can always get a job in the future if you need money or get bored and can't figure out how to occupy your time.

As much as it sucks losing a member of this cohort, I firmly nudge you to the 2018 one ;)

markbike528CBX

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #898 on: July 17, 2018, 07:56:30 PM »
Count me among those that consider it a win to just put a project/idea on my to-do list for after FIRE, much less the thought of actually digging into any of them.  My to-do list is so disorganized (and is actually in about 3-4 random parts depending on where I am when I think of something to add) that I hope I can figure out what I meant when I RE!  I unfortunately assigned myself a project that cannot be delayed until after RE when I popped the question to my BF on our recent vacation.  I mean, we could delay it, but it seems silly, especially at our ages, to not get married for up to 2 years after our engagement because we waited almost a year to even start planning!  It'll be small - 10-30 people probably.  But it's already stressful!

On the RE front, I updated my NW calculations yesterday and found I had hit 3.5% WR on a fairly fat FI budget. So that feels *great*.  I should quit now, given how much I hate my job.  But, I made a plan to quit 2/19, so it feels irrational or unsafe or something to change my plans.  "Good girls" stick to the plan and don't pull the rip cord abruptly before the agreed moment!  Also, although our wedding will be pretty inexpensive, might as well save up some extra money for that right?  I don't know, though, if I will last 7 more months.  I can pretty much guarantee I'm not going to give notice today, but beyond that, who knows? :)

OTOH, I worry about *not* pulling the rip cord sooner.  I never had a firm number that I had to hit, just a range, and I am within it.  And waiting is just more time of my life I'm missing out on.  As anyone does, I want the safety of more money "just in case".  Part of it is that a significant amount of the money I am counting on continuing in perpetuity is not just traditional investments.  What if it disappeared?  But this is perhaps as likely as taking a 75% loss in the market.  Yes it can happen, and it would be a disaster, but it's tail risk, and you can't live your life based on tail risk.  Well, I guess some people can, but I'm not willing to, though it does nag at me.  Which I think is normal.  Saving up more money to hit a good benchmark like 3.5% and seeing a Life Coach to prepare psychologically for RE were two things that were going to keep me busy until I could actually RE and not get too itchy in the meantime.  Well, I made great progress with the Coach, we've already hit all the topics I wanted to address, so now I have very little to help me bide my time.  So I'm getting itchy.  Which brings me in a nice circle back to the previous paragraph, where good girls don't FIRE just because they are itchy.

3.5% has never failed
F will continue to work
You will get SS at some point (even reduced or changed system)
You can always get a job in the future if you need money or get bored and can't figure out how to occupy your time.

As much as it sucks losing a member of this cohort, I firmly nudge you to the 2018 one ;)

As OP of this thread, AND a defector to the 2018 thread, I concur with 2Birds1Stone, and invite you to FIRE in 2018.     There is no shame or problem moving forward a year ( in your case, a few months).

sui generis

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #899 on: July 17, 2018, 10:26:23 PM »
Count me among those that consider it a win to just put a project/idea on my to-do list for after FIRE, much less the thought of actually digging into any of them.  My to-do list is so disorganized (and is actually in about 3-4 random parts depending on where I am when I think of something to add) that I hope I can figure out what I meant when I RE!  I unfortunately assigned myself a project that cannot be delayed until after RE when I popped the question to my BF on our recent vacation.  I mean, we could delay it, but it seems silly, especially at our ages, to not get married for up to 2 years after our engagement because we waited almost a year to even start planning!  It'll be small - 10-30 people probably.  But it's already stressful!

On the RE front, I updated my NW calculations yesterday and found I had hit 3.5% WR on a fairly fat FI budget. So that feels *great*.  I should quit now, given how much I hate my job.  But, I made a plan to quit 2/19, so it feels irrational or unsafe or something to change my plans.  "Good girls" stick to the plan and don't pull the rip cord abruptly before the agreed moment!  Also, although our wedding will be pretty inexpensive, might as well save up some extra money for that right?  I don't know, though, if I will last 7 more months.  I can pretty much guarantee I'm not going to give notice today, but beyond that, who knows? :)

OTOH, I worry about *not* pulling the rip cord sooner.  I never had a firm number that I had to hit, just a range, and I am within it.  And waiting is just more time of my life I'm missing out on.  As anyone does, I want the safety of more money "just in case".  Part of it is that a significant amount of the money I am counting on continuing in perpetuity is not just traditional investments.  What if it disappeared?  But this is perhaps as likely as taking a 75% loss in the market.  Yes it can happen, and it would be a disaster, but it's tail risk, and you can't live your life based on tail risk.  Well, I guess some people can, but I'm not willing to, though it does nag at me.  Which I think is normal.  Saving up more money to hit a good benchmark like 3.5% and seeing a Life Coach to prepare psychologically for RE were two things that were going to keep me busy until I could actually RE and not get too itchy in the meantime.  Well, I made great progress with the Coach, we've already hit all the topics I wanted to address, so now I have very little to help me bide my time.  So I'm getting itchy.  Which brings me in a nice circle back to the previous paragraph, where good girls don't FIRE just because they are itchy.

3.5% has never failed
F will continue to work
You will get SS at some point (even reduced or changed system)
You can always get a job in the future if you need money or get bored and can't figure out how to occupy your time.

As much as it sucks losing a member of this cohort, I firmly nudge you to the 2018 one ;)

As OP of this thread, AND a defector to the 2018 thread, I concur with 2Birds1Stone, and invite you to FIRE in 2018.     There is no shame or problem moving forward a year ( in your case, a few months).

hahaha, well, thanks @2Birds1Stone and @markbike528CBX! I appreciate the push.  I'm not gonna waste anyone's time quibbling back and forth over a list of "buts"....BUT... I do feel like I either need to pull the cord soon or just wait those few months because....it's suddenly looking like I have a chance of making my bonus this year after all (which I was skeptical about for the last few months, due to a couple slow months earlier in the year).  It's been so intense lately, that suddenly I only need to bill about 42.5 hours per week till November (the end of my bonus year) to get the bonus.  So, I either need to cut my losses ASAP, or stick around.  There's no use working all the way through November and then not staying an employee in good standing long enough for them to hand me about $35k (post tax) on 2/1/19. 

Ugh.  Decisions are hard.

Also?  Ugh. I said "only need to bill about 42.5 hours per week."  I kind of hate myself for that.