Author Topic: 2021 FIRE Cohort  (Read 353330 times)

LightTripper

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #850 on: February 04, 2021, 06:33:44 AM »
Heard all the cool kids were here. Way past FIRE number and at risk of becoming institutionalized for the Shawshank fans. I was going to call it end of March 2020 but COVID hit so I was like I can loaf this gravy train for a bit and then Covid-19 vaccine work hit and I ended up working 5 months straight at a furious pace.   I would have felt like a dick if I left my coworkers as rare experience and engineering tech manager position made me hard to replace as the timeline was very, very compressed. 

   Once my part ended and care for parents required more time I went to half time. Boss knows, bosses boss knows, HR knows, and I am heading off to RE land later than I should have but in an excessively strong position. In view of pandemic, work on vaccine project was the single best thing I have done and the hardest I have worked. Wear a mask and take the GD vaccine when you can. Have nominal 1 month of actual working days and about half is of that is vacation so I am geeked to do 100 things outside of work.  Glad to see my moustachian homies doing well.

This is all incredibly cool.  Hope you really enjoy your free time, and thank you so much for all your hard work (and to your colleagues!)  My parents got their first dose a couple of weeks ago and the relief/release of mental load on all of my generation (who haven't even been vaccinated yet) is IMMENSE.  Just to know there is a time coming when we will be able to see our loved ones without worrying about accidentally killing them....

Chaplin

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #851 on: February 04, 2021, 09:59:13 PM »
One month (20%) of my five month notice period is done. It's going to be a grind to the finish.

Why five months? My conscience required it, and there are some financial benefits too, but I'll be questioning my decision more and more as it drags on.

dividendman

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #852 on: February 05, 2021, 11:24:33 AM »
Last day today! woot.

Dreamer40

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #853 on: February 05, 2021, 11:59:46 AM »
Last day today! woot.

Congrats!!!! What a beautiful thing to see. And congrats to Chaplin, too. Making progress!

I have 26 more days. But it was almost cut short this week when my office torpedoed my PIV card Tuesday (i.e., the chipped card that allows me to connect remotely via a card reader). Someone with a similar name quit this week so they blindly shut down my account without doublechecking that they had the right person. But I got a new temporary card today in the mail and am back online. Nobody in my office management cared that I didn't have remote access. I was totally on my own to fight with HR, the security office, and the tech help desk for days. So I guess they won't care when I don't get much done this month... Sucks to feel so much negativity in my final weeks. But it affirms my decision to leave! If I hadn't resigned already, I would have this week.

TheContinentalOp

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #854 on: February 05, 2021, 12:50:24 PM »
I was putting all my paycheck (except for withholding) into my 401-k in 2021. But for some reason this last check, payroll went back to my 2020 scheme of U$1000/per paycheck into the 401-k. They apologized and say it will be fixed for next pay, but there's nothing they can do about it. (Which I believe is a lie. It might be really complicated and time-consuming, but I bet they could fix it. They just don't want to make the effort.)

dblaace

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #855 on: February 05, 2021, 03:07:55 PM »

dividendman

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #856 on: February 05, 2021, 04:06:31 PM »
Last day today! woot.
Congrats!

Thanks all. I guess I'm less excited than I should be since I already did this a few years ago but then.... just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in. :D

Hopefully it sticks this time!

Sultan58

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #857 on: February 06, 2021, 09:28:55 AM »
Confirmed....I'm out....First week was GLORIOUS!!!

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #858 on: February 06, 2021, 01:28:25 PM »
Last day today! woot.

That is great news!

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #859 on: February 06, 2021, 01:29:20 PM »
Confirmed....I'm out....First week was GLORIOUS!!!
Congratulations!

skyrefuge

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #860 on: February 06, 2021, 04:57:19 PM »
Sorry to add more work in your retirement, SHG. Early March for me, age 43. First-time cohort-joiner.

Original projections from way back targeted ~2019, but then I went and got married, whoops. Then the fairly-specific plan of the last couple years was August 2020, at which point we would become bicycle-based nomads for a few years. COVID hit right as I was about to give my manager a 6-month warning, so I decided to hold off on that talk and keep the money rolling in as long as we were stuck at home.

Next plan was ~May 2021, after the 2nd quarterly RSU payout. Told my manager (who has been my manager my entire career) that rough plan in December. He wasn't too shocked, since he remembered me talking early-retirement >10 years ago, and then revealed he had somewhat-early retirement plans somewhere on the horizon too, partly due to my influence from those days (yay!)

But after making it "real" with that talk, my motivation (which hadn't been great recently anyway) took quite a nosedive. Something suddenly just felt useless about keeping track of all the "big picture" stuff constantly whirling about, knowledge necessary to do my job well, but costly to maintain. So after much internal struggle, I upgraded(?) to early March, long enough for one RSU payout, and to leave things in a nice-ish state for my colleagues. Even though we still won't be converting to nomads 'til the summer.

You can include me in the scared-shitless cohort too. Even though our NW is way higher than I ever imagined it would be. Like, just holding on for 3 more months for another RSU payout (life-changing money to the average American) seems like such a no-brainer, and I actually feel guilty for refusing to make that trade, especially since we aren't going anywhere yet anyway!

Part of the problem is an unexpected boost over the last couple years opened the lifestyle-inflating possibility to settle in some pricey real-estate areas that we wouldn't have even considered previously, and due to our upcoming homelessness, the precise costs of such settlement are currently unpredictable. That's an uncomfortable situation for someone who has precisely tracked his expenses for 15+ years to prove his FIRE-worthiness to himself. But hopefully we can maintain a super-low WR during our nomad time, and also use it to manage some of that dreaded early-years sequence-of-return risk.

Anyway, glad (and nervous) to be here in this support-group!

HumanAfterAll

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #861 on: February 06, 2021, 09:10:29 PM »
Welcome skyrefuge! I like the sound of your plan!  I’m hoping to get a few multi-day bike trips in this summer, but nothing that qualifies as nomad status!

We hit a milestone this week - our investments reached our FI number for the first time!  I’m expecting they may dip below that, but wow, compound interest is amazing! 

Like you, these crazy market returns make the thought of selling my time for more paychecks less appealing, especially when investment returns are outpacing paychecks.

exit2019

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #862 on: February 08, 2021, 10:08:04 PM »
I am just a few days out, but I will be delaying a little -  I have a big decision to make which can't be made until the 26th, so I'm at least delaying an extra 2w.

Aethonan

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #863 on: February 09, 2021, 07:38:50 PM »
You can include me in the scared-shitless cohort too.

Lol.  Welcome to the club! ;) Congrats on making a huge (albeit also scary) step.  Do you have a specific plan for your nomad times?  Seems like a great way to protect against those SORR-scaries.

ixtap

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #864 on: February 09, 2021, 08:05:20 PM »

 Told my manager (who has been my manager my entire career) that rough plan in December. He wasn't too shocked, since he remembered me talking early-retirement >10 years ago, and then revealed he had somewhat-early retirement plans somewhere on the horizon too, partly due to my influence from those days (yay!)


DH has a mentor who has been his manager on and off and recruited him to the current company. Ever since moving over to the new company, he has made no secret of his plans. However, when he touched base with his mentor a couple of months ago, he still seemed to think it was inconceivable. A week or two later, someone higher up in their company announced their retirement in their early 50s and everyone was just kind of "Must be nice." Uh, hello? Anyone listening? I think it won't be real to them until DH turns in his notice, which he just isn't ready to do yet.

skyrefuge

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #865 on: February 10, 2021, 02:17:52 PM »
Just informed HR that March 12th will be my last day, so it's real now! Still not feeling any overwhelming joy, or peace, but I guess I should take the fact that I continue to at least move forward on this, despite the anxiety, as evidence that I'm winning against that anxiety / OneMoreYear/Month/Week-itis.

Welcome skyrefuge! I like the sound of your plan!  I’m hoping to get a few multi-day bike trips in this summer, but nothing that qualifies as nomad status!

Thank you! I now realize I haven't updated my location, I've been in the Seattle area too for the last 18 months. As a consolation prize for not retiring last August, we did an 8-day loop on our bikes around the Olympic peninsula, highly recommended! Being retired this spring (while still staying in the area) means maybe this time we'll get a good chance to ride a car-free SR20 into North Cascades NP on a Tuesday with an abnormally warm-and-sunny forecast.

Like you, these crazy market returns make the thought of selling my time for more paychecks less appealing, especially when investment returns are outpacing paychecks.

Yep, NW was up ~$50k in the two business days since I joined this thread, that sure helped highlight the futility of "one more week" and help steel my nerve. Though on the other hand "retiring at a market peak" wouldn't have been how I drew it up either.

Lol.  Welcome to the club! ;) Congrats on making a huge (albeit also scary) step.  Do you have a specific plan for your nomad times?  Seems like a great way to protect against those SORR-scaries.

Thank you! Our plan is a long-term, long-distance self-contained bike tour, with rough shapes planned. My wife has been saying "3 to 5 years", which would be awesome, but who knows? One target is to hit all 50 states, so we'll be starting with the lower-48 in late summer, heading south, see if we can do a semi-outdoor winter along the southern border, and then hopefully will be able to get through the next winter in New Zealand, and after that, who knows! Riding bikes, staying physically strong, and limiting our possessions to what we can strap to our bikes means we'll ironically be living a more-Mustachian lifestyle than we ever did pre-retirement!

And yeah, even if we get soft and spend way more than the average long-term bike-tourists, at a minimum we should get a better idea how much money we "really" have when it comes time to settle again, because we'll know if current market valuations were a one-time fluke, the start of a relatively-stable plateau, or even just a point on a still-continuing upslope. But the bike tour has been a long-planned thing (even somewhat of a motivation for early-retirement), because that's what we love to do; any improvements to our portfolio-survivability are just a lucky side-effect.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #866 on: February 11, 2021, 03:34:43 PM »
I've been telling more and more people - at work and otherwise.  Today, I took a step that felt weird: I stopped contributing to my after-tax 401(k)/Mega Backdoor Roth.  I feel like we need the liquidity in the short term more than we need the additional money in Roth.  With house prices still increasing unrelentingly where we want to buy, we may need to bring quite a bit of cash to the table at closing.  Between that and all of the costs associated with relocating and fixing up our current place to sell, we could end up in a bit of a cash crunch.  I could sell some of our taxable ETFs if really needed, but I'd much rather avoid that tax hit while living in California with a 25% LTCG tax rate. 

Much Fishing to Do

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #867 on: February 11, 2021, 05:09:04 PM »
I've been telling more and more people - at work and otherwise.  Today, I took a step that felt weird: I stopped contributing to my after-tax 401(k)/Mega Backdoor Roth.  I feel like we need the liquidity in the short term more than we need the additional money in Roth.  With house prices still increasing unrelentingly where we want to buy, we may need to bring quite a bit of cash to the table at closing.  Between that and all of the costs associated with relocating and fixing up our current place to sell, we could end up in a bit of a cash crunch.  I could sell some of our taxable ETFs if really needed, but I'd much rather avoid that tax hit while living in California with a 25% LTCG tax rate.
Yeah, that tax hit would be brutal.  What's your current cash holding?

I've been shifting more to cash and bonds over the past 3 years as I wind up (gone from 95/5 equities/bonds to 75equities/15 cash/10 bonds) and the hits hasn't 'seemed' too bad mostly selling the stuff thats not as appreciated, but it still hurts given I expect to be close to a zero tax rate in RE.

exit2019

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #868 on: February 11, 2021, 09:48:15 PM »
With house prices still increasing unrelentingly where we want to buy, we may need to bring quite a bit of cash to the table at closing.  Between that and all of the costs associated with relocating and fixing up our current place to sell, we could end up in a bit of a cash crunch.  I could sell some of our taxable ETFs if really needed, but I'd much rather avoid that tax hit while living in California with a 25% LTCG tax rate.

I am very curious where people are going.  We are in the bay area and plan to leave; we could stay perpetually but I'd like to get out, not just because of the crowding but also because I'd like a bit more property than we have now in the Valley and that.. is crazy expensive.

Covid19 blew up our chance to cover our bases there visiting for a few weeks the areas we've been pondering (by doing a few trips over the year); so my plan now is to do it after pulling the trigger, but I'm curious how people have decided. We've been looking at Asheville, Nashville, and Portland metro..

Aethonan

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #869 on: February 12, 2021, 03:20:41 PM »

Covid19 blew up our chance to cover our bases there visiting for a few weeks the areas we've been pondering (by doing a few trips over the year); so my plan now is to do it after pulling the trigger, but I'm curious how people have decided. We've been looking at Asheville, Nashville, and Portland metro..


If two of your options are Asheville and Nashville, then you will NOT like the Portland metro weather :)  We went from the bay area to Portland a while back.  While I love it, I also love moss and running in the rain.  Depends on your priorities ;)

exit2019

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #870 on: February 12, 2021, 08:45:41 PM »
I grew up in a place with weather and miss it, Portland concern isn't the rain as much as the grey. But we need to see it for ourselves.

Given the nationwide weather right now, all bets may be off. A friend is driving on icy, snowy roads in Austin..

Need2Save

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #871 on: February 13, 2021, 07:21:25 AM »
I'm OLYing from the 2022 thread to here.  Will you folks have me?

Exact date TBD but likely between May 12 and July 2.  Waiting for an annual bonus before giving my notice.  Notice period will depend on a few factors. Will report back in April my anticipated final day.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #872 on: February 13, 2021, 08:50:46 AM »
I've been telling more and more people - at work and otherwise.  Today, I took a step that felt weird: I stopped contributing to my after-tax 401(k)/Mega Backdoor Roth.  I feel like we need the liquidity in the short term more than we need the additional money in Roth.  With house prices still increasing unrelentingly where we want to buy, we may need to bring quite a bit of cash to the table at closing.  Between that and all of the costs associated with relocating and fixing up our current place to sell, we could end up in a bit of a cash crunch.  I could sell some of our taxable ETFs if really needed, but I'd much rather avoid that tax hit while living in California with a 25% LTCG tax rate.
Yeah, that tax hit would be brutal.  What's your current cash holding?

I've been shifting more to cash and bonds over the past 3 years as I wind up (gone from 95/5 equities/bonds to 75equities/15 cash/10 bonds) and the hits hasn't 'seemed' too bad mostly selling the stuff thats not as appreciated, but it still hurts given I expect to be close to a zero tax rate in RE.

I've got about $70k in cash and muni bonds in taxable accounts.  We're tapping a HELOC for the majority of the down payment, and selling our current place after we move.  Technically I do have some more in Series I savings bonds I could also withdraw, though once again I'd prefer not to.  Like you, I anticipate a near-zero tax rate in RE, including state tax.

Our overall AA has been consistent for several years, 75/25 (where 25 is all fixed income), but most of the bonds - most of our investments in general - are in tax-advantaged. 

goat_music_generator

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #873 on: February 13, 2021, 09:11:50 AM »
I'm OLYing from the 2022 thread to here.  Will you folks have me?

Exact date TBD but likely between May 12 and July 2.  Waiting for an annual bonus before giving my notice.  Notice period will depend on a few factors. Will report back in April my anticipated final day.

Hey, another OLYer from 2022 here! Welcome!

Ladychips

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #874 on: February 13, 2021, 09:22:12 AM »
Welcome @Need2Save!!  There are several of us former 2022 folks here!

Need2Save

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #875 on: February 13, 2021, 10:46:16 AM »
Why thank you @Ladychips and @goat_music_generator! To put an exclamation mark on our movement from 2022 to 2021, we sold our 2nd car today! 

Since we won't be returning to the office before both of us retiring, we decided we can definitely make do with one less vehicle now instead of waiting until the summer. Feeling very real and I'm very glad that I'm no longer waffling between working one more year or not.

SunniD

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #876 on: February 14, 2021, 06:42:27 AM »
I'm joining all you fine folks in the 2021 Cohort! Target date June 2021, might try to OLM into May if possible.

FarFetchd

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #877 on: February 15, 2021, 12:29:07 PM »

I am very curious where people are going.  We are in the bay area and plan to leave; we could stay perpetually but I'd like to get out, not just because of the crowding but also because I'd like a bit more property than we have now in the Valley and that.. is crazy expensive.

Covid19 blew up our chance to cover our bases there visiting for a few weeks the areas we've been pondering (by doing a few trips over the year); so my plan now is to do it after pulling the trigger, but I'm curious how people have decided. We've been looking at Asheville, Nashville, and Portland metro..

Our current location is not the bay area, but somewhere maybe about 70% as ridiculous and unlivable. (Representative anecdote: we looked at exactly one house here, listed for $600k, where the agent waited outside to meet us, because she was - for good reason - afraid of going inside by herself).

We're going to Madison WI. Unfortunately Madison is apparently in the middle of an insane frenzied seller's market for real estate. We have an approach we're working through that's looking like it will work out nicely - but we lucked out, really.

I have to say, housing is pretty tough. Everything in the price range I would have considered a realistically good deal - say $200k-300k - is that cheap for a reason. Either the house or particular location will have something seriously wrong with it, or you're looking in a random mediocre small town where there won't be much reason to leave the house, or a rural area where you're getting a beautiful multi-acre yard in exchange for any day-to-day human contact. It sounds like real estate has been getting overheated recently, though, so maybe this is just a particularly unlucky time to be looking.

ixtap

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #878 on: February 15, 2021, 12:44:51 PM »
(Representative anecdote: we looked at exactly one house here, listed for $600k, where the agent waited outside to meet us, because she was - for good reason - afraid of going inside by herself).



When I looked at condos, one was still inhabited by a hoarder, there were clearly rodents in the rafters, who had chewed holes in the ceiling, and the current inhabitant sat in her chair telling stories about the murder across the road. As I recall, the address was something like Mockingbird Lane. Not sure if I never heard back from that realtor because she was as traumatized as I was or my price range was just too low to be of any benefit to her.

exit2019

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #879 on: February 15, 2021, 06:55:57 PM »
We're going to Madison WI. Unfortunately Madison is apparently in the middle of an insane frenzied seller's market for real estate. We have an approach we're working through that's looking like it will work out nicely - but we lucked out, really.

I have to say, housing is pretty tough. Everything in the price range I would have considered a realistically good deal - say $200k-300k - is that cheap for a reason. Either the house or particular location will have something seriously wrong with it, or you're looking in a random mediocre small town where there won't be much reason to leave the house, or a rural area where you're getting a beautiful multi-acre yard in exchange for any day-to-day human contact. It sounds like real estate has been getting overheated recently, though, so maybe this is just a particularly unlucky time to be looking.

It seems to be blowing up all over the country. Sounds nice.

texxan1

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #880 on: February 15, 2021, 07:54:35 PM »
FIRED


that is all lol

once the severence hits, ill update with all the numbers on the day i Fired.. So history can be made LOL


Ladychips

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #881 on: February 16, 2021, 04:23:28 AM »
FIRED

Outstanding!  Congratulations!

dblaace

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #882 on: February 16, 2021, 04:59:07 AM »
FIRED


that is all lol

once the severence hits, ill update with all the numbers on the day i Fired.. So history can be made LOL
Congrats!

LightTripper

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #883 on: February 16, 2021, 06:54:16 AM »
Congratulations @texxan1!!

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #884 on: February 16, 2021, 09:59:33 AM »
Way to go @texxan1 !

I've got you added @SunniD and @Need2Save .  Welcome aboard. 


NoVa

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #885 on: February 16, 2021, 10:49:32 AM »
Put me down for December 31, 2021. Already told my boss.

Ottawa

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #886 on: February 16, 2021, 03:22:27 PM »
Hey All.  I've been on the list for a couple years.  But for sure this year!  Last day 16 April 2021 at 49...

Cheers.

Blindsquirrel

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #887 on: February 16, 2021, 06:42:44 PM »
  @Ottawa  Congratulations!  it is a great feeling, have about 15 days or so of work and most of that is from home.  Have lost interest in working and am really ready for pure freedom!

Dreamer40

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #888 on: February 17, 2021, 11:35:36 AM »
Yay! Congrats to the latest FIREd folk and those who set their dates.

Related to the location discussion above, I moved to the Portland metro area last summer. It’s frickin gorgeous. All the time. The gray sky thing is a myth perpetuated by locals who don’t want anyone else coming. Lol. Sort of. I keep hearing that this winter was mild, but for the ice storm that just left us without power or internet for 4 days... And sometimes it’s rains a few days in a row. But I honestly had much worse weather in Washington, D.C. The Portland summer and fall was incredible and perfect. The sun comes out in regular spurts, even if it rains on and off throughout the day. Anyway, I came here to be near family, but would seriously consider it anyway. The biggest difference I’m feeling between Portland and other places I’ve lived like the Bay Area and DC, is that Portland is very low tech. Like the county garbage collection office is run by one lady who wants us to mail a check instead of pay online. And I suddenly have paper takeout menus again because restaurants don’t all have websites. Don’t get me started on the DMV. When a natural disaster strikes like fire or ice, the county has no idea how to inform people about what’s going on. It felt like going back in time to move here. That’s the downside to things being so “laid back.” But I still love it. I bought an exceptionally sunny lot, which helps me a lot. Some of the neighbors live in more redwood-forest-like conditions. They grow ferns and mushrooms while I can grow tomatoes.

HumanAfterAll

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #889 on: February 17, 2021, 01:13:56 PM »
I just gave notice!  April 2nd is 6.5 weeks from today, and it can't come soon enough!  My direct manager is OK with that date, we'll see what HR says. 

Edit to add: they are asking me what I would need to stay.  After some discussions with managers and my family, I think I’ll ask for a 6 month unpaid sabbatical, to enjoy the summer, followed by a half-time role in a different, fun and creative group. I really enjoyed this type of work before, and I think part time it would feel like a highly paid hobby, without the overwhelming stress and responsibility of a full time position. Not much risk on my part, if it doesn’t work out I’ll just go with Plan A and quit again :)
« Last Edit: February 18, 2021, 10:28:26 PM by HumanAfterAll »

Aethonan

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #890 on: February 18, 2021, 02:21:02 PM »
The biggest difference I’m feeling between Portland and other places I’ve lived like the Bay Area and DC, is that Portland is very low tech. ... It felt like going back in time to move here.

The dream of the '90s is alive in Portland. ;)  All true.

Congrats to HumanAfterAll, Ottawa, Nova, et al!  Y'all are inspiring.

tipster350

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #891 on: February 19, 2021, 10:21:34 AM »
The biggest difference I’m feeling between Portland and other places I’ve lived like the Bay Area and DC, is that Portland is very low tech. ... It felt like going back in time to move here.

The dream of the '90s is alive in Portland. ;)  All true.

Congrats to HumanAfterAll, Ottawa, Nova, et al!  Y'all are inspiring.

I experienced the same moving from SF to Philly suburbs. It is actually a breath of fresh air to be in an area where everyone and everything isn't tech-focused all the time.

-----------
And congrats to all the new grads! I'm celebrating with you!

Mrs. Healthywealth

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #892 on: February 20, 2021, 05:40:18 PM »
Have been concerned that I'm going to settle into OMY syndrome and never get out of the rut. Job is very secure and has become a warm blanket, but it's not stimulating. Good news is we were asked to go back into the office a few days a week, but with the kids at home, returning at this time is not an option for us. This and a few other things that have been happening at work, are a great motivator to move on. Going to finish up a few things and then submit my resignation, guessing will leave by early to late April. Going to take a few months and then decide what to do after that, have some ideas that I'm excited about.

Excited that this is actually happening. Woohoo!!!!

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #893 on: February 21, 2021, 04:29:59 PM »
This and a few other things that have been happening at work, are a great motivator to move on. Going to finish up a few things and then submit my resignation, guessing will leave by early to late April.

Don't just submit your resignation.  Present your manager with "I believe it would be in the best interest of the company to come up with a separation agreement to protect the company's and my best interests."  You have nothing to lose - at the worst they terminate you.  (Boo-hoo.) 

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #894 on: February 21, 2021, 04:33:26 PM »
The roster is updated for everybody through post #947.

So far we have 79 folks here who will be FIRE in 2021 and 5 have gone OLY into the 2020 Cohort. 

Average age of 2021ers is 45.40 (based on those 63 members who provided an age at FIRE date).  2020 average age was 48.32.  2019 average age was 47.38.

NameAge (at FIRE)FIRE Date
AldiEarly 50s1/23/2020 OLY
CrazyIT563/13/2020 OLY
Mmm_Donuts3/20/2020 OLY
Marcher Lady4912/15/2020 OLY
Zinnie 38 10/22/2020 OLY
     
Matz_70501/1/2021
BikeFanatic551/4/2021Confirmed
Sciurus1/8/2021Confirmed
ScreamingHeadGuy411/22/2021Confirmed
12321351/23/2021Confirmed
moneypitfeeder421/29/2021Confirmed
Sultan581/31/2021Confirmed
fireflye502/1/2021
goat_music_generator272/2/2021Confirmed
dividendman382/5/2021Confirmed
texxan12/15/2021Confirmed
Buffaloski Boris562/28/2021
dreams_and_discoveries39February
fiStressRelief403/1/2021Confirmed
Dreamer40403/3/2021Confirmed
skyrefuge433/12/2021
TheContinentalOP55 3/19/2021
Jack0Life ('s wife)March
ronsbusa3504/1/2021
HumanAfterAll444/2/2021
Trede514/2/2021
sailingTowardsFI434/9/2021
Ottawa494/16/2021
Tipster350604/30/2021
bluebelle4/30/2021
icebox92364/30/2021
logjammin394/30/2021
LightTripper45April
force majeure45April
Geographer305/3/2021
Peter Parker5/7/2021
CoffeeR5/31/2021
gary341130April/May
WildJager35May
80Westy50May
Omglmg39May
wrightstuff55May
amberfocus36May
phildonnia506/1/2021
ItalianGirl52 6/1/2021
Chaplin476/4/2021
Sisto526/7/2021
YoungGranny316/30/2021
SheWhoWalksAtLunch566/30/2021
mld33June
crazy jane55June
SunniDJune
MoStash537/1/2021
Ladychips557/1/2021
Nazar7/1/2021
JoJo487/9/21
marque47June/July
CarolinaGirl50July
highlandterrier47July
NorskyJuly
Need2SaveMay-July
Arbitrage438/1/2021
asauer43August
Bownyboy499/7/2021
Well Respected Man569/10/2021
ospreyjp569/27/2021
frugalecon9/30/2021
GBRS36September
Farfetchd33 September
the_fixer4910/1/2021
damoOctober
Boyband37October
4tify54October
Money Badger5312/1/2021
Accountant0074812/23/2021
Ulysses Everett McGill5512/31/2021
dblaace60 12/31/2021
NoVa 12/31/2021
effigy9843December
WadimanDecember
mindfulrun43spring
lightmyfireJune-Sept
Mrs. Healthywealth42Summer
monarda61TBD
aethonan1332TBD
American GenXTBD
lemonlymanTBD
dswTBD
MoneyTreeTBD
exit2019 TBD
« Last Edit: March 07, 2021, 10:49:10 AM by ScreamingHeadGuy »

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #895 on: February 21, 2021, 04:34:42 PM »
Just asking for a follow-up from the following cohort members: @Matz_70 @fireflye and @dreams_and_discoveries - please provide a status update.  Thank you.

Mrs. Healthywealth

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #896 on: February 21, 2021, 05:07:28 PM »
This and a few other things that have been happening at work, are a great motivator to move on. Going to finish up a few things and then submit my resignation, guessing will leave by early to late April.

Don't just submit your resignation.  Present your manager with "I believe it would be in the best interest of the company to come up with a separation agreement to protect the company's and my best interests."  You have nothing to lose - at the worst they terminate you.  (Boo-hoo.)

Not sure they do separation agreements for public entities. There is little flexibility in terms of what my manager or his manager can and can't do. Which reminds me that I do need to meet with the folks that handle my pension and medical benefits and submit the necessary paperwork. They can't terminate me either-takes an act of God to terminate folks from public agencies, this is part of the reason i started exploring FIRE so intensely. Would've happily accepted unemployment or a severance package. Going to meet with our fee-only CFP and make sure we haven't missed anything, meeting with him has always been worth every penny.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #897 on: February 22, 2021, 08:10:18 AM »
Another major hurdle overcome - we told the kids of the impending move.  They're handling it like champs!  Some sadness, naturally, but mostly they listened to our reasoning and are finding reasons to be excited.  Much better reactions than we were fearing.

Finding the house is the big problem left.  Stupid crazy sellers' market.  We've toured a couple of houses virtually, but neither was quite right.  Once we find a house that feels right, I know it's going to be a real struggle to actually buy it, too.  We've got time, so we're staying hopeful.

Mrs. Healthywealth

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #898 on: February 25, 2021, 03:06:18 PM »
Met with our planner, who confirmed all our numbers look good to FIRE, and gave seal of approval for our cashflow machine. Glad to get a 2nd pair of eyes on the numbers. Keep waking up so happy to finally be trying something new. Already enrolled in some courses, loving them so far.

Wife is going to go from full time to working per diem. We agreed that I would try out a new profession after taking off for 6 mos, if i don't like it, I can quit and do nothing with my wife. Have a strong suspicion I'm going to like it a lot, it's a combo of finance and mental health, something I've been wanting to pursue for 10 yrs.

Requested time off starting end March, and was happy to see it has been approved. It's will be the last day I plan to work...3/29 here I come woohoo.

Only bummer is that I can't tell my boss I'm quitting till after we are done with our real estate transactions. That will be after 3/29, when I'm on "vacation". She's not going to like that at all...sucks cause we have such a good relationship, feels a bit like a betrayal. Planning to just tell her it was a decision I made during vacation since I don't want to return to the office anymore.

bownyboy

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Re: 2021 FIRE Cohort
« Reply #899 on: February 25, 2021, 03:41:45 PM »
So quick update from me. As we're all still in lockdown here in the UK I decided to take another 6 month contract which starts in a weeks time.

Might as well be earning some money to add to the stash when we can't do anything else right?

That makes my FIRE day 7th September 2021.

Good luck everyone and stay safe.

(oh and for some reason my age is listed as 29, I wish! it will be 49)