Author Topic: What's your FI motivation?  (Read 19218 times)

zolotiyeruki

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #100 on: December 11, 2018, 12:12:13 PM »
I have a looooooooong list of things I want to do, and I don't have time.  I want to get a pilot's license, and maybe build my own airplane.  I want to renovate a house from the studs out.  I would like to travel more.  I want more time to laze about.  I'd love to get more involved in local politics.  Retirement will give me more of an opportunity to pursue those interests.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #101 on: December 11, 2018, 01:47:49 PM »
1. I'm sick and tired of what I do. It used to give me a lot of job satisfaction, but not any more.
2. I do not want to be financially dependent on the whims of a corporation or clients. My field is volatile and age discrimination is real, as is outsourcing ("a tenth of the quality for a third of the price!"). I've had it with feeling afraid of losing my job.
3. I used to depend on work a lot for *emotional* satisfaction, to feel like I was worthwhile and justifying my existence. I really don't need that now (and don't get it). I want more time to explore other things that can make me feel rewarded and satisfied.
4.  I don't want to be emotionally dependent on a job. If I get laid off, I don't want to be devastated.
5. More time for relationships, friends, etc.
6. I'm sick of commuting. My commute isn't bad, but I don't want to do it at all any more.
7. Stop having to put up with my various bosses' personality defects. I wouldn't choose a flaming manipulator or a control freak as a friend, so why would I want to spend a third of my life dealing with them?
8. Did I mention there are other things I want to do a lot more?

Edit: How could I have left this out? I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP TO AN ALARM CLOCK EVERY DAY.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2018, 01:52:06 PM by NoraLenderbee »

2Birds1Stone

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #102 on: December 11, 2018, 02:49:27 PM »
And clear skies are most often on Sunday night.

Now we know you're making stuff up =D

Firehazard

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #103 on: December 11, 2018, 03:27:02 PM »
I want to be the person I once was, full of joy and laughter and a positive outlook on life.  35 years of work I don't like doing and having extremely limited time off has gradually turned me into someone I don't much like anymore.  I'm hoping to find a glimpse of that carefree young woman again.  I think she's  still in here, somewhere. 

Jan 4, 2019 is my last day in this awful job....I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fantabulous

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #104 on: December 11, 2018, 04:55:27 PM »
Primarily it's because I'm transgender and can't count on things not getting worse or improving during my lifetime. I'm also doing what I can on the social side through volunteer work, but being able to feed myself sure helps with that.

MrOnyx

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #105 on: December 12, 2018, 02:39:47 AM »
Edit: How could I have left this out? I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP TO AN ALARM CLOCK EVERY DAY.

I mean this has got to be the unsung MVP of FIRE, right? I always wake up to an alarm - even on the weekends - but imagine the bliss of turning a regular alarm off for the very last time - without having to be 65 years old.

Loren Ver

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #106 on: December 12, 2018, 07:47:49 AM »
I want to be the person I once was, full of joy and laughter and a positive outlook on life.  35 years of work I don't like doing and having extremely limited time off has gradually turned me into someone I don't much like anymore.  I'm hoping to find a glimpse of that carefree young woman again.  I think she's  still in here, somewhere. 

Jan 4, 2019 is my last day in this awful job....I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!!!!!

Schaefer Light

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #107 on: December 12, 2018, 10:23:02 AM »
My latest motivation is not having to put up with constant re-orgs and all of the stress that comes along with them.  I just found out I'm about to have my 3rd boss in the past 13 months.  Either that, or I'll be out of a job.  I'm not sure which it's going to be just yet.  I'm also not sure I even give a damn at this point.  I'm still about 5-7 years from FI, but I don't know if I can last that long in this job.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #108 on: December 12, 2018, 11:36:47 AM »
Edit: How could I have left this out? I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP TO AN ALARM CLOCK EVERY DAY.

I mean this has got to be the unsung MVP of FIRE, right? I always wake up to an alarm - even on the weekends - but imagine the bliss of turning a regular alarm off for the very last time - without having to be 65 years old.

I also decided that every Monday will be a day of rest and a holiday.

Threshkin

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #109 on: December 12, 2018, 01:52:46 PM »
Security, peace of mind.

I tried being minimalist (i.e. poor) in my 20s and it was very stressful.  I became a saver long before hearing about FIRE.  I was not brave enough to not have an emergency reserve.  Since an emergency can range from a relative inconvenience like a car breaking down to a major issue like never being able to work again I decided that I needed to save aggressively at a fairly young age.  But I never thought about how to use the money.  It was just a case of saving = good.

About 5 years ago I discovered MMM, did the maths and realized I was already FI.  Since I am financially conservative I kept working another 3 years to get my WR down as low as possible.

Now I am both FI and RE and loving it.

LibrarianFuzz

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #110 on: December 12, 2018, 01:56:18 PM »
My motivation is that I work with people who I would never voluntarily spend 5 minutes with outside of work. Yet, I am forced to interact with them every few minutes, for 8-9 hours a day.

And if I don't have my headphones in, then I am subjected to their toxic personalities, whining, complaining, irrational ranting, arguments on how everything is someone else's fault, as well as their various sounds (one has chronic gas and doesn't even try to cover up the sound of farting, another literally sleeps at his desk and snores, another eats constantly at his desk and smacks his lips, another talks to herself all day and doesn't seem to even be aware that she's doing it because she has lived alone with just a cat for 40+ years.)

It's too much for me to handle. I don't want to spend my life here. 

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #111 on: December 12, 2018, 03:42:00 PM »
Stress reduction. Since childhood I've had some medical conditions that can flare without warning and upend my life (and occasionally threaten it) and the lives of people around me (my parents and siblings then, my wife now). The physical limitations that can be imposed on you by illness are bad enough. The additional demands placed on your time and money are sometimes worse. I want options. When healthy or reasonably healthy, I want to go places and do things. I want to not be tethered to a sub-optimal job forever simply for the health insurance.

A dash of this (lupus, although mine was diagnosed about five years ago) & a lot of not knowing what the future holds, & not wanting to build a life that requires me to work the big/high income job. I'm okay with working. If I choose to work. For a company and/or a cause that excites me. Having to slog away & trade my freedom for something that doesn't fit into that bucket? That's what I'd like to avoid.

Kronsey

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #112 on: December 13, 2018, 11:01:10 AM »
1. Health problems. Had a major surgery two years ago and a subsequent diagnosis. Last two years have been hard!

2. Stress from work/running a business. I've found I don't do the best at keeping work/life separate.

3. Desire to spend more time helping my immidiate family without trying to balance a bunch of work stress on top of the fun. Again, not the greatest with this.

dougules

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #113 on: December 13, 2018, 12:49:02 PM »
Edit: How could I have left this out? I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP TO AN ALARM CLOCK EVERY DAY.

I mean this has got to be the unsung MVP of FIRE, right? I always wake up to an alarm - even on the weekends - but imagine the bliss of turning a regular alarm off for the very last time - without having to be 65 years old.

I also decided that every Monday will be a day of rest and a holiday.

I dream about FIRE more than any other time by far after my alarm goes in the morning.  It's really bad this time of year when it's still dark.  If I'm completely honest, that's a huge one for me. 

I remember reading a post a while back on another thread where the poster said she would set an alarm in the morning so she could laugh at it then turn it off.  So sadistic. 

bacchi

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #114 on: December 13, 2018, 02:30:42 PM »
I want to be the person I once was, full of joy and laughter and a positive outlook on life.  35 years of work I don't like doing and having extremely limited time off has gradually turned me into someone I don't much like anymore.  I'm hoping to find a glimpse of that carefree young woman again.  I think she's  still in here, somewhere. 

Well written. I did contract work, mostly, but on long contracts I'd gradually lose parts of my personality until I became a formless, bland, blob. It'd take a week of vacation, doing nothing, before I gained some semblance of curiosity and interest in life again. A psychiatrist friend said it was a form of depression, and it is, but the cure isn't/wasn't drugs -- it's not having to work so much, or at all. I muddled through and found myself waiting for me.


Schaefer Light

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #115 on: December 13, 2018, 05:07:00 PM »
My latest motivation is not having to put up with constant re-orgs and all of the stress that comes along with them.  I just found out I'm about to have my 3rd boss in the past 13 months.  Either that, or I'll be out of a job.  I'm not sure which it's going to be just yet.  I'm also not sure I even give a damn at this point.  I'm still about 5-7 years from FI, but I don't know if I can last that long in this job.
Well, I was right to be stressed about the re-org.  I lost my job today.  I had a feeling when I went to sleep last night that this would be my last week working there.  I really wish I was FI right now.  This would be so much less stressful.

LaineyAZ

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #116 on: December 13, 2018, 06:17:47 PM »
Keep your chin up, Schaefer Light.  I bet most of those on this board have lost a job at one time or another, and there's plenty of us who landed in a much better place. 
Use the holidays to relax and regroup, and I know 2019 will bring better things for you.

Harvestqueen

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #117 on: December 13, 2018, 07:16:23 PM »
1) Fear - I graduated University during the recession to no jobs and ended up going to grad school then professional school.  I never want to experience the fear of not being able to support myself or my family again.   Having money in the bank removes the daily anxiety over having to make a paycheck.  I have the mindset that no job is permanent and everyone is replaceable. 

2) While I truly enjoy my job I don't enjoy having a strict schedule and want to be available when my kids need me. Ideally I would continue to work part time in some capacity after FI because I do enjoy my profession.

3) More time for hobbies such as vegetable gardening and preserving.

ysette9

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #118 on: December 13, 2018, 08:27:17 PM »
My latest motivation is not having to put up with constant re-orgs and all of the stress that comes along with them.  I just found out I'm about to have my 3rd boss in the past 13 months.  Either that, or I'll be out of a job.  I'm not sure which it's going to be just yet.  I'm also not sure I even give a damn at this point.  I'm still about 5-7 years from FI, but I don't know if I can last that long in this job.
Well, I was right to be stressed about the re-org.  I lost my job today.  I had a feeling when I went to sleep last night that this would be my last week working there.  I really wish I was FI right now.  This would be so much less stressful.
I’m sorry to hear that. What shit timing. I hope you have plenty of FU money so you can enjoy the holidays and figure out what comes next after a nice break with family.

Firehazard

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #119 on: December 14, 2018, 09:35:48 PM »
I want to be the person I once was, full of joy and laughter and a positive outlook on life.  35 years of work I don't like doing and having extremely limited time off has gradually turned me into someone I don't much like anymore.  I'm hoping to find a glimpse of that carefree young woman again.  I think she's  still in here, somewhere. 

Well written. I did contract work, mostly, but on long contracts I'd gradually lose parts of my personality until I became a formless, bland, blob. It'd take a week of vacation, doing nothing, before I gained some semblance of curiosity and interest in life again. A psychiatrist friend said it was a form of depression, and it is, but the cure isn't/wasn't drugs -- it's not having to work so much, or at all. I muddled through and found myself waiting for me.

Oh my gosh, yes, this!!!  This is exactly how I feel....even when I have a little time off now, I have no energy or drive left to do the things I enjoy, and the work stress and negativity is always still there, just below the surface, dragging my mood down.  Glad to hear you worked through it....gives me hope that I can too!

Firehazard

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #120 on: December 14, 2018, 09:39:46 PM »
"I remember reading a post a while back on another thread where the poster said she would set an alarm in the morning so she could laugh at it then turn it off."

I love this.

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #121 on: December 14, 2018, 10:48:18 PM »
FI motivation was initially wanting freedom from work then, more importantly, freedom from my wife working (she was working when we married and had our first child, hated our child being at daycare).  So always freedom, but became something different than I initially expected.

Schaefer Light

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #122 on: December 16, 2018, 04:03:28 PM »
My latest motivation is not having to put up with constant re-orgs and all of the stress that comes along with them.  I just found out I'm about to have my 3rd boss in the past 13 months.  Either that, or I'll be out of a job.  I'm not sure which it's going to be just yet.  I'm also not sure I even give a damn at this point.  I'm still about 5-7 years from FI, but I don't know if I can last that long in this job.
Well, I was right to be stressed about the re-org.  I lost my job today.  I had a feeling when I went to sleep last night that this would be my last week working there.  I really wish I was FI right now.  This would be so much less stressful.
I’m sorry to hear that. What shit timing. I hope you have plenty of FU money so you can enjoy the holidays and figure out what comes next after a nice break with family.
Thanks.  My EF is big enough that I'm not in any immediate financial danger.  I'm not looking forward to the holidays, but that has more to do with my divorce than the job loss.

Vertical Mode

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #123 on: December 16, 2018, 05:50:42 PM »
When I first started out a few years ago, it was definitely a "freedom to do what I please with my own time" answer, and I was fine with that. This year actually put that to the test, since I had a longer-than-planned break from work, and I think it confirmed that that's still the answer. I did learn that I will need to be much more specific about my goals and create more structure than I had anticipated, though.

"I remember reading a post a while back on another thread where the poster said she would set an alarm in the morning so she could laugh at it then turn it off."

I love this.

Ha! That is hilarious.

ysette9

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #124 on: December 16, 2018, 08:10:19 PM »
My latest motivation is not having to put up with constant re-orgs and all of the stress that comes along with them.  I just found out I'm about to have my 3rd boss in the past 13 months.  Either that, or I'll be out of a job.  I'm not sure which it's going to be just yet.  I'm also not sure I even give a damn at this point.  I'm still about 5-7 years from FI, but I don't know if I can last that long in this job.
Well, I was right to be stressed about the re-org.  I lost my job today.  I had a feeling when I went to sleep last night that this would be my last week working there.  I really wish I was FI right now.  This would be so much less stressful.
I’m sorry to hear that. What shit timing. I hope you have plenty of FU money so you can enjoy the holidays and figure out what comes next after a nice break with family.
Thanks.  My EF is big enough that I'm not in any immediate financial danger.  I'm not looking forward to the holidays, but that has more to do with my divorce than the job loss.
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. That sounds doubly rough. Hang in there.

DreamFIRE

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #125 on: December 16, 2018, 08:50:07 PM »
I like my job, but I am still motivated to FIRE so that I won't have to spend 40 to 50 hours per week at a job so that I can spend more time doing what I really want to do.

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #126 on: December 16, 2018, 11:38:25 PM »
I like my job, but I am still motivated to FIRE so that I won't have to spend 40 to 50 hours per week at a job so that I can spend more time doing what I really want to do.

Then I'd argue that you probably really don't like your job.  You get paid, get health benefits, paid vacation, and retirement benefits above and beyond the pay - and yet you think not getting these things and doing what you want to do all day vs. in your free time is worth the trade-off, then you probably don't like what you do.

I like what I do for work (taking the whole picture into account).  It makes for a well rounded and sustainable lifestyle, although I'm FI and could sleep in more and play video games all day if I wanted to.

albireo13

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #127 on: December 17, 2018, 03:38:39 PM »
While I enjoy some parts of work, more and more
it's all about schedule and less about quality. 
Working on projects across 3 continents is ridiculous but
management loves this $hit. 

Schedules are created that are totally unrealistic and we are expected
to meet them. ... whatever it takes. 
Anything less and it affects your evaluation, ranking, and ultimately your pay.


OrangeSnapDragon

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #128 on: December 18, 2018, 10:45:42 AM »

#1 - Freedom

#2- I have fairly bad social anxiety and although there are jobs with limited socialization I've found them either very hard to come by or they don't pay very well.  I could take more medication to possibly make it better however, my true salve for my anxiety is in lots of solitude, work I enjoy, and spending time with my husband. 

#3 - Security to protect against the unknown

#4 - So many people in my life told me I couldn't do this and I want to prove them wrong. Possibly a stupid reason but it's an honest one :)



effigy98

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #129 on: December 18, 2018, 06:55:41 PM »
Today talk of potential layoffs from manager. I just paid off the house and at minimum FI where bills are paid but no fun money... I have heard these words often working in tech and have been layed off before a couple of times in the early 2000's and it was kind of devastating. This is the FIRST time threats of layoffs did not bother me at all (not even a little), I even thought of it being a blessing because a severance would probably be granted and I could get some time off.

So, I can confirm with 100% certainty, my biggest FI motivation is to buy my "sense" of freedom and not have others control my life.

Linea_Norway

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #130 on: December 19, 2018, 12:14:42 AM »
Today talk of potential layoffs from manager. I just paid off the house and at minimum FI where bills are paid but no fun money... I have heard these words often working in tech and have been layed off before a couple of times in the early 2000's and it was kind of devastating. This is the FIRST time threats of layoffs did not bother me at all (not even a little), I even thought of it being a blessing because a severance would probably be granted and I could get some time off.

So, I can confirm with 100% certainty, my biggest FI motivation is to buy my "sense" of freedom and not have others control my life.

Good for you to be well prepared this time.  I hope you do get a good severance package if it indeed hits you.

brandon1827

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #131 on: December 20, 2018, 03:27:07 PM »
I am terrified of being old and cold, beans and toast in my elder years. I also dont want to be working in a shop of something when I am 70 to pay bills. That would be grim.... unless it was a fun environment / giving back to the community or something.

I have a dream in my head of being comfortably retired, going on a nice cruise with my wife when we are silver foxes and having a little dinner and dance... I want to be able to afford that sort of life when I am older.

I want to be able to give my son the best chance in life and to help out with expensive costs like school and a house deposit when he gets older.

Well paying jobs are never a sure thing despite qualifications, technology moves on and you have to always adapt... investing now while I can is a blessing and one to take advantage of.

I have a fairly comfortable life now, house, family, car and the necessities,  I just need to keep investing and saving and work towards that long term plan.

This sums up many of my motivations as well. I'm not as concerned with being cold and eating beans, lol...I guess for me it's more so that I've set myself up to be well cared for and that I won't be a burden to my son or wife. I do hope to be comfortable and content later in life; spending time watching my future grandchildren play, having tea with my wife on the back porch, etc.

I also want to give my son the head-start in life that I never got through a sound financial education and by allowing him to pursue his passions without worrying about taking on student loan debt to get there. I want to give him the information and provide the path to see that an FI life is the only way to live and that chasing dollars and keeping up with the Joneses doesn't lead to happiness or fulfillment. The future of our world is uncertain, so if my wife and I can work toward and achieve FI...and then pay it forward to our son so that he can get the absolute most out of his life...then I'll feel like I really accomplished something worthwhile.


use2betrix

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #132 on: December 20, 2018, 08:10:45 PM »
Compared to most my coworkers, employers, and often employees, im much younger than most. Many are 40’s minimum but most in 50’s.

Monday night I had a work dinner with my boss (50’s) and two contractors (40’s-50’s). They were talking about hoping to retire someday, being burnt out of work. I just sat there wondering how people with income similar to mine could even be working so long and not be loaded.

Today I interviewed a gentleman who must’ve been at least 65+ because he mentioned he’s been off work due to surgeries and had to take S.S. And he wants to work longer to put off withdrawing sooner. He is a master of our field who I’m sure could’ve commanded 200k-300k/yr for the last couple decades.

It just doesn’t make sense to me. I work oil & gas and industrial construction, and I would bet this industry is by far one of the worst with money in general. You get tons of people with little to no education, a blue collar attitude with expensive hobbies and the money just slips through their hands. Sure do see a lot of nice trucks in the parking lots though!
« Last Edit: December 20, 2018, 09:33:15 PM by use2betrix »

Imma

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #133 on: December 30, 2018, 02:18:11 PM »
Compared to most my coworkers, employers, and often employees, im much younger than most. Many are 40’s minimum but most in 50’s.

Monday night I had a work dinner with my boss (50’s) and two contractors (40’s-50’s). They were talking about hoping to retire someday, being burnt out of work. I just sat there wondering how people with income similar to mine could even be working so long and not be loaded.

Today I interviewed a gentleman who must’ve been at least 65+ because he mentioned he’s been off work due to surgeries and had to take S.S. And he wants to work longer to put off withdrawing sooner. He is a master of our field who I’m sure could’ve commanded 200k-300k/yr for the last couple decades.

It just doesn’t make sense to me. I work oil & gas and industrial construction, and I would bet this industry is by far one of the worst with money in general. You get tons of people with little to no education, a blue collar attitude with expensive hobbies and the money just slips through their hands. Sure do see a lot of nice trucks in the parking lots though!

I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

Hitchcockie

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #134 on: January 07, 2019, 03:10:50 PM »
For me it is all about self empowerment.  Many on this thread have said that freedom is most important, but I think of freedom as a component of empowerment.  Being FI allows you to empower yourself (because no one else will)  and when you are empowered, you become proactive rather than reactive to the events that happen in your life.  You are not just free to pursue the results that you want, you are in the driver's seat to open up many more alternatives, opportunities or solutions that someone who is not financially independent can never access, because they have given away their power.  Empowerment brings confidence, allows creativity, decreases the stress that clouds your perspective, and enables you to see things through an entirely different lens.  People, things and circumstances loose their control over you.  Does that mean life is a bed of roses? No way.  Job loss, death, divorce, illness are still part of life.  How your faced life's challenges changes.

When you are empowered thru FI, you can make bolder choices, walk away from situations that suck joy from your life, and give grace and compassion to those you want to help.  And the list goes on and on.

dougules

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #135 on: January 08, 2019, 10:13:53 AM »
For me it is all about self empowerment.  Many on this thread have said that freedom is most important, but I think of freedom as a component of empowerment.  Being FI allows you to empower yourself (because no one else will)  and when you are empowered, you become proactive rather than reactive to the events that happen in your life.  You are not just free to pursue the results that you want, you are in the driver's seat to open up many more alternatives, opportunities or solutions that someone who is not financially independent can never access, because they have given away their power.  Empowerment brings confidence, allows creativity, decreases the stress that clouds your perspective, and enables you to see things through an entirely different lens.  People, things and circumstances loose their control over you.  Does that mean life is a bed of roses? No way.  Job loss, death, divorce, illness are still part of life.  How your faced life's challenges changes.

When you are empowered thru FI, you can make bolder choices, walk away from situations that suck joy from your life, and give grace and compassion to those you want to help.  And the list goes on and on.

All very true.  I'm curious, though, if you aren't looking to get away from corporate-speak, too, words like "empowerment", "proactive",  and "alternatives."  I totally agree with what you're saying, but I have a gut reaction against the language.  It seems like part of a corporate culture that a lot of us are trying to escape. 

Linea_Norway

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #136 on: January 09, 2019, 05:51:48 AM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

Threshkin

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #137 on: January 10, 2019, 09:15:30 AM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

This generalization made me smile.  We rarely eat out but my Norwegian cousin and his wife "don't cook" and eat out almost every day.

dcheesi

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #138 on: January 10, 2019, 09:42:09 AM »
1) I'm in the tech industry, and layoffs are always a possibility. I don't want to have to worry about finding work in my 50s, which is notoriously difficult in my field.

2) My SO works a union job and has about five years left on her pension. It would be nice to be FI by then so she doesn't have to work after that.

3) My family is fairly long-lived (dad is 92), but things can happen at any time. One close relative was recently hit with a serious debilitating condition in his early 60s, which has impacted his quality of life tremendously.

tozier

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #139 on: January 10, 2019, 12:13:53 PM »
I have a deep need for freedom. I have disliked being pushed to do anything for as long as I remember, and I didn’t realize I could get out sooner until I came here.

I don’t mind doing household chores and all the little things we have to do to keep living, and I get motivated at times to do challenging things, but being in self-imposed economic slavery is barely tolerable. Thankfully I work with good people or I would lose my mind completely.

I was forced on a three week furlough during the recession, and by the third week I had noticed myself starting to settle into a state of mind that was truly bliss. I want to return to that feeling as soon as possible, which will be even better without the reliance of a job weighing so heavily.

Linea_Norway

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #140 on: January 10, 2019, 01:13:16 PM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

This generalization made me smile.  We rarely eat out but my Norwegian cousin and his wife "don't cook" and eat out almost every day.

I made this comment, because in the Case Study section, there are often people who eat out daily. I know the Mustachian don't do this that often. That anyone can afford to eat out often in Norway baffles me. Although I noticed that most of the Norwegians buy lunch at their office every day. In my department there are only 2 out of 45 or so, who bring lunch from home.

Threshkin

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #141 on: January 10, 2019, 03:03:13 PM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

This generalization made me smile.  We rarely eat out but my Norwegian cousin and his wife "don't cook" and eat out almost every day.

I made this comment, because in the Case Study section, there are often people who eat out daily. I know the Mustachian don't do this that often. That anyone can afford to eat out often in Norway baffles me. Although I noticed that most of the Norwegians buy lunch at their office every day. In my department there are only 2 out of 45 or so, who bring lunch from home.

No worries.  They are both retired SAS flight attendants.  Seem to be doing quite well.  Winter condo in the US, 2 in Norway, a city place and a summer house on the SE coast.  We didn't talk much about finance but they seemed very comfortable with their life.

I thought a box lunch from home was pretty standard in Norway, bread, cheese and meat (liver?)paste in a tube.

Linea_Norway

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #142 on: January 11, 2019, 03:38:21 AM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

This generalization made me smile.  We rarely eat out but my Norwegian cousin and his wife "don't cook" and eat out almost every day.

I made this comment, because in the Case Study section, there are often people who eat out daily. I know the Mustachian don't do this that often. That anyone can afford to eat out often in Norway baffles me. Although I noticed that most of the Norwegians buy lunch at their office every day. In my department there are only 2 out of 45 or so, who bring lunch from home.

No worries.  They are both retired SAS flight attendants.  Seem to be doing quite well.  Winter condo in the US, 2 in Norway, a city place and a summer house on the SE coast.  We didn't talk much about finance but they seemed very comfortable with their life.

I thought a box lunch from home was pretty standard in Norway, bread, cheese and meat (liver?)paste in a tube.

Recently SAS flight attendants were in the paper complaining that the bottom was now reached. But good to hear that your cousin is doing well.

The lunch box, or better, lunch wrapped in food paper, is still popular when people travel to a place where you can't buy foid, like a hike in the mountains. But at all the placed I worked, 95% or so buy their lunch every day.

The stuff in the tube is fish egg paste and called caviar, but it is from another fish and does not look or taste are real caviar. It tastes very salty. They put it under a slice of Norwegian cheese, because that cheese is pretty tasteless. Or just only the caviar, topped with a slice of cucumber, red pepper or such. I don't eat it.
Liver paste of meat is also eaten, but does not come from tubes, but rather small cups. They also like to eat smoked makrel in tomato sauce, also sold in small cups.

Threshkin

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #143 on: January 11, 2019, 12:12:21 PM »
I work with a lot of high-earners, although I'm not making a huge amount (yet). I get that not everyone is mustachian, some people like to spend more on material possessions than I do, but sometimes i'm amazed that some people actually seem to manage to burn through their whole pay check every time. If you get paid 10k, how do you not even accidentally have any money leftover by the next paydate, even if you're not consciously trying to save?

When you have a high income, banks are very willing to grant you a high mortgage and a high loan for a car and a sailboat. Maybe these people therefore have taken up expensive obligations to live a fancy lifestyle, that they associate with their high salary. This is then combined with the American habit of eating out every day for both lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. And the additional spending on fancy clothes and fancy vacations. Not to name fancy private schools for the children. I understand very well how so much money is spent too easily.

This generalization made me smile.  We rarely eat out but my Norwegian cousin and his wife "don't cook" and eat out almost every day.

I made this comment, because in the Case Study section, there are often people who eat out daily. I know the Mustachian don't do this that often. That anyone can afford to eat out often in Norway baffles me. Although I noticed that most of the Norwegians buy lunch at their office every day. In my department there are only 2 out of 45 or so, who bring lunch from home.

No worries.  They are both retired SAS flight attendants.  Seem to be doing quite well.  Winter condo in the US, 2 in Norway, a city place and a summer house on the SE coast.  We didn't talk much about finance but they seemed very comfortable with their life.

I thought a box lunch from home was pretty standard in Norway, bread, cheese and meat (liver?)paste in a tube.

Recently SAS flight attendants were in the paper complaining that the bottom was now reached. But good to hear that your cousin is doing well.

The lunch box, or better, lunch wrapped in food paper, is still popular when people travel to a place where you can't buy foid, like a hike in the mountains. But at all the placed I worked, 95% or so buy their lunch every day.

The stuff in the tube is fish egg paste and called caviar, but it is from another fish and does not look or taste are real caviar. It tastes very salty. They put it under a slice of Norwegian cheese, because that cheese is pretty tasteless. Or just only the caviar, topped with a slice of cucumber, red pepper or such. I don't eat it.
Liver paste of meat is also eaten, but does not come from tubes, but rather small cups. They also like to eat smoked makrel in tomato sauce, also sold in small cups.

[Thumbs up]  All the good food.  Though I must admit I prefer smoked salmon, fish balls, brown goat cheese, flat bread, lefsa and krum kaka.  (I know the Norwegian words for most of these but not how to spell them.)

jojoguy

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #144 on: January 11, 2019, 06:46:42 PM »
My new motivation:

I think going for FI is fun. Seeing our net worth go up is motivational in itself and it is becoming really fun and exciting. It is making me enjoy my job more. Working in retail makes this a rare thing to see.

golfreak12

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #145 on: January 14, 2019, 08:13:59 PM »
My motivation is that I work with people who I would never voluntarily spend 5 minutes with outside of work. Yet, I am forced to interact with them every few minutes, for 8-9 hours a day.

And if I don't have my headphones in, then I am subjected to their toxic personalities, whining, complaining, irrational ranting, arguments on how everything is someone else's fault, as well as their various sounds (one has chronic gas and doesn't even try to cover up the sound of farting, another literally sleeps at his desk and snores, another eats constantly at his desk and smacks his lips, another talks to herself all day and doesn't seem to even be aware that she's doing it because she has lived alone with just a cat for 40+ years.)

It's too much for me to handle. I don't want to spend my life here.

This sounds  a lot like my place of work. I used to enjoy people there more.
Now there maybe 10 people there that I actually enjoy carrying on a conversation.

montgomery212

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Re: What's your FI motivation?
« Reply #146 on: January 14, 2019, 09:17:45 PM »
So my goal has always been FI — even right out of law school when I didn’t even know FI was a thing. Maybe it’s just my experience but I grew up around tons of engineers in the 80s-2000s btwn parents and parents’ social circle and I saw tons of them get laid off anywhere from age 50-65, never to be gainfully employed in the same high salary from which they had been laid off. Made a huge impression on me even in my late teens/early 20s that you have to start saving young (in every field except like medicine where there is constant demand and experience is valued) because you just never know if the salary you make at 35 or 47 will be where you top out. Yet many of my friends seem to view it as — nah we’re mid to late 30s, we’re just getting started, live the fancy lawyer life now, you can always focus on saving more out of a larger salary in your mid 40s or 50s. I just assume they didn’t grow up someplace where white collar professional layoffs were nightly dinner conversation.

But for me, tying my life to an employer because I HAVE TO seems risky. And in just my 13 yrs of professional life, I’ve already experienced 1 long layoff and now on furlough for who knows how long (govt) - and both experiences validate my decision to pursue FI bc you just can’t trust any employer.