What does it feel like when you hit the 1 million dollar mark?

[Roots&Wings]

Reaching $1M in invested assets gave me a wonderful sense of calm.  I had been reading MMM a few months and was proud to consider myself a SWAMI.  Realizing I never had to worry about having enough money made me feel free to base choices on non-monetary reasons.  When MMM posted, "Give Yourself the Gift of Not Worrying About Money," I thought, yes, I've done that.

What the heck is SWAMI?  I see people post it everywhere but google doesn't have a definition that makes sense.

Satisfied Working Advanced Mustachian Individual
 http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/04/30/weekend-edition-retire-in-your-mind-even-if-you-love-your-job/

[Roothy]

I can tell you what it feels like to be about $10,000 short of it.

Painful.

And I'm sure when I hit the 1MM (investable) within the next couple of days, it's going to make me flinch every time the market dips.  I imagine I won't stop feeling vulnerable to that until I get to 1.3MM.

Ugh.  I wish I had a switch in my brain I could turn off.  I obsess over this stuff way, way too much.

[sol]

it's going to make me flinch every time the market dips.  I imagine I won't stop feeling vulnerable to that until I get to 1.3MM.

You might end up unpleasantly surprised if you get there, flip that switch, and them see a 40% market crash.

Though I suppose a well balanced asset allocation should turn a 40% market dive into a <30% portfolio dive.  Just don't be 100% US equities.

I've been mentally preparing for that kind of crash, not that I expect it soon but just because it has happened so recently.  How would I feel if the stock market tanked 40% tomorrow?  What would my overall portfolio look like after that?  How would my retirement plans be affected?

[eccdogg]

We did not really notice till we were past a million, stared adding up various pots of money and realized we were over it.  Gave each other high five and went back to work.

It is a nice feeling though.

[Roothy]

That's an excellent point.  And I am heavy, heavy into equities (90%--most of which is US, though I'm slowly upping the international with each purchase, as I'd like to ultimately be 70/30 domestic/international--haven't decided yet).

I lived through the 2007/2008 crash and didn't touch my retirement investments, or stop maxing out contributions.  So I *think* I'll be ok--though brokenhearted--at another big rollback.

Honestly, I go in phases of obsessing about finances, versus not paying any attention at all.  Right now, I'm obsessing, and unfortunately, what I'm obsessing about is that stupid 1MM mark--mostly because it's salient.  If I weren't obsessing about that number, I'd be obsessing about some other arbitrary something in my financial life.

Which is why I'd really, really like a switch.  I know in a couple of months (please god) I'll stop thinking about my financial life and obsess over Buffy the Vampire Slayer or ultralight camping or gawker.com or whatever instead.  All obsessions are painful.  The only thing I seem to be able to do is switch their focus.  Honestly, I think I'm just broken.  I was broken this way out of the box.

[Workinghard]

That's an excellent point.  And I am heavy, heavy into equities (90%--most of which is US, though I'm slowly upping the international with each purchase, as I'd like to ultimately be 70/30 domestic/international--haven't decided yet).

I lived through the 2007/2008 crash and didn't touch my retirement investments, or stop maxing out contributions.  So I *think* I'll be ok--though brokenhearted--at another big rollback.

Honestly, I go in phases of obsessing about finances, versus not paying any attention at all.  Right now, I'm obsessing, and unfortunately, what I'm obsessing about is that stupid 1MM mark--mostly because it's salient.  If I weren't obsessing about that number, I'd be obsessing about some other arbitrary something in my financial life.

Which is why I'd really, really like a switch.  I know in a couple of months (please god) I'll stop thinking about my financial life and obsess over Buffy the Vampire Slayer or ultralight camping or gawker.com or whatever instead.  All obsessions are painful.  The only thing I seem to be able to do is switch their focus.  Honestly, I think I'm just broken.  I was broken this way out of the box.

I'm the obsessive type too. I don't know how many times a day I checked the market when we were close to the 1m mark. We hit it in March, and it hasn't dipped below, but we contribute 6k a month which helps offset some drops. In some ways I have to obsess as that's the way I learn. This past year has been all about insurance, Medicare, SS, taxes, RMDs, Roth conversions, etc. my latest bing obsessing is learning about travel awards. :)

[Taran Wanderer]

Honestly, I think I'm just broken.  I was broken this way out of the box.

Two words:  jigsaw puzzles.  Equally pointless obsession, but at least you bring order to chaos rather than obsessing about disorder (markets) over which you have no control.

[OneDollarAtATime]

it's going to make me flinch every time the market dips.  I imagine I won't stop feeling vulnerable to that until I get to 1.3MM.

You might end up unpleasantly surprised if you get there, flip that switch, and them see a 40% market crash.

Though I suppose a well balanced asset allocation should turn a 40% market dive into a <30% portfolio dive.  Just don't be 100% US equities.

I've been mentally preparing for that kind of crash, not that I expect it soon but just because it has happened so recently.  How would I feel if the stock market tanked 40% tomorrow?  What would my overall portfolio look like after that?  How would my retirement plans be affected?

Interesting take.  If I were that close to $1m and heavily invested in equities, I'd consider taking some off the table and lock in the gains.  Maybe close to half of it, keep some skin in the game and keep my investments flowing into equities.  In other words, maintain investment status quo aside from locking in $500k.

This way, if the market tanks 40%, I'm 'only' losing 40% of $500k.  I'd sleep better at night knowing that I have $500k no matter what -- and that would at least buy me enough time to let the market rebound if there were another recession (or throw the $500k back into the market at a low point).

From the MMM articles I've read, it seems that 'paying off debt' is a common advice because it's a 'for sure' thing.  Wouldn't the same thing apply for investing?  If you have solid gains, why not lock in some of them.  I completely agree that no one should try to time the market, but this isn't trying to time the market; it's more focused on preserving a bunch of your capital and allowing the rest of the funds to grow (or crash, should Mr. Market get angry).

Then again, this is all hypothetical as I have a ways to go before I get to $1m...

[RyanAtTanagra]

If you have solid gains, why not lock in some of them.  I completely agree that no one should try to time the market, but this isn't trying to time the market; it's more focused on preserving a bunch of your capital and allowing the rest of the funds to grow (or crash, should Mr. Market get angry).

That is timing the market, you're assuming the market is done going up, and while your gains are 'locked in' and sitting there doing nothing/little, you're missing out on more gains.  It's like keeping 20% in cash in retirement to ride out retirement downturns.  It might make you feel better, but it's mathematically worse, because while it helps in the times the market goes down, you're missing out on gains when the market is going up (which is more often), so in the end you're going to come out behind.

[Cheddar Stacker]

If you have solid gains, why not lock in some of them.  I completely agree that no one should try to time the market, but this isn't trying to time the market; it's more focused on preserving a bunch of your capital and allowing the rest of the funds to grow (or crash, should Mr. Market get angry).

That is timing the market, you're assuming the market is done going up, and while your gains are 'locked in' and sitting there doing nothing/little, you're missing out on more gains.  It's like keeping 20% in cash in retirement to ride out retirement downturns.  It might make you feel better, but it's mathematically worse, because while it helps in the times the market goes down, you're missing out on gains when the market is going up (which is more often), so in the end you're going to come out behind.

I don't consider this market timing, but I agree with everything else you said there Ryan.

There was a thread last summer (someone help me out here with a link, I think it was a Bernstein article) where this was discussed at great length. I consider the move suggested by One$ to fit the mold of that discussion. It's simply a change in aset allocation. The milestone of htting $1M can provide someone with a newer, safer avenue for asset allocation that will provide the income they need. When they only had $750k this conservative AA was simply not a viable option.

Arebelspy summed up the idea pretty well, "when you've won the game, stop playing".

I don't intend to stop playing the game because I don't think it's optimal to quit, but it's an interesting concept.

[Embok]

Hate to admit this, but when it happened I was so busy I did not notice for months.  Then I was seriously ill.  Once I was better and realized I could change my life, leave BigLaw and start my own legal practice and that our family would be OK, it was a great feeling.  Now working on $2MM as next goal, but coupled with the goal of not running myself ragged.

[Guesl982374]

it's going to make me flinch every time the market dips.  I imagine I won't stop feeling vulnerable to that until I get to 1.3MM.

You might end up unpleasantly surprised if you get there, flip that switch, and them see a 40% market crash.

Though I suppose a well balanced asset allocation should turn a 40% market dive into a <30% portfolio dive.  Just don't be 100% US equities.

I've been mentally preparing for that kind of crash, not that I expect it soon but just because it has happened so recently.  How would I feel if the stock market tanked 40% tomorrow?  What would my overall portfolio look like after that?  How would my retirement plans be affected?

Sol - I see what you did there. Very Clever!

[brooklynguy]

If you have solid gains, why not lock in some of them.  I completely agree that no one should try to time the market, but this isn't trying to time the market; it's more focused on preserving a bunch of your capital and allowing the rest of the funds to grow (or crash, should Mr. Market get angry).

That is timing the market, you're assuming the market is done going up, and while your gains are 'locked in' and sitting there doing nothing/little, you're missing out on more gains.  It's like keeping 20% in cash in retirement to ride out retirement downturns.  It might make you feel better, but it's mathematically worse, because while it helps in the times the market goes down, you're missing out on gains when the market is going up (which is more often), so in the end you're going to come out behind.

I don't consider this market timing, but I agree with everything else you said there Ryan.

There was a thread last summer (someone help me out here with a link, I think it was a Bernstein article) where this was discussed at great length. I consider the move suggested by One$ to fit the mold of that discussion. It's simply a change in aset allocation. The milestone of htting $1M can provide someone with a newer, safer avenue for asset allocation that will provide the income they need. When they only had $750k this conservative AA was simply not a viable option.

Arebelspy summed up the idea pretty well, "when you've won the game, stop playing".

I don't intend to stop playing the game because I don't think it's optimal to quit, but it's an interesting concept.

Chedds - this is the thread you are thinking of:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/investor-alley/william-bernstein-the-worst-retirement-investing-mistake/

The issue that always exists with this line of thinking is how to know when you've actually "won the game," which (in part) is why I subscribe to the "let it ride" camp's viewpoint (unless you've so grossly oversaved that there can be no doubt that you've won the game, but the goal of most aspiring retirees on this board is to pull the plug as soon as possible).  If you hit the $1M mark but have annual expenses of $10k (and you can be confident that your expenses won't increase (on an inflation-adjusted basis) in the future), then I'd say you have clearly "won the game" and can take some money off the table.  But if you hit the $1M mark and have annual expenses of $40k, you haven't "won the game" in a manner that would allow you to stop playing (by, say, moving half of your portfolio into cash, as OneDollarAtATime suggested) and still have a reasonable certainty of succeeding.

[Roothy]

The issue that always exists with this line of thinking is how to know when you've actually "won the game," which (in part) is why I subscribe to the "let it ride" camp's viewpoint (unless you've so grossly oversaved that there can be no doubt that you've won the game, but the goal of most aspiring retirees on this board is to pull the plug as soon as possible).  If you hit the $1M mark but have annual expenses of $10k (and you can be confident that your expenses won't increase (on an inflation-adjusted basis) in the future), then I'd say you have clearly "won the game" and can take some money off the table.  But if you hit the $1M mark and have annual expenses of $40k, you haven't "won the game" in a manner that would allow you to stop playing (by, say, moving half of your portfolio into cash, as OneDollarAtATime suggested) and still have a reasonable certainty of succeeding.

Yup.  Even when I hit my target of investable assets of (I think) 1.5MM, there is always the chance that I've underestimated my expenses in retirement.  I'm especially sensitive to the possibility of vast improvements in medical technology that will only be available to the very well heeled.  (I guess I read too much Kim Stanley Robinson.) 

Also, while I don't *need* it, it would be awfully nice to fly first class and pay someone to rub my feet for an hour every day when I'm 70.  So I'm going to let it ride on the possibility (actually, likelihood) that I can get filthy rich.

[spokey doke]

it felt like a million bucks

[begood]

it felt like a million bucks

Okay, that made me laugh. :)

[Pooperman]

What the heck is SWAMI?  I see people post it everywhere but google doesn't have a definition that makes sense.

StillSatisfied
Working
Advanced
Mustachian
Individual.

MMM posted something about it once.

[FarmerPete]

Hit $100k in my retirement accounts.  That felt good.  NW is ~$250k.  Can't wait for things to start to take off more.

[libertarian4321]

$10k was exciting.  $100k was really cool.  At $250k, I was pretty sure that I had "FU" money and could quit any job without worrying, which was nice.

$1 million was less exciting than any of those.  And $2 and 3 million even less so.

If I ever hit $10 mill, I'll probably greet it with a yawn.

[el_beardo]

Mostly disappointment that I couldn't retire, even with a million dollars.  Unpaid mortgage balances, three kids to send to college, future uncertain health care costs, higher than average market valuations, and too much residual spending.  I'm still working.

Doesn't the 1MM cover the mortgage ? or are we not talking about Net Worth ?

[Moostache]

I didn't notice when I crossed the line. I had some old stock that I had held a long time and it just took off at a time when I wasn't really paying attention to the market.  When I did notice I was actually around 1.5 million.

What I got out of that was a simultaneous feeling of peace and sense of concern.  That money is certainly enough to support me without issue but not quite enough to give me the complete freedom I "think" I want. So... I feel every dip and get a rush out of every run up.

I supposed someday it will just be and I won't be so worried about it.  Probably about the time when I decide I'm done with working and am ready to retire.  Until then its really all about potential.

[FiguringItOut]

I can't even imagine what it would feel like to hit $1M of NW.  I will be thrilled when I hit $250K.  I'm hopping to see it by the end of 2016, but I also feel that that's very optimistic. More realistic is that I'll be around $220K by end of 2016.

[Miss Prim]

After we hit one million I started shopping at Walmart instead of more expensive stores.  I switched to buying store brand food items, $19 shoes.

I avoided Walmart when we didn't have a lot of money because I wanted to feel a bit richer.  Now that we have money, I don't feel the need to pretend to be rich, so I go for the cheaper stuff (when it is the same quality).

I actually went the other way and splurged and bought a $100.00 dress for a wedding at Macy's.  I had not been in Macy's in a long time and just to look around, never bought anything.  My daughter went with me and we had a lot of fun!  She was shocked that I would buy a dress there, but I didn't tell her why!  Just said I wanted to splurge a little.  I got a lot of complements on the dress and was happy with how well it was made.

                                                                                      Miss Prim

[o2bfree]

I felt a deep, yet quiet satisfaction that, yes, it was happening, I was attaining FI! Even more satisfying was evaluating the monthly gains on my investments and seeing that I'd been pulling >$5k/month for the past 9 months, and that yes I could pull the plug now if I really wanted to! Why am I still working? Um, well I do like my job and I want to see how the healthcare thing shakes out. Also OMY syndrome, I guess.

[Trudie]

It was a private, self-satisfying moment.  I think my husband and I opened a bottle of $8 wine (typical, anyway...)  What I've noticed since then is that things seem to ratchet up quickly.  I look at my net worth daily.

Still, we've got about 5-6 more years until FIRE -- to have the kind of lifestyle we want in retirement and so my husband can get to 59 1/2.

I don't loathe, nor love my job.  Still, it's very satisfying to know that we're basically on the right track.  On a bad day I can say to myself... "Yanno, I don't need this..."

Cheers!

[Kansas Beachbum]

I felt a deep, yet quiet satisfaction that, yes, it was happening

Ditto, it felt pretty damn good, especially since the Mrs. KBB and I both came from very modest surroundings, and two commas (investments only, not overall NW) was a quiet goal of mine.  That was a couple years ago now and it continues to grow.  Not so worried about market dips as we're very well diversified and moving to a slightly more conservative allocation as we are more or less where we think we need to be.  All good :-) 

[Frugal D]

Sounds like it wasn't a big deal to most here. I don't plan on throwing a party or telling anyone (especially family) beyond my wife, but it will be a quiet victory.

My goal out of college (with $50k of debt) was to hit $1mm by age 30. I'm 29 now and looks like I won't reach my initial goal. I do expect to hit it by 31, however. I plan on drinking some beers and immediately turning my attention toward the $10mm mark.

I fully subscribe to Mustachian and Tyler Durden philosophies when it comes to anti-consumerism, but have no intention of letting my foot off the accelerator for some time. I'm anticipating kids in the next couple of years and would like to have the Mrs stay at home with them. I also have longer term aspirations of building my own home on Lake Washington or Chelan - both not cheap places to live, but worth every penny.


 

[FIRE Artist]

I honestly felt great about it, and I didn't keep it a secret, I told my closest friends and I told my parents.  This was before I found this site and didn't have anyone online to tell.  It was good to get it out, it was truly a joyful moment when I made that calculation, and two years later, I still smile and feel accomplished every time I look at my net worth.

[zephyr911]

I plan on quasi-FIRE* well before a million so it will probably be a pretty low-key moment of reflection.

*both working part-time/fun jobs for <1/2 current pay but living on less than that, letting investments compound, etc.

[NZBubble]

OP, I owe you a debt of gratitude.
Though I knew I should put some figures down on paper, because I have lots of little bits of shares and funds floating around in different places, and no clear idea in my head of balances or totals, I have been strangely reluctant to do so.

Well. Using the old valuation figures used to calculate our property taxes/ council rates and actually getting this stuff into a spreadsheet, it turns out I was pretty close. So then I did some research on current property values, and it turns out I am over the line.

Just can't believe it. Have been completely overwhelmed by what I considered to be a large rental mortgage, and now my mindset has changed, even though nothing else has.

So, thanks :0)

[NoraLenderbee]

It didn't feel like anything, really. It felt so precarious and unreliable, as if it could be snatched away at any moment (which is kind of true in the stock market). Also, by then, a million didn't seem like that much. We're getting near $2M total NW, and it still doesn't sink in that we're approaching the goal (2.5M). I have to work on that.

[Goldielocks]

I heard a quote that was something like this...
"The goal is not to be the person with a million dollars, but to be the kind of person who learned the skills too acquire a million dollars"..

Eg that skills and habits are the worthwhile goals, not the money.

[Taran Wanderer]

Was fooling around with Quicken tonight, and I learned that we just this month passed the million dollar mark for invested assets (including rental equity).  I knew we were already there if we included equity in our primary residence, but I didn't think we were there without it.  So, hooray for us!  To celebrate, I think I'll go eat another of my wife's home-baked blackberry pastries with blackberries she and the kids picked this morning.  Yum.

[BTDretire]

If you have solid gains, why not lock in some of them.  I completely agree that no one should try to time the market, but this isn't trying to time the market; it's more focused on preserving a bunch of your capital and allowing the rest of the funds to grow (or crash, should Mr. Market get angry).

That is timing the market, you're assuming the market is done going up, and while your gains are 'locked in' and sitting there doing nothing/little, you're missing out on more gains.  It's like keeping 20% in cash in retirement to ride out retirement downturns.  It might make you feel better, but it's mathematically worse, because while it helps in the times the market goes down, you're missing out on gains when the market is going up (which is more often), so in the end you're going to come out behind.

 There is a lot to be said for protecting your assets once you hit FI, or as my guru says. "once your at
 "Critical Mass" you don't want to put it at risk".

 The S&P is the same price as it was Nov,2014 and the Nasdaq is no higher than it was in Feb.
Are those signs of a bear market, or a health restoring rolling correction?
I'll tell you next year!

[libertarian4321]

I honestly felt great about it, and I didn't keep it a secret, I told my closest friends and I told my parents.  This was before I found this site and didn't have anyone online to tell.  It was good to get it out, it was truly a joyful moment when I made that calculation, and two years later, I still smile and feel accomplished every time I look at my net worth.

I told my wife/partner.  Took me a long time to tell my parents.  Told my brother years later when he needed a loan and I offered to fund it (it was safe because he's not great with money, but he he's too honest to skip out on a loan) .  Haven't really told much of anyone else, though I suspect my actions (early retirement) made it pretty obvious to some that I wasn't as poor as I claimed.

Still, even today, when I'm a multimillionaire, I won't say so in real life.  It just gives people a reason to ask for money.  Though I know some of my sharper friends have figured it out, because they ask me for financial advice from time to time.

[FIRE Artist]

I guess that I am extremely lucky in that my friends and all of my 5 siblings have professional careers, or are married to professionals, and none would dream of asking me for money, my parents included.  I never worry about anyone asking me for money.  I haven't told my siblings about my net worth, although I am sure my parents have told them.  I do also let people know of my plans for early retirement and how it is framing my current spending habits.   

I only told my parents about my net worth as I was using it as FU money when I left my career in international management in oil and gas and joined the private sector back in Canada.  You don't make a change like that in mid career without raising some eyebrows, and getting asked some questions. 

[Roothy]

Since I know many of you have been sitting on the edge of your seats, waiting to find out what it was going to be like for *me* to finally hit the 1,000,000 mark, I thought I'd give you an update so that you can get back to focusing on things that matter to you. 

After being about 10,000 short when last I posted, I have since put in another 30,000, give or take, and as of this morning, am now... at 950,000.  LOL.

Since I never crossed the one million dollar mark, I don't have to feel bad about crossing it again in the wrong direction.  :)

[Roland of Gilead]

I think you summed up what it feels like to hit a million dollars.  It feels like you just totaled a brand new car without insurance when the market drops 500 points.

[fb132]

Anticlimactic. On the plus side, after a million, the money really starts working for you and the compounding takes off.

I am now depressed knowing that it is after 1 million that the compounding takes off :( ...I won't be hitting that mark until my 50's or early 60's :(

[SwordGuy]

I'll let you know how it feels to reach $1M net worth by the end of the year. :)   

We aren't quite there yet in investable assets, that will take 2 to 3 more years.

It's a nice feeling, but paying off our mortgage (having paid off all the rest of what we owed) was a real high.

[gman]

When we paid off our mortgage 11 years ago and became debt free was a more deeply enjoyable and satisfying feeling than when we crossed the 1M dollar mark in investable assets.  It did feel good though and we went out to dinner to celebrate, it just did not feel as good as becoming debt free.  Maybe what lowered our feelings about crossing the 1M mark was the fact that DW and I both have pensions that cover about 200% of our yearly expenses so we never really have to touch this money.  So we plan to just let it ride in the market.

[Roothy]

I think you summed up what it feels like to hit a million dollars.  It feels like you just totaled a brand new car without insurance when the market drops 500 points.

Right.  Though now its like having a small house in a LCOL area burn without fire insurance.  :/

Oh, well--I stand behind the idea that somehow it hurts less when I missed crossing the 1MM mark in the first place (by less than 2 thou, even.)

[Frugal D]

When we paid off our mortgage 11 years ago and became debt free was a more deeply enjoyable and satisfying feeling than when we crossed the 1M dollar mark in investable assets.  It did feel good though and we went out to dinner to celebrate, it just did not feel as good as becoming debt free.  Maybe what lowered our feelings about crossing the 1M mark was the fact that DW and I both have pensions that cover about 200% of our yearly expenses so we never really have to touch this money.  So we plan to just let it ride in the market.

I'm guessing paying off the mortgage will feel better as well - mostly just for what it represents. Still 3-4 years away from that day, though. :(

[Davids]

With the way the market has been this week how many people can say they hit $1M but are now below it and how that feels?

[arebelspy]

A lot of people said it felt the same.

IDK, I thought it was a nice feeling.  The wife and I went out for a nice dinner.  It was a goal we'd had for awhile, and one of the few "financial" goals we had left, having hit FI before that mark, so checking that box and having the satisfaction of being "done" with money was pretty nice.

It all depends on where you're at though.  If your goal is 2.5MM, it may just be another number. It's about the importance you put on it, or what meaning you give it, like with anything else in life.

[albireo13]

We have about $1.3M counting 401ks,403B, and IRAs.  Would like to retire early but still not debt free.
Have $299k left on mortgage. Plan to sell house soon (>$400k).  Also have ~$20K in other debt.
I am 60 so, don't think we can get mortgage paid off before retirement.
We have double income, $230K.
My employer match to my 401k is 7% for my 6% contribution so that is to walk away from.

My plan is to first pay off all non-mortgage debt and to ramp up savings and build a cash reserves.
On the 3-4 year plan I think.

[Lnspilot]

I was in Munich last month, on vacation, testing out 28 days straight not working (Test #2 for the SuperPlan).

I checked Personal Capital and saw the bump over the 1 mil mark on a Friday, and then right back down on Monday.

Heck yeah! Who cares if it was for only a weekend. I'm 29 so it was a pretty big deal for me. I cracked open a Bavarian bier and congratulated myself.

I'm back to work now so I know it will be back there within a couple paychecks.

[SwordGuy]

I don't really know.

We were somewhere between $950k and $980k a couple of months ago, and planning to reach $1M by mid year based on our savings rates and the increased value of rental #3 once it's fixed up.

But we never got to celebrate reaching that milestone because, when my mom died, we jumped into the $1.45M bracket overnight.

Not really the way we wanted to surpass our milestone, but it is what it is.   

[Dicey]

Before I/we hit the mark, I used to think about it all the time, as I was very focused on the goal. Now that we're there (>$1M in investable assets + paid-for $1M home), we don't think about it nearly as much. DH says he has a rich wife, I say I have a rich husband. We are both right and lucky.
I agree with the point made upthread by a couple of people. The first half of the first million is a lot harder to achieve. Once you get there, the momentum seems to take over. One thing that I will add is that we no longer budget. We've hit our goals and we don't have expensive habits, so we just kind of roll along.

[Workinghard]

SwordGuy, sorry about your mom. Kinda takes the fun out of reaching a goal because no one wants to reach it that way.

Diane, interesting that you mentioned you no longer budget. I've loosened up in that area too.  My husband's hobby of finding an excuse to go to a store, even if he doesn't spend any money, to get out of the house on his days off, doesn't bother me as much. It just waste gas. LOL  We will be putting our house on the market in January when I retire. My DH will retire in April once he reaches Medicare age. Once we sell, that will be our bridge money and more until social security. I will feel a lot more comfortable having more cash on hand. I really don't want to pull from investments, but if we need to so be it.

It still feels surreal....