Author Topic: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors  (Read 7958 times)

zephyr911

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Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« on: September 02, 2016, 10:01:12 AM »
http://seekingalpha.com/article/4003627-quit-working-5-years-330000-savings

Interesting scenario, similar to what many of us here are actually doing right now, though mine isn't quite so aggressive... but as always, it has attracted a massive whiny backlash about how minor details not applying to every scenario means that NONE OF THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE IT IS EVEN REMOTELY POSSIBLE. Waah! Waah! xD

soupcxan

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2016, 10:16:26 AM »
The author proposes that someone can retire at 29 with $330k and expect to draw 8%/year for the rest of his life...yeah, good luck with that...

zephyr911

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2016, 10:18:02 AM »
The author proposes that someone can retire at 29 with $330k and expect to draw 8%/year for the rest of his life...yeah, good luck with that...
I don't even care if all the assumptions are right... most of the comments are even more off base. It sure got some people thinking, but most of them are just thinking about how to justify their assumption that FIRE is a pipe dream.

StockBeard

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2016, 11:29:35 AM »
it has attracted a massive whiny backlash
Where? I'm not seeing any comments on the article.

zephyr911

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2016, 07:09:23 PM »
it has attracted a massive whiny backlash
Where? I'm not seeing any comments on the article.
Maybe they only show up for logged-in users?

StockBeard

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2016, 07:33:15 PM »
Ah, that could be the case, I don't have an account there

MoneyCat

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2016, 09:02:37 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

MgoSam

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2016, 11:37:34 AM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

I could see it if someone were to live full-time in Nepal, but even then I wouldn't recommend it. I plan on moving abroad post-FIRE, but I still want to have enough in case I move back here.

MrMoogle

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2016, 12:04:02 PM »
The author proposes that someone can retire at 29 with $330k and expect to draw 8%/year for the rest of his life...yeah, good luck with that...

From the article:
Quote
In this article, I lay out the approach behind a very risky and semi-permanent approach to early retirement.

zephyr911

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2016, 12:39:10 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?
DW and I have about that much today, and if my AA was where I wanted it, I'd totally pull the plug today... but my plan includes PT work. I'm way too spendypants to quit entirely on that much.

talltexan

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2016, 12:01:37 PM »
I was feeling bad about being too spendy to retire with $0.6 million...you mustachians have really damaged me!

forumname123

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2016, 12:09:59 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

bacchi

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2016, 12:20:22 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

No kidding. I retired on $5100 and a pack of bubble gum. They're a bunch of naysayers!

runningthroughFIRE

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2016, 12:39:34 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

No kidding. I retired on $5100 and a pack of bubble gum. They're a bunch of naysayers!

MMM isn't even the most extreme frugal blog out there.  I couldn't even read the full article without subscribing, but to be fair the last sentence on the first page reads "But there is an alternative for those who are not looking to build a nest egg that will last forever - just an income stream that will allow them to check out of the real world for a few years." so it isn't like the article is advocating anything all that extreme.  330K would probably cover my expenses for almost a decade just sitting in a savings account and losing value to inflation.

forumname123

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2016, 12:44:17 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

No kidding. I retired on $5100 and a pack of bubble gum. They're a bunch of naysayers!

MMM isn't even the most extreme frugal blog out there.  I couldn't even read the full article without subscribing, but to be fair the last sentence on the first page reads "But there is an alternative for those who are not looking to build a nest egg that will last forever - just an income stream that will allow them to check out of the real world for a few years." so it isn't like the article is advocating anything all that extreme.  330K would probably cover my expenses for almost a decade just sitting in a savings account and losing value to inflation.


It could last me 30 years if I kept it in my mattress. I hate when people just start screaming "impossible!" because it's impossible given their own personal situation, which they aren't willing to change. Sure, if you were in San Francisco it might be impossible, but there are plenty of places on this earth where you can buy a pretty awesome life for less than $1000/month.

Cromacster

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #15 on: September 12, 2016, 12:48:37 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

Yea people who fling asterisks are full of shit!

Overall, I felt the general feel in the comments was more positive than many articles.  It could be do that it referenced MMM directly which may drive more people there who are interested in MMM, thus a more positive feeling about the concept.

8% with a stash of 330k invested "close ended funds and high dividend stocks" would make me feel uncomfortable if I were to attempt FIRE.  If it is comfortable for this individual, go for it.

forumname123

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #16 on: September 12, 2016, 12:57:55 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

Yea people who fling asterisks are full of shit!

Overall, I felt the general feel in the comments was more positive than many articles.  It could be do that it referenced MMM directly which may drive more people there who are interested in MMM, thus a more positive feeling about the concept.

8% with a stash of 330k invested "close ended funds and high dividend stocks" would make me feel uncomfortable if I were to attempt FIRE.  If it is comfortable for this individual, go for it.

Ha! I'm used to forums where those words aren't allowed, so I've gotten used to using asterisks. Being able to say fuck shit cock is quite refreshing, I must say.

I didn't even read the article (or the comments), but I would feel fairly comfortable with $330k. I can imagine how some people might need more, but I can also imagine how other people might need even less.

runningthroughFIRE

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2016, 01:39:20 PM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

Yea people who fling asterisks are full of shit!

Overall, I felt the general feel in the comments was more positive than many articles.  It could be do that it referenced MMM directly which may drive more people there who are interested in MMM, thus a more positive feeling about the concept.

8% with a stash of 330k invested "close ended funds and high dividend stocks" would make me feel uncomfortable if I were to attempt FIRE.  If it is comfortable for this individual, go for it.

Ha! I'm used to forums where those words aren't allowed, so I've gotten used to using asterisks. Being able to say fuck shit cock is quite refreshing, I must say.

I didn't even read the article (or the comments), but I would feel fairly comfortable with $330k. I can imagine how some people might need more, but I can also imagine how other people might need even less.

Now I really want to watch Carlin's 7 words you can't say on TV...

I'm impressed.  My FI number is $360K.  I still have room to trim down but I thought I was already on the extreme end, even on this forum.

Rife

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #18 on: September 19, 2016, 11:17:16 PM »
The author proposes that someone can retire at 29 with $330k and expect to draw 8%/year for the rest of his life...yeah, good luck with that...

That seems like a simplification. He points out that the return is an assumption and he illustrates how each additional year his passive income outpaces his need by more and more. I only read the first two pages but the basic point that it is realistic for someone to be financially independent came across. To be realistic, you can't simply plug in X% per year especially if he means equities since real returns are far more volatile and risk needs to be accounted for, but to be fair that is always true in retirement. As a 45 year old I can add that health care costs may eat up a lot as you get older also.

marty998

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Re: Early Retirement Example Enrages Complainypants Investors
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2016, 03:31:19 AM »
I wouldn't try to FIRE on only $330,000. Maybe it would work if you retire to a homeless shelter?

You're just as bad as the people who fling **** in the comments section of these types of articles. "I can't do it, and therefor nobody can!" You'd have to be homeless!"

Yea people who fling asterisks are full of shit!

Overall, I felt the general feel in the comments was more positive than many articles.  It could be do that it referenced MMM directly which may drive more people there who are interested in MMM, thus a more positive feeling about the concept.

8% with a stash of 330k invested "close ended funds and high dividend stocks" would make me feel uncomfortable if I were to attempt FIRE.  If it is comfortable for this individual, go for it.

Ha! I'm used to forums where those words aren't allowed, so I've gotten used to using asterisks. Being able to say fuck shit cock is quite refreshing, I must say.

I didn't even read the article (or the comments), but I would feel fairly comfortable with $330k. I can imagine how some people might need more, but I can also imagine how other people might need even less.

Now I really want to watch Carlin's 7 words you can't say on TV...


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