Hello! I'm a relatively new Mustachian trying to figure out how soon I can realistically FIRE and make a plan. For some background, I'm 21 years old and started working my first full time job back in September. My main reason for wanting to FIRE is just to have the freedom to spend more time with family and friends, both future and current, and to explore personal interests.
Income: $54000 annually, before taxes or any other deductions. After taxes, health insurance, and 20% contribution to 401k, about $31000 annually or $2583/month.
Current expenses (monthly):
Rent + utilities: $500 (fixed, just one all-inclusive rent check)
Groceries: $150-170 (variable, I'm working on bringing this down...it was closer to $150 last month)
Gas: $80-100 (variable, mostly because of gas prices fluctuating. I use up about 35 gallons each month)
Car insurance: $60 (basing this on last six-month payment, but it has tended to be variable)
Cell phone: $35
Restaurants/cafes: $50 (approximate and variable, I generally only go out to eat socially, but my periodic latte/dessert/lazy fast food vices are included here, too)
Netflix: $8
Savings for new car: $500 (my current Honda Civic is nearing the end of its life with about 250,000 miles on it. I plan to buy used and in cash, probably another Civic, early next year)
Miscellaneous: $60 (includes random small car repairs or maintenance, social activities that don't involve eating, gifts for people, and the occasional gift for myself...)
Total: $1483
Remaining income ($1100-1140) mostly goes to investment accounts.
Assets:
Vanguard taxable account: $10,711 (VTSAX)
Vanguard traditional IRA account: $9,957 (VBIAX)
Saturna taxable mutual fund: $1100 (probably closing this and moving the funds to Vanguard...expense ratio is kind of high and the only reason I ended up with this was because my dad suggested it before I started taking any interest in investing myself)
Employer 401k: $1120 (this is low because until a month ago I was only contributing 5%, and a couple months before that it was 0%, and I've only been employed for 6 months)
Checking/Savings/CD with negligible interest: $12,300 (I know I should probably put a good amount of this into my index funds, but I keep hesitating because I haven't decided how much to leave here as an emergency fund)
Liabilities:
No current debt, but I do plan to buy a house a few years down the road once my boyfriend and I are married.
Specific Question(s):
I need help coming up with a realistic FIRE plan and timeline. I have my current expenses pretty stabilized, but I know they're going to change and I'm not sure how to account for all the changes in my long-term plan.
For one thing, I have a slightly better paying job lined up in the Albany, NY area (currently in Syracuse, NY area), so I will probably be relocating in the next couple of months. My housing expenses are likely to go up then because it's unlikely I'll find, or really want, another arrangement like the one I have now (living mostly alone, but landlady who is here 3-4 days a week at most is technically living with me and sharing a kitchen and living room). My boyfriend is graduating in May, and if he finds a job close to mine (he probably will, there's plenty of opportunities), we will likely start living together and splitting costs, so that might offset the housing cost increase. We also plan to get married within the next couple of years and also want to have children. Buying a house is also on the table somewhere in there. All of this will obviously shake up our expenses.
I think I have a handle on the math for FIRE in general; I just have no idea how to account for so many variables and still come up with a plan. I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from those of you who have been through these life transitions and know how they influence FIRE plans.
P.S. Any thoughts or advice on optimizing my current spending/saving/etc would also be appreciated.