Author Topic: Feeling very fortunate...  (Read 4708 times)

Gone Fishing

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Feeling very fortunate...
« on: March 17, 2020, 04:08:50 AM »
Being retired, I was able to stock up on groceries weeks ago.  School was cancelled with no worries about childcare.  My wife is able to work from home.  Years of practice and soil improvements should yield a large amount of fresh produce from the garden this year.  We have meat on the hoof.  The market decline is merely a side note.  FIRE is truly a blessing during a crisis!

jim555

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2020, 08:25:02 AM »
It is such a relief to not have to worry about work, esp in times like this.  I used to take a train and subway for my job.  I couldn't imagine the stress of being near people while commuting.  Also the stores are mostly empty shelves around me and I can spend my mornings foraging for food in the stores.  Wouldn't be able to do that if I had to work.

Omy

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2020, 09:11:59 AM »
This is going to "make a dent" on our financial picture, but it won't have the devastating effects that millions will suffer. It's amazing how precarious our system is. I too feel fortunate that we have the ability to weather this crisis.

Rdy2Fire

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2020, 09:37:13 AM »
Ironically my thoughts were similar. I'm a short timer on FIRE and still not sure what my plan is in regards to future work but I was relieved to not have to think about all the work BS. As I watched my investments in the beginning I freaked a bit but have enough cash for a while so just letting it ride and hope we all just live through it.

Mr. Green

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2020, 10:05:41 AM »
Hear, hear! I used to work in an office full of cubicles and the nature of the work meant it couldn't be done remotely. No doubt I'd still be driving in to an office with people who won't even stay home with a cold, were I still working today. It is yet another moment when the pursuit of FIRE has proven valuable beyond all measure.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2020, 10:17:51 AM »
I feel fortunate that we are FIREd and don't need to work about jobs an income. And that we sold our house two weeks before the outbreak for a good price. This might not have been so easy otherwise.

I don't feel so forunate about all the restrictions. Now we are free, but we can't go anywhere else than at home. We are forbidden to visit our mountain cabin.

blue_green_sparks

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2020, 12:55:24 PM »
I hear you. I was a cube dweller and usually doomed to share in the cold and flu misery each season.
Now I play(ed?) in multiple rock bands. I am the only band member who is retired. I texted them 2 weeks ago that I would not be gigging or practicing....they were dumbfounded and didn't seem to understand the gravity. We are fortunate having a private three acre estate to roam around and get some sunshine. Been chasing the herons away from our pond full of tilapia. Debt free with pretty good income from CDs. Make the best of it, that's my philosophy.

dougules

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2020, 07:31:33 AM »
Just as a side benefit you FIREd folks are able to stay home and self-quarantine much easier.  Aside from helping your own health, you're saving the rest of us just a little bit, too. 

John Galt incarnate!

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2020, 09:05:49 AM »
I'm securely FIREd so I've got nothing to worry about.

Are my days filled with insouciant joviality?

Hardly.

For weeks I've been disquieted because I appreciate the fear and anxiety many are suffering due to the stock market's convulsions.

Their stress is awful.






CrazyIT

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2020, 09:47:57 AM »
My last day was last Friday 3/13.  On my way out I shook everyone's hand I worked with,  hugged a few too as they wished me well.

If my last day was tomorrow instead (one week later) things would be very different since my entire company is "working from home" now.

I guess my goodbyes would have been via Skype....LOL

Unbelievable what a change there has been in one week

 



infromsea

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2020, 03:31:33 PM »
The tables have turned in my world.

I'm RE, the wife and I are FI.

The wife works, she's an MA, in a small family practice office.

She is supposed to be the office supervisor but these days she's the office supervisor, an MA taking samples for covid tests, tech support for the doctors trying to implement telemedicine, supply wrangler (there are none...) and much much more.

My last 10 years in the military were high-stress, phone calls all weekend/all hours of the night, and she worked/took care of the homestead.

Now that I'm RE/doing gig/side work/remote work, I'm taking care of the homestead, trying to reduce her stress in every way.

This weekend she worked in the yard to de-stress, I kept the house clean, cooked up a storm, and have been handling all the groceries/homestead needs while she does her thing.

My main goal is to not get sick so I can support her, if she gets sick, that's one thing, if I go down I can't take care of her/19 year old in the house (who can take care of herself unless she's sick too) and my 71 year old father who lives with us, my mission, stay healthy so I can take care of them...

The value of the "stay at home" gig highlighted.

I hope this finds everyone doing well. Cheers,

Tim

Loren Ver

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2020, 04:30:34 PM »
Very very fortunate indeed.

FIREd last April.  SORR are highest for us right now, but we also have a lot of control over our spending assuming basic prices don't go crazy the next few months.  Even if they do, we will still be fine, just do some trimming.

I'm a little bummed about cancelling (postponing?) an international trip that was in April/May.  A little sad that my June road trip will probably be canceled (postponed?) as well.  But, I am really really really fortunate neither myself nor DH needs to go to the labs or cube farms to eek out a living. 

Even more fortunate that we don't have jobs we can even lose....

LV

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2020, 03:28:05 AM »
I agree with OP as I am going on being Fire'd 5 years April 2nd. My DW works for some fun money but mostly Healthcare and now is working 100% from home so with 2 of our 4 kids home its simply like summer vacation came early. Getting ahead on spring chores and were able to shop when its a little less crowded and able to actually do alot of activities without getting close to others like walks, biking, kayaking etc...

Financially the drop in equities is hard to swallowed but we knew at some point in retirement we were going to go through at least one big adjustment if not a couple so were as prepared as we could have been and are sticking with the plan we laid out for a drop. But like I said, it still testing though I believe we will get through this fine and will have Stocks etc..more with a lesser ave. dollar cost.


Fishindude

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2020, 08:11:50 AM »
We are pretty good here, live in the rural midwest 5 miles outside of a town of 15,000.   People are not going too nuts yet, groceries and supplies available for the most part.   We are retired, but live on a farm so can go for hikes and work on projects, etc.   Have family members real close by so we've been visiting a little.   Biggest inconveniences for us have been that we've had to postpone some vacationing travel and not being able to go out to lunch or supper occasionally, which we like to do with friends.   Very fortunate indeed.

Livingthedream55

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2020, 08:20:34 AM »
Same.

FIREd in June, 2019, get a monthly government pension which covers all of my expenses with room to spare, have a FIRE stash which I had conservatively asset allocated so I've taken a hit but nothing that time won't resolve, have a paid for house and a prudent cash cushion. I am so, so grateful that I am able to stay the f*ck home.

Practicing a lot of gratitude each and every day. Sad and scared for the suffering in the world. Will donate my Covid Relief check (I'm in the USA) to a worthy charity. Hang in there everyone!

John Galt incarnate!

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2020, 10:06:36 AM »
We are pretty good here, live in the rural midwest 5 miles outside of a town of 15,000.   People are not going too nuts yet, groceries and supplies available for the most part.   We are retired, but live on a farm so can go for hikes and work on projects, etc.   Very fortunate indeed.

My house is located  in a rural mountain community ~5 miles from town.

In 2010, the population of the entire county was ~18,250.

It hasn't changed much.

So far, no reported cases of COVID-19 in my county.

There were a few reported cases of the virus in my SO's county so she is staying with me for a few months.

Not due to  fear but for a "vacation," change of scenery, etc.

We were out hiking on my property this morning under a  brilliant sun and spectacular blue sky.

I'm glad I live in a county that is so rural there is not one single traffic light in the entire county.

For us all is well.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2020, 10:13:54 AM by John Galt incarnate! »

GreenSheep

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2020, 12:18:45 PM »
I FIREd in November from a job that was not only in the medical field but also involved traveling twice a month. I would have been on the front lines of this and probably would have ended up quarantined in a hotel far from home. I have never been more grateful for FIRE. My husband has worked from home for years, and we're both introverts who are happy to just stay home.

I called an old friend in New Orleans the other day, and she would have been on the front lines, too, given her medical career, but she was rear-ended by a drunk driver a few months ago and has been out of work due to short-term memory problems. She is very much seeing it as a blessing in disguise now.

I do have moments of guilt that I'm not out there using my skills to help people, but I think it's a lot to ask people to work without proper protective gear, and I wonder whether I would have been willing to potentially sacrifice my life and the lives of my family members for a job. I admire and am grateful for those out there doing just that, but I certainly can't blame those who have decided to protect themselves and their families.

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2020, 12:36:00 PM »
Enjoying this uplifting thread.  My DW has been a SAHP and substitute teacher for over a decade, so this transition hasn’t been too bad.  I’m enjoying working from home and am considering ER if we go back to commuting to an office again - that was one of my least favorite aspects of my work.  As the weeks go by, I can envision my ER life more clearly.  I’m thankful to get this period of time to ‘test drive’ FIRE.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2020, 12:38:53 PM by EscapeVelocity2020 »

Trudie

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #18 on: March 29, 2020, 10:18:48 PM »
Tomorrow is a year to the day since my spouse walked in, quit his job, and we shocked the shit out of people.  We immediately put our house on the market and it sold within ten days.  We downsized, moved, and bought our condo with cash.  We kept a substantial cash buffer when my husband inherited a few years ago, so we’re weathering the market storm okay.  I converted a substantial chunk of my traditional IRA to Roth, but we aren’t really buying into the market right now.

Daily we comment on how grateful we were to have pulled the trigger when we did.  We’re fortunate to not have the stress of jobs and keeping them.  I feel like we’re doing a good, neighborly thing by staying indoors.  We’re eating healthy food, reading, planning our veggie garden, and holding social events and meetings via Zoom.  With college students out of the neighborhood for the rest of the semester, I am cleaning up a neglected lot around the corner and doing some guerrilla gardening.  There’s nobody around to get in my way, and it’s a good solitary activity.

We had to postpone a trip to Europe in April.  It was only a momentary bummer.  Europe will be there next year.

The thing I do notice is that when I do need to go out once a week for grocery store errands it wears me down.  I find the whole thing stressful and generally collapse on the couch afterward.  This resulted in a bit of overbuying the last time I was out, but I wouldn’t call it hoarding.  We’re just well stocked.  Our state is a few weeks shy of the apex of the virus.  We’ve had a few deaths statewide, though only a couple of cases in my county.  Still, I would be happy to not have to go out until cases start to decrease.

Of course, we don’t have a lot of testing, so nobody really knows.  People in our state who aren’t hospitalized aren’t a priority for tests, and there is a backlog.  The State Hygienic lab started working with the School of Veterinary Medicine to process lab tests.  I’m good with that.  The vets I know are amazing scientists and great humans.

Miss Prim

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #19 on: March 30, 2020, 07:41:40 AM »
I am so thankful to be retired!  I worked in a Microbiology lab at a hospital and I remember how crazy it would get during 'flu season!  Not only the amount of 'flu testing we had to do, but also an increase in bacterial infections from secondary infections connected to the flu.  Plus I would probably be working overtime everyday to finish everything. 

                                                     Miss Prim

Dancin'Dog

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #20 on: March 30, 2020, 08:52:36 AM »
We are FIRE'd, have a beautiful home that is paid for, and our DD is home from college with us.  Spring is a wonderful time of year, so that really helps keep our spirits up.  The news is dire, but the trees and flowers are blooming.  The birds are busy building nests, and soon we'll be seeing baby ducklings following their moms on the lake.  There's grass to mow & plants to repot.  The neighbors are walking their dogs & everyone is much friendlier than normal.  There's a sense of togetherness as we face this scary situation with as much hope as we can. 


Although we can't go anywhere we are fortunate to live in a vacation-like setting.  We'll exercise, relax, and spend time outdoors.  (I'm actually relieved that we can't travel because we have 3 dogs, and two of them are so old that they require special care & it's always a planning issue to figure out "what to do with them".) 


We'll be cooking a lot more.  We'll be exercising a lot.  We'll be doing our best to have family fun more.  We're in about as good a situation as any for being holed up in a national quarantine.  I really feel for the folks that have it so much worse. 

Fishindude

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #21 on: March 30, 2020, 11:36:33 AM »
We are FIRE'd, have a beautiful home that is paid for, and our DD is home from college with us.  Spring is a wonderful time of year, so that really helps keep our spirits up.  The news is dire, but the trees and flowers are blooming.  The birds are busy building nests, and soon we'll be seeing baby ducklings following their moms on the lake.  There's grass to mow & plants to repot.  The neighbors are walking their dogs & everyone is much friendlier than normal.  There's a sense of togetherness as we face this scary situation with as much hope as we can. 


Although we can't go anywhere we are fortunate to live in a vacation-like setting.  We'll exercise, relax, and spend time outdoors.  (I'm actually relieved that we can't travel because we have 3 dogs, and two of them are so old that they require special care & it's always a planning issue to figure out "what to do with them".) 


We'll be cooking a lot more.  We'll be exercising a lot.  We'll be doing our best to have family fun more.  We're in about as good a situation as any for being holed up in a national quarantine.  I really feel for the folks that have it so much worse.

Great response !
Same here; fired and debt free with ample savings, flowers are starting to pop, we have wood ducks nesting in big sycamore tree beside the house, geese and ducks are pairing up on our farm ponds, we've been doing some yard work, etc.   I did a 15 mile bike ride around the countryside the other day and only encountered a few cars.   Eating pretty good too; have lots of garden stuff from last year, full pantry, several deer, a hof and plenty of other good meat and fish in the freezer.   

Got a bunch of tomato seeds planted in cups in the window, hoping to see them sprout any day and my order of garden seeds just showed up, so looking forward to that.   Mushrooms will be popping up in the woods within a couple weeks and that's always fun.   Have also been doing some acrylic painting and a few hobby projects in the shop.

We do miss seeing the kids and grandkids but we don't want them (or us) traveling right now.   Doing a lot of face timing with them.

HotTubes

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #22 on: March 30, 2020, 02:58:18 PM »
I’m still working and am dealing with this through my work

I agree that there’s something of a sense of community developing here that was missing

But I went to Costco yesterday and found all the close contact with people downright scary

bmjohnson35

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #23 on: March 30, 2020, 04:13:25 PM »

I'm definitely feeling fortunate.   A little over a month ago I was working in the busiest international airport in Florida and now I'm at home focusing on personal health and home projects. 

I've had 3 concerts postponed and social distancing has put a damper on what we can do outside the house, but these inconveniences are trivial when compared to the suffering going on around the world
 
BJ

Livingthedream55

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #24 on: March 31, 2020, 10:24:22 AM »
I'm listening to:

https://www.amazon.com/Gratitude-Daily-Days-More-Stress/dp/B07M931FRY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1L6PTHRY083MO&dchild=1&keywords=21+days+of+gratitude&qid=1585671697&sprefix=21+days+gratitude%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-4


not shilling for Amazon - I actually borrowed it from my library via an app called Hoopla. It's really helpful. Basically 21 ways to remind ourselves to put things in perspective and practice gratitude.

BPA

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Re: Feeling very fortunate...
« Reply #25 on: March 31, 2020, 05:29:47 PM »
I'm really grateful too.

I said to my partner today that of all the times in my life for this to happen, I'm so lucky it's now. I'm able to help my son out. We are all basically self-isolating and can afford to.

If this had happened when I had debt and a job I needed it would have been brutal.

Frugality and FIRE make life so much more bearable now.

I'm not going to be crazy about social distancing this summer if it comes to that, but there will be time for fun when the crisis has passed.