Author Topic: Part Time Work  (Read 8347 times)

blainem13

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Part Time Work
« on: January 19, 2015, 07:25:54 PM »
Who does part-time work post FIRE for fun?  What do you do?  In my imagination, I could see myself working part-time at REI, being an outdoor guide/instructor, doing house rehab, or staying on part time at my current employer to work on particularly interesting projects.  What do those who are already there do, if anything? 


Also, for those who don't work part time in FIRE, have you tried it and it didn't work out?  Does it conflict too much with your autonomy and travel plans?  I suspect most MMM followers have a hang-up about autonomy like I do.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2015, 05:04:45 AM »
Nah, too busy.  Plus my "early retirement" wasn't that early.  Anything I do now, I do because I want to do it or I see a community need for something to be done (i.e. I am selective in my volunteering).

One big advantage of retirement is schedule flexibility - if I had a set part-time job schedule I would loose that.  I really appreciate being able to take off when I want to; one disadvantage of teaching was that my vacations were when they were, I never had any choice as to time off.  Plus a lot of them weren't really vacations, they just looked like them to outsiders - sure I was off over Christmas, but I had masses of marking for marks to be in January 2 - that was my usual Christmas "vacation".

Wow the above was negative, I think I need a second coffee.

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2015, 06:06:50 AM »
When I FIRE, I plan on subbing part-time at my local school district.  Summers and all major holidays off, plus I get to sub when I want.  Feels like a great part-time job! I also love the idea of the coolworks jobs - we travel to National Parks a whole bunch, I'd love to live and work at one for a summer.  I want to be a waitress.  My hubby could do tech support, be the musical act for dinner, or just hike while I work.   

Unionville

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2015, 12:01:24 PM »
Someone just asked me to give a talk at a conference. They offered $1,000 plus all expenses paid.  It sounded like a financial win-win for a short talk.  But I just couldn't bring myself to fly across country to do it. That showed me that I have changed.  Earlier in my career, not only would I have gone for the financial incentive, I probably would have sought these things out and tried to build on them.  I used to accept any opportunity that came my way, thinking I always had to be moving forward.  Now, it feels good to just rest...

h2ogal

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2015, 06:29:40 PM »
I have a "part-time" interview on Friday!  I work full time now as an IT Project Director, but Im exploring ways to switch to Part Time.  Im pretty close to FIRE, so I reached out to old bosses, colleagues, etc. and asked if anyone was looking for an experienced IT PM to do some part-time or short term contract work.  I got a few bites.

I've worked part time in the past when kids were young, and during market downturns.  The thing is that I really kind of like to get dressed up, go to the office, talk with lots of people, and work on challenging problems....just not ALL DAY EVERY DAY!

I know several IT folks who have "retired" from a full time job to doing the same work but with less hours, more vacation time (unpaid but who cares) flexibility and freedom.

If you really LIKE what you do I think its the best plan.

blainem13

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2015, 06:16:38 PM »
Quote
I know several IT folks who have "retired" from a full time job to doing the same work but with less hours, more vacation time (unpaid but who cares) flexibility and freedom.

If you really LIKE what you do I think its the best plan.

I like this idea quite a bit.  I'm enjoying my work, work no more than 40 hours a week, and have unlimited flexibility to take as much or as little vacation as I want (unpaid).  Perhaps that's why I'm so obsessed with this question of what people do in retirement.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it, but I think the FI part will make life even more awesome, even without the RE part....  But then, I guess it's nice to have the RE ripcord to pull whenever you want, or even as a credible threat when needed. 

Thanks for all the thoughts. 

Daisy

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2015, 10:23:33 PM »
Looks like my younger sister is going to pull the plug also and ER soon (yay a travel buddy!). She plans to continue to work on-call (she is an armed security officer for a huge defense contractor). That way she can work as little or as much as she wants (they work 24/7 365 days/year) and take long breaks whenever and will probably get paid a fairly good hourly amount ($25/hour or so plus OT that is often double or triple time) but no benefits. She has been basically FI for a while now and will also get a pension once she's old enough (50 or maybe 55 I think), but the instability of healthcare/ACA at this time has made her want to put off ER for many more years. But with a PT gig that is flexible she can probably cover any potential health insurance increases in the future.

That's cool! The Spartana Sisters.

I've got a frugal sister too. She doesn't have a really high salary and had her wandering days in her 20s, so she won't be joining me in ER any time soon. Plus she's got one of those husbands that you have to plan with that limits her options. She has lamented to me several times that she's get rid of the cable TV package if it wasn't for him. Plus, she turns down offers to go on trips with me because she feels bad leaving him behind (she's got more vacation time).

She has been reading up on some of these ideas and recently asked me some advice, but I think it's more to get her finances in order rather than to ER. But a sister can dream...

We're really good travel partners and have the same balance of excitement/frugality in travel that I just can't find with other friends. Some have the excitement factor comparable with mine, but then like to splurge. And some are just too frugal to want to do anything for an extended period of time and just want to rush through their travels. What a conundrum!

Daisy

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2015, 07:59:11 PM »
Looks like my younger sister is going to pull the plug also and ER soon (yay a travel buddy!). She plans to continue to work on-call (she is an armed security officer for a huge defense contractor). That way she can work as little or as much as she wants (they work 24/7 365 days/year) and take long breaks whenever and will probably get paid a fairly good hourly amount ($25/hour or so plus OT that is often double or triple time) but no benefits. She has been basically FI for a while now and will also get a pension once she's old enough (50 or maybe 55 I think), but the instability of healthcare/ACA at this time has made her want to put off ER for many more years. But with a PT gig that is flexible she can probably cover any potential health insurance increases in the future.

That's cool! The Spartana Sisters.

I've got a frugal sister too. She doesn't have a really high salary and had her wandering days in her 20s, so she won't be joining me in ER any time soon. Plus she's got one of those husbands that you have to plan with that limits her options. She has lamented to me several times that she's get rid of the cable TV package if it wasn't for him. Plus, she turns down offers to go on trips with me because she feels bad leaving him behind (she's got more vacation time).

She has been reading up on some of these ideas and recently asked me some advice, but I think it's more to get her finances in order rather than to ER. But a sister can dream...

We're really good travel partners and have the same balance of excitement/frugality in travel that I just can't find with other friends. Some have the excitement factor comparable with mine, but then like to splurge. And some are just too frugal to want to do anything for an extended period of time and just want to rush through their travels. What a conundrum!
Your sister and my sister sound pretty similar - except for the spendy husband. My sister also spent from age 17 when she got out of HS until about 30 just wandering the globe. A year in New Zealand, a couple of years at a ski resort, a year road trip across country, 3 or maybe 4 long summers in Alaska, plus many other places. She always worked in between travels as well as while travelling (had some of those coolworks kind of jobs). Once she was 30 she got a job with a defense contractor, thinking she'd work for a few years and save enough money for yet another adventure, and ended up saying 20 years!  She stayed single (has a long term BF), lived very inexpensively and saved the bulk of her pay. Once she was in her mid 40's she had enough saved to buy a place with cash in SoCal and still had enough left over to RE if she wanted. She choose to continue working until she had 20 years in for the pension, and to continue to save some more, but is ready to pull the plug at any time. She makes me look like a mega-spendypants consumer sukka.

Uh...maybe wandering wasn't the right word to describe my sister in her 20s. More like wandering around the different rooms at my parents' house. Seeing her now in her early 40s, she's a totally different person. She spent her 20s trying out a few careers, unemployed in between, and couldn't get her adult life started.

But now, she's a lot more focused on work than I am. I used to be in better shape than her, but now she's turned into a triathlete queen. She puts me to shame.

So that explains her lack of savings and failure to ER. She is doing pretty well since she turned about 30 and is having a great time. If it wasn't for the husband, I think she'd be a lot closer to ER. He also had a "late start" in life. I think they are good together. But she'd be having a lot more out-of-town fun with me if she was still single.

Really, being single can be quite awesome now that I think about it.

Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2015, 11:37:21 AM »
I FIREd myself on 5OCT2012 (tender age of 40!)  I have since worked exactly 4 hours (but I got paid for 30...) 

I recently discovered the blogosphere and I'm a little addicted.  I started my own blog to see if I could earn a little extra last week and I've already made $2.31; I'm having a lot of fun so I don't mind that the payrate is pennies per hour.  See http://velociraptor.cc if you'd like to show some love or just make fun of my homemade logo in the comment section. 

I'd say only work part time if you being overpaid or if it is something you would do for free.

MetalCap

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2015, 01:07:39 PM »
FV,

That Raptor ridden by a raptor is awesome and historicly accurate and most importantly NOT photoshopped. Congrats on the new blog! *bookmarked

Jon_Snow

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2015, 02:31:27 PM »
If I worked again (even part-time) I'd consider my ER to be a horrible failure.

I'm quite serious.

Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2015, 04:00:05 PM »
MetalCap,

It is of course historically accurate for a velociraptor to use dynamite and automatic firearms while riding a great white shark.  But if you look closely you'll notice there is no saddle.  No self respecting raptor is going to ride a shark bareback and get slimy shark stuff on his legs.  A highly suspect photo!

deborah

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2015, 07:01:31 PM »
I actually did work part time for a while after I retired - I taught some courses in one of my hobbies, and was paid for it. It was fun. I find I learn more by teaching people. Then my dad got sick, so it was more difficult, so I stopped.

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2015, 07:10:19 PM »
My wife worked part time at the international schools our children attended.  She doesn't have to work (but I need to be cautious to dwell on the marginal utility of her work, that the net benefit is probably negative).  Sometimes people want to work, and don't want to be reminded that it is just a financial shell game that their income is meaningful.   

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2015, 07:32:24 PM »
...in fact, continuing my thought, she is going on and on about what her students did this week, which is pretty much the dimension she likes to bring when I'm wondering why she works.  She was never this happy when the kids were at school and she was a 'housewife'.  So, our vote right now is that part time / less than full utilization of her health science degree is actually working out better than just her being 'retired', SAH now that our kids are almost teens, for both of us.

retired?

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2015, 12:05:31 PM »
I've browsed job sites a bit and it seems, not surprisingly, that most part-time require evening and/or weekend hours (e.g. at local library).

I have two kids in school and my wife works as a teacher, so their schedules match.  I'd like a part-time job during the week that doesn't get in the way of spending time with my family.

Also, would like summers off.  I don't feel comfortable seeking a job that I'd quit in 5 months.  Perhaps I'll look to start something in Sep, so even if I quit the following summer, I will have given 9 months.  Subbing is a possibility.

How long do employers expect to keep part-timers?  I have no idea, but in my former full-time world we liked people to stay at least 2 and hopefully 3+ years for it to be worth the hiring effort.

Natcat

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #16 on: March 05, 2015, 06:41:30 AM »
I'm not FIRE yet but I've just reduced to part times with my employer. I've come to the conclusion that while I idolize the FIRE superstars here on the MMM forums their path to freedom just does not work for me. I'm not cut out for full time hours even for a short period of time to work towards FI (5 to 10 years). I slip into a depression and end up missing time at work and eventual quit. Whether this is a mental weakness or just my own personal limit I've decided to create my own path. I plan to stay on with my current employer for the long term in a part time position working 3 days a week and leaving the other 4 for my own personal pursuits. Spending time with my ailing father, mediating and doing yoga, hanging out at the library, auditing university courses, hiking, finding new hobbies, are just some of the things that I want to do NOW. Not 10 years from now when I've mentally and physically degraded myself. Thankfully the things I want to do in life generally don't require me to have long stretches of time available. The few long distance travels I want to do will only require me to take a month of unpaid leave once every few years.

Hot_AZ

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #17 on: March 05, 2015, 07:00:52 AM »
I'm not quite FIRE yet.... we are planning a move from AZ to WY in the next few months.  It was supposed to be 2016 but we're bumping the date up.  I'm actually hoping to find some contract or part time work as an IT Business Analyst to transition into FIRE. 

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2015, 12:57:15 PM »
Yes, and its going OK.. pays well and has a lot of travel benefits.

Tends to be feast r famine.. like full time then nothing.. Looks like a period of famine is coming up.

My Wife won't retire till mid 2016 so this is helping stuff the stash some more although "apparently" I don't need it..;)

Isn't that right Jon Snow..:)

Cassie

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #19 on: March 05, 2015, 01:25:16 PM »
Even though I was 58 full retirement was not for me.  After 6 months I started to teach a online course at the univ. & consult p.t. in my previous profession.  This is the best of both worlds for me. I can vacation whenever I want since my course is online.  In May we are going for a month trip in our motorhome.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #20 on: March 05, 2015, 01:39:23 PM »
Yes, and its going OK.. pays well and has a lot of travel benefits.

Tends to be feast r famine.. like full time then nothing.. Looks like a period of famine is coming up.

My Wife won't retire till mid 2016 so this is helping stuff the stash some more although "apparently" I don't need it..;)

Isn't that right Jon Snow..:)

Hey, I know all about "padding the stache" further too...my wife intends to keep working even though I tell her that she doesn't have to. She tells me that she might work another 10 years! Gah!  (and Frank, our respective "staches" are very comparable...I know you have inquired about mine...I just don't like putting my numbers out there)

Exflyboy

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Re: Part Time Work
« Reply #21 on: March 05, 2015, 06:28:09 PM »
Yes, and its going OK.. pays well and has a lot of travel benefits.

Tends to be feast r famine.. like full time then nothing.. Looks like a period of famine is coming up.

My Wife won't retire till mid 2016 so this is helping stuff the stash some more although "apparently" I don't need it..;)

Isn't that right Jon Snow..:)

Hey, I know all about "padding the stache" further too...my wife intends to keep working even though I tell her that she doesn't have to. She tells me that she might work another 10 years! Gah!  (and Frank, our respective "staches" are very comparable...I know you have inquired about mine...I just don't like putting my numbers out there)

10 years ugh!..