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Post Semi-FIRE Update

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Libertea:
So since I'm goofing off on the internet right now instead of doing something productive, I figure I should at least post an update, because I always liked hearing about what happened to other people after they quit their jobs, and a lot of them kind of stop posting very much at that point.  (Present company included - sorry). 

To recap since it's been over a year, I quit my FT job in January 2017 at age 41, took six months off to travel/spend time with family, and then started an internship in a new (much lower paying) field.  I am also still working (very) part time in my old field, about one day per week on average.  Because of that, I have not had to touch my stash at all, and in fact, it's grown considerably larger.  (I semi-FIRE'd with about $600k and am now just north of $700k.).

First, I want to say that while I still don't love my old field, it is MUCH more tolerable when I'm only working in it PT.  Even if every day that I'm doing it sucks (which it doesn't), it's only like 4-5 days per month, so it's not a constant vampiric drain on my psychic energy.  I have gone back and forth about whether to quit doing it altogether, and I almost did quit last month.  But I ultimately decided to continue for a while longer for several reasons, including wanting to have enough money to continue helping family and donating to charity at my current levels, neither of which I would be able to afford to do while not working unless I double my stash. 

Second, I really like the new field a lot, and I would even consider continued FT work in it if I could find a reasonable position.  Unfortunately, I am not sure how possible that will be, but I'm looking at options.

Third, I am not less busy than I was before semi-FIRE'ing.  In fact, if anything, I have less free time than before.  That is not such a welcome surprise, but it is what it is.

Last, I really like Tony Robbins's concept of graded FI, which he outlines in his book (Money Master the Game) and on his blog.  We speak a lot here about FU and FI levels, but in general people tend to think of FI and RE as all or nothing.  Meaning, you're either FIRE or you're not, analogous to how you're either pregnant or you're not.  However, while it is not possible to be half-pregnant, it is most definitely possible to be half-FI, or any other gradation in between 0-100%.  Robbins has five levels of stashes, from financial security (meaning you can cover your basic living expenses but no luxuries/discretionary spending) all the way up to absolute financial freedom, where you have enough money to cover all of your dream goals as well as your expenses and luxuries.  By his accounting, I am at the second level for sure (expenses + half of everyday luxuries) and am at or getting close to the third (expenses + all everyday luxuries), but I still have a way to go to be able to fund a lot of the dream goals using my stash.

On a (somewhat) related note, has anyone here read the book "Happy Money"?  The authors apparently make some arguments for spending more money on specific things that free up your time and energy for other things that you enjoy doing more.  (Say, paying someone to clean your house for you if you're like me and don't enjoy cleaning.)  I haven't read the book yet, but it sounds intriguing.  I've struggled for years with this specific issue of whether to pay someone to clean my house (it doesn't just bother me financially - I find it kind of ethically icky too.  But that's another story.)

DreamFIRE:

It sounds like semi-FIRE is working well for you.  In 2019, if I FIRE on schedule, I might offer to my employer that I stay on part time 1 to 3 days per week for at least a year.  But I don't know if my employer will go for that since I'm budgeted as a full time position, so they just might try to replace me.  But due to specific skill requirements, it's possible they will keep me on part time for a while.  I think semi-FIRE will be heaps better being off more days in a week than I work.

Paying someone to do house cleaning has come up in a few recent posts.  Some people do it.  I haven't done it during my career, so it seems even less likely I would do it during FIRE/semi-FIRE.  I can see the advantage of freeing up time if someone doesn't mind spending the extra money for something they could do themselves.

Basenji:
Thank you for updating! Sounds like you are doing very well. The Happy Money struggle is real. For me it's DIY. Do I really learn how to remove and reinstall baseboards, buy supplies, make mistakes, or do I just hire someone? Will have to check out the book.

mausmaus:
Great post. I want to take a moment to analyze why people feel icky about paying someone to clean their houses.
I don't think the activity per se is problematic. We hire people to do lots of things for us (plumbers, housepainters), and I don't see cleaning as essentially different. No reason for ethical qualms there.
I think the problem lies in the fact that usually house-cleaning ladies are treated very unfairly. Most are ghastly underpaid and in some cases employers take advantage of problematic situations like lack of immigration visas.
I think employers should feel guilty (and act accordingly) if that were the case.

As (former) employees, we should be sensitive to the needs that every employee has (and house-cleaning workers are no different): a fair wage, healthcare, retirement, paid vacations, sick days off, reasonable obligations and a good working environment. As long as we provide those conditions, we should feel no shame about employing a person.

Financial.Velociraptor:
I was just wondering if you kept the part time gig or not.  Glad to hear it is an optional consideration at this point.

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