Back to work

[Olde Stache]

Hi everyone,
I was just reading the post below about how your perspective on time changes after FIRE.  I'm FI but, by choice, not FIRE'd.

I am returning to work tomorrow after a two month leave of absence taken to help my disabled son move to get better care options. I am not looking forward to my return even though I like my job.  My blood pressure has not been lower in a long time, but back I go for OMY.

Just sayin..

[TomTX]

But why do you go back to work?

How big is your stache? How much is the annual expenditure looking, presuming you have to buy health insurance?

[Olde Stache]

Thanks TomTX. I posted back in May about if I should do one more year and I have decided that I will.  I have 1.1 m stache with a 60/40 allocation and a spend of about 38k.

I'm going to spend the next year getting my ducks in a row so I can then get out clean.


The 2 month leave gave me a good taste of how things will be after retirement.

[TomTX]

Seems reasonable if that's what you want to do. You've made it to the 4% rule, but I can see where waiting and/or adding to the buffer would make you feel better.

[Retire-Canada]

You are over the 4% rule and it's a year of your life you'll never get back. As we get older the opportunity cost of time vs. just gets more pronounced with time being far more precious.

[arebelspy]

Do what makes you happy. Sounds like OMY is the best choice. :)

[Bateaux]

I know where you are.  I'm in the same boat.  My OMY may be several more years.   It's about security and family.   My oldest son is 22 and a cancer survivor with multiple health problems.   Unless he's lucky enough to land a job after college with great benefits,  I'll have to keep him covered by my employers policy till he's 26.  Even though my wife and I have enough stash for ourselves, sometimes it's what we have to do.

[Exflyboy]

Good for you OS..

As you say you are FI'd you don't need to work.. But we are designed to work. Doing something meaningful is more than just providing an income stream.

Work has become something that represents something different to what it should be... i.e an abusive corporation, narcissistic boss, insane hours etc. As such we want to get away from it as fast as possible!

For me at least I don't currently view work this way. I can afford to take or leave it and the job I do part time I thoroughly enjoy.

Heck I even enjoy the game of maximizing airmiles and hotel points.. And that's it its a game, its fun.

While my Wife is working I really can't imagine having all my time to myself. I suspect that will change when she has had enough, but for now work that I want to do (always being ready to say.. no thankyou when they piss me off) is a great balance.

The fact it adds a bit more of a cushion is also an OK thing, although in my own case we are approximately 3 times FI.. Yes a little ridiculous but at this point that's not the factor.

Even when we are both retired we will work at something, probably for free but doing highly rewarding work for sure.

[Olde Stache]

Thanks for your replies. I have had some more changes recently that are making my planing more interesting.

I'm sill in the OMY camp, but am now a single empty nester as my daughter was recently married and I now have more flexibility. I have no need, any longer, for the "big house" and have a bid in on a condominium that will cut my housing investment  in half and not require all the yard work and upkeep I have now. The housing change is something that has been on my mind for a while.

Things just keep getting more fun. The only thing that would make me change my plans at this point would be if I needed to do more to support my disabled son.

[Dicey]

Ooh! Downsizing is so much fun! That alone will eat up a good chunk of your OMY and you'll be out before you know it.

[Exflyboy]

Just don't tell anyone about OMY.. you get a lot of crap for for around here let me tell you...:)

[Olde Stache]

I'm hoping the downsizing will encourage me to maybe only do 1/2 OMY and then just do the freelance thing like Exflyboy. Unfortunately my negotiations on the downsizing condo were short and unproductive.

Back to Zillow to see what I can shake out of the bushes. All I can hope for is 10 below with a foot of snow to get the right price!

[arebelspy]

Just don't tell anyone about OMY.. you get a lot of crap for for around here let me tell you...:)

OMY is fine, as long as your thread title is something like "Back to work" and not "I retired today."  You can't expect people not to respond back when you troll them with a title like that.  ;)

[soccerluvof4]

Under your circumstances I wouldn't get stressed about the OMY or what we have to say. I recently downsized for the second time in 3-4 years and it was time consuming and a lot of work so that as someone else said should take up of a lot time. As others had said you just don not want to year after year go another year. There will always be reasons/fears/insecurities. Instead maybe make yourself commit to a couple years off and if your plan doesn't go as planned address it then. Thats what I had to do in my individual case. Everyone is different.

[Olde Stache]

Merry Christmas to you and your Mustache!  🎄🎄