Just realized I'm semi-retired... maybe

[El_Viajero]

I'm self-employed. I make my own schedule, manage my own projects, and (kinda) choose my own clients. I work about 20-30 hours per week. It's not stressful, and I can always dial things down if it gets to be too much.

I play my guitar, read, ride my bike, and play with my two-year-old son when I want to.

I don't live off investments, but I've got five figures of f-you money, five figures of home equity, and the cash flow from my work and my wife's job is way more than we need. We save and invest plenty.

I'm 31. This has been my situation for several years now (minus the toddler, of course).

It just occurred to me that my life might be what a lot of people describe as semi-retired. Is it?

To me, this is just what normal means.

[TheAnonOne]

Based on time, kinda. Though with 'only' 5 figures of savings it would be difficult to quit.

Not a bad situation either way!

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[El_Viajero]

So that's the thing. Maybe I'm not technically semi-retired since I'm not living partially off investments.

But I'm living the same life I'd be living if I was living partially off investments, so...

[leighb]

What ever you want to call it, it sounds pretty nice.

[HipGnosis]

What do you do for your part-time self-employment?

[El_Viajero]

What do you do for your part-time self-employment?

I'm a marketing copywriter and content strategist.

In other words, I write things for businesses and perform some lightweight communications consulting. I'm mostly a writer, but I have to consult on a lot of projects because many clients don't know where to begin.

[MasterStache]

Labels are pretty meaningless. Unfortunately we as humans seem to identify best with labels. I am transitioning to part-time work and won't be living off investments, at least not for some time. We do have a good chunk saved up to be able to do this though. I just tell everyone I am transitioning to semi-retired.

[bunchbikes]

I'm self-employed. I make my own schedule, manage my own projects, and (kinda) choose my own clients. I work about 20-30 hours per week. It's not stressful, and I can always dial things down if it gets to be too much.

I'm in the same boat.

What you have, is what many here are working towards.  Freedom.  While you still have to work some, you are in control of when/where/how it happens.

Maybe you could 100% retire faster if you were fully employed somewhere (and maybe not), but if you missed your kid growing up for 10 years would it be worth it?

I'd rather have the stepping stone goal of location/time independence, and get to really enjoy life and my family along the way.