Author Topic: 2019 fire cohort  (Read 873872 times)

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3200 on: August 25, 2021, 02:44:06 PM »
:D

I have lived in the area and worked in agriculture for over a decade.  I am a horrible identifier and can barely grow anything (other than weeds).  Ah well, run with the skills you have.

MissNancyPryor

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3201 on: September 06, 2021, 11:42:47 AM »
Hey nineteen-

Just popping in to say to those in the US-  Happy Labor Day, or as we FIRE folks call it, "Monday."  Let's give a thought to the working folks today as the last days of summer wane. 

And your trash may be getting picked up a day late this week.  I have to keep a calendar to remind myself that there are certain holidays when municipal things are not happening. 

Such bliss.  No dread about going back to a crappy job tomorrow!  Life is wonderful.

I am glad this thread exists to roll around in it sometimes.  Ahhhhhhhh

 

 

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3202 on: September 06, 2021, 12:59:53 PM »
Yesterday me:   Why is the beach so crowded?  Oh yeah...

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3203 on: September 06, 2021, 01:29:26 PM »

Today me:  Why is the grocery store so crowded and everyone's buying beer and firewood?  Oh yeah . . .

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3204 on: September 06, 2021, 02:29:13 PM »
So so true!

Happy Monday.  Happy Labor Day.  Those still working are what keep me from needing to keep working :D.

Loren

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3205 on: September 06, 2021, 02:32:20 PM »
Losing track of the days is something I didn't expect to be so easily done.  It is an oblivion of the best kind.  I am still waking up every day so, so grateful to feel fully rested and free from inane office bullshit. 

I have to say though that it has been a sincere disappointment with this whole Covid dealio that I do not get to enjoy shopping alone mid-week while the rest of the gerbils collect pellets.  I was told there would be empty stores.  Alas, everyone is out there, all the time, playing hooky from their WFH job or still not back to where they were in the Before Times.

I will get over it.  I have forever to do so.     

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3206 on: September 06, 2021, 02:46:15 PM »
Losing track of the days is something I didn't expect to be so easily done.  It is an oblivion of the best kind.  I am still waking up every day so, so grateful to feel fully rested and free from inane office bullshit. 

I have to say though that it has been a sincere disappointment with this whole Covid dealio that I do not get to enjoy shopping alone mid-week while the rest of the gerbils collect pellets.  I was told there would be empty stores.  Alas, everyone is out there, all the time, playing hooky from their WFH job or still not back to where they were in the Before Times.

I will get over it.  I have forever to do so.     

This is me for the last year+ as well!  I've taken to grocery shopping on Saturday mornings because that now seems to be the least crowded time!  Same with neighborhood/regional hiking trails (i.e. not the ones people would go on vacation to, only out for quick 2-3 hour jaunts, so that's not any explanation).  And restaurants at 2pm on weekdays!  I honestly don't know when these people do the work they are supposedly still doing.  I feel a bit cheated, but I'm so happy personally that I'm not up for begrudging other people. Unless my Saturday morning grocery runs get crowded, too, and then watch out!

2Birds1Stone

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3207 on: September 07, 2021, 01:58:34 AM »
Many of us FIRE'd during Covid-19 without telling our employers.....shhhh it's a secret ;)

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3208 on: January 01, 2022, 09:14:53 AM »
Happy New Year!  I hope this year brings you all happiness and joy!
Now that it is 2022, how is the 2019 cohort doing?

DH and I are still thrilled to be retired.  We still plan to never go back to organized work and are now to the point where we aren't entirely sure how we managed to accomplish organized work for so long and in such sub-optimal working conditions. 

There have actually be a few occasions where people have asked what I do and I just list things that I like to do that I think might appeal to them and the conversation.  Then someone else in the conversation might point out "oh, she's retired."  Maybe I got to the point where being retired is something I am, not something I am doing. 

How about you?  Anything you'd like to update us on?

BigMoneyJim

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3209 on: January 01, 2022, 11:26:33 AM »
Going well for me. I guess I'm used to it, but when I stop to think about it, I'm really happy to be retired.

I worry vaguely sometimes about the future, but it's more about just really not ever wanting to *have* to work again. In truth I am far better off than I was the day I retired, so it's kind of ridiculous to worry at all.

About a month and a half ago I finally landed in the spot I had intended to pre-pandemic: in Silverdale,WA, with a one-year lease. I'm not sure what happens after that, but that uncertainty is a feature of my retirement, not a bug.

PhilB

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3210 on: January 01, 2022, 12:11:18 PM »
It's gone very strangely for me.  I OLY'd out of this cohort and FIREd in October 2018 and it's all been great, I've absolutely loved it.  But work asked me to stay on one-day-a-week for a while, and somehow I'm still doing that.  Even weirder, my expenses have been so low because of the pandemic that my part time salary has covered them, so I haven't actually spent anything over the last three years!

2Birds1Stone

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3211 on: January 02, 2022, 04:29:49 AM »
Happy Near Year!

After 13 months off work I went back in November of 2020, and now eyeing the 2022 fire cohort for attempt #2.

Our initial plan to slow travel and geoarbitrage our first few years of leanFIRE* were squashed by Covid so we went back to awesome jobs and are better poised to FIRE on a less shoestring budget this time :)

*I quit @ $525k portfolio before getting married knowing that working in the future was likely to become FI as a couple

Right now we're playing things by ear and considering working remotely while slow traveling around the USA until things begin to look more appealing internationally.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2022, 05:51:54 AM by 2Birds1Stone »

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3212 on: January 02, 2022, 04:52:57 AM »
Overall I am quite happy with my retirement life. The one thing I disliked most about my job was the travel. So when covid hit and travel shut down, I kinda wished I would have stayed on. Fortunately the feeling didn't last long. 

SeanTash

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3213 on: May 06, 2022, 03:00:05 AM »
It's pretty Quite in the 2019 thread!

Ok I'll give a little update and maybe others might follow
Since my last check-in, I took three months off my part time gig to travel up the Australian east coast in a campervan.  Part of the reason was to see if #vanlife was for me.  The answer?  Maybe. But probably not.  I loved the trip and had a great time, but I'm not sure I'd want to do it indefinitely. Or not here anyway.

Since then I went back to my pt job, .and recently I've started tutoring at the local university.  Which I love. It's  bIt sad to say after 30 years in software, but I think this is the first time I have truly enjoyed a job !

I'm winding down the part time job as the tutoring is enough to cover my costs, and I don't need to make money anymore really. It's a good fit too as I will have lots of time off which I'm going to use to travel overseas. But with something I enjoy to come back to.  I only wish I'd tried it sooner.


Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3214 on: May 06, 2022, 02:55:21 PM »
Thanks for the update @SeanTash .  DH and I like traveling around in a van (good for sleeping and hanging out in bad weather - no plumbing etc) but could never van life.  There are lots of in between options for lots of in between people.  Good to try it out before you jumped full in.

Traveling in Australia sounds like a blast :D.

I'm glad you found a job you love, if you love having work to do :).  What do you tutor?  It really isn't a bad time to have funds coming in.

As for us:

Overall, things are going well.  A few highlights:

Sadly DH and I lost Buttercup (our van) in January due to a meet and greet with a guardrail due untreated ice on the road.  Luckily we were one of the slide offs that had no other vehicles involved.  So many slide offs, so little road space.  So easy to fix with some road treatment.  Ah well.  RIP Buttercup.  Happy this happened on our way back from our trip not on our way out!  60 miles south of home, not too bad.    Sadly we have been unable to replace her due to lack of van availability or reasonably of van stock.  Still looking though.  Hopefully something will come up before our next trip. 

DH is starting to crank up the yard art again now that the weather is getting less cold.  He is currently working on a Knight and dragon battle while I was getting the big snails painted.  If the volume of art he is making keeps up, he is going to have to start making some kind of plan. 

On the money side, this interesting market is giving us a chance to stress test our plan.  We went out lean, with a riskier portfolio, and some odd ideas.  Should be interesting to see what happens.

Loren



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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3215 on: May 06, 2022, 03:33:57 PM »

Thanks for the updates @SeanTash and @Loren Ver !  SeanTash it sounds like things are going great for you.  Loren -- I'm so sorry about Buttercup.  :(

Things are going pretty well with us.  We're continuing to enjoy the FIRE life, puttering in the garden and renovating our house, starting to travel a bit again.  Our 18 year old daughter, a senior in high school, is doing a foreign exchange this year in Germany.  She's been gone since last August and returns home next month.  Can't wait to see her!  While she's gone, we've been hosting a German high school student in exchange.  It's been totally delightful!  It has expanded our family -- not the one you're born with, but the family that you make along the journey of life.  We'll always think of her as a daughter now, and her family as our family.  Also, our son -- a sophomore in high school -- decided to enroll in the local public high school this year, after having homeschooled since age 7.  We were a bit nervous for him, as he's neurodiverse, but he is having a great time.  It was the right thing, at the right time in his life.  Life is full of surprises. 

Financially speaking, we FIREd on the lean side back in 2019.  I have a side gig that brings in a bit -- enough to cover about half our expenses.  This market is no fun, and we will see how things go in the next year or two.  We may want to bring in a bit more cash, just to make things feel more comfortable. 

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3216 on: May 06, 2022, 06:03:48 PM »
Hello fellow cohort! 

Financially we're doing fantastic.  We did OMY (actually 9-10 months) after hitting 25x and have found that without all the crap associated with work we're spending even less than planned.  In addition, we had a lot of money in our travel budget that we haven't spent because of COVID.  In 2021 our actual withdrawal rate was under 2%.  I believe in the 4% rule so the low withdrawal rate isn't driven by concern about the 4% rule's validity, it's mostly that we're just not feeling much of a need to buy things because our lives are good enough as it is that we don't need to spend more.  We had fat to trim in the budget because we didn't want to feel overly constrained in retirement but we've just spent the lower non-fat amount because we're happy as-is.

I've been doing more math tutoring, I'm finally able to play music I really like on piano, am closing in on being able to watch TV shows in a second language, have read a lot of books, and have spent more time with friends and family than at any time since college.  I'm thinking about starting literacy tutoring this summer because the math tutoring has been so fulfilling.  One of my friend's daughters has a horrible math teacher this year, and after struggling through most of the year I started tutoring her in addition to the tutoring at the library.  She just got a 95% on her latest test and her parents said she has a totally changed attitude about math.  I know I say it each update, but volunteering has given me so much more than the ~4 hours a week that I put in.  I really recommend trying to find a volunteer opportunity if there are any needs in your community!  For me it's been one of the best things I've done since FIRE. 

On the down side we've had friends diagnosed with cancer and others pass away unexpectedly.  It's totally selfish, but in addition to the normal reactions to those horrible situations I also feel incredibly fortunate that we have a chance to live the life that we want before something unexpected comes our way. 



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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3217 on: May 07, 2022, 01:30:53 AM »
I was originally planning to retire in 2022 and pivoted to December 2019 due to a combination of health issues and not really enjoying my work for the first time in my career.

Even with recent stock market downturn our net worth is still way up.    We recently sold our home in Florida and close on our new home in Illinois on Monday.  It will be great living closer to family even though we will miss the friendships we made there and those Florida winters.  Financially the house sale netted us some extra cash even though we aren't really down-sizing yet.

Once we get settled in I might look for a part-time or seasonal position, but only if I can find a perfect fit.  I definitely don't feel compelled to work due to stock market fluctuations.

Health-wise, I feel much better than when I retired.  I am hoping ACA with protection for pre-existing conditions survives past the 2024 election.  Losing insurance might prompt me to go back to work, but physically I am not sure that I am up for working full-time again,


couponvan

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3218 on: May 07, 2022, 07:24:42 AM »
@dresden were you in Florida before, or did you decide that being near family was better than the FL life? Just curious. We have a home in IL near a lake  in central IL we don’t use. It may get used more as our oldest is graduating and he doesn’t have a set job yet. He used to work at the lake in the summers and may do that again for survival money until he gets a job.  It was supposed to be our 2022 FIRE house, but life is playing jokes on us.

I also early retired for health reasons in 2019, and don’t want to go back to work. DH now thinks he never wants to retire after changing jobs last year. He doesn’t have any retirement hobbies outside of travel. I think we have 10 trips planned this year, even though he’s working. We used to live in Naperville, and have family all around that area.

dresden

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3219 on: May 07, 2022, 12:15:58 PM »
@dresden were you in Florida before, or did you decide that being near family was better than the FL life? Just curious. We have a home in IL near a lake  in central IL we don’t use. It may get used more as our oldest is graduating and he doesn’t have a set job yet. He used to work at the lake in the summers and may do that again for survival money until he gets a job.  It was supposed to be our 2022 FIRE house, but life is playing jokes on us.

I also early retired for health reasons in 2019, and don’t want to go back to work. DH now thinks he never wants to retire after changing jobs last year. He doesn’t have any retirement hobbies outside of travel. I think we have 10 trips planned this year, even though he’s working. We used to live in Naperville, and have family all around that area.

I was in Florida primarily for work reasons, but we did really like it there.  In 2019 housing in Naperville and Sarasota, Florida were about equal.  Fast forward to 2022 and housing in Sarasota is more than 50% more expensive than Naperville even though prices went up in both places.  It made the economics of moving much better for us.

My wife and I grew up in Naperville and met there while we were in high school.  We are moving a little further west, but still close to enough to spend more time with family which are also located in and around Naperville.

It's a very small world!

couponvan

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3220 on: May 07, 2022, 02:26:05 PM »
@dresden were you in Florida before, or did you decide that being near family was better than the FL life? Just curious. We have a home in IL near a lake  in central IL we don’t use. It may get used more as our oldest is graduating and he doesn’t have a set job yet. He used to work at the lake in the summers and may do that again for survival money until he gets a job.  It was supposed to be our 2022 FIRE house, but life is playing jokes on us.

I also early retired for health reasons in 2019, and don’t want to go back to work. DH now thinks he never wants to retire after changing jobs last year. He doesn’t have any retirement hobbies outside of travel. I think we have 10 trips planned this year, even though he’s working. We used to live in Naperville, and have family all around that area.

I was in Florida primarily for work reasons, but we did really like it there.  In 2019 housing in Naperville and Sarasota, Florida were about equal.  Fast forward to 2022 and housing in Sarasota is more than 50% more expensive than Naperville even though prices went up in both places.  It made the economics of moving much better for us.

My wife and I grew up in Naperville and met there while we were in high school.  We are moving a little further west, but still close to enough to spend more time with family which are also located in and around Naperville.

It's a very small world!
Definitely small world! I will remind you that winters are way worse than you remember. So plan at least a 1-2 week escape to sunny Florida or San Diego, or just about anywhere warm. My favorites were spirit airlines flights to FLL, Puerto Rico, or Myrtle Beach. Where we have our lake house is probably about an hour from where you are landing. I’m guessing you are of the “the world ends at 75th population” from Naperville. Sarasota beets Naperville for overall annual quality of life IMO. However for FIRE people who can travel at the winter months, it’s a great launch zone to other options.

We may do a 2 year stint just to avoid taxes on our FIRE house gain. We purchased it for less than a car, and it’s gone up around $150K from there due to improvements and just general market.

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3221 on: July 22, 2022, 04:39:39 PM »
Hey, I know some of you were interested in the 2022 Mid West Camp Mustache, well they just posted the 2023 heads up:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/camp-mustache-events/camp-mustache-midwest-cm*mw-cincinnati-oh-55-572023/

I plan on going, anyone else gonna make a play for tickets?

Loren

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3222 on: August 19, 2022, 06:40:11 PM »
It's that time - Pre-registration is now open! Pre-register here, and let us know if you have any questions!

2023 pre-registration just opened if anyone is interested.

Loren

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3223 on: August 22, 2022, 01:34:19 PM »
I don't have any interest in Camp Mustache, but it's good to see this thread get an update.  I hope everyone from the 2019 cohort is doing well!

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3224 on: August 24, 2022, 05:39:01 AM »
+1 to nice seeing this thread get bumped.

Still mostly retired

couponvan

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3225 on: August 24, 2022, 10:00:56 AM »
Still retired, but I have a job for next spring at my old employer. My daughter graduates high school, and one of my goals was to cash flow all college. I only said I was taking a “smoke break” on my way to full FIRE. Likely it will be 3 years of PT work before I really retire at 55. Then I can easily access my 401(k) from said employer.

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3226 on: August 24, 2022, 10:22:31 AM »
I'm suddenly working two jobs - just as I hit my 4 year FIREversary.  These two opportunities to help groups/causes I really care about came up at the same time a few weeks ago.  They are very part-time, to the point that I have worked less than 20 hours per week, combined, so far.  And they aren't permanent positions, so I may be back to full retirement within a few months. 

And even though I'm happy to be doing this briefly, it's really underscored to me how horrible it would be to ever go back to "real" work full-time and probably even part-time.  Even if I'm only billing a few hours a day, it sucks up a lot of energy, mental capacity and some nonbillable time as well.  It leaves me with insufficient time for everything that's been a part of my routine in recent years.  Really grateful I enjoyed 4 years of FIRE so far and looking forward to many more.


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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3227 on: August 24, 2022, 11:14:57 AM »
Well, since we're sharing updates in our old thread...here's mine:

Like some others, I, too, find myself working again...for my previous employer. A role came up that looked super-interesting, and I was asked if I wanted to apply. And here I am.

It's not super-interesting. I actually hate it. No...I don't just hate it. I fucking hate it, mostly because of one over-eager, try-hard, brown-nosing colleague...you know the kind...that guy who speaks up in meetings every chance he gets, asks a question every time there's a pause in a presentation, volunteers for everything, replies to every single email/Teams message/communication that's sent out...just painfully attention-seeking. That guy that your boss pairs you up with because he's new and you do the same role...so you step on each other's toes constantly because you do the same work and you're assigned to the same project. That guy you can't get away from because he's in every meeting you're in. You know...that guy.

My mental health and quality of life are suffering greatly. And yet, I'm still doing it. I don't know why. I guess it's for the health insurance. And the friends I've made there.

Between typing this out and reading a thread earlier about FU money, I'm now thinking "Piggy, why the hell are you doing this to yourself?"  This brings great clarity.

Thanks for listening. I think I'll retire again.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2022, 01:44:08 PM by Miss Piggy »

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3228 on: August 24, 2022, 12:30:12 PM »
@Miss Piggy , please post an update if/when you quit.  I'm interested in more detail - like how did they draw you back, how long have you been back, and how long you last from re-hire to re-FIRE.  I've never seriously considered going back, and at this point my clearance to work on my old projects has expired so I may not be able to go back even if I wanted to.  Fortunately I don't want to.  :D

Other than COVID messing up my plans to travel a lot, everything else has going better in FIRE than I could have hoped.  I have been doing more volunteering (math tutoring), had more fun re-learning piano, spent more time with family, and generally just been having a great time since FIRE.  I liked my job as far as jobs go, but not having a job is a billion times better than having a great job. 

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3229 on: August 24, 2022, 03:52:38 PM »
Oh Miss Piggy, I'm so sorry.  If it isn't worth it, then you know where the door is, and we are always happy to have you back :D. 

Seems like going back to work is catching!  Maybe they need to develop a vaccine for that :).  DH and I are still FIREd, and quite happy, but that was always the plan so we don't even look for possible jobs nor entertain people that want to talk to use about paid employment.  Too many fun things to do.  I'm still in touch with my friends that were co-workers because they are my friends, not working hasn't changed that.  Now I just have more different friends.

Loren

chasesfish

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3230 on: August 24, 2022, 04:29:13 PM »
Since this morphed into a work / side hustle update, I'm happy to say I backed into something that's 1/8th the work for 1/8th the time/money as my old job.

I've done three transactions this year, each had a day or two of intense work with mostly just following something along and occasionally solving a problem.

The downside is there's been another 5-10 hours put into another 10 potential transactions to find three that work.

I might keep doing it, I may not.  The benefit of financial independence.  I do enjoy the game to an extent.

@Miss Piggy Good luck with your second quitting

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3231 on: September 07, 2022, 04:27:25 AM »
Good luck with your second quitting @Miss Piggy!  Sounds like it is time.

Our update is that we are still happily FIREd here with no desire to return to work.  This year we caught up on some travel that Covid postponed.  This summer we went to Germany, Belgium, and France.  We went on a short lovely camping trip to Virginia.  And next spring we're going to Spain for five weeks.  We FIREd on the skinny side for a family of four, so we travel-hack/slow travel/avoid restaurants/avoid hotels/take public transit to keep travel costs down. 
 

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3232 on: October 26, 2022, 04:33:32 PM »
After FIRE-ing in 2019, I've occasionally done some part time consulting: 10-20 hours/week for various lengths of time. I find that I really enjoy getting to sink my teeth into a project, and getting paid to do something fun is great. However, I don't enjoy drumming up the business. Currently, I'm considering employment so I can skip this intermediate step. FIRE is allowing me to be *very* picky, though.

I never thought I'd consider employment again, but here I am!

tooqk4u22

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3233 on: November 04, 2022, 11:05:47 AM »
To whom it may concern:

It is with great apprehension and excitement that I am providing my resignation from the 2019 FIRE Cohort.   While my experience has been wonderful and I remain squarely FI I have been offered an opportunity that was worth exploring. 

In short it's not you, it's me!

Thank you for having me.

Tooq

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Miss Piggy

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3234 on: November 04, 2022, 12:56:58 PM »
@tooqk4u22  Don't we at least get two weeks notice? I mean, you don't want to burn any bridges, do you???

Best of luck! May Megacorp be all you are hoping for! 

Dicey

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3235 on: November 04, 2022, 02:01:08 PM »
Lol, it took you going back to work for me to realize your handle is "too quick for you 22", not "too CUTE for you 22". Duh. At least I always knew Joe was/is A Rebel Spy.

I believe you have a short-ish window, maybe six months, before the IRP are called in for a full investigation. I hope the new gig is as good as they said it would be.

Also, you can't say you're going back to work just so you can afford some super-expensive machining tools. @Exflyboy's got that angle covered. That would be former pilot, Frank.

tooqk4u22

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3236 on: November 04, 2022, 05:45:50 PM »
@tooqk4u22  Don't we at least get two weeks notice? I mean, you don't want to burn any bridges, do you???

Best of luck! May Megacorp be all you are hoping for!

I clearly have lost my professionalism! Lol

Lol, it took you going back to work for me to realize your handle is "too quick for you 22", not "too CUTE for you 22". Duh. At least I always knew Joe was/is A Rebel Spy.

I believe you have a short-ish window, maybe six months, before the IRP are called in for a full investigation. I hope the new gig is as good as they said it would be.

Also, you can't say you're going back to work just so you can afford some super-expensive machining tools. @Exflyboy's got that angle covered. That would be former pilot, Frank.

The names we play!

Ooooh, an IRP moratorium, that's perfect if it doesn't work out.   My heart will always be with the class of 2019!


Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3237 on: November 04, 2022, 07:26:16 PM »
Oh man, we are losing another one to WORK.  This would be horrible if it wasn't so darn funny!  I hope you have a great time and as with the other happy busy bees, keep us posted, wither you stay with working or not, we like updates.  Some of us need to get our living vicariously though someone since we aren't going to be getting back to the grind :D.

Best of luck!

Loren

iluvzbeach

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3238 on: November 04, 2022, 09:05:46 PM »
@tooqk4u22 - we’re going to have to watch you retrieve your personal belongings, retain your badge and escort you out of the building out of this thread.

In other exciting news, I tried to FIRE in 2019 but failed (not financially, just never truly left the job completely); however, that’s all changing next week when I officially retire. Really excited that it’s finally happening for real!
« Last Edit: November 04, 2022, 09:07:25 PM by iluvzbeach »

Exflyboy

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3239 on: November 04, 2022, 09:06:40 PM »
Don't worry I'm back...:)


EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3240 on: November 04, 2022, 10:05:47 PM »
It's interesting how different the FIRE forums are, especially around returning to *work*:

Bogleheads - of course you are returning to work, the market dip has turned your 2% SWR in to something closer to 3%, and you don't want purchasing power to be impacted 20 years hence, what with inflation currently raging and all...

e-r.org - ohmaigawd we hate you and all of your traitorous ilk and hope you ride that train into your deathbed while funding all the goods and services that we will continue to enjoy until our last incredibly awesome and vastly superior breath...

ERE - what, you need food, clothing, AND shelter?  Every year??  so much still yet to learn...

Loren Ver

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3241 on: November 05, 2022, 05:57:25 PM »
Congrats @iluvzbeach you made it, that's what matters!

tooqk4u22

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3242 on: November 05, 2022, 06:33:38 PM »
@tooqk4u22 - we’re going to have to watch you retrieve your personal belongings, retain your badge and escort you out of the building out of this thread.

In other exciting news, I tried to FIRE in 2019 but failed (not financially, just never truly left the job completely); however, that’s all changing next week when I officially retire. Really excited that it’s finally happening for real!

Congrats!   Guess the count will be net neutral with us offsetting.

PhilB

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3243 on: November 07, 2022, 10:01:08 AM »
Count me in.  I was starting to worry there was something wrong with 2019 as it didn't have a thread!
Our target is summer 2019.  I'll be turning 53 and my wife turning 55.  We are just about FI now (2015 spending matched forecast sustainable income if retiring now), but the kids won't finish high school until 2024 so we would be unable to go travelling until then even if we did retire.  On good days I consider staying on PT after 2019.  On bad days we think about going now, but 2019 is the sweet spot as my wife would be able to access pension funds at 55 and we also have an endowment maturing. That makes it the first date that it all works from a cashflow viewpoint - if we go earlier we have to use the mortgage facility for cashflow, unless I'm lucky enough to get made redundant.  We're running a 2/3rds saving rate, so each year makes quite a difference financially, but neither of us really enjoys the job any more so we think 2019 will be the point when laziness trumps greed!

The above was the second post on this thread.  So, what happened?

I ended up defecting to the 2018 cohort and retiring in October 2018.  I agreed to stay on 7 hours a week for a year to help with the transition.  Four years later I definitely consider myself 'retired', but I'm still doing that 7 hours a week and expect to continue for a few years to come - possibly until normal retirement age.  It's amazing how much more enjoyable work is when you do it because you choose to, rather than because you have to!  Coupled with low spending during the pandemic the work has meant I haven't had to spend any capital so far on bridging the gap to pensions which has been a significant boost to my stash. 

I spent far too long worrying about whether or not the PT job compromises my 'achievement' of retiring early.  The truth is, who cares?  I have a great lifestyle, into which the work fits very nicely and is probably a net positive to me, even before the money. 

Life is good.

MissNancyPryor

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3244 on: November 15, 2022, 10:24:35 AM »
I passed 3 years retired this fall, and it has been excellent.  I am 53 now and I still get the "What DO you do all day?" question now and again, spoken with a snide tone that signals disapproval of my wasted life. 

"Whatever I want to," is my short answer, having abandoned all effort to elaborate.  I used to try to explain but now I have come to see the absurdity of the question. 

If someone can’t fathom how to spend their time at a relatively young age 50, do they expect a magic answer to that question when they are more physically and mentally eroded at 65?  Do they think answers simply appear from the mist with a social security check? 

If the answer at 65 is, “travel,” or “throw away my alarm clock,” or “finally concentrate on my health,” how about doing all of that 15+ years earlier?
       
The reason people ask is simply that they don’t have enough money saved to quit early and it probably never occurred to them that they could.  If any of the incredulous people won the lottery they would have plenty of answers about how to spend their time and would quit their day jobs guilt-free.  The answers about what to do would magically appear and they wouldn't think to scold others about obvious character flaws and lack of work ethic. 

I saved up my own lottery prize and am now spending it.
 
In my career I was resentful of handing over my days to ungrateful overlords and I was boundlessly curious about literally ANYTHING ELSE I could do with my time.  I admit it, I didn’t retire TO anything.  I retired FROM meaningless bullshit, and it is marvelous. 

The answer is clear. 

Zoot

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3245 on: November 15, 2022, 10:56:35 AM »
I saved up my own lottery prize and am now spending it.
 
In my career I was resentful of handing over my days to ungrateful overlords and I was boundlessly curious about literally ANYTHING ELSE I could do with my time.  I admit it, I didn’t retire TO anything.  I retired FROM meaningless bullshit, and it is marvelous. 

The answer is clear.

Thank you so much for this--it is pinging for me, in a big way.  I've been spinning my wheels about leaving my job; I think if the market hadn't tanked this year I might already have done it.  Given the 20% drop in the stash we're not technically ready, but I think reading the above has given me permission to do it when we are.

"I saved up my own lottery prize"--those words are ringing in my ears today.  I've done just that.  It took 20 years, but I have done JUST. THAT.

Thank you.  <3

MissNancyPryor

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3246 on: November 15, 2022, 11:16:05 AM »
I saved up my own lottery prize and am now spending it.
 
In my career I was resentful of handing over my days to ungrateful overlords and I was boundlessly curious about literally ANYTHING ELSE I could do with my time.  I admit it, I didn’t retire TO anything.  I retired FROM meaningless bullshit, and it is marvelous. 

The answer is clear.

Thank you so much for this--it is pinging for me, in a big way.  I've been spinning my wheels about leaving my job; I think if the market hadn't tanked this year I might already have done it.  Given the 20% drop in the stash we're not technically ready, but I think reading the above has given me permission to do it when we are.

"I saved up my own lottery prize"--those words are ringing in my ears today.  I've done just that.  It took 20 years, but I have done JUST. THAT.

Thank you.  <3

Wonderful-  inspiration!  I also struggled with being ready as my day approached and I am so glad I took the leap. It has turned out better than I imagined and I hope the same for you. 

sui generis

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3247 on: November 15, 2022, 02:07:30 PM »
 

I saved up my own lottery prize and am now spending it.
 
In my career I was resentful of handing over my days to ungrateful overlords and I was boundlessly curious about literally ANYTHING ELSE I could do with my time.  I admit it, I didn’t retire TO anything.  I retired FROM meaningless bullshit, and it is marvelous. 

The answer is clear.

I love this too! 

I passed 4 years this summer (OLY'd to 2018) and last week was at the eye dr.  He asked me what I do for a living and I told him I was retired and he was amazed.  He asked for how long (I suspect maybe he thought I was a COVID retiree or something) and I told him and he seemed amazed again.  He asked if I ever have any desire to go back to work.  It's not a question I ever get, really!  I was so surprised, I laughed really loud - I'm usually a quiet laugher, but it burst out of me totally involuntarily!  I was pretty vehement in my response. 

I vividly remember, just like you, feeling so resentful about all my foregone hours and days and weeks when I was working.  I never thought I got paid enough to give that up - and not only the actual time but, as I worked my way up the ladder, basically all my time, since the expectation was effectively that I would be available at all times, any time, except perhaps while officially on vacation (And I guess I felt lucky for that??).

I have recently drifted a bit apart from one of my closest friends from college.  I remember over a decade ago we were out together and somehow I mentioned I would gladly make less money for more time, and she was like, no way, I would give up more time for more money!  It shouldn't have been a surprise to me, but because she was already working long hours and making good money, I was pretty shocked.  How much more was there to give up and what could she possibly do with the money?  Recently, she and her husband purchased a $3.5MM home.  I'm starting to realize how far we really have parted from being roommates in some pretty humble apartments in college.

But, maybe we both ended up doing what rings truest to us, respectively.

okonumiyaki

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3248 on: November 23, 2022, 01:56:34 AM »
My update.  Unfortunately life happened, and my wife of 22 years has decided to divorce me.  We went through counseling, but it was clear she had made her mind up.  Cancer followed by COVID lockdowns was too much for the relationship to take.  So far amicable, but the finances haven't been settled yet...  She has moved back to Indonesia

So I've accepted a 6 month contract in Delhi, basically to take my mind off things.  I'll probably then move to the UK, as have family there.  Almost everyone I know (including my in-laws) thinks I will be happier without her (she's been burning every bridge she can find over the last year or so, it isn't just me that she has decided to cut ties with) but I guess time will tell.  No longer depressed about it, but still frustrated. 

Trifle

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Re: 2019 fire cohort
« Reply #3249 on: November 23, 2022, 02:27:49 AM »
I'm so sorry about the divorce @okonumiyaki.  It sounds like you're dealing with it really well and have a solid plan for moving forward.  Best of luck with the next chapter.     

 

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