2021 FIRE Cohort

[Ladychips]

  I'm quite certain most of you will just tell me to sell the tech stocks, buy some safer ETFs and hand in my resignation.

Is it enough that you know this or does someone need to say it?   Get your AA in order and submit your resignation!

[Dreamer]

  I'm quite certain most of you will just tell me to sell the tech stocks, buy some safer ETFs and hand in my resignation.

Is it enough that you know this or does someone need to say it?   Get your AA in order and submit your resignation!

Thanks Ladychips!  Yes, I think I just needed someone to say it.  I'm going to set a date to discuss with my boss. Formal resignation to follow! :)

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

Well that was the fastest we went through a page in this thread yet, so here’s a new roster posting.  Try to be less awesome, folks - my old retired self cannot keep up with you.  :-)

Please check the chart over and offer any corrections or updates you have.  The roster is updated for everybody through post #817.

So far we have 76 folks here who will be FIRE in 2021 and 5 have gone OLY into the 2020 Cohort. 

Average age of 2021ers is 44.92 (based on those 59 members who provided an age at FIRE date).  2020 average age was 48.32.  2019 average age was 47.38.

Name Age (at FIRE) FIRE Date Aldi Early 50s 1/23/2020 OLY CrazyIT 56 3/13/2020 OLY Mmm_Donuts 3/20/2020 OLY Marcher Lady 49 12/15/2020 OLY Zinnie 38 10/22/2020 OLY       Matz_70 50 1/1/2021 BikeFanatic 55 1/4/2021 Confirmed Sciurus 1/8/2021 Confirmed ScreamingHeadGuy 41 1/22/2021 Confirmed 12321 35 1/23/2021 Confirmed moneypitfeeder 42 1/29/2021 Sultan58 1/31/2021 fireflye 50 2/1/2021 goat_music_generator 27 2/2/2021 dividendman 38 2/5/2021 texxan1 2/17/2021 Buffaloski Boris 56 2/28/2021 dreams_and_discoveries 39 February fiStressRelief 40 3/1/2021 Dreamer40 40 3/3/2021 exit2019 3/12/2021 TheContinentalOP 55 3/19/2021 HumanAfterAll 44 March Jack0Life ('s wife) March Trede 51 4/2/2021 Tipster350 60 4/30/2021 bluebelle 4/30/2021 icebox92 36 4/30/2021 logjammin 39 4/30/2021 LightTripper 45 April JoJo April force majeure 45 April Geographer 30 5/3/2021 Peter Parker 5/7/2021 CoffeeR 5/31/2021 gary3411 30 April/May WildJager 35 May 80Westy 50 May Omglmg 39 May wrightstuff 55 May amberfocus 36 May phildonnia 50 6/1/2021 ItalianGirl 52 6/1/2021 Chaplin 47 6/4/2021 Sisto 52 6/7/2021 YoungGranny 31 6/30/2021 SheWhoWalksAtLunch 56 6/30/2021 mld 33 June sailingTowardsFI 43 June crazy jane 55 June MoStash 53 7/1/2021 Ladychips 55 7/1/2021 Nazar 7/1/2021 marque 47 June/July CarolinaGirl 50 July highlandterrier 47 July Norsky July Arbitrage 43 8/1/2021 asauer 43 August Well Respected Man 56 9/10/2021 ospreyjp 56 9/27/2021 frugalecon 9/30/2021 GBRS 36 September Farfetchd 33 September the_fixer 49 10/1/2021 damo October Boyband 37 October 4tify 54 October Money Badger 53 12/1/2021 Accountant007 48 12/23/2021 Bownyboy 29 12/25/2021 Ulysses Everett McGill 55 12/31/2021 dblaace 60 12/31/2021 effigy98 43 December Wadiman December mindfulrun 43 spring lightmyfire June-Sept Mrs. Healthywealth 42 Summer monarda 61 TBD aethonan13 32 TBD American GenX TBD lemonlyman TBD dsw TBD MoneyTree TBD

[12321]

Well I guess I've been done with the standard working world since my Covid unemployment. But let's keep the date!

I'll still take on clients who meet my (strict, overpriced) terms, but am otherwise done with the working world.

Cheers! When do I get my invite to the secret young retired folks club??

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

Cheers! When do I get my invite to the secret young retired folks club??

Sweet!  Your invitation should arrive in the mail in 6-8 weeks.  But it’s a secret invite so even the post office can’t know about it. 

[dividendman]

Put my notice in, last day is Feb 5th!

[fiStressRelief]

Hello all!  I am officially joining this group after my notice has been given.  Last day will be 3/1 and I will be 40.  For these first 2 months of the year, I am dumping the majority of my paycheck into 401k.

Family of 4.  Latest calculations show we are at approx 108% of our FI number. Plan is for DW and myself to continue with some light part time / side hustle work as long as it suits us so as to add a bit more padding given the current market valuations and recent run up.  Also, I am finding it pretty difficult to mentally shift to the withdrawal phase.  So the PT work should cover most expenses for this first year and we will adjust from there.

Healthcare plan is ACA, which we are now hopeful will remain intact.  I've been reading all of GoCurryCracker's older posts about roth conversions and ACA and I am finding myself agreeing with the general idea that not paying the ACA "tax" is more valuable then starting the roth conversions immediately.  I have to keep reminding myself that it is a year by year decision and we can always adjust plans in the future.

It is starting to settle in and become real.  Part of me is terrified and part of me is super excited about no more early morning meetings, timesheets, clients, and deadlines!

[American GenX]

Hello all!  I am officially joining this group after my notice has been given.  Last day will be 3/1 and I will be 40.  For these first 2 months of the year, I am dumping the majority of my paycheck into 401k.

Healthcare plan is ACA, which we are now hopeful will remain intact.

Best of luck.  I've been hopeful the ACA will remain mostly intact for years!, as this thing draws out, but we may not hear a decision from SCOTUS on the ACA case until late June, so I'll probably wait it out those few extra months if that's how long it takes to get a ruling, just to remove all doubt.  Otherwise, I would have preferred early May.  It's possible a ruling could come earlier, but I'm not counting on it.  My compromise is that I'll use a bunch of vacation days in June to give me some extra free time that first month of summer in hoping I'll have the rest of the summer and beyond off.

Prior to the ACA lawsuit ruling by a Texas judge striking down the ACA as unconstitutional back in December 2018, I had planned to FIRE in April 2019 - my stash had peaked at 60X barebones in September 2018 until it took a big downfall through Christmas Eve of that year.  I'm close to 90X now.  That's barebones, of course.  With significant discretionary spending, I'm still looking at a stash of about 25X total annual spending with a big buffer to cut back.  I'll also be 2 years closer to SS due to this delay in FIRE.  Looking ahead, 2 years seems like a long time to delay FIRE, but I feel they flew by pretty quickly looking back.  I like my job (private office, interesting technical work) and got to work from home a lot this year, so that really helped make this last year the best for me.

I'm still not certain if I'll go ahead and FIRE, even if the ACA is upheld as most people expect, or if I might try to stay on part time.  A couple years ago, I was pretty certain I would like to stay on part time if my employer would accept that, but after delaying FIRE for two years, I'm not sure I even want to bother with part time at this point.  It would be nice to just break free completely now that I have the additional stash from two extra years of working beyond my original FIRE target, and it would be especially nice to be completely retired most of the summer.

[Arbitrage]

Just gave notice. My last day will be 2/2/2021.

Congrats! 

I actually just gave "notice" as well, but my notice was 6 months out without a definitive end date, as I'm trying to to request accommodations to be fully remote and downshift from full-time to part-time.  Nevertheless, it was still a pretty big conversation to have, telling my boss that I'm moving away and won't work full-time.  If they don't accommodate, I'll just be leaving.

My boss followed up, asking how I envisioned my responsibilities for part-time remote work.  He intimated that he is trying to work on a pitch for upper management.  The negotiations continue.

[Peter Parker]

Hello everyone.  I'm not currently on the 2021 FIRE Cohort list. However, I really do not like my job and want to pull the trigger.  I even have a draft resignation letter written but am afraid I won't have the nerve to submit it (planned date is in April).  Unlike all the recommendations in this forum, I do not have a a well balanced portfolio at the moment, and I think that is what is causing my worry.  I have a basket of mostly tech stocks, which I plan to gradually sell in favor of ETFs.  However, these same tech stocks are the reason I'm currently even contemplating FIRE right now (65% overall returns for 2020).  Psychologically, I think I want to hold on longer in case these amazing gains continue.  This risk isn't something I'd feel comfortable with after FIRE.

I guess I'm looking for advice and reassurance!  I'm quite certain most of you will just tell me to sell the tech stocks, buy some safer ETFs and hand in my resignation.  Why is this so hard for me?

I think it is greed--and I get it.  I have been lucky in that I have enjoyed my job.  But I could have FIRED long ago.  I kept thinking about how much "more" I could have if I "stayed one more year," or kept investing, rather than drawing down our portfolio.

What helped my wife and finally decide to go in a different direction was when we hired a for-fee financial planner for a one time consult.  We outlined all of our dreams and wants, provided them with all of our resources, and they came back saying "what are you waiting for???"   Given everything we could possibly want we had a 99% chance of success....But that didn't stop me from thinking "yeah, but how much would I have if I worked/invested one more year?"  Then they returned with the question, "how much is enough?"

That question did it for me.  How much is enough when you have everything you want?  We finally found some peace in the decision to hang it up.  We have "enough."  We don't need more.  We need time to enjoy it all...And that is what we are going to do starting May 7th.....

[marque]

Add me to the list (age:47). Because of the pandemic, I have about 40 rollover and current year vacation days. If borders reopen this summer, I will go on a trip to Europe and Canada in June or July. I will then announce my resignation shortly upon my return. I will get my bonus on June 1. That is all the more reason to hold on a bit longer.

[Ladychips]

Put me down for July 30, 2021 if my employer continues to let me work from home.  Earlier if they insist I come back under anything I consider to be unsafe conditions.  I'll be 56 if I last that long.

Shit's getting real.

Once you put down a date, it's happening.  Yea you!!!

[dblaace]

Put me down for July 30, 2021 if my employer continues to let me work from home.  Earlier if they insist I come back under anything I consider to be unsafe conditions.  I'll be 56 if I last that long.

Shit's getting real.

I just wanted to tell you. I get a chuckle every time I see your handle and avatar. 

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

I've updated you on the list @SheWhoWalksAtLunch @marque and @fiStressRelief .

My first weekday of FIRE was packed.  I made a bunch of phone calls about my HSA and transferring the 401(k) and Roth 401(k).  I walked our daughter to- and from- school (and combined it with walking the dog - efficiency FTW!).  I navigated the healthcare.gov system and signed up for health insurance on the exchange.  I took a nap on the couch with the dog (she got the sunny side). 

But the biggest change of the day in our family came when my wife had a meeting at her part-time job.  When she'd been approached to schedule this meeting we had anticipated they'd want to her to pick up more shifts, and she was really open to considering it (since I'm going to be around nearly all the time now she wants to get away from me and my idle hands ;-)).  Turns out her employer wants her to move to a new, full-time position which would more-than-triple her current income and then train a replacement for her current position, who would then also be her administrative assistant.  Oops - looks like someone might just be un-FIRE-ing in our household right as I get started. 

If she makes this change it would, of course, completely blow-up all my carefully-planned-out Roth conversion pipeline and capital gains harvesting and nearly guarantees our 'stache will continue to grow (market conditions pending).  It also means our ACA plan coverage might be quite transitory.  Insert something about the best-laid plans of mice and men here. 

[Aethonan]

If she makes this change it would, of course, completely blow-up all my carefully-planned-out Roth conversion pipeline and capital gains harvesting and nearly guarantees our 'stache will continue to grow (market conditions pending).  It also means our ACA plan coverage might be quite transitory.  Insert something about the best-laid plans of mice and men here. 

I really enjoy hearing about how other people's best-laid plans turn upside down (in good ways!  only good ways please!).  It's a comforting feeling to know that things don't have to turn out the way you expect in order for them to turn out for the best.

Speaking of upended plans, my own are currently in flux.  I was planning to give notice a couple of weeks ago, but our 2021 plans hinge on a property transaction that's been delayed a few months... so I'm currently in limbo.  This doesn't mean I've embraced the go-with-the-flow feeling (sigh, not sure how to do that...), but rather I now have five different plans that change every few days.  And, per ScreamingHeadGuy's experience, probably none of them will actually be what happens!  Fortunately, the work is currently semi-enjoyable and still pays great, and I'm filling up that 401(k) and helping fund some sports spending I'd been postponing.  Filling in the gaps, right?  Enjoying those sunrises and the leisurely feeling that I can leave any time, so work stress mostly rolls off me.  It's pretty nice, really.

TL;DR: Still solidly in this cohort, but still annoyingly TBD on date.

[simmias]

I always read about everyone's plans/readiness for ACA coverage, but what are people doing about dental? I'm leaning toward just negotiating cash rates whenever I need work, and paying out of pocket for twice-a-year cleanings, since most dental insurance plans I look at don't seem worth it.

[tipster350]

I always read about everyone's plans/readiness for ACA coverage, but what are people doing about dental? I'm leaning toward just negotiating cash rates whenever I need work, and paying out of pocket for twice-a-year cleanings, since most dental insurance plans I look at don't seem worth it.

Industry insider here...

Self-paid dental insurance is not worth it.

Pay OOP

[Arbitrage]

I consider insurance to be necessary to cover catastrophic or black swan events that are difficult or just too costly to self-insure for.  Given that dental insurance only really covers routine and not expensive dental work, it seems completely optional (and generally not worth it, as noted above). 

Possible exception for kids' braces, though I haven't looked in depth at the cost/benefit there.  I know there are plans that offer some orthodontic benefit for kids, and since that's an event you can plan out somewhat, it seems like it could be worth it.

[ronsbusa3]

Good news.. I’m moving my date up. I’ll be joining the 2021 club. DW and I were going to retire 2/22/22 but with COVID causing a jump in home prices, we sold our primary home a year early. We are renting a year before we move to our retirement home near Lake Norman NC. No more working 12hr shifts, Night Shift, Swing Shifts, holidays, weekends, forced OT for me....34 work days left but who’s counting.  New date is 4/1/21..  April fools day... lol 

[HumanAfterAll]

Shit's getting real.

It sure is!  My wife will keep working, so we started having her cover all of our expenses instead of splitting them, and I'm putting 70% of my paycheck into my 401k, enough to max it out by the time I call it quits.  She has started telling friends and family, so it's no longer just something the two of us talk about.

I'm relieved to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I'm also feeling some senioritis.  I'm burnt out and over it. 

I plan to give notice as soon as I get back from a week of vacation next month... then it will be a done deal!

[Dreamer40]

It's exciting seeing all this movement in the cohort! Shit is definitely getting real.

I have 5 more weeks of work. People are starting to sign off my exit clearance paperwork. I'm starting to transfer work to colleagues. I have a short list of work I'm supposedly trying to complete myself, but it's proving harder than I expected to actually do it. Burnout plus senoritis.

DH played this song for me while we were doing dishes last night. I feel like you all would appreciate it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXK03FHVsHk

[goat_music_generator]

It's exciting seeing all this movement in the cohort! Shit is definitely getting real.

I have 5 more weeks of work. People are starting to sign off my exit clearance paperwork. I'm starting to transfer work to colleagues. I have a short list of work I'm supposedly trying to complete myself, but it's proving harder than I expected to actually do it. Burnout plus senoritis.

DH played this song for me while we were doing dishes last night. I feel like you all would appreciate it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXK03FHVsHk

Hahaha, this song is great. Thanks for sharing.

[moneypitfeeder]

@Dreamer40 that really should be this cohort's anthem! After a complete restructuring of my department, understaffing, a pandemic, and so forth that song really sums it all up for me. I'm sure many here are in a similar boat.

[Dreamer40]

@Dreamer40 that really should be this cohort's anthem! After a complete restructuring of my department, understaffing, a pandemic, and so forth that song really sums it all up for me. I'm sure many here are in a similar boat.

Oh yes, please let's have it as an anthem! :) As a group, we seem to be collectively over it all.

[LightTripper]

I sent off my contract update last week.  Now officially down to 3 days a week (but as I'm a consultant, and given my bonus is about half my comp, as long as I do 1.5 days a week my company doesn't lose out).  Planning to transition lower in April.  I tried to do it in one jump bit it proved hard: I think once my hours are lower later in the year, and senior management aren't tied up with year end stuff, it should be easier to shift to something lower later in the year. 

My plan A is to keep doing a little work after April (which is my "official" retire date on this thread and the last month before I give up childcare outside of school hours), but just take on occasional projects, averaging about a day a week across the year.  We'll see how well this works!  If not (if it's hard to keep the hours restricted, or I keep them restricted but I'm still not enjoying them) then I can pull the plug entirely - but I'm hoping a day a week will feel pretty retired. 

At the moment Covid is restricting how much of my retirement projects I can really get on with anyway (charity shops closed so hard to clear the house, can't go shopping so gardening restricted, given buying plants online is always a bit hit and miss, can't have in person music lessons: though can still do baking, cooking, art - so plenty to do in the hours I have freed up).  It may be that when more of these doors open even a day a week will feel like too much!

[asauer]

Good news.. I’m moving my date up. I’ll be joining the 2021 club. DW and I were going to retire 2/22/22 but with COVID causing a jump in home prices, we sold our primary home a year early. We are renting a year before we move to our retirement home near Lake Norman NC. No more working 12hr shifts, Night Shift, Swing Shifts, holidays, weekends, forced OT for me....34 work days left but who’s counting.  New date is 4/1/21..  April fools day... lol

Congrats!  i hope you love Lake Norman.  I'm an NC lady and my family goes for at least a weekend every year.

[sailingTowardsFI]

I'm starting to get more and more excited for this year, and seeing everyone's posts is so inspiring! I've decided my date will be June 4, 2021. I'm waiting a little longer to give my employer notice - I'm thinking 6 or 8 weeks so they have time to find a replacement before I go. But since I have said nothing at work (not even to work friends!) I'm starting to feel like I'm living two lives - one where I'm planning for the next chapter and one where I'm pretending I still care about my career and am making strategic planning decisions I won't be around to see implemented. It's going to be a relief when I finally tell them!

On the side hustle front, I've done some work on my 'creative' hobby and have sold some work recently, and I'm separately picking up a weekend's worth of "fun work" in April to explore doing more of that after I've left the office behind too. I am not worried about being bored, and the extra cash will support bonus expenses, like traveling and hobbies.

88 work days until June 4, and I've got some time to burn that wouldn't be paid out, so realistically more like 80-85. It's all downhill from here!

[goat_music_generator]

I'm starting to get more and more excited for this year, and seeing everyone's posts is so inspiring! I've decided my date will be June 4, 2021. I'm waiting a little longer to give my employer notice - I'm thinking 6 or 8 weeks so they have time to find a replacement before I go. But since I have said nothing at work (not even to work friends!) I'm starting to feel like I'm living two lives - one where I'm planning for the next chapter and one where I'm pretending I still care about my career and am making strategic planning decisions I won't be around to see implemented. It's going to be a relief when I finally tell them!

I feel this so much. It was a real relief to me to give notice at work, and stop feeling like I was lying all the time.

Although it wasn't quite as cathartic as I was hoping, because I didn't want to tell everyone I was retiring (as opposed to just "taking some time to work on personal projects"). It's been fun chatting with the couple folks who know about FIRE and figured out what my "personal projects" were really code for :-)

[sailingTowardsFI]

I'm starting to get more and more excited for this year, and seeing everyone's posts is so inspiring! I've decided my date will be June 4, 2021. I'm waiting a little longer to give my employer notice - I'm thinking 6 or 8 weeks so they have time to find a replacement before I go. But since I have said nothing at work (not even to work friends!) I'm starting to feel like I'm living two lives - one where I'm planning for the next chapter and one where I'm pretending I still care about my career and am making strategic planning decisions I won't be around to see implemented. It's going to be a relief when I finally tell them!

I feel this so much. It was a real relief to me to give notice at work, and stop feeling like I was lying all the time.

Although it wasn't quite as cathartic as I was hoping, because I didn't want to tell everyone I was retiring (as opposed to just "taking some time to work on personal projects"). It's been fun chatting with the couple folks who know about FIRE and figured out what my "personal projects" were really code for :-)

It's nice to know my feelings are normal! I think I'm going to tell most people that I'm "taking a break" from working - and really, who doesn't need a break after 2020? I'll say that my husband and I want to do some traveling over the next year, which is true, and that I'll "figure things out after that". I bet everyone will think I'm having a midlife crisis and will gossip about how I'm sure to be a pauper in a couple of years.

[Chaplin]

I found my first post in this thread. It was almost exactly five years ago. So many changes between now and then, and yet here I am.

Aiming for 2021 here too. Of course, many things could intervene.

Five years is based on current income. Unfortunately getting said income requires more compromises on health, interests and family than I'm willing to make now. So I'm looking at downshifting the job which would most likely result in a pay cut, although it might cut some expenses too.

Well, 2021 is 1/12th over - have 1/12th of the Class of 2021 pulled the plug, or are the early months of a year unlikely due to bonuses, taxes, other significant dates, or even just psychology (if you were targeting January, why not just go a bit sooner, before the new year?

[TheContinentalOp]

I gave notice last week. 15 minutes later the COO called and asked if I'd consider working part-time. On Friday the CEO asked if I'd consider hanging around up to 4 months (he included offers of tax-free compensation). I got the lease on the town home I wanted 4.5 hours away from where I am now, so I told them continuing to work is not an option. My last day is March 19th.

[goat_music_generator]

I gave notice last week. 15 minutes later the COO called and asked if I'd consider working part-time. On Friday the CEO asked if I'd consider hanging around up to 4 months (he included offers of tax-free compensation). I got the lease on the town home I wanted 4.5 hours away from where I am now, so I told them continuing to work is not an option. My last day is March 19th.

Congrats! Gotta love that "as soon as you say you're leaving, they sweeten the deal".

[phildonnia]

Four months remaining.  Here's the plans for the years ahead, in no particular order:

• Landscape the backyard
• Raise chickens, or possibly bees.
• Make stained glass windows
• (Possibly) pursue a teaching credential
• Volunteer for VITA (tax assistance)
• Go on a really long road trip
• Write software
• Drive for Uber?
• Learn to fly
• Write a book
• Resume daily jogging

[goat_music_generator]

Four months remaining.  Here's the plans for the years ahead, in no particular order:

• Landscape the backyard
• Raise chickens, or possibly bees.
• Make stained glass windows
• (Possibly) pursue a teaching credential
• Volunteer for VITA (tax assistance)
• Go on a really long road trip
• Write software
• Drive for Uber?
• Learn to fly
• Write a book
• Resume daily jogging

I love your list. It has a lot of overlap with mine. :-)

[Dreamer40]

Four months remaining.  Here's the plans for the years ahead, in no particular order:

• Landscape the backyard
• Raise chickens, or possibly bees.
• Make stained glass windows
• (Possibly) pursue a teaching credential
• Volunteer for VITA (tax assistance)
• Go on a really long road trip
• Write software
• Drive for Uber?
• Learn to fly
• Write a book
• Resume daily jogging

Nice list! Hopefully the next 4 months fly by.

My real list only has one item: work on my garden. But my hypothetical list has a bunch of random ideas jotted down that I don't know yet if I really want to do. I'm hoping some quiet time in my garden will help me gain some mental space to think about the rest.

[Blindsquirrel]

 Heard all the cool kids were here. Way past FIRE number and at risk of becoming institutionalized for the Shawshank fans. I was going to call it end of March 2020 but COVID hit so I was like I can loaf this gravy train for a bit and then Covid-19 vaccine work hit and I ended up working 5 months straight at a furious pace.   I would have felt like a dick if I left my coworkers as rare experience and engineering tech manager position made me hard to replace as the timeline was very, very compressed. 

   Once my part ended and care for parents required more time I went to half time. Boss knows, bosses boss knows, HR knows, and I am heading off to RE land later than I should have but in an excessively strong position. In view of pandemic, work on vaccine project was the single best thing I have done and the hardest I have worked. Wear a mask and take the GD vaccine when you can. Have nominal 1 month of actual working days and about half is of that is vacation so I am geeked to do 100 things outside of work.  Glad to see my moustachian homies doing well.

[HumanAfterAll]

Heard all the cool kids were here. Way past FIRE number and at risk of becoming institutionalized for the Shawshank fans. I was going to call it end of March 2020 but COVID hit so I was like I can loaf this gravy train for a bit and then Covid-19 vaccine work hit and I ended up working 5 months straight at a furious pace.   I would have felt like a dick if I left my coworkers as rare experience and engineering tech manager position made me hard to replace as the timeline was very, very compressed. 

   Once my part ended and care for parents required more time I went to half time. Boss knows, bosses boss knows, HR knows, and I am heading off to RE land later than I should have but in an excessively strong position. In view of pandemic, work on vaccine project was the single best thing I have done and the hardest I have worked. Wear a mask and take the GD vaccine when you can. Have nominal 1 month of actual working days and about half is of that is vacation so I am geeked to do 100 things outside of work.  Glad to see my moustachian homies doing well.

Thank you for working so hard to help so many people!

I hope that final push of hard, meaningful work sends you off to FIRE with zero guilt!

[Blindsquirrel]

   Thanks! Nothing like a global pandemic with thousands dying everyday for motivation. /s Working on it was something I was absolutely 100 percent engaged in as was every single person at our plant. Was honestly super stoked to work on it even though our plant had horrible Covid outbreaks at times. It was honestly a bunch of fun as the workstream manager did a truly magnificent job and I hated to disappoint her.  Silos, bullshit, and obstruction just disintegrated and the whole place worked like dogs. No regrets at all and tbh the post vaccine work is dull compared to actually having a really pressing purpose. 

[CarolinaGirl]

Good news.. I’m moving my date up. I’ll be joining the 2021 club. DW and I were going to retire 2/22/22 but with COVID causing a jump in home prices, we sold our primary home a year early. We are renting a year before we move to our retirement home near Lake Norman NC. No more working 12hr shifts, Night Shift, Swing Shifts, holidays, weekends, forced OT for me....34 work days left but who’s counting.  New date is 4/1/21..  April fools day... lol

We seem to have a lot in common!  Same potential FIRE year, same age, soon to be same location!  :)
You’ll love it here in the Lake Norman area!!

[goat_music_generator]

Checking in here as confirmed FIREd. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

[tipster350]

Checking in here as confirmed FIREd. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Congratulations! Best wishes for many happy days of freedom ahead.

[Ladychips]

Checking in here as confirmed FIREd. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Whoohoo!!

[Much Fishing to Do]

Four months remaining.  Here's the plans for the years ahead, in no particular order:

• Landscape the backyard
• Raise chickens, or possibly bees.
• Make stained glass windows
• (Possibly) pursue a teaching credential
• Volunteer for VITA (tax assistance)
• Go on a really long road trip
• Write software
• Drive for Uber?
• Learn to fly
• Write a book
• Resume daily jogging

Nice list.  Last Summer my 11yo said he wanted chickens and I said if he built a coop that year we'd get them in 2021....I admit I did not plan on him following thru but there is a big nice coop out there now ... so I guess we're getting chickens.....

[Arbitrage]

Just gave notice. My last day will be 2/2/2021.

Congrats! 

I actually just gave "notice" as well, but my notice was 6 months out without a definitive end date, as I'm trying to to request accommodations to be fully remote and downshift from full-time to part-time.  Nevertheless, it was still a pretty big conversation to have, telling my boss that I'm moving away and won't work full-time.  If they don't accommodate, I'll just be leaving.

My boss followed up, asking how I envisioned my responsibilities for part-time remote work.  He intimated that he is trying to work on a pitch for upper management.  The negotiations continue.

Success!  My boss (and boss's boss) agreed with my plan to transition to a part-time employee, working fully remotely from my FIRE town of choice.  That removes a huge amount of financial uncertainty and makes this move basically a done deal.  Now I need to find that new house...which is definitely its own challenge from 1200 miles away, during a pandemic, with our destination at an all-time low in inventory. 

[Dreamer40]

Checking in here as confirmed FIREd. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Whoohoo!!

Woot woot! Congrats! I hope it feels glorious.

[moneypitfeeder]

Also confirmed FIREd, (Jan 29th was my last day). Three (non)work days later, and it's starting to actually feel real :) I think I can finally breathe easy again.

[goat_music_generator]

Four months remaining.  Here's the plans for the years ahead, in no particular order:

• Landscape the backyard
• Raise chickens, or possibly bees.
• Make stained glass windows
• (Possibly) pursue a teaching credential
• Volunteer for VITA (tax assistance)
• Go on a really long road trip
• Write software
• Drive for Uber?
• Learn to fly
• Write a book
• Resume daily jogging

Nice list.  Last Summer my 11yo said he wanted chickens and I said if he built a coop that year we'd get them in 2021....I admit I did not plan on him following thru but there is a big nice coop out there now ... so I guess we're getting chickens.....

Haha! Wow, that's pretty impressive for a kid that age! Nice.

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

The roster is updated for everybody through post #890.

So far we have 79 folks here who will be FIRE in 2021 and 5 have gone OLY into the 2020 Cohort. 

Average age of 2021ers is 44.97 (based on those 61 members who provided an age at FIRE date).  2020 average age was 48.32.  2019 average age was 47.38.

Name Age (at FIRE) FIRE Date Aldi Early 50s 1/23/2020 OLY CrazyIT 56 3/13/2020 OLY Mmm_Donuts 3/20/2020 OLY Marcher Lady 49 12/15/2020 OLY Zinnie 38 10/22/2020 OLY       Matz_70 50 1/1/2021 BikeFanatic 55 1/4/2021 Confirmed Sciurus 1/8/2021 Confirmed ScreamingHeadGuy 41 1/22/2021 Confirmed 12321 35 1/23/2021 Confirmed moneypitfeeder 42 1/29/2021 Confirmed Sultan58 1/31/2021 Confirmed fireflye 50 2/1/2021 goat_music_generator 27 2/2/2021 Confirmed dividendman 38 2/5/2021 Confirmed texxan1 2/15/2021 Confirmed Buffaloski Boris 56 2/28/2021 dreams_and_discoveries 39 February fiStressRelief 40 3/1/2021 Dreamer40 40 3/3/2021 skyrefuge 43 3/12/2021 TheContinentalOP 55 3/19/2021 exit2019 3/26/2021 HumanAfterAll 44 March Jack0Life ('s wife) March ronsbusa3 50 4/1/2021 Trede 51 4/2/2021 Tipster350 60 4/30/2021 bluebelle 4/30/2021 icebox92 36 4/30/2021 logjammin 39 4/30/2021 LightTripper 45 April JoJo April force majeure 45 April Geographer 30 5/3/2021 Peter Parker 5/7/2021 CoffeeR 5/31/2021 gary3411 30 April/May WildJager 35 May 80Westy 50 May Omglmg 39 May wrightstuff 55 May amberfocus 36 May phildonnia 50 6/1/2021 ItalianGirl 52 6/1/2021 Chaplin 47 6/4/2021 sailingTowardsFI 43 6/4/2021 Sisto 52 6/7/2021 YoungGranny 31 6/30/2021 SheWhoWalksAtLunch 56 6/30/2021 mld 33 June crazy jane 55 June SunniD June MoStash 53 7/1/2021 Ladychips 55 7/1/2021 Nazar 7/1/2021 marque 47 June/July CarolinaGirl 50 July highlandterrier 47 July Norsky July Need2Save May-July Arbitrage 43 8/1/2021 asauer 43 August Well Respected Man 56 9/10/2021 ospreyjp 56 9/27/2021 frugalecon 9/30/2021 GBRS 36 September Farfetchd 33 September the_fixer 49 10/1/2021 damo October Boyband 37 October 4tify 54 October Money Badger 53 12/1/2021 Accountant007 48 12/23/2021 Bownyboy 29 12/25/2021 Ulysses Everett McGill 55 12/31/2021 dblaace 60 12/31/2021 effigy98 43 December Wadiman December mindfulrun 43 spring lightmyfire June-Sept Mrs. Healthywealth 42 Summer monarda 61 TBD aethonan13 32 TBD American GenX TBD lemonlyman TBD dsw TBD MoneyTree TBD

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

Congratulations @moneypitfeeder and @goat_music_generator .

I've got you added @ronsbusa3

After one week of FIRE I've had a few different people comment "You seem so much less stressed".  I didn't know it showed so much, but the difference is clearly visible. 

[Ladychips]

Congratulation @moneypitfeeder !

I'm so impressed with the January group showing us the way.  Come on February folks!!!