2025 Fire Cohort

[jalich]

Hey all - I'm late to joining this particular corner of the party but I'm now officially a 2025 cohort. My last day is in August, has been publicly communicated in the last week, and now I'm currently having a run of the mill existential crisis about what the future holds. I've kept a small journal https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/22222-58656/100/ for the journey where it's mostly a money journal with an original 2022 target year that's kind of OMYed into a situation where I'm now being offered severance to stay till August. So I have a date and a sweet exit package!

I'm having some difficult wrapping my head around the whole situation at the moment. There are some thoughtful responses here that are helping, so I'm just kinda introducing myself as I'm trying to work thru my process.

-Jalich

[mistymoney]

Hey all - I'm late to joining this particular corner of the party but I'm now officially a 2025 cohort. My last day is in August, has been publicly communicated in the last week, and now I'm currently having a run of the mill existential crisis about what the future holds. I've kept a small journal https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/22222-58656/100/ for the journey where it's mostly a money journal with an original 2022 target year that's kind of OMYed into a situation where I'm now being offered severance to stay till August. So I have a date and a sweet exit package!

I'm having some difficult wrapping my head around the whole situation at the moment. There are some thoughtful responses here that are helping, so I'm just kinda introducing myself as I'm trying to work thru my process.

-Jalich

welcome and congrats!

[Holocene]

I'm trying to decide on a date as well. Things have been really rough this year for my team with layoffs and part of me wants to stick around for them and to pad my 'stache a bit more to better cover some upcoming house related expenses. But the other part of me is soooooo ready to be done. I think I'll wait another month or two and then pick a date. I keep re-listening to one of my favorite episodes of FREAKONOMICS, The Upside of Quitting.  It's helping remind me that every day I spend doing this work thing is a day I can't spend doing the things I really really want to do. I never expected to feel so much hesitation at this point of the FIRE journey, but I think uncertainty and fear are just the MOOD right now everywhere. Would love to get some check ins from the recently retired!

Your hesitation is quite normal, from what I've seen around here and my own experience.  Quitting and especially retiring are major decisions.  Huge changes in your life.  Even if you expect it to be generally a good thing, I think humans are pretty conditioned to resist big changes.  You are giving up something you know and are often quite comfortable with for something unknown.  That's always a bit scary.  Unless your work situation is terrible, it's unlikely to ever be such a easy cut-and-dry decision to make such a major life change.  Or maybe when you're old enough where retiring is the normal thing to do.  For the rest, you just have to go for it and take a leap into the unknown, even while feeling some reservations that it's the right thing.

There's a reason OMY is a thing.  Your mind can be pretty good at coming up with reasons to resist major scary changes.  There may be more uncertainty and fear in the world of late, but there's always some reason you could come up with to keep delaying retirement.  There may be legitimate reasons to keep working for longer in this environment.  But I think for many, it's just another excuse not to make the change.

From the other side, I quit 11 months ago.  It was a tough decision for me, since I did like aspects of my job and was only working part-time.  I second guessed myself a lot.  But I figured I could always go find another job if everything went wrong, even if I couldn't necessarily get this exact job back.  But I definitely couldn't get this time back.  I spent the last 9 months traveling around the country, making new friends and seeing so much beautiful scenery.  I think I've had more than a normal person's lifetime worth of vacations at this point, but it's just my life now.  And I've done so very cheaply.  I could spend more but still find it fun to get good deals and camp a lot.  I never worry about money, and it's hard to think that I struggled with quitting.  It was the best decision that I made.  When you're in the middle of it, it's hard to be clear headed and envision that what comes next will truly be better.  But it often is and it's worth taking that leap.

[Sandi_k]

I feel weird. I am three weeks away from my last day.

Even with the volatility in the market this spring, and others' concern - I haven't questioned my decision. At all.

Of course it helps that I have a pension. And savings. And, eventually, I hop, Socoail Security. But 59 feels OLD to retire, not young. I am very clear that I need to get some weight off, some exercise done routinely, and just make healthier choices for my longevity and quality of life. I clearly cannot manage that while working 50 hours per week. QED.

I am younger now than I'll ever be again. And I WANT that time to do what's important to ME and MY goals. Not bureaucracy, no matter how helpful I have been to others' priorities and needs.

This is my one (remaining) life. I'm going to seize it.

[Fomerly known as something]

I on the other hand am ready to go.  I also have a pension so the stability of that helps my IBL.  I had a bad day yesterday so dropped about 1/3 of my annual leave before I RE in Mid July.  I’m just over working right now.

[mistymoney]

I'm trying to decide on a date as well. Things have been really rough this year for my team with layoffs and part of me wants to stick around for them and to pad my 'stache a bit more to better cover some upcoming house related expenses. But the other part of me is soooooo ready to be done. I think I'll wait another month or two and then pick a date. I keep re-listening to one of my favorite episodes of FREAKONOMICS, The Upside of Quitting.  It's helping remind me that every day I spend doing this work thing is a day I can't spend doing the things I really really want to do. I never expected to feel so much hesitation at this point of the FIRE journey, but I think uncertainty and fear are just the MOOD right now everywhere. Would love to get some check ins from the recently retired!

Your hesitation is quite normal, from what I've seen around here and my own experience.  Quitting and especially retiring are major decisions.  Huge changes in your life.  Even if you expect it to be generally a good thing, I think humans are pretty conditioned to resist big changes.  You are giving up something you know and are often quite comfortable with for something unknown.  That's always a bit scary.  Unless your work situation is terrible, it's unlikely to ever be such a easy cut-and-dry decision to make such a major life change.  Or maybe when you're old enough where retiring is the normal thing to do.  For the rest, you just have to go for it and take a leap into the unknown, even while feeling some reservations that it's the right thing.

There's a reason OMY is a thing.  Your mind can be pretty good at coming up with reasons to resist major scary changes.  There may be more uncertainty and fear in the world of late, but there's always some reason you could come up with to keep delaying retirement.  There may be legitimate reasons to keep working for longer in this environment.  But I think for many, it's just another excuse not to make the change.

From the other side, I quit 11 months ago.  It was a tough decision for me, since I did like aspects of my job and was only working part-time.  I second guessed myself a lot.  But I figured I could always go find another job if everything went wrong, even if I couldn't necessarily get this exact job back.  But I definitely couldn't get this time back.  I spent the last 9 months traveling around the country, making new friends and seeing so much beautiful scenery.  I think I've had more than a normal person's lifetime worth of vacations at this point, but it's just my life now.  And I've done so very cheaply.  I could spend more but still find it fun to get good deals and camp a lot.  I never worry about money, and it's hard to think that I struggled with quitting.  It was the best decision that I made.  When you're in the middle of it, it's hard to be clear headed and envision that what comes next will truly be better.  But it often is and it's worth taking that leap.

Thanks for this.

I would likely OMY to complete my debt payoffs, top off the house fund, and maybe pay off the kid student loans too.

But the work has become soooo miserable under this new boss. There is no more OMY! I'll be lucky to make it to my planned date as it is, lol!

So the leap of faith is coming up soon. And I am excited and hopeful. When I am not modeling my retirement vis a vis 1966.

[mistymoney]

I on the other hand am ready to go.  I also have a pension so the stability of that helps my IBL.  I had a bad day yesterday so dropped about 1/3 of my annual leave before I RE in Mid July.  I’m just over working right now.

Yes - the IBL is very strong without a pension. And as a singleton with only one social security check to rely on if all else fails it makes her very vocal in the back of my mind! But - my social security check will be pretty nice if they leave the program as is and I wait until 70. And I have my AA lined up to withstand a lost decade, and some contingencies if things do go awry.

I do need to line up my time off, that will help me make it these next few months.

While I miss out on the freedom this summer, I know my decompression will be a long process, and likely deep. So I am not hating lining that up with fall and winter. Planning on all the hygge and hybernating. Would not want to sleep through the summer and start getting energetic around the approach of winter and all!

One of my biggest concerns is actually that I will be too cheap with myself while waiting on medicare and social security - especially if the markets go south.

I need to be vigilant about really enjoying the first decade of retirement. And putting myself out into the world too. Becoming a bit of a hermit since the pandemic.

[tooqk4u22]

I on the other hand am ready to go.  I also have a pension so the stability of that helps my IBL.  I had a bad day yesterday so dropped about 1/3 of my annual leave before I RE in Mid July.  I’m just over working right now.

Yes - the IBL is very strong without a pension. And as a singleton with only one social security check to rely on if all else fails it makes her very vocal in the back of my mind! But - my social security check will be pretty nice if they leave the program as is and I wait until 70. And I have my AA lined up to withstand a lost decade, and some contingencies if things do go awry.

I do need to line up my time off, that will help me make it these next few months.

While I miss out on the freedom this summer, I know my decompression will be a long process, and likely deep. So I am not hating lining that up with fall and winter. Planning on all the hygge and hybernating. Would not want to sleep through the summer and start getting energetic around the approach of winter and all!

One of my biggest concerns is actually that I will be too cheap with myself while waiting on medicare and social security - especially if the markets go south.

I need to be vigilant about really enjoying the first decade of retirement. And putting myself out into the world too. Becoming a bit of a hermit since the pandemic.

The IBL is strong, I don't know that it will ever go away.    I think about the saying/theme that we worry so much about all the things that can go wrong and try to manage those things but we rarely focus on all the things that can go right and what that may mean.  Don't worry I 🙄🙄 anytime that comes up and am I eyerolling myself as I type this - just not in my nature to worry about what can go right, but the reality is there is a lot that can go right. 🙄🙄   

Regarding your FIRE timing fall/winter is great.  When I first FIREd it was end of June and I had some summer fun, but when fall and winter set in it was great, aside from fall weather generally ideal, but it was great to not feel guilty about not doing anything at all (especially in winter) or something or whatever I pleased (aside from kid stuff). 

[SEAK]

Twenty working days left for me! I've kept my plans mostly to myself until recently when I finally told my parents/sibling. People around the office are just now learning of my plans and seem a bit perplexed that a 51yo can retire. Some have asked if I got an inheritance, nope just diligent investing and compound interest doing it's thing over 25 years.

So looking forward to having more time for the things I truly enjoy. Hiking, biking, gardening, working out, fishing, hunting, nordic skiing, painting the exterior of the house (hoping I enjoy this), traveling, learning to bake bread, etc! First off will be a road-trip/backpack trip to the Yukon Territories with the family and pooch.

[deborah]

The Yukon is awesome.