Approved for part-time - Bring on semi-retirement!!

[Accidental Fire]

After negotiating with my employer since March of this year, I finally got the go-ahead to start part-time on Sept 17th. Holy smokes, it's really happening! I'm a 22 year government employee (DoD) and have been FI for about three years now, but have not retired because of the worry of having to take care of my 88 year old Mother and my Brother who has type-1 diabetes.  I'm going to be putting in 20 hours a week, and I will still be able to save some money with my salary cut in half. The main thing is that I get to keep my healthcare and other benes!

It's amazing how the the reality of it hits home once the decision is real. I've been hating my job all year and praying to have this happen, and now that it will be a certain part of me is nervous and slightly afraid. Some of that is because I will have to give up my position as a Senior Director of a large office.  I'm not the power-hungry type, but there's a part of my personality that enjoys being listened to and having my input on things carry weight. I'll also have to give up my large office, which isn't that big of a deal, but I bike-commute to work and it's nice not having to change in the gym.

Overall I'm so PUMPED to be starting this next chapter of my life. I plan to use the extra time to help my family, do the outdoor sports that I love, and keep building my side-hustles. The MMM community and other blogs have been so instrumental in my journey, so I just wanna say thanks to everyone on here!

[pbnj]

Wow, congratulations!!  So happy for you.  You will probably notice the stress reduction immediately.  Sounds like the best of both worlds: income and benefits yet more time to spend on what is meaningful; family and the outdoors.

Enjoy every minute of your new found freedom.

[Syonyk]

Awesome!

I work 32h/wk and it's quite nice.

[JoJo]

That's great!  Congrats!

[Retire-Canada]

I love it. So awesome! Best of luck with the next phase. :)

[GenXbiker]

Congrats.  I might try going part time in a couple years to go to 24 hr/wk, which will let me keep full health care benefits, but I don't think I would want to do it for more than a year even if it's an option because I don't want to put off full FIRE for that long.

[Syonyk]

Try 32. You get a 3 day weekend every weekend and mostly get rid of the highest taxed hours.

[rab-bit]

Congratulations!

You're where I hope to be in 2-3 years. My company considers you to be full time if you work 30 hours or more so my goal is to work three 10 hour days per week. I can't stop dreaming of four day weekends!

[Poeirenta]

Congrats! Just went to 32 in July. Takes a little getting used to, but it's been great. I just wish the wildfire smoke would go away so we could do more outside.

Enjoy!

[Accidental Fire]

Congrats.  I might try going part time in a couple years to go to 24 hr/wk, which will let me keep full health care benefits, but I don't think I would want to do it for more than a year even if it's an option because I don't want to put off full FIRE for that long.

Actually that's my plan - 1 year. At least as a test. I've challenged myself to create $1000 a month in side-gigs that are fun or passive/semi-passive income in the next year with the extra time I will have.  If I could hit that goal, that 1k would pay my mortgage and then the rest of my expenses are kinda minimal.

Thanks all for the replies, I'm so stoked to get this journey started!

[SimpleSpartan]

Wow I read that as  a "22 year old government employee" holy crap did you save in your teens lol.
All serious, congratulations! Definitely the route I'm considering get that nice work-life balance with plenty of time to do what you love and still have a purpose/extra income/ whatever you want to call it job.

[fattest_foot]

Why did it take 6 months to get it approved?

My wife and I have talked about doing something similar as we get near our number (I'm government, she's contractor).

[Accidental Fire]

Why did it take 6 months to get it approved?

My wife and I have talked about doing something similar as we get near our number (I'm government, she's contractor).

Mainly because I'm the Director of a pretty large office that's tasked to do some pretty high-profile things at my agency, mostly related to IT transformation.  So the first step was to get my boss's approval to let me do it, which he was mostly cool with, but what took so long was the boss above him, and the political-jockeying to find a suitable replacement.

A shorter answer would be "it's the government".... we excel at slowness.

[GenXbiker]

Why did it take 6 months to get it approved?

My wife and I have talked about doing something similar as we get near our number (I'm government, she's contractor).

Mainly because I'm the Director of a pretty large office that's tasked to do some pretty high-profile things at my agency, mostly related to IT transformation.  So the first step was to get my boss's approval to let me do it, which he was mostly cool with, but what took so long was the boss above him, and the political-jockeying to find a suitable replacement.

I'll have to go through a similar process since there's no guarantee of being able to transfer to part time, but I don't really want to give six months notice.  I was thinking more like a month!  They will have to make a decision quickly if they want to let me stay on part time.  I have a senior level technical position and would not easily be replaced, so my gut feeling is that they would let me stay on part time at least temporarily, but I won't know for sure until the time comes (assuming my plans don't change before then.)

[GenXbiker]

Try 32. You get a 3 day weekend every weekend and mostly get rid of the highest taxed hours.

One thing I really like about dropping to 24 hr. vs 32 would be that I would be off work more days than I would work.  My preference would be to work 3 straight days and have 4 straight days off.  I've actually done that quite a bit over the summer by using PTO time, and it's been great working only 3 days most weeks.  And at 24 hr, I could still take advantage of the sweet full health care benefits I get while still saving more than a month's worth of living expenses to my stache every month plus not having to draw down on my stache for maybe another year or so.  I wouldn't lose my vacation, either.  A downside is that I would have to continue paying the high expenses on my company retirement plan while still working there part time, which adds up, potentially $6000/yr to expenses vs. my Vangard funds.

[Accidental Fire]

Try 32. You get a 3 day weekend every weekend and mostly get rid of the highest taxed hours.

One thing I really like about dropping to 24 hr. vs 32 would be that I would be off work more days than I would work.  My preference would be to work 3 straight days and have 4 straight days off.  I've actually done that quite a bit over the summer by using PTO time, and it's been great working only 3 days most weeks.  And at 24 hr, I could still take advantage of the sweet full health care benefits I get while still saving more than a month's worth of living expenses to my stache every month plus not having to draw down on my stache for maybe another year or so.  I wouldn't lose my vacation, either.  A downside is that I would have to continue paying the high expenses on my company retirement plan while still working there part time, which adds up, potentially $6000/yr to expenses vs. my Vangard funds.

I agree GenXbiker. My plan is to do 20 a week, 32 is still too much for me.  I prefer 20 since I'd have the option of putting in two long 10 hour days and then just taking 5 or so days off.  If they allow me full flexibility, I could work the Mon-Tues of the first week of the pay period, and then take off the rest of that week and the first half of the second week, and just work the final Thurs-Fri of the second week. I'd have my 40 hrs for the pay period, and I'd have 8 days off in a row.  I would only be earning vacation time at half of my normal rate, but I would barely need to use it!

[Fi(re) on the Farm]

Congratulations! My husband is starting part time (20 hours) next week and we're both pretty excited.  Some of the day to day pressure will be off me (disabled adult child who needs a bit of care) and he only has to do 2 10 hour days and can work on other stuff that he enjoys more.

[Accidental Fire]

Congratulations! My husband is starting part time (20 hours) next week and we're both pretty excited.  Some of the day to day pressure will be off me (disabled adult child who needs a bit of care) and he only has to do 2 10 hour days and can work on other stuff that he enjoys more.

Congrats to you as well and good luck with it!

[Sofa King]

Have been doing 32hr work week for last 5 years and having a 3day weekend every week never get old!!! looking fwd to going down to 3 days a week within the next few years after the house is paid off.

[MasterStache]

Congrats! Welcome to the semi-retirement club. I went part-time contract through my previous employer back in early July. Haven't worked a single hour since. Made some side money building furniture and working on my neighbors deck currently. Not full FI but enjoying not being tied to a cubicle. Enjoy it!