FIRE vs Part Time

[wageslave23]

I'm curious what others' thoughts are on whether it is better to shoot for full FIRE as quickly as possible or to just cut back both expenses and work hours while pushing actual FIRE date out.  Assuming you don't really like your job but its tolerable, is it better to have 6-7 yrs where you are working full time and trying to raise a family and then you are hopefully completely FIRE or is it better go to part time and probably work 18-20 yrs until fully FIRED? 

FIRE as soon as possible -
less overall time working
usually easier to make more money and benefits
will you get bored and end up "working" part time anyway after FIRE
harder to get S.O. on board with saving a higher % of income when the reward isn't immediate

Part time and longer until FIRE -
enjoy working more because it doesn't seem like it consumes your life
enjoy working less because you might not have the growth and opportunities of a full time career
feel trapped because you don't have the short term finish line to look forward to
more SS earnings

Any other pluses and minuses to consider?  Any personal experience with either or both?

[robincanada]

Obviously it is personal.  So diff folks, diff strokes 

The world could end tomorrow.  It did both for Arnold and Kimberly already.  Willis challenges death death but he won. 

I say FIRE right now.  No slave.  To anyone. 

FIRE MMM style is about lifestyle.  He could have retired when he did with $25000.  Look at his life since?  It is about confidence.  MMM works part time.  You are saying Fire sooner or part time?  Than you are already FIRE?  Get it? 

FIRE is when NO ONE owns you... but yourself.  It is mental, not monetary.  Given you have some gifts and confidence.  Don’t need to be told what to do and how to think. 

MMM is not frugal to save money, it is because he hates waste.  What lifestyle do you want?  Can you make your own work and enjoy living?  It is not even about time.  Time is relative.  20 hours doing horrible things you hate vs 70 hours being excited and intellectually and physically invigorated.  Are different things. 

Being a mailman.. might feel like retirement to me in some dimension.  Not now.  But at 55?  If I was still single?  Just me.  You pay me to walk around town everyday?  That much?  Except I would not want to do it 49 weeks a year, or use a vehicle.  My mail woman, knowing her route, if it takes her 4/5 hours.  I would love that job.  Would not really feel like a job.  I would like a carrot to walk my neighbourhood, small talk people.  Rain, snow, sun, cold, heat.  Ok.

Just an example... but it is personal.  To “me” only it feels like... do I want to be forced to do something I do not want to do?  I don’t want to be forced to spiritually hate my life for years for some better future.  Having to go outside in a rain storm when you feel bleh is not slavery to me.  Sitting in front of a computer 40 hours a day inside 8-4 5 days a week felt like getting tortured eventually. 

You are “always” going to work part time after FIRE is my point. So... never be a slave.  You might die at 34 or 42 or 28 or 53.  And you wasted you life saving for a tomorrow that you never got. 

You are not talking 2 years vs 3 yrs here.  You are talking a decade or 2 decades.  A decade is long time to be a slave.  I was one in more than just “wage slave” ways.  To abuse and confusion. 

[wageslave23]

Obviously it is personal.  So diff folks, diff strokes 

The world could end tomorrow.  It did both for Arnold and Kimberly already.  Willis challenges death death but he won. 

I say FIRE right now.  No slave.  To anyone. 

FIRE MMM style is about lifestyle.  He could have retired when he did with $25000.  Look at his life since?  It is about confidence.  MMM works part time.  You are saying Fire sooner or part time?  Than you are already FIRE?  Get it? 

FIRE is when NO ONE owns you... but yourself.  It is mental, not monetary.  Given you have some gifts and confidence.  Don’t need to be told what to do and how to think. 

MMM is not frugal to save money, it is because he hates waste.  What lifestyle do you want?  Can you make your own work and enjoy living?  It is not even about time.  Time is relative.  20 hours doing horrible things you hate vs 70 hours being excited and intellectually and physically invigorated.  Are different things. 

Being a mailman.. might feel like retirement to me in some dimension.  Not now.  But at 55?  If I was still single?  Just me.  You pay me to walk around town everyday?  That much?  Except I would not want to do it 49 weeks a year, or use a vehicle.  My mail woman, knowing her route, if it takes her 4/5 hours.  I would love that job.  Would not really feel like a job.  I would like a carrot to walk my neighbourhood, small talk people.  Rain, snow, sun, cold, heat.  Ok.

Just an example... but it is personal.  To “me” only it feels like... do I want to be forced to do something I do not want to do?  I don’t want to be forced to spiritually hate my life for years for some better future.  Having to go outside in a rain storm when you feel bleh is not slavery to me.  Sitting in front of a computer 40 hours a day inside 8-4 5 days a week felt like getting tortured eventually. 

You are “always” going to work part time after FIRE is my point. So... never be a slave.  You might die at 34 or 42 or 28 or 53.  And you wasted you life saving for a tomorrow that you never got. 

You are not talking 2 years vs 3 yrs here.  You are talking a decade or 2 decades.  A decade is long time to be a slave.  I was one in more than just “wage slave” ways.  To abuse and confusion.

????

[frugal_c]

I am going full-time until we are at least FI.  After that probably still do part-time as I really don't have a lot of confidence in the 4% rule.  I think with the market high as it is, it's probably only about 70-80% successful, not good enough for me.

I think the bigger issue is, can you do part-time for an extended period?  In my profession you kind of put a mark on yourself if you do it.  It's okay for a few years but employers aren't really looking for part-time workers in my field.  You are all in or else you are out.  Work keeps changing too and what are the odds you actually can work part-time in your field for 20 years?  Will the field still exist?  Will it still pay well?  What if you have to go back to school.  It really depends on your profession.  If you working at a lower wage job it's probably not a bad idea at all but for higher paid professionals (I am making some huge generalizations here), I would say get it done and get out.

Robin makes some good points about the psychology of FIRE.  Just re-reading what I just wrote I can see how I will probably never be fully "FIRE", from a mental perspective.  So from that POV, I guess you could do part-time quite a bit earlier if it will psychologically make you feel more free, but it's not for me, not for an extended period.  I would be stressed out about the career the whole time.  I think if you did do this, pursue a hybrid approach and at least get a good nest egg first, say half of your FIRE number, so the market can be expected to take you to freedom if you aren't able to continue saving.

[Bucksandreds]

Obviously it is personal.  So diff folks, diff strokes 

The world could end tomorrow.  It did both for Arnold and Kimberly already.  Willis challenges death death but he won. 

I say FIRE right now.  No slave.  To anyone. 

FIRE MMM style is about lifestyle.  He could have retired when he did with $25000.  Look at his life since?  It is about confidence.  MMM works part time.  You are saying Fire sooner or part time?  Than you are already FIRE?  Get it? 

FIRE is when NO ONE owns you... but yourself.  It is mental, not monetary.  Given you have some gifts and confidence.  Don’t need to be told what to do and how to think. 

MMM is not frugal to save money, it is because he hates waste.  What lifestyle do you want?  Can you make your own work and enjoy living?  It is not even about time.  Time is relative.  20 hours doing horrible things you hate vs 70 hours being excited and intellectually and physically invigorated.  Are different things. 

Being a mailman.. might feel like retirement to me in some dimension.  Not now.  But at 55?  If I was still single?  Just me.  You pay me to walk around town everyday?  That much?  Except I would not want to do it 49 weeks a year, or use a vehicle.  My mail woman, knowing her route, if it takes her 4/5 hours.  I would love that job.  Would not really feel like a job.  I would like a carrot to walk my neighbourhood, small talk people.  Rain, snow, sun, cold, heat.  Ok.

Just an example... but it is personal.  To “me” only it feels like... do I want to be forced to do something I do not want to do?  I don’t want to be forced to spiritually hate my life for years for some better future.  Having to go outside in a rain storm when you feel bleh is not slavery to me.  Sitting in front of a computer 40 hours a day inside 8-4 5 days a week felt like getting tortured eventually. 

You are “always” going to work part time after FIRE is my point. So... never be a slave.  You might die at 34 or 42 or 28 or 53.  And you wasted you life saving for a tomorrow that you never got. 

You are not talking 2 years vs 3 yrs here.  You are talking a decade or 2 decades.  A decade is long time to be a slave.  I was one in more than just “wage slave” ways.  To abuse and confusion.

????

+1. I get the mentality part but FIRE stands for FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE which is only attainable by not needing to earn money ever again.

[mtn]

Being a mailman.. might feel like retirement to me in some dimension.  Not now.  But at 55?  If I was still single?  Just me.  You pay me to walk around town everyday?  That much?  Except I would not want to do it 49 weeks a year, or use a vehicle.  My mail woman, knowing her route, if it takes her 4/5 hours.  I would love that job.  Would not really feel like a job.  I would like a carrot to walk my neighbourhood, small talk people.  Rain, snow, sun, cold, heat.  Ok.

Sounds like you'd do well being a caddie. Show up if you want, don't if you don't want to. Hang out with folks until you get your loop, walk for 4 hours, go home.