“50% Rule” To Retire In 20 Years

Before I left MegaCorp last year, I had the chance to speak with a room of 20 of our newest MBA recruits who were in a leadership development program for the company. While I was wrapping up my career, most of them were just a few years into their career. I was giving them an update on a digital marketing initiative taking place across the … Continue reading “50% Rule” To Retire In 20 Years

FIRE Station FUN – Decluttering Work Clothes

  My closet has a big hole in it.  Last weekend, while getting home from a weekend trip, I noticed how many dress shirts I have clogging my closet.  I decided it was a good time to go through my former work attire and “declutter” my wardrobe.   While I did some major decluttering immediately after I retired, I didn’t really touch my work clothes. … Continue reading FIRE Station FUN – Decluttering Work Clothes

Millionaire Status in FIRE – How Does Your Savings Stack Up?

The Economic Policy Institute recently published some charts focusing on the state of retirement savings among working families in the United States today.  I’m not sure what they determine exactly constitutes a ‘working family’ – since most Americans live in 1 or 2 member households – but assuming the definition is reasonably broad, the data was interesting.   It showed the amount of retirement savings that … Continue reading Millionaire Status in FIRE – How Does Your Savings Stack Up?

Work Anniversary – How Are Our Retirement Savings Holding Up?

Today would have been the 28th Anniversary of the start of my career at The Pillsbury Company in Minneapolis, back in 1989.  I loved working for Pillsbury and became good friends with the Pillsbury Doughboy over the years. Instead of starting the day at 7am with a sprinkled, chocolate donut (a Mr. FireStation favorite) like I did back in 1989, I will be sleeping in … Continue reading Work Anniversary – How Are Our Retirement Savings Holding Up?

Still On Our FIRE Honeymoon

Last year, when I was just early retired a few weeks, I wrote this article describing the ‘honeymoon’ period of leaving work behind.  I even shared a ‘5 Stages of Retirement’ academic framework that many already-retired readers immediately called B.S. on – complaining that the sudden feeling of freedom does NOT grow old and that the honeymoon of early retirement NEVER ends! These comments came … Continue reading Still On Our FIRE Honeymoon