Setting long term goals is one thing, but following through with them is another. When you first start thinking about playing with FIRE – being Financially Independent & Retired Early – the key question is are you tracking to a nest egg number, or a specific date? Like many people, I always figured we would quit the day we hit “The Number”. Achieving a nest … Continue reading FIRE Milestones – Picking Your Early Retirement Date
I’m definitely going to need a bit of routine in early retirement.
I’ve always been too much of a born daydreamer to allow myself to live life completely unstructured. I worry I will absentmindedly dawdle my time away if I don’t create create some regular plans. Like Joe Walsh sang, “People say I’m lazy, but it takes all my time”. In fact, while I treasure unstructured time and often balk at too much regiment, Continue reading “Daily Routine versus Daydreaming”
Since we are now getting very close to the end of our early retirement journey (in less than six months), I thought I would reflect on some of the decisions we made in our twenties that set us up for early retirement success. I know a lot of people are talking about the stupid article “If You Are Saving Money In Your Twenties, You Are … Continue reading Seven Ideas To Save Big Money In Your Twenties
I like to always have a big, interesting trip booked about a year in advance, but we have nothing yet planned for 2016. I’ve written about our love of travel before, my goal to get to all fifty states (two left!) and trips we’ve taken overseas. The challenge we face (for the first time ever) is too many opportunities to decide between next year. With early retirement arriving next April Fool’s Day, we’ll have the whole rest of the year to go wherever we wish. Continue reading “Our Early Retirement Travel Planning Framework & Free Download”
Well, it looks like “the Boy” – our seventeen year-old son is set for where he wants to go to college. I’ve written before on the cost of college, but wanted to share a little bit about how we have saved & planned for his matriculation into post-secondary education. Many people can’t conceive of retiring before your kids are done with college, but I feel confident that we are well set in that department. How did we do it? Continue reading “Retire Before Children Head Off To College?”
Yesterday, Mrs. Fire Station left on a ‘girls trip’ to Florida with four friends of hers. She is looking forward to some fun in the sun as the days are already turning a bit crisp & cool here at home. In fact, I know she would love to spend the winter months someplace sunny when we retire. I am sure she will bring back some information on the resort she is staying at in Sarasota, with some pictures like the one above (although it is raining today). Continue reading “Mrs. FireStation – My Wife’s Early Retirement”
DW and I are now just 7 months from early retirement. I recently posed a question to a group of early retirees about the adjustment that takes place between the full-time working world and a life of early retirement. During my many cups of coffee with friends over the last year, I regularly heard about a need to take the first full year of early retirement to adjust to the new lifestyle. I have even heard it described as like the adjustment that comes from “leaving a bad relationship” or divorcing one’s longtime spouse.
I asked specifically about how long it took to adjust to not working? Continue reading “Six Ways To Prepare For Our Early Retirement Lifestyle”
Will early retirement be a stressful life event?
Sure enough, the website VisualMD.com has a list of stressful life events shows retirement in the top ten causes of negative life stress (see above). It’s not on the top of the list, but it is interesting to see it rated at about the same score as losing your job (getting married is the only other positive on the list).
Where’s the joy in one’s new found freedom?? Continue reading “Change Stress & Early Retirement”
The Baltic Cruise that we were on in June was an interesting experience for us as we contemplate early retirement next year. While it was a great 12 day getaway, we felt a bit like fish out of water all week, as we were likely 12-15 years younger than the average cruiser on the ship, with most people in their 60s. We weren’t expecting … Continue reading Retirement Havens – Steer Clear For Years?
Mr. FireStation had a productive month at the office in July, but is now just 8 months from his planned early retirement on April 1, 2016. While June was largely consumed by a preparing for and enjoying a two week family vacation, July was all about work and making some post-work plans.
Our nest egg was quite secure through July with year-to-date results continuing to grow. The three numbers I follow are: 1) the SP500, which is up +2%; 2) the International EFEA Index, which is up +6%; and 3) my former MegaCorp stock, which is up +9%. With all three numbers up (and stock option leverage on MegaCorp), I am quite satisfied with how 2015 is shaping up and no big concerns have emerged. At the same time, we protected about 25% of our nest egg in cash & bonds (our bond fund is -1% for the year). All together, I think our portfolio is up +7% for the year. That’s about +2 pts better than the end of June. Continue reading “Early Retirement FIRE Escape – 8 Month Countdown”
MrFireStation 