32 and FI, but saving for a dream before RE

[NatureNut]

Hi everyone!

I'm 32 and my DW is 37. I found my way here via the Early Retirement Extreme blog which I enjoy reading. I was very happy to find this forum and others who share similar financial philosophies since we have not found anyone else that does in real life.

We are FI but holding off on RE so we can achieve our goal/dream and purchase a large acreage of land with relatively intact native ecosystems, live there, and donate a conservation easement to a land trust (and get the charitable deduction tax benefit from the donation). We think we'll RE in about 7 years.

We'll probably have to move to a different state to purchase the land since Texas' population and land prices are increasing too quickly. We are currently considering Kansas, Oklahoma, or Missouri since we are familiar with the native ecosystems of those states.

We are currently invested 100% in stock (other than our emergency fund), with about 63% in domestic stock (mostly Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX) ) and about 37% in international stock (mostly Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund (VGTSX) ). You could consider me a Boglehead since our only non-Vanguard investments are in our 401(k)s where that choice does not exist or stock options.

We invest about 70% of our after-tax income. We have no mortgage and no debt (and I pay off the credit card each month since we use it for many purchases to get the 1% cash back).

The DW and I both have high-stress jobs (though my stress is going down since a recent transfer at work to a better group that includes many old friends). To try and help the DW deal with the work stress, I suggest we think of ourselves as semi-retired since we don't have to work.

The DW and I were able to become FI though combination of living frugally, good/lucky career choices (software engineers), working hard, and calling an area with reasonable cost of living home.

I think we started out frugal in our 20's and invested much of our income because our families never had much money when we were growing up in an economically depressed area, and our grandparents were very frugal since they grew up during the great depression.

I have a few questions which I will post to the proper boards later.

Thanks!
- NatureNut

[crazy connie]

Awesome info NatureNut! Welcome aboard.

[Coach]

NatureNut, congratulations! FI at your ages is a truly remarkable accomplishment. I'm glad you've joined us.

Coach

[socca]

You might be interested in the story of John Robbins and his wife. John Robbins was an (the?) heir to the Baskin-Robbins fortune, who rejected going into the family business and went off to live on an island somewhere off the Washington coast. His wife was Captain Kirk's perky blonde yeoman on the original Star Trek series. He and his wife were also into 'natural living', environmental activism, etc. He subsequently founded the EarthSave organization. It sounds like you and your wife are similarly wired.

I'm also a software engineer, but now do it because I enjoy it, not because I have to. Welcome to the ERFs.



P.S. I haven't independently verified the story above, so there may be some 'inaccuracies'.

[NatureNut]

Thanks everyone!