Hello Everyone. Like many of you, I stumbled across this forum while searching for information about early retirement and how to deal with it, both financially and personally. I've been reading the forum off and on for the past couple months and thought it was time to get involved. After leaving a nice 20-year career at a major corporation, I was "given" the opportunity to leave with a decent severance package and my dignity well intact. Having been aggressive savers for many years and with the stock market at record highs (this was late 1999), I grabbed the opportunity and proceeded to become "sort of semi-retired" and began operating a small part-time business. I don't make very much money, but I have fun and manage to hang around with lots of interesting people.
For the past five or so years, we have weathered the stock market problems and continue to motor along happily as a semi-retired couple. At this point, we don't work because we have to, but because we want to and like what we are doing...me in my little business and my Wife at a part-time job. We have flexibility in our schedules, get to sleep in most mornings and travel frequently. Life is pretty good. The only problem has been an ongoing, nagging thought that there is something wrong with what we are doing. Almost feeling guilty about it. I kept thinking "there must be others out there like me....how do they deal with all this?" Of course, that's what eventually led me to this forum. It seems I'm not the only person out there who thinks about the same stuff I do! I look forward to reading and learning more in the future.
So here's what I know for sure...Save your money; live below your means; minimize debt; pay your bills on time (and in full if you can); learn about investing; minimize investment risk and save your money (ooops, I think I said that already.) What I don't know is what to tell people when they ask what I "do" (I have since read comments on this forum about how others deal with this question.) I also still have to get more comfortable how much is "enough" money. I think I've got that figured out, but am still learning. There are many other things to discuss, but those will come out in the future.
I look forward to learning more.
Thanks.
For the past five or so years, we have weathered the stock market problems and continue to motor along happily as a semi-retired couple. At this point, we don't work because we have to, but because we want to and like what we are doing...me in my little business and my Wife at a part-time job. We have flexibility in our schedules, get to sleep in most mornings and travel frequently. Life is pretty good. The only problem has been an ongoing, nagging thought that there is something wrong with what we are doing. Almost feeling guilty about it. I kept thinking "there must be others out there like me....how do they deal with all this?" Of course, that's what eventually led me to this forum. It seems I'm not the only person out there who thinks about the same stuff I do! I look forward to reading and learning more in the future.
So here's what I know for sure...Save your money; live below your means; minimize debt; pay your bills on time (and in full if you can); learn about investing; minimize investment risk and save your money (ooops, I think I said that already.) What I don't know is what to tell people when they ask what I "do" (I have since read comments on this forum about how others deal with this question.) I also still have to get more comfortable how much is "enough" money. I think I've got that figured out, but am still learning. There are many other things to discuss, but those will come out in the future.
I look forward to learning more.
Thanks.
