Retirement Board Posting Tenure

[sgeeeee]

We seem to have a fairly high churn rate sometimes, but some people change their identities fairly frequently. I'm just wondering how long most of our posters have been registered. If you don't know when you've registered, you can find out by clicking on your name in the upper left hand corner of any post you've made.

 

[crazy connie]

I came aboard in Feb 2006. I wish I had found this place before bailing from Mega-Corp in Dec 2004. I have learned many things here and am glad to have found so many liked minded folks.

 

[linkerbink]

I joined in June...was inspired enough by all the good folks here that I put in my resignation letter in August, and pulled the plug 5 days ago, December 31st. Many thanks!

 

[Khan]

2006-08-23

Although I had read it for a few months before that.

 

[DRiP Guy]

Almost two months! I think my icon says that I am so new, that the poster "Doesn't know a dryer sheet from a hole in the ground"

 

[larry]

12/22/04 Don't post much but have gained much knowledge from people here, thanks again!

 

[Goonie]

I found this place & registered the same day, just over 2 months ago....Oct 28th. Thoroughly enjoy the banter!

 

[unclemick]

Since July 2003 under the top secret alias unclemick.

heh heh heh heh heh - the good old web tv days!

 

[Nords]

Three years next month... where the heck does the time go?

 

[yakers]

Three years next month... where the heck does the time go?

Three years to my 3 1/3 and 10X the posts, kinda answers the question "Whatta ya do all day?"

 

[DRiP Guy]

Since July 2003 under the top secret alias unclemick.

heh heh heh heh heh - the good old web tv days!

OMG -- I remember Usenet back in the days when WebTeeVee'ers started coming out of the woodwork! I remember telnet and gopher and BBS'es...

It got kinda wooley with the Web TV bubble... never thought I would see the day, but I guess some of those who started out then reached pretty exalted status... but back then, they were the only ones that AOL'ers could look down on...

I thought I was ready to become a Stock Tycoon with my own purchase and subscription to the private "Windows on Wall Street" stock tracking and info service.

What is the Saturday Night Live catch phrase? "Good Times."

 

[REWahoo]

I don't think anyone other than Dory is going to be able to truthfully respond to the poll with anything longer than 4 1/2 years since the forum went "live" on June 23, 2002.

I signed up 7 days later.

 

[DRiP Guy]

Sorry for dupe...

 

[Martha]

I don't think anyone other than Dory is going to be able to truthfully respond to the poll with anything longer than 4 1/2 years since the forum went "live" on June 23, 2002.

I signed up 7 days later.

How did you find this place?

Like Nords, I'll have been here three years next month.

 

[education]

I've been here since 04 but I lurked a lot longer before registering. Had the market not gone south I would have early retired a lot sooner. My goal was to be out at 55. I'm 4 years behind. But I owe the outcome of being able to "walk away" to the courage and wisdom and kick-ass wit of the fine people who make up this unique place. Let me say that my plans to leave in May 07 are largely due to your assistance. So a big THANK YOU is, I believe, in order.

The Professor

 

[Martha]

Since July 2003 under the top secret alias unclemick.

heh heh heh heh heh - the good old web tv days!

Looks like the 14 year old girl from Missoula is turning 18 this year. :

 

[REWahoo]

How did you find this place?

I don't recall. I was a lurker on TMF for three years before they started charging and maybe Dory said something there that sent me here. Or maybe it was the link on Intercst's web site.

What I do recall is how happy I was to have found it:

http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=32.msg66#msg66

 

[REWahoo]

Looks like the 14 year old girl from Missoula is turning 18 this year. :

Finallly! Now I can talk dirty to Unclemick and stop worrying about showing up on Dateline NBC.

 

[Outtahere]

I lurked for a bit before joining. Found this site by doing a search for Early Retirement, read some at the other place and found this one a little more friendly.

 

[donheff]

OMG -- I remember Usenet back in the days when WebTeeVee'ers started coming out of the woodwork! I remember telnet and gopher and BBS'es...

I remember doing Archie and Gopher requests via email before I got a shell account. Never did get into BBs but Usenet was like an opening into a new world.

I'm curious about the membership curve here. For you long timers who have been here for 3 or more years, how many people were registered then? As with newsgroups, it seems that you need a critical mass to get enough posts to make a board interesting enough for people to come back to. After reaching that level they can be self sustaining. The early days can be pretty iffy.

 

[dex]

I'm a 3 year-er also - when is graduation?

I'm a little behind on the posting count though.

 

[lets-retire]

Registered Dec 2004

 

[REWahoo]

I'm curious about the membership curve here. For you long timers who have been here for 3 or more years, how many people were registered then? As with newsgroups, it seems that you need a critical mass to get enough posts to make a board interesting enough for people to come back to. After reaching that level they can be self sustaining. The early days can be pretty iffy.

Dory may be able to extract some avg. daily post stats from the board software, but I did some futzing around with the member list. Sorting on the "Date Registered" column I came up with these numbers showing approx. how many new members came on board each year beginning with the 6/23/02 start date:

Year 1 - 280
Year 2 - 450
Year 3 - 700
Year 4 - 1080

Yes, things were a little slow the first year or so, but not as slow as you might think. Because many of the members knew each other from TMF, there were a core of members who picked up where they left off and continued their FIRE conversations on the new forum.

 

[My Dream]

I joined earlier this year when I was having a difficult time making the decision to retire. It wasn't planned, and I felt I had no other choice. Thanks to this forum, they set me at ease, although I took a real beating from some and left with my tail *********** well you get the point. I eventually came back, and will do my best to learn as much as I can about investing.

 

[deserat]

Over 2.5 years here - I think I cam through the Retire Early homepage - actually still do - also read TMF, although didn't post - am familiar with Mosaic, usenet, BBS, gopher, archie, ftp, yada yada yada - amazing how things have changed over the years.

Still working, although, the plan is still intact for RE and may end up being earlier than originally planned, mainly due to better control of consumption (i.e. lifestyle choices)

It's great reading about all the different experiences here - helps to know one has so many choices. I'm glad Dory started this - I've gotten more information here before it hits the newspapers (now all the papers and financial rags tout the 4% rule) or magazines. I'm also amazed at the generosity of some of the members regarding the phenomenal tools they've offered for free (FIREcalc for one - amazing tool - as well as the pared down one available on Retire Early) - frankly, there aren't many excuses for not retiring early or at least knowing what it would take to retire early or even just retire (for those folks who think they'll need to work until they die). Knowledge is power.