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Ah...the smell of freedom
02-28-2013, 09:34 AM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
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Ah...the smell of freedom
When I sat down this morning to compare February budget to actuals I realized that we're within spitting distance of FI.
We've budgeted $95k/year for retirement spending when in reality we're only spending around $50k for all of the budget categories we'll still have in retirement. And the lower spending trend is now several months long.
What this means is that once we have the healthcare costs understood (Oct of this year) and buy our retirement home we're in a short countdown to being able to go out and play!
__________________
Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance -
Morgan Freeman
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02-28-2013, 10:16 AM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 14,169
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Congrats, Lisa99.
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02-28-2013, 10:19 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
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It smells around here too, but I don't think it's freedom...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
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02-28-2013, 11:06 AM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Tampa Bay Area
Posts: 1,866
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Congrats Lisa99 ! Spending only 50% of what you have budgeted is AWESOME ! I've published my budget a zillion times here and I'm still in awe when people list how low some budgets are comparably. I think my budget is fairly bare bones except for the 7k of "spending cash" (which includes alcohol and gas for the car).
__________________
"For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." ~
Hebrews 12:11
ER'd in June 2015 at age 52. Initial WR 3%. 50/40/10 (Equity/Bond/Short Term) AA.
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02-28-2013, 11:19 AM
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#5
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,608
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Congrats! Freedom is within reach and I bet that feels wonderful.
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02-28-2013, 01:19 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Live And Learn
Congrats Lisa99 ! Spending only 50% of what you have budgeted is AWESOME ! I've published my budget a zillion times here and I'm still in awe when people list how low some budgets are comparably. I think my budget is fairly bare bones except for the 7k of "spending cash" (which includes alcohol and gas for the car).
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Thanks Live! We've realized that STUFF is getting in the way of our FIREing, so we've stopped the serial home renovations and we've cut way back on 'entertainment' without affecting our lifestyle.
It's been really hard to focus on work today. I've spent most of the day looking at houses online in Florida!
__________________
Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance -
Morgan Freeman
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02-28-2013, 01:20 PM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
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Freedom is definitely in reach...now to find that FIRE in 2015 thread and add our names to it (was 2016)
__________________
Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance -
Morgan Freeman
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02-28-2013, 01:36 PM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Tampa Bay Area
Posts: 1,866
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa99
I've spent most of the day looking at houses online in Florida!
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any particular city / area ?
__________________
"For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." ~
Hebrews 12:11
ER'd in June 2015 at age 52. Initial WR 3%. 50/40/10 (Equity/Bond/Short Term) AA.
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02-28-2013, 01:44 PM
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#9
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,202
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Congrats! Your plan sounds like ours - what we can safety withdraw is much more than we actually spend. Though that will all change (temporarily) with the next inevitable market correction...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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02-28-2013, 02:22 PM
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#10
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,796
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Congrats, Lisa!!
Seems like you'll have enough cushion in the budget to buy some goodies from time to time.
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02-28-2013, 02:30 PM
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#11
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Live And Learn
any particular city / area ?
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We're going next month to check out The Villages in central Florida. I know many on this site cringe at the thought, but DH is hyper social and the thought of having his pick of 1800 clubs is music to his ears.
__________________
Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance -
Morgan Freeman
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02-28-2013, 02:32 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERhoosier
Congrats, Lisa!!
Seems like you'll have enough cushion in the budget to buy some goodies from time to time.
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The cushion will likely go for travel. I've always wanted to live in Italy for several months, so it looks like we may actually be able to do some longer-term travel while we're young and can enjoy it.
We go on at least one international trip a year now, but it's the typical two-week rushed affair...three months in one spot is a whole different ballgame.
__________________
Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance -
Morgan Freeman
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02-28-2013, 05:05 PM
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#13
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: midwestern city
Posts: 4,061
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Well done, Lisa.
__________________
Very conservative with investments. Not ER'd yet, 48 years old. Please do not take anything I write or imply as legal, financial or medical advice directed to you. Contact your own financial advisor, healthcare provider, or attorney for financial, medical and legal advice.
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02-28-2013, 07:40 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Portland
Posts: 2,038
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Sweet! It sounds like you are going to have a spectacular retirement!
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02-28-2013, 07:54 PM
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#15
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 805
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Agrees - your retirement plans sound super!
Our retirement is more low-key (poorer), and it is still too much fun. You are gonna love it.
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02-28-2013, 08:48 PM
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#16
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa99
We're going next month to check out The Villages in central Florida. I know many on this site cringe at the thought, but DH is hyper social and the thought of having his pick of 1800 clubs is music to his ears.
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We were there last wk. on the way home from a Cruise.
2 things that stuck out:
1) Traffic is bad. I think there are around 90,000 people now
2) You can pretty much go anywhere on a golf cart.
Hope you enjoy your time in fl. and congrads. on getting closer
to retirement....
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03-01-2013, 07:27 AM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,657
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Quote:
1) Traffic is bad. I think there are around 90,000 people now
2) You can pretty much go anywhere on a golf cart.
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Are you saying golf cart traffic is bad? I might want to go visit just to see a golf cart traffic jam.
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03-01-2013, 08:22 AM
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#18
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Peru
Posts: 6,335
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa99
We're going next month to check out The Villages in central Florida. I know many on this site cringe at the thought, but DH is hyper social and the thought of having his pick of 1800 clubs is music to his ears.
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Congratulations on making it!...
While you're in the area, check out Legacy, Highland lakes, and Royal Highlands. Less traffic, overall, less expensive. Less than 20 miles from Villages... A ride through any of these will help in making the decision...
More "community", less anonymity. Latter two have much activity. For golfers, Royal Highlands is nice in that you don't have to make reservations a week in advance.
Kinda like a big fish in a little pond or little fish in a big pond. "Different strokes."
Not because one is better than the other, but because we've seen so many people make a decision based on a few days visit... either way, and a year or so later making another change.
We were lucky in the beginning, RV'ing and spending six weeks checking out the lifestyle and budget that we were comfortable with. In our case, being on the Chain of Lakes, and boating from our own marina was the big plus.
Good luck in finding your own Shangri-la!
__________________
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
--Dalai Lama XIV
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03-01-2013, 08:32 AM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,657
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Quote:
In our case, being on the Chain of Lakes, and boating from our own marina was the big plus.
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That sounds very appealing. Can you tell me more about where that is.
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03-01-2013, 05:30 PM
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#20
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 185
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Congratulations Lisa99. I think I'm within sling-shot distance myself.
__________________
This is no social crisis, just another tricky day for you...
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