Anyone nearing FIRE and obsessed?

[Retire44]

Wife and I are 40 and may be able to FIRE in 2018 when our youngest graduates from high school. We talk about our FIRE plans/goals nearly weekly (especially Friday evenings with a glass of wine and frosty mug), and I can't find enough to read here and elsewhere...it's soooo close, yet so far...anyone else "obsessed" with FIRE? What's your favorite cure or motivation?

 

[2B]

One option is to finish off the whole bottle and/or case. The reality, I believe, is that many of us here on the forum have personal finance and FIRE as a hobby. We're split between "dreamers" such as yourself, retired - whether early or not and, like me, a "one more yearer." We can chat endlessly about asset allocations, safe withdrawl rates and numerous financial calculators.

My suggestion is to develop your plan but also live your life in the here and now. Don't obsess with the thoughts that life will suddenly be wonderful in 2018 but we'll live in miserly depravation until then.

As a "one more yearer," I have no need to really save anything but I still do. I do spend freely on international and domestic travel without worrying about the cost. I wonder how my psyche will respond to travel spending when my portfolio actually declines because of it. Now, it continuously increases with my savings except for market gyrations.

By the way, 2018 is not sooooo close. A lot can happen between now and then.

 

[nvestysly]

I don't have a cure. It's good that you and your spouse are both on the same page. My wife and I were/are too. Back in the day when we were nearing FI we found ourselves in the "just one more year" category so we could ensure the nest egg was sufficiently large. That went on year or two after our target (age 50 for me). It was finally a package offered by megacorp that got me to make the jump.

Be sure to plan for your retirement days. How will you fill the time, etc. It's been working out well for DW and me. That's not always the case. Figure out what will work for you... volunteering, travel, heading up a committee in your town, or just taking it easy. The recipe is different for everyone.

Somebody on this forum suggested I read The Joy Of Not Working, and How To Retire Happy, Wild, And Free by Ernie Zelinski. I'm currently reading the second of the two and it confirms I made the right decision. For somebody in your situation it may help you solidify your plans for FIRE.

 

[woodguy00]

I'm stuck in the same mode. Have I covered all the bases? Can I make it until then at work? - also thinking 2018 is the year. Thinking, planning, worrying. Repeat as necessary.

No advice for you. Hopefully others can help all of us obsessed fanatics.

 

[ER Eddie]

I went through a period where I was pretty obsessed about it. I read probably two dozen books about retirement in two months. After a while, the material got repetitive, and I stopped. Until you hit that wall, though, reading about retirement is a good way to make sure you're prepared.

I've got a year left to go. I have a countdown of the number of weeks left, on a whiteboard. At five years to go, you probably don't need to start a countdown yet, but when your date gets closer, a countdown calendar can give you a tangible feeling of progress.

Reading this forum can be a good way to pass the time and keep your mind on the goal.

To me, retirement is interesting because it is a chance to reinvent your life. I've heard over and over that the happiest retirees are those who prepare for retirement -- not merely financially, but psychologically.

It is ironic, but because I spent so much time trying to figure out what my "re-invented," future, retired self would look like, I ended up re-inventing my present self. Thinking about retirement led me to thinking about what REALLY mattered. It's the same as thinking about death, in a way, although a bit more cheerful.

 

[chief04010]

I'm not obsessed, I sill have 4 years, 4 months and 2 days left. but whose counting and no I'm definitely not obsessed.

 

[Andre1969]

I'm a bit obsessed with it, although I try not to be. I feel like I'm in a bit of a limbo phase right now, for lack of a better word, because I probably could retire if I wanted to, but it would be a pretty bare-bones existence, and there would be a possibility, if things got tight, that I'd have to go back to work.

And because of that, I think it's affecting me at work, a bit. Just the fact of knowing that I could quit if I wanted to, and have a fairly good chance of making it, has made me less willing to put up with the bs and annoyance in the office. In fact, about 5 weeks ago I came pretty close to pulling the plug, so close in fact, that I tentatively joined the "Class of 2014".

But, now I'm thinking it'll be anywhere between now and 2020, when I turn 50. I know that's an awfully big range there, but I figure I'll do it when "it feels right"!

And yeah, try to live for today, and not wish the time away so 2018 gets here quicker. Trust me, it'll get here soon enough!

 

[Spudd]

I am also obsessed. Big time. For me it will be at least 2 more years. My early retirement plan involves selling my big-city house and moving to a smaller town, but I'm in the middle of orthodontics right now so I need to wait for that to finish before pulling the trigger. Once the ortho is done I'll probably not have the nerve, but we'll see.

 

[meekie]

We were obsessed for a while. Then life happened and we lost two friends that were only 40, and decided to get out and live some more. Bought a new house in a neighborhood that we love, and took a few long desired vacations.

We've been obsessing more lately now that we both hate our jobs, but hopefully we can re-prioritize and start enjoying life a bit more.

 

[rodi]

Yep. I'm obsessed.
Like Andre1969, I'm borderline FI and could make it work if I quit now... but am hanging in there, for now. And like Andre, I almost gave notice about a month ago.

My retirement date is somewhere between now and September 2016... Depending on the market, savings, whether I can tolerate my job in the meantime. My tolerance of the job ebbs and flows... by how much my boss is micromanaging me and being a jerk. (He's good at being a jerk.) This week he's been in his office, and out of the lab - so this is a good week.

I need to start a week countdown for the Sept 2016 date - since that is my "hell or high water" date. Anything sooner is gravy.

158 weeks. Sweet.

 

[panhead]

Yeah, I've obsessed on and off for years. I too could make it work on what I have on a pretty low WR, but I plan on working for a few more years. I was off of w*rk for over a year and w*rked part time after that for several months, totaling about 2 years of no/limited w*rk. It was everything I thought it would be, so I feel I'm ready for it when I decide. I've been thinking/planning this for a long time (look at my join date), so yeah, obsessed is about right, though some weeks I'm more obsessed than others...

 

[jcretire77]

I only think of FIRE seven days a week.

I think why it's been on my mind so much was knowing that we were darn close and could retire if forced to. I am willing to put up with B.S. at work for two to three more years in order to be 99.9% sure that neither my DW or I will ever have to work unless we wanted to. Being so close I will continue to obsess and read and learn from the 'experts' on this site and one day be able to tell you all that we are FIRE.

 

[48Fire]

Wife and I are 40 and may be able to FIRE in 2018 when our youngest graduates from high school. We talk about our FIRE plans/goals nearly weekly (especially Friday evenings with a glass of wine and frosty mug), and I can't find enough to read here and elsewhere...it's soooo close, yet so far...anyone else "obsessed" with FIRE? What's your favorite cure or motivation?

When I was five years out, I really sharpened my pencil in many ways. I tried a lot of different social opportunities as well. I started taking less risk after recovering from 2008 crash. And I made some big purchases prior to retiring like a new car and second home to establish new retirement expenses. Take a long trip if you like to travel to "practice" retirement. We did a couple of those. I also "interviewed" retirees, trying to find out which ones were the happiest, and why. Good luck! See you soon!

 

[scrabbler1]

In my last 12-18 months of working before ERing in late 2008, I was a bit obsessed with it. At work, I asked myself all the time, "Why am I still working here?" At home I constantly reviewed the ER worksheet I had developed to see if I had left anything out or could I add some feature to it. I also kept close track of the big bond fund I would be using to invest the proceeds of the sale of the company stock upon leaving my job.

 

[martyb]

Yep, I'd say I'm obsessed. Retiring at the end of this year (Dec 2013). We're ready financially, not so sure about otherwise, but I'm closing my eyes & jumping in. Wife will continue to work another 2-3 yrs, then we'll pay off the mortgage (we're just now buying the house!). I don't really care whether it's the smartest thing to do money-wise, I'd just rather be mortgage free in retirement.

 

[traineeinvestor]

I have been obsessed with FIRE for years.

Now that I only have 33 days to go (FIRE on 30 September), my obsession has shifted from getting out of the rat race to getting as much out of it as I can. Freedom's only valuable for the things you can do with it. First up: a low residency MFA in creative writing.

 

[timo2]

I'm not obsessed, I sill have 4 years, 4 months and 2 days left. but whose counting and no I'm definitely not obsessed.

lol. I AM obsessed. I have the same time left, give or take a couple days, and it won't help when DW ERs at the end of next year. I need to chill out for a while, obviously.

 

[Retire44]

I agree with so many of the comments! As a Type A personality and entrepreneur, I am very organized and a planner, but I also like to make a decision and get to work on it. It's probably good that we have a 13 year old at home as it only makes sense that I would continue to run my business until he graduates from high school. The next 4-5 years could/should provide us with a very nice buffer and get us to the point where we can make the decision to call it quits on my terms. I am trying to find more about the psychological aspects of preparing for and moving into FIRE as we have a good handle on the financial part. Thanks for all the great comments, soaking it all in!

Somebody on this forum suggested I read The Joy Of Not Working, and How To Retire Happy, Wild, And Free by Ernie Zelinski. I'm currently reading the second of the two and it confirms I made the right decision. For somebody in your situation it may help you solidify your plans for FIRE.

I've read How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free. I greatly enjoyed the book as it looked more at the "what to do" in retirement and things to prepare for mentally, more so than the financial aspect. I'll look into The Joy of Not Working that you mentioned.

I'm a bit obsessed with it, although I try not to be. I feel like I'm in a bit of a limbo phase right now, for lack of a better word, because I probably could retire if I wanted to, but it would be a pretty bare-bones existence, and there would be a possibility, if things got tight, that I'd have to go back to work.

And because of that, I think it's affecting me at work, a bit. Just the fact of knowing that I could quit if I wanted to, and have a fairly good chance of making it, has made me less willing to put up with the bs and annoyance in the office.

And yeah, try to live for today, and not wish the time away so 2018 gets here quicker. Trust me, it'll get here soon enough!

I know what you mean! Wife and I could probably pull the plug now, but with an 8th grader at home, it makes sense and should provide a nice buffer by continuing as is until he graduates high school. I do catch my self tempted to put work on cruise control and coasting to the finish line.

Wife and I are excited for that opportunity to re-invent our lives as for the last 18 years we've been tied to my business, our kids & their activities and we are excited to clear the calendar and begin to fill it with more of what energizes us!

 

[martyp]

I was never obsessed. I never planned for retirement. One day I started to look into FIRE and 30 days later I made the decision. 5 months later I left the j*b. The last 5 months of working did not involve obsession. It was mostly torture at still being on the j*b

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I have a related obsession. For me it is not so much ER, but minimal and sustainable living, slow travel in desirable locations and financial independence. W are trying free up more time for experiences and less time on paying for and caring for stuff.

For us working and taking career oriented classes keeps our brains engaged. We have hobby jobs now and if that ever failed I have a list of a zillion other flexible, low stress careers / businesses I'd like to try.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how to develop more passive income streams and ways to cut recurring costs. I collect ideas on those topics now, instead of actual collectibles.

We are slowly but surely digging ourselves out of the big house and yard in the suburbs, long hours megacorp job lifestyle.

 

[cinman2000]

I have been obsessed since January 2013 when I set a random goal of retiring in January of 2014. This obsession has resulted in a solid agreement (DW and Advisor) on a FIRE date of January of 2015. Being only 16 months away, this seems bearable if I take one day at at time. My obsession was waned since this agreement was reached about a month ago, but every bad day at w*ork has the potential to throw me back over the edge

 

[CoolChange]

Depends on the day/week/month.

• Sometimes I am obsesed: Thinking about ER consantly, worrying if I really do have enough, visiting this board multiple times per day, etc.
• Other times, usually when I am on vacation, I give little thought to anything past where my next beer/meal/walk will be.
  • These are definitely my best times.
  • Maybe I should ER today...but...do I really have enough?

...
I spend a lot of time thinking about how to develop more passive income streams and ways to cut recurring costs. I collect ideas on those topics now, instead of actual collectibles.
....

While I enjoy perusing certain other collections (coins, guns, some art, etc.) casually, I would actually be interested in giving your passive income stream ideas collection some intensive study.

 

[akck]

My only obsessions were with milestones. The first was becoming vested in my pension, then at 10 years because I figured any SS changes would grandfather us in, then at 5 years, just because. My next one was at 3 years because we reached our retirement fund goal that year (we also reached it 3 years earlier, but I didn't know it at the time. At 2 years, I figured I could last that much longer in the insane asylum. This year was a significant year because now I looked at retirement in terms of months and days. Actually, I set up my countdown clocks a couple of years before, but I didn't pay any attention to them, honest!

I have one more milestone coming up next month. It's the month I'm technically FI, but it will reduce a cushion in the plan and the pension slightly. At this point, I can't see cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I'm not the only one here waiting to leave (the others don't have the option to retire yet).

So I don't think I've been too obsessed and I think I've coped well. At least, not for the group here.

 

[foxfirev5]

I guess since I'm on this site every day, I'm obsessed. I made a major move at RE today by tipping my hand a little bit. One of our Jr managers gave me quite a list of goals he thought we could meet. A little aggravated, I told him - "How are we going to get this all done in 540 days?"
After a minute of puzzlement he understood what I was saying. Now I am formally obsessed.

 

[ohyes]

Had bad obsession problem here for about 18 months out.

Thought about it a LOT. If I had trouble falling asleep, it would be where my mind would go. Usually retired and on the beach, which has not actually happened yet.....

Installed a retirement countdown widget on laptop and desktop. Penciled in countdown numbers on my desktop calendar at work.

constantly doing math on the backs on envelopes and pieces of scrap paper to make sure I could retire. DH retired a year before I did; he could not take another year. He just bailed and it did not matter to him if we could make financially it or not, lol. I was not mad because I knew how totally miserable he was...(and he promised to get part time work if needed).

I loved talking about it. Kept my mouth shut at work but grilled past retirees I would run into.

Started cleaning out drawers and cabinets at work about a year out.

Started "practicing"...quit wearing makeup and coloring the grey in my hair. I always pictured myself to be a hippie retiree, so tried to move in that direction.

yes, I was obsessed.

Enjoy! - but it gets much better.