Anyone semi-retire or retire with just under $1mil for you and your spouse?

[CaliforniaMan]

It's called retirement with lots of current responsibilities and commitments!

There is great deal of fascination with the word "retirement" here. Of course there is, this is an early retirement website! My mom was what used to be called a "housewife," though highly educated (a masters degree, fluent in French, worked during WWII, later as an English teacher and librarian) she chose to stay at home and raise her kids. If you had called her "retired" she would have laughed. I haven't had a W-2 in over 30 years, was I unemployed, retired, or trying to run a business? After my mom did reach the age when she would normally be retired, I don't think I ever heard her actually use that term. She was just living her life as she always had, transitioning to new struggles and adventures after her husband passed, and her kids were on their own. I have my definition of the word, others have theirs. I doubt it really matters. But there are two things I think that do matter. One is Financial Independence. Whether you are retired, working or somewhere in between, when you don't need to labor every day at work to live you are FI. Whether you choose to work or not is another matter. The second, even more important thing is quality of life, feeling fulfilled, having meaning in your life, happy to see each new sunrise, and enjoy every sunset. Spending your time raising your kids and being FI, really can't get a much better quality of life than that in my opinion.

 

[aja8888]

There is great deal of fascination with the word "retirement" here. Of course there is, this is an early retirement website! My mom was what used to be called a "housewife," though highly educated (a masters degree, fluent in French, worked during WWII, later as an English teacher and librarian) she chose to stay at home and raise her kids. If you had called her "retired" she would have laughed. I haven't had a W-2 in over 30 years, was I unemployed, retired, or trying to run a business? After my mom did reach the age when she would normally be retired, I don't think I ever heard her actually use that term. She was just living her life as she always had, transitioning to new struggles and adventures after her husband passed, and her kids were on their own. I have my definition of the word, others have theirs. I doubt it really matters. But there are two things I think that do matter. One is Financial Independence. Whether you are retired, working or somewhere in between, when you don't need to labor every day at work to live you are FI. Whether you choose to work or not is another matter. The second, even more important thing is quality of life, feeling fulfilled, having meaning in your life, happy to see each new sunrise, and enjoy every sunset. Spending your time raising your kids and being FI, really can't get a much better quality of life than that in my opinion.

Well expressed summary to my one liner. You said it better than I could ever have done!

 

[FUEGO]

It's called retirement with lots of current responsibilities and commitments!

Pretty much. And those responsibilities and commitments vary year to year.

2013-2014 was a little rough with a 1-2 year old. 2015 with a 3 year old is a lot easier and way more fun.

2016-2017 should only get easier based on past experience with the added benefit of the kiddo traveling more easily.

By August of 2017 (possibly Aug 2016), the little guy will be in school all day and daily life will change a lot.

By the time the little guy is out of the house (well, he'll be 18) around 2030, life will change a lot again. I'll still be in my 40's at that point and hopefully not "old" yet. I'll still be bald though.

I guess these phases of life run in parallel to the more traditional experiences of folks here. Folks are active in their 50's. Start to slow down in their 60's. Slow down dramatically in their 70's.

 

[kimcdougc]

Pretty much. And those responsibilities and commitments vary year to year.

2013-2014 was a little rough with a 1-2 year old. 2015 with a 3 year old is a lot easier and way more fun.

2016-2017 should only get easier based on past experience with the added benefit of the kiddo traveling more easily.

By August of 2017 (possibly Aug 2016), the little guy will be in school all day and daily life will change a lot.

By the time the little guy is out of the house (well, he'll be 18) around 2030, life will change a lot again. I'll still be in my 40's at that point and hopefully not "old" yet. I'll still be bald though.

I guess these phases of life run in parallel to the more traditional experiences of folks here. Folks are active in their 50's. Start to slow down in their 60's. Slow down dramatically in their 70's.

Very well said.