Class of 2020

Draggon said:
Very similar to my own circumstances that I waxed philosophical on this thread back in February. The golden handcuffs dilemma... The numbers all say "Go, you'll be fine.", but 551 days (used to) seem a small price to pay for the benefits I'll garner on that magical date. The one big caveat is that I swear the forces of the universe are conspiring to make my last 18 months the most miserable of my 30-year career. Literally. Managerial insanity ensues.
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I have been FI for some time now. Current count to RE is 275 days. The very heavy golden handcuffs would have additional $1M impact but require 1144 days instead. Still staying strong and resisting...
 
HNL Bill said:
I'm planning on leaving sometime between September of this year and January of next. Every time I walk out the door at lunch time for a quick walk around the block, I breathe in the outside air, see the sky and birds and fountains, and feel the stress release. The thought of working another 9 months seems impossible.
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I feel the same way... I'm shooting for 2023 but unhappy at job so planning to fire much earlier. I keep thinking of ways I can say "I quit" or "I resign". I know it takes 2 weeks but keep holding myself. Based on calculators, I can fire but something (uncertainty ?) keeps me on the job. Empty nester this Fall and that might be great time to pull the plug, and spend time in my back-yard with birds, earthworks, grass, and fresh air (aaahhhh... dreaming :) )
 
retired1 said:
I keep thinking of ways I can say "I quit" or "I resign".
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I wonder quite a lot about how the departure will happen. I doubt it will be with two weeks notice coinciding with putting our home here up for sale once we get a firm closing date for our new home (which is the only scenario that would leave me in the Class of 2020). Every week there is at least one point where I say to myself, "Okay, it might happen in this next meeting or when I read my email tomorrow morning."

The boss of my matrix organization is the worst kind of manager - one who doesn't realize how incredibly bad he is. He doesn't target me (I think he knows better) but he is regularly demeaning, insulting and berating his people, even-and-especially the ones who work under his direct reports (rather than just matrix'ed under him, like me). A few incidents ago, I remember him sitting on the side return at my cubicle going over the background of the incident, and I turned to him directly, made direct eye content, emphasized the point with my finger in his face, saying, "Remember R**, it's the process that is the problem; not the people." The next morning there was another one of his juvenile emails, ranting and raving, and crying about having to babysit his employees.

There's a meeting with this cretin on Tuesday; just him and my half dozen colleagues who are matrix'ed into his organization. I'm imagining a dozen ways it'll turn into a bloodbath despite my manager's prudent and responsible efforts to have us all prepare written, factual explanations aimed at helping him understand why what he's trying to get us to do is wrong. There are so many ways for this meeting to end with me handing him my laptop and walking out.

I sure hope so.
 
The movers come in two weeks to move us from our temporary rental into the new, permanent retirement palace which is a few hours away.
I have a one bedroom apartment all set for during the week near the business I am selling. Most weekends will now be in our new home. 18 months and we are completely done.
 
AARGH! I was supposed to be off today- had to go in for a few minutes, which (of course) turned into two hours. Then after lunch, my assistant called to tell me that a client was rude to her- its the second time for this client, and I'm going to have to have a talk with her- I've only had to do that a couple of times over the last 20+ years, and I hate it.

On the plus side, my replacement passed her first licensing exam- one down and two to go! And I'm off to the river for the weekend to soak up some sun and have an adult beverage. 287 days- it can't come soon enough...
 
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Wouldn't you know it.... rumor going around middle management that corp is considering ceasing the decades-long practice of paying out pro-rated bonuses the following year to retirees of the previous year. I'm not sure if the rumor was started just to try to scare me into staying for a few more months, but regardless - no effect on my date of 11/1/2020. Just a little (okay, a lot) frustrating (and somewhat expensive) if true.

Again, if true, I don't think they understand human psychology very well. They'd be setting themselves up for large exoduses at a single point each year. For those, like me, that may not be willing to wait, I'm not sure I can figure out what my motivation to go "above and beyond" would be if I knew that the reward for doing so is... $0. Further, for those that do stick around, they'd be getting screwed out of 3 months of pro-rated bonus for the NEXT year since bonuses aren't paid until late March.

Yeah, first world problems - but they keep finding new ways of reminding me how badly I can't wait 'til 11/1/2020....
 
Draggon said:
Wouldn't you know it.... rumor going around middle management that corp is considering ceasing the decades-long practice of paying out pro-rated bonuses the following year to retirees of the previous year. I'm not sure if the rumor was started just to try to scare me into staying for a few more months, but regardless - no effect on my date of 11/1/2020. Just a little (okay, a lot) frustrating (and somewhat expensive) if true.

Again, if true, I don't think they understand human psychology very well. They'd be setting themselves up for large exoduses at a single point each year. For those, like me, that may not be willing to wait, I'm not sure I can figure out what my motivation to go "above and beyond" would be if I knew that the reward for doing so is... $0. Further, for those that do stick around, they'd be getting screwed out of 3 months of pro-rated bonus for the NEXT year since bonuses aren't paid until late March.

Yeah, first world problems - but they keep finding new ways of reminding me how badly I can't wait 'til 11/1/2020....
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Ugh. Hope it's just a rumor.
 
What a year it has been. I’ve been single most of my life a few good significant relationships that lasted for a while but never the right one. Was planning on Jan of 2019 being my last day for work for the past 6 years. I reached my FI number as projected 6 years ago. I have been planning on leaving KC to head to CO for years, as I have been out there about once a year for the past 10 years for vacations.

To make a long story short last Thanksgiving, a gal I really liked in college 25 years ago, decided she has liked me all this time and her hang up about me didn’t matter anymore. Shes 3” taller than me. This completely turned my world upside down. I decided I may as well work while I got my house ready to sell and for extra money so I could fly out to CO every couple of weeks to be with her. Got my house ready and on the market in May and was planning on heading out there once it sold.



Under contract on house now and will be homeless at the end of June. Then the golden handcuffs struck. If I stay employed till Jan 2020 it will net me another 250k plus my salary. Her and I decided its best for me to finish the year here. The good news is I will only have to work 77 more days in 2019. I have a lot of PTO and am only working 32 hours a week this year. My January of 2020 will look like this, Jan 1 holiday, Jan 2 will take my 2020 floating holiday, Jan 3 back in the office for my official last day.

DGF, has her own business and would like a competent person to help her. So I said I would work for her part time with the benefit of her business would also pay for my health insurance. :dance:
 
Getting close

oh boy what a year. I am not sure how it could get any worse at my place of work. I think it could, but really really don't want to find out. Looking at my retirement income and thinking I really need more, so maybe stay another year, and then. :facepalm: what the heck am I thinking... 332 days to go.
Won't have the cash I want, but should be enough to live till 80, which I am not sure I will. Don't have longevity genes in my family. Really want to retire to a sailboat and sail off to Thailand or some place where its pretty cheap to live well. Have a 40 foot class A RV though.. land yacht. Have to figure out in the next year to keep it or sell it and get the sailboat. The boat should be a lot less expensive than the rv to live on.
The biggest frustration is getting my wife to commit to some time in the future to retire. She can't, or won't. So looks like a seperate living arrangement for a bit till we can get it sorted out. I just can't sit around and wait, and can't continue to work in this environment. Just not healthy anymore.
I expect 2400 usd a month should suit me just fine, with 1900 coming from SSI. Using the Fire calc, that means I should have plenty left with a 500 per month withdrawal. Once in a while take out a bit more for other unanticipated stuff, like airplane travel or a new sail.
If I stay with the RV, I think more like 2800/month with 900/month withdrawal. That will be a bigger hit.
After 45 years of working, I just want it to be over...
 
nobody said:
What a year it has been. I’ve been single most of my life a few good significant relationships that lasted for a while but never the right one. Was planning on Jan of 2019 being my last day for work for the past 6 years. I reached my FI number as projected 6 years ago. I have been planning on leaving KC to head to CO for years, as I have been out there about once a year for the past 10 years for vacations.

To make a long story short last Thanksgiving, a gal I really liked in college 25 years ago, decided she has liked me all this time and her hang up about me didn’t matter anymore. Shes 3” taller than me. This completely turned my world upside down. I decided I may as well work while I got my house ready to sell and for extra money so I could fly out to CO every couple of weeks to be with her. Got my house ready and on the market in May and was planning on heading out there once it sold.



Under contract on house now and will be homeless at the end of June. Then the golden handcuffs struck. If I stay employed till Jan 2020 it will net me another 250k plus my salary. Her and I decided its best for me to finish the year here. The good news is I will only have to work 77 more days in 2019. I have a lot of PTO and am only working 32 hours a week this year. My January of 2020 will look like this, Jan 1 holiday, Jan 2 will take my 2020 floating holiday, Jan 3 back in the office for my official last day.

DGF, has her own business and would like a competent person to help her. So I said I would work for her part time with the benefit of her business would also pay for my health insurance. :dance:
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Congratulations. Sounds like a great year except for the part where you have to work a little longer. I'd do it for that kind of money too. Working with your gf for benefits sounds like a great solution
 
ugeauxgirl said:
Congratulations. Sounds like a great year except for the part where you have to work a little longer. I'd do it for that kind of money too. Working with your gf for benefits sounds like a great solution
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Thanks and hopefully it will. It was a big blow to have my count down come to 0 and then keep working, kind of like you adding a couple years to yours. House inspection today for the one I'm selling, hopefully it will go my way. Anyway 77 more working days at the full time job.....
 
And the hits just keep on coming. I swear the forces of the universe are conspiring to make my last year of work the most miserable of my 30 years here...

Just found out we've got ANOTHER multi-million-dollar mandatory 2020 project to try to pull off. I'm the manager of a very small department, and my 2020 budget is nearly twice the largest budget I've ever had. No additional help in sight. This is freaking crazy!
 
We have new management at the top and the rumors about the changes coming are alarming. I'm nodding and keeping my head down. Only 9 months to go.
 
bUU said:
I wonder quite a lot about how the departure will happen. I doubt it will be with two weeks notice ...
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Well, now I'm not so sure. The builder is now very confident about an autumn closing, and so given that I plan to stop working at least a month (if not two) before that, it seems much more likely now that I'll give notice (perhaps as soon as mid-July). This very firmly takes me out of the Class of 2020. :greetings10:
 
Last couple of days turned out better then expected. Buyer came back only wanting 2k after inspection. I was expecting worse. So inline to be out of house June 28.



A new one came up in Colorado Springs that meet DGF and I's requirements, which is not easy in my price range. I wanted a ranch with big garage, she wanted 20 min drive to work. She looked at it that day and she wrote a check for the earnest money so we can be locked on to it. A relief to have that done. Should be able to get into the house mid July. Now just to finish my work year here in KC and get moved...
 
bUU said:
Well, now I'm not so sure. The builder is now very confident about an autumn closing, and so given that I plan to stop working at least a month (if not two) before that, it seems much more likely now that I'll give notice (perhaps as soon as mid-July). This very firmly takes me out of the Class of 2020. :greetings10:
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An EARLY graduate- congratulations!
 
nobody said:
Last couple of days turned out better then expected. Buyer came back only wanting 2k after inspection. I was expecting worse. So inline to be out of house June 28.



A new one came up in Colorado Springs that meet DGF and I's requirements, which is not easy in my price range. I wanted a ranch with big garage, she wanted 20 min drive to work. She looked at it that day and she wrote a check for the earnest money so we can be locked on to it. A relief to have that done. Should be able to get into the house mid July. Now just to finish my work year here in KC and get moved...
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Where are you living till January 3?
 
ugeauxgirl said:
Where are you living till January 3?
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I've been scouting out bridges to find one that looks safe and quite. LOL




I have AirBnB setup for thru Sept. Its about $1000/month. I have 8 weeks of vacation to use so not sure how I am going to use it yet. Will be spending my vacation time in new house. Working thru Dec will get me the end of year bonus around 60k. Last day in Jan gets me 2020 stock and dividends, it's a really really good ESOP. I'm also going to talk to my bosses to see if they need somebody to travel towards end of year.
 
We have decided 2020 is the year to move on from the working world. I think $3.5 Mil is enough since I will be 62 and can start SS if I want (Spouse is 61). I am scheduled to start part-time January 2020, which will allow me to keep health benefits, but I am not sure how long I will want to keep working. I actually like my job but there are other things that I want to do. It is harder than I thought it would be to let work go.
 
Finally broke under 500 calendar days... 498 to go. Constant state of near miserableness starting about 5pm every Sunday until 5pm Thursday (I don't work Fridays), but plugging away. Running mental calculations almost daily as to whether this will all really be worth it. So far, my conservative nature has kept me going, but the wild side is getting extremely impatient.
 
Draggon said:
Finally broke under 500 calendar days... 498 to go. Constant state of near miserableness starting about 5pm every Sunday until 5pm Thursday (I don't work Fridays), but plugging away. Running mental calculations almost daily as to whether this will all really be worth it. So far, my conservative nature has kept me going, but the wild side is getting extremely impatient.
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I am right along side you. We already bought our retirement home and I spend most weekends there in “Shangri-La” and then weekdays back in the city. I have a foot in both worlds. It’s hard - a marathon. Some days are better than others. When at work I focus on the income. When at home I focus on the future.

I used to ride long distance bike events, 100-200 miles. I never thought of the last mile, always just about getting to the next aid station. I am trying to use that same mental attitude now. Step by step, day by day. :)
 
I must have logged on to post on another thread but was interrupted. Just received an email from ER forums. I totally forgot I had posted but have NOT forgot I only have 339 days to go!
Still in the automotive mfg. business at 61. Fortunately I'm in production, as far away from supervision and management as you can get.
But the company is experiencing the "Perfect Storm" Many have hit 25-30 years of service and are just hitting the allowable retirement of 55. I have never seen so many leave so fast. Unemployment is pretty low in this area making it difficult to train and replace these folks. The qualifications bar unfortunately has been lowered for replacements.
I was able to transfer to a much smaller department where I can lie low and wait out the clock.
DW has decided (smartly) that major home renovations will be completed before I leave the company next June. The basement has been waterproofed, new windows & roof. A contract for a bathroom redo has been signed and should be completed by fall.
We are making the home more livable for us and hope to age in place if at all possible. We really can't live anywhere cheaper.
Is 62 really considered early retirement?:)
 
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