Cool FIRE article in MSN Money

[MichaelB]

https://youtu.be/lj60OAh7O5U
Cool Hand Luke, as always, has the answer.

Perfect

 

[Fedup]

They did. They write a blog.

It's a crowded field and shrinking market.

 

[audreyh1]

What do you call homeless people then? They also decided to change the way they live.

These people aren't homeless or destitute.

Haven't a clue how your response follows.

 

[audreyh1]

Or we wind up paying for them and their followers by way of higher taxes ... It's a zero sum game.

Many folks criticize those of us for leaving our jobs before the full retirement age of 65/66 because we are no longer paying into Social Security or Medicare and they figure they'll have to make up for that shortfall.

 

[Fedup]

These people aren't homeless or destitute.

Haven't a clue how your response follows.

I think they are one step above homeless. They have a car they can sleep on. This is not an RV. I have friends at the gym that they were hurt in a car accident, couldn't work anymore and they lost their apartment. They have to sleep in their car. Trust me, they don't glorify it as anything but destitute.

 

[SumDay]

It all sounds great... except for renting out the house to AirBnB. I really don't want people bringing in their bedbugs to my home. I'll OMY to avoid having to rent out my home.

But, hey, that's the millennial way. Share close spaces, bugs and diseases. Whatever.

(This is where the I of my ISTJ comes out, big time.)

I'm ISTJ too, and I don't know how hungry I'd have to be to have an AirBnB in my home. It almost makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it.

 

[audreyh1]

I think they are one step above homeless. They have a car they can sleep on. This is not an RV. I have friends at the gym that they were hurt in a car accident, couldn't work anymore and they lost their apartment. They have to sleep in their car. Trust me, they don't glorify it as anything but destitute.

They own a house, and have substantial savings. Who knows what they will do over the next ten years.

They have plenty of time to figure out what's working for them or not and make adjustments. And why would either of them not be able to work anymore?

By your example, many, if not most people are one step away from homeless. Few have disability insurance. A run of bad luck and boom!

 

[Hamlet]

I think they are one step above homeless. They have a car they can sleep on. I have friends at the gym that I frequented, they were hurt in a car accident, could work anymore and they lost their apartment. They have to sleep in their car. Trust me, they don't glorify it as anything but destitute.

There is a big difference between sleeping in your car because you like camping and cheap travel and being destitute. They actually own a home, they just aren't currently living in it.

Would you like it better if they sold their house and moved to a $50k home in rural Minnesota?

They have enough money that they can live like college students for the rest of their lives if they want to. If they want a higher standard of living down the road or if they want kids, they'll have to go back to work or get a side hustle. That isn't likely to be the end of the world.

Like I said earlier, it's not like the FIRE police are going to shoot them for seeking gainful employment 10 years from now.

 

[rodi]

https://youtu.be/lj60OAh7O5U
Cool Hand Luke, as always, has the answer.

Definitely describes this thread.

 

[Fedup]

There is a big difference between sleeping in your car because you like camping and cheap travel and being destitute. They actually own a home, they just aren't currently living in it.

Would you like it better if they sold their house and moved to a $50k home in rural Minnesota?

They have enough money that they can live like college students for the rest of their lives if they want to. If they want a higher standard of living down the road or if they want kids, they'll have to go back to work or get a side hustle. That isn't likely to be the end of the world.

Like I said earlier, it's not like the FIRE police are going to shoot them for seeking gainful employment 10 years from now.

What they have is irrelevant. I'm sure you've read some homeless people have stashed away millions when they died.

http://www.npr.org/2009/07/27/111091624/homeless-man-leaves-behind-surprise-4-million

And if they are going back to work in 10 years then they are not really retiring.

 

[RobbieB]

There you go. The opinion remains the same weather they have 1 mill or 10 mill.

 

[UpAnchor]

Many folks criticize those of us for leaving our jobs before the full retirement age of 65/66 because we are no longer paying into Social Security or Medicare and they figure they'll have to make up for that shortfall.

While others (and perhaps even some of the same) urge we should get out of the work force and pass our jobs down to the next generation... (Guess I'm for that last one.)

 

[rodi]

Fedup - I will confess.... I'm very confused by your posts. You keep changing the rules/requirements for destitute, homeless, retired, etc.

Destitute because they live in a car (or did before they bought a home)
Homeless because they lived in a car - except they own a home.
But homeless/destitute people can have lots of money stashed - so how are they destitute?


These folks own a home. Have serious savings - although not as much as they used to. Have income producing plans (blog, airbnb). But still they're called liars, frauds, destitute, homeless, etc...

 

[audreyh1]

While others (and perhaps even some of the same) urge we should get out of the work force and pass our jobs down to the next generation... (Guess I'm for that last one.)

Exactly!

People can always come up with reasons why other people's choices hurt them personally.

 

[aim-high]

I'm re-reading some of this thread and read their blog some.

I have had a successful career in technology. But I think I'm getting old.

I love the idea of banking a million and enjoying life some in my 30's. Maybe if I'm lucky and the sequence of returns is right, never working solely for a paycheck again.

I hate the idea of doing it and trying to cash in on it by blogging publicly so I can hawk some affiliate and ad income to the modern reality tv voyeur or become "known" somehow.

We live in a strange world. LOL

 

[audreyh1]

I retired at 39 because I felt pretty secure in my financial independence and chose to do other things rather than continue working.

No kids, and didn't intend to do anything to earn money anymore other than through managing my investments.

Thought paying no more payroll taxes was a great benefit of retiring. Had earned enough credits to qualify for both SS and Medicare even though my professional full-time career was only 18 years.

Paid a huge chunk of Federal taxes when I divested of company stock, so never felt bad about lower taxes later when I stopped earning a wage and paid mostly long-term cap gains rates on income.

It's interesting reading this thread about what is too early, what is too little, etc.

 

[FUEGO]

I've seen it all now. These guys are homeless in spite of owning a $270k home and having $670k of liquid investments.

My home is well below $200k and factoring in my kids I have less per capita than the FreedomwithBruno folks, so I'm not sure what kind of reprobate cretin that makes me. I am fortunate to have ample time in my destitute homelessness to ponder these deep questions (from inside my 4 bedroom house).

Life gets tougher every day here.

 

[audreyh1]

There you go. The opinion remains the same whether they have 1 mill or 10 mill.

Yes, if they had $10M would anybody criticize them for retiring at 30?

And would they bother with blogging?

And would they buy a nice RV?

 

[Fedup]

Fedup - I will confess.... I'm very confused by your posts. You keep changing the rules/requirements for destitute, homeless, retired, etc.

Destitute because they live in a car (or did before they bought a home)
Homeless because they lived in a car - except they own a home.
But homeless/destitute people can have lots of money stashed - so how are they destitute?


These folks own a home. Have serious savings - although not as much as they used to. Have income producing plans (blog, airbnb). But still they're called liars, frauds, destitute, homeless, etc...

I only saw the first page of their blog as they sleep in a car. To me that's a step above homeless. I have no idea if they currently live in their home or not, I have no intention of digging deeper, but I know they did not at first. People here keep posting that the fact that they own a house makes them not homeless. If they live in a home or RV with a proper restroom then I think they are not homeless.
But most people on the street, would not think living in a car as a home. I know some here would differ from that opinion. But I was responding to the fact that someone posted that just because you have millions aside doesn't mean you are not destitute nor homeless. I provide the link to prove otherwise.
To me homeless means no home, regardless of how much money you have. You can live in hotel permanently like a rich billionaire hedge fund guy, I forgot his name, but he came from Germany and decided not to own any home. He lives in expensive hotel suites. He has no homes, but he is not homeless.

 

[purplesky]

But aren't they still in their working careers since they write a blog?

They told millions of readers on msn money they retired from working.

So not sure

 

[RobbieB]

If I could make 40 grand a year posting a couple of paragraphs and some pics a few times a week I'd call that "free dough"

Nice work if you can get it! I would but I retired at 59 so nobody cares -

 

[hakuna matata]

Life can be rough.

Yes that is true. Again "I" wouldn't do what they did, but I have several friends who wouldn't do what I did--retire at age 55. I could have doubled my portfolio by age 65. But I have enough, and OMY wasn't in my cards as I enjoy my time not working and stressing. My father just celebrated his 90th birthday and his brother died a couple of years ago at age 96--so longevity runs in the family, so 35-40 years is a long time to be retired.

It is a risk I am willing to take, and obviously they are willing to take the risk they have started. Will they be successful? Will "I" be successful? Will 'you' be successful or die at your desk? Who knows--it all is a risk, and in the end all you can do is go with your own comfort level. But I agree life is rough but you deal with it within your comfort zone. This clearly isn't in your comfort zone, but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with their position.

 

[purplesky]

If I could make 40 grand a year posting a couple of paragraphs and some pics a few times a week I'd call that "free dough"

Nice work if you can get it! I would but I retired at 59 so nobody cares -

59 is still early compared to most people.

Start a blog for fun. Maybe it will develop into something that makes some income.

 

[FUEGO]

If I could make 40 grand a year posting a couple of paragraphs and some pics a few times a week I'd call that "free dough"

Nice work if you can get it! I would but I retired at 59 so nobody cares -

You also have to spend a couple hours per year dealing with the national media. So there's that, too. It's almost like a full time job but with about 2000 hours less work per year. And you never have to worry about TPS reports or getting manager approval to use the little boys' room.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I've seen it all now. These guys are homeless in spite of owning a $270k home and having $670k of liquid investments.

My home is well below $200k and factoring in my kids I have less per capita than the FreedomwithBruno folks, so I'm not sure what kind of reprobate cretin that makes me. I am fortunate to have ample time in my destitute homelessness to ponder these deep questions (from inside my 4 bedroom house).

Life gets tougher every day here.

Now I wanna be a reprobate! Damn it, so hard to keep up!!
Ok, will have to start making a list to keep all this straight pretty soon.
But do not want to be labeled a cretin. I do have standards. They are just really, really low.

.