Count Down With Me...

Sheryl · 10-20-2006, 08:07 AM

Thanks to the latest market moves, and the completion of our 2006 401(k) contributions, and the updating of some accounts that my non-financially oriented S.O. never bothers to check, we are now only

...... drum roll please.....

$4,630 shy of our FIRE goal.

We won't quit working sooner than 9/07, probably 12/07 - but since I've been watching this number tick away for 2 years now I feel the need for some fanfare - so bear with me if I use this forum to celebrate.

But if the market goes south after the elections, don't bother checking this thread. :P

Jane_Doe · 10-20-2006, 08:28 AM

Yeah, Sheryl!

Congratulations (almost, anyway)! That is really exciting. As a fellow close to FIRE, I am glad to see you post this milestone. My DH and I are slowly closing in, too!

Plan to do something special to celebrate - you deserve it!

Jane

yakers · 10-20-2006, 08:39 AM

I sure will countdown with you as Nov 07 is my target date. I use this countdown clock on my computer (http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/...n=&sec=&p0=137)

See you around the water cooler for a while, we can talk of ER, quietly though, don't want to upset the others...

ladelfina · 10-20-2006, 09:06 AM

Best of luck Sheryl & yakers and also Jane... so close you can taste it!!
It must feel great now that you know it's only a matter of weeks or months...

Dawg54 · 10-20-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladelfina

Best of luck Sheryl & yakers and also Jane... so close you can taste it!!
It must feel great now that you know it's only a matter of weeks or months...

It does.

Rich_in_Tampa · 10-20-2006, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheryl

We won't quit working sooner than 9/07, probably 12/07 - but since I've been watching this number tick away for 2 years now I feel the need for some fanfare - so bear with me if I use this forum to celebrate.

But if the market goes south after the elections, don't bother checking this thread. :P

Awesome - sounds exciting and just around the corner.

Your comment about the market going south reminded me of how vulnerable those without a little margin can really be in that touchy phase. Mind if I ask what steps you have taken to be "volatility-resistant" for those first few years?

I am about 18-24 months out, but have started stashing some cash away to last maybe 5-7 years; the rest will be in diverse equities. Of course, a pension would be nice, but not so here.

Anyhow, enjoy the anticipation and the liberation.

My Dream · 10-20-2006, 09:30 AM

I like reading posts like this.

Outtahere · 10-20-2006, 09:32 AM

Congratulations, it has to be a wonderful feeling

cube_rat · 10-20-2006, 09:43 AM

You go girl!!! I can't wait to read about your ER milestone.

**Martha** · 10-20-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Dream

I like reading posts like this.

Me too.

Sheryl, did you check your pockets? Under the mattress?

Maybe today will be a good day in the market.

astromeria · 10-20-2006, 09:51 AM

I'm so happy for you---WooHoo!! yeah.

I looked back at your first few posts to see if you posted your asset allocation--didn't find it, but I did see that you're a young near-ER <deep bow here>. If you care to share your info, I'm sure we'd be happy to drool with envy snark admire your prowess

bosco · 10-20-2006, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakers

I sure will countdown with you as Nov 07 is my target date.

Oct 1, 07--at the latest!

Party!!!!!!!!!!!!

Callie · 10-20-2006, 10:17 AM

How exciting! Good luck to you!

Sam · 10-20-2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheryl

...... drum roll please.....

$4,630 shy of our FIRE goal.

Is that 0.001% or 0.0001% of your goal?

Congrats.

Mach1 · 10-20-2006, 11:20 AM

Sheryl, That is realy great.

Mach1

ps. Yakers, thanks for the counter link.

shiny · 10-20-2006, 12:11 PM

Nothing like those real number goals to keep you motivated!

Congrats Sheryl!

Sheryl · 10-20-2006, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha

Me too.

Sheryl, did you check your pockets? Under the mattress?

Maybe today will be a good day in the market.

'fraid not - the current total already includes every penny we could find in the sock drawer.

Thanks for the well-wishes, I am excited to be getting this close! (Whispered, as I am still at w*rk).

Quote:

Your comment about the market going south reminded me of how vulnerable those without a little margin can really be in that touchy phase. Mind if I ask what steps you have taken to be "volatility-resistant" for those first few years?

Well... (a) the target number is already 15% higher than what we really intend to live on (b) we have about 3 yrs. of expenses in cash, and quite a bit more in bond funds, T-bonds. No TIPS yet but working on it. (c) diverse assets including real estate, equities, equity funds, balanced funds, international funds, etc. I'm not sure what else we could do.

Also, if the market looks shaky, and even if it doesn't we may do a little freelancing or our own development projects when we are done with the "regular" jobs. This is our idea of fun.

I am generally following Lucia's "Buckets" theory, though not as formally as he lays it out. (Lazy).

Sheryl · 10-20-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astromeria

I'm so happy for you---WooHoo!! yeah.

I looked back at your first few posts to see if you posted your asset allocation--didn't find it, but I did see that you're a young near-ER <deep bow here>. If you care to share your info, I'm sure we'd be happy to drool with envy snark admire your prowess

Did you mean my age or my asset allocation?

The latter is here somewhere.....

http://early-retirement.org/forums/i...p?topic=3700.0

That didn't include the real estate, however. I was just looking at the "portfolio." 20% of our total nest egg is in the two rental homes we own. I don't include the $275k equity in the house we live in, as I don't intend to become a PT any time soon.

saluki9 · 10-20-2006, 07:47 PM

Congrats Sheryl

This is a lot more exciting and uplifting that the threat I thought about starting about being oh.... around $1.5M shy of my FIRE goal.

Alex · 10-21-2006, 01:25 PM

SWEEEEEEEEETTT!!! it is wonderful to hit milestones, aint it? Especially when you get there ahead of your goal. Congratulations.

10-20-2006, 08:07 AM	#1
Sheryl Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,461	Count Down With Me... Thanks to the latest market moves, and the completion of our 2006 401(k) contributions, and the updating of some accounts that my non-financially oriented S.O. never bothers to check, we are now only ...... drum roll please..... $4,630 shy of our FIRE goal. We won't quit working sooner than 9/07, probably 12/07 - but since I've been watching this number tick away for 2 years now I feel the need for some fanfare - so bear with me if I use this forum to celebrate. But if the market goes south after the elections, don't bother checking this thread. :P

10-20-2006, 08:28 AM	#2
Jane_Doe Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 166	Re: Count Down With Me... Yeah, Sheryl! Congratulations (almost, anyway)! That is really exciting. As a fellow close to FIRE, I am glad to see you post this milestone. My DH and I are slowly closing in, too! Plan to do something special to celebrate - you deserve it! Jane __________________ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

10-20-2006, 08:39 AM	#3
yakers Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,611	Re: Count Down With Me... I sure will countdown with you as Nov 07 is my target date. I use this countdown clock on my computer (http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/...n=&sec=&p0=137) See you around the water cooler for a while, we can talk of ER, quietly though, don't want to upset the others... __________________ A slave is someone who waits for someone else to free them

10-20-2006, 09:06 AM	#4
ladelfina Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,652	Re: Count Down With Me... Best of luck Sheryl & yakers and also Jane... so close you can taste it!! It must feel great now that you know it's only a matter of weeks or months...

10-20-2006, 09:30 AM	#7
My Dream Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 372	Re: Count Down With Me... I like reading posts like this. __________________ Newbie

10-20-2006, 09:32 AM	#8
Outtahere Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,677	Re: Count Down With Me... Congratulations, it has to be a wonderful feeling __________________ Dogs aren't our whole lives, but they make our lives whole. - Roger Caras

10-20-2006, 09:43 AM	#9
cube_rat Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,466	Re: Count Down With Me... You go girl!!! I can't wait to read about your ER milestone. __________________ fuzzy? cute?

10-20-2006, 09:51 AM	#11
astromeria Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,375	Re: Count Down With Me... I'm so happy for you---WooHoo!! yeah. I looked back at your first few posts to see if you posted your asset allocation--didn't find it, but I did see that you're a young near-ER <deep bow here>. If you care to share your info, I'm sure we'd be happy to drool with envy snark admire your prowess __________________ You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need.

10-20-2006, 10:17 AM	#13
Callie Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 89	Re: Count Down With Me... How exciting! Good luck to you!

10-20-2006, 11:20 AM	#15
Mach1 Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 65	Re: Count Down With Me... Sheryl, That is realy great. Mach1 ps. Yakers, thanks for the counter link. __________________ Dream as if you'll live forever.  Live as if you'll die today.

10-20-2006, 12:11 PM	#16
shiny Full time employment: Posting here. Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tokyo Posts: 652	Re: Count Down With Me... Nothing like those real number goals to keep you motivated! Congrats Sheryl! __________________ Time is the coin of your life... Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. Carl Sandburg

10-20-2006, 07:47 PM	#19
saluki9 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,770	Re: Count Down With Me... Congrats Sheryl This is a lot more exciting and uplifting that the threat I thought about starting about being oh.... around $1.5M shy of my FIRE goal.

10-21-2006, 01:25 PM	#20
Alex Full time employment: Posting here. Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 696	Re: Count Down With Me... SWEEEEEEEEETTT!!! it is wonderful to hit milestones, aint it? Especially when you get there ahead of your goal. Congratulations. __________________ Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.--Drew Carey