So I take it from that you really don't consider yourself as Financial Independent and Retired Early based on their traditional definitions?
I think one or both parents staying home is a great choice. That's why I started a consulting business and worked from home even with DW being a stay at home mom. However, I don't consider it FIREd. But like I wrote above, "I'm a SAHD who helps people with Personal Finance Issues and blogs about it to earn some extra money" isn't as sexy as being FIRED at 33. It has to be sexy if you want it to attract an audience and generate link clicks.
A couple of more years saving and some decent market years and you will be truly FIREd. At your age though, you've got a lot of years ahead of you and plenty of unexpected possibilities. Worst case you and/or DW do some paid work you enjoy after raising the kids. Best case, the assets carry you to the grave. I'd say that's a worthwhile risk.
I'm just poking fun at myself in my signature line! You can call me what you want and think of me like you want - FIREd, SAHD, kept man, whatever.
DW was going to pull the plug in a few months but they offered her an extra 2-3 months paid time off this summer and next summer so she can spend time with the kids and we can globetrot a bit during the summers. So she's likely to stay at least through August 2015 at this point. 40 hrs/wk, work from home, summers off, full pay, ability to name her terms in other ways.
In terms of finances, we plan on spending $32k per year (including a fat travel allowance). The investment portfolio is hovering around $1.2-1.3 million. That's about a 2.5% withdrawal rate. We'll be okay, since we can cut our spending if necessary.
As for my blog income, it's variable. Long term I might make $600-800 per month or maybe half that or maybe double that. I write when I want. I don't when I don't. In April, for example, I spent virtually zero time on it. It was nice outside. I played and worked in the yard. I laid in my hammock by the lake and read a book. When it's 95 degrees and humid this summer, I might write more. When we aren't traveling. Or maybe I'll do some travel blog posts. Or not.
The income is just gravy at this point.
After starting the blog, someone "discovered" me and asked me to write for a corporate blog for a startup based in Silicon Valley. Hey, sounds neat to me and they offered a ridiculous amount of money for merely putting words on a page. I agreed to do it. Now that I'm 2 articles in to this venture, I have made some decent cash, learned a few new things, and met a couple of interesting people. It amounts to 5-8 hours of work once a month roughly. For doing something I already enjoy doing! And I can turn down work whenever. If the gig goes away, it won't matter a bit.
So am I retired? I'm pretty sure I am. My schedule this week consists of lunches with friends, playdates with my 2 year old, helping a friend with finances, taking the kids to the park, setting up a few lunch/dinner parties in the next few weeks, hanging out with my new neighbor (who has a 2 year old), and helping my mom travel hack some free train trips. Will I do anything "productive"? Yeah, I hope to get my next article on groceries out some time this week. If I have time.
I also have a video conference set up for Thursday with someone else who wants me to write for them. I'm going to ask for a ridiculously high price and see if it sticks. And the work must be awesome - that's going in my engagement contract. Am I dabbling or starting a second career in freelance writing? I wish I could ask my future self. I'm just having fun at what's engaging for now. I'll let others carry on the debate of what box I should check on the Retirement Declaration Form.
Old School
