Retired at 30 and Bored!

[Westernskies]

I'm late to this thread (out of town on vacation last week) but it looks to me like it must have been a really slow week... I can't recall a thread with so many positive comments for quite some time, reading through this was like watching the choir taking turns beating up the altarboy.

 

[chris2008]

If you are real, how about this:
Do several internships at various trades like professional paining, car repair, plumbing, garden maintenance, restaurant cooking.
You may discover something that you like to do or are good at and if not you have learned somthing useful.

 

[PaulNZ]

While at 40 I am not as young as you, I could retire if I wished. I to would have all sorts of 'issues' if I did - from 'what would the neighbours think' to 'defining my place in the world'

So I now work 1/2 the hours I used to and with my extra time I do things like - gym, walk/bike the kids to school, parent help and working bees at school, more short trips away- backpackers are a cheap option.
I have also discovered that the more time I spend helping my wife doing housework the more time she has for other 'fun' activities.

However with out my woman and children I admit I could be lost.

Money
I think you need to spend more money on 'fun' things.I know it may not feel right, in fact it may feel wasteful and trivial.
I too have an issue with that sort of thing and had to 'force' myself to spend.
I opened another bank a/c and each month money gos in there and that is my 'fun' a/c- that money is used to improve our lifestyle. In the past that money would just be added to our net worth somewhere, never to be seen again.

Its not perfect but its helped a lot.

 

[donheff]

I guess troll or not the idea of ERing at 30 with minimal finances is worth pursuing. I suspect that unless you had sufficient money and interests (e.g. the Kaderlis) it would be a terrible thing for most kids. I would have fallen into a depression if I had quit work with little $ at 30 yo. No friends around, nothing to do -- ugh. Even with money it is questionable for most. DW and I structured our wills so that our kids could not access the whole pile while they were in the 20s. We covered education and living expenses with more to kick in when they were in their 30s. That was more to avoid them blowing the inheritance than to fight off boredom but the later was a worry too.

 

[Major Tom]

Like many others here, I've been wondering about the authenticity of the OP and came to the conclusion that one or two others have voiced as well - that regardless, there are things we can draw from this thread for ourselves.

For my part, I'd like to thank FIREdreamer for pointing out a site I wasn't aware of - Early Retirement Extreme.

Jacob is probably more efficient at making use of a moderate income than I will be, but his writing and real life examples are inspiring and thought-provoking.

Thanks FIREdreamer!

 

[myself]

I seriously dont' know what I enjoy doing. No hobbies at all. Volunteer work, why work for free ? I am the type that is antisocial. Really don't have much friends. Don't go out much. Don't have fancy things. All I know is how to save. I do enjoy shopping at the supermarket. I am happy when I see that I could get $500 in groceries for around $50 bucks each month with coupons clippings and deals, but I am not going to the supermarket everyday!

Here's a thought. If you can get $500 in groceries for around $50 each month, then why don't you offer to be a "Dedicated Shopper" for people. Charge them a fee (say $100), and then the people will only be paying $150 instead of $500. You both win.

 

[HsiaoChu]

I've seen this thread before several times. And its been said before: Retirement is only appreciated by those who have worked. Its a yin/yang, light/dark, left/right thing. If you haven't experienced a long career in working on goals, accomplishing them, and then watching everyone around you get younger and younger and younger, while you eventually become older than everyone you work with, you won't be able to understand retirement.

The purpose of retirement is to experience something else after a long work life.

Just my 2 cents.

HsiaoChu

 

[shotgunner]

What is retirement beyond a word that most people associate with a pension, social security and medicare?

Too much emphasis is placed on that word, especially in this thread. I sure as hell didn't need to work 30+ years to crave my freedom. If I could have ESR'd sooner I would have. I like having a little something to do and hope to have an iron in the fire until I decide I don't want to or can't. I am doing what I want to do.

Regardless of anyone's age we are talking not about retirement but about financial independence. You folks know this! Irregardless of age FI is the ability to do whatever one wants to do free of having to work for money and benefits. This includes being free to work at something full time, P/T or no time. The question is what does one want to do and does one have enough money to not only pay for life's necessities but also have some fun and do stuff.

IMO if the OP is not a troll he lacks some imagination or maybe is depressed. If the OP is real and the situation real I get the sense there is a lack of balance here. What's next after such aggressive coupon clipping, dumpster diving? Whether I was 20, 30, 40, 50 etc I have always found stuff to do. Could be as simple as going for a walk or a motorcycle ride. Maybe go shoot a round of skeet or learning to play golf. There is always stuff to do; go fishing, try skydiving, volunteer at a hospital, food bank, homeless shelter, orphanage etc. go camping, go hike a mountain,take a college course for fun. Learn to paint or paint a room for crying out loud. Mow an elderly neighbors lawn. Spend some money, travel out of state, see a national park or monument. Go to Europe. Do something! If you have enough money to pay the necessities but not enough to have fun you are not FI in my opinion, you are simply existing. At 30 you should have energy, life, dreams and should have some enthusiasm to live it and chase them.

Sorry to seem harsh but being FI at any age should not be a problem requiring informal therapy here or anywhere else.

 

[ziggy29]

Regardless of anyone's age we are talking not about retirement but about financial independence. You folks know this! Irregardless of age FI is the ability to do whatever one wants to do free of having to work for money and benefits. This includes being free to work at something full time, P/T or no time. The question is what does one want to do and does one have enough money to not only pay for life's necessities but also have some fun and do stuff.

Quoted for truth.

Retirement isn't *always* the goal of FI, but rather retirement is enabled by FI. But once you're FI, even you don't intend to retire early, doesn't it feel good to know that you *can* tell The Man to stick it if you've had enough of it? Doesn't just having that knowledge set you free? At that point you are a free agent to The Man, no longer their dependent.

 

[Purron]

Thought about the OP this past weekend. My Washington Post arrived with an extra insert containing the sale ads and coupons.

 

[audreyh1]

Absolutely - it's about the freedom to do what you want with your life. Not having to work to earn a living - whether or not you choose to work for non-financial reasons.

Of course, if you don't have your own interests to pursue, or you need a lot of guidance or structure from others in your life, being "independent" may not seem like the freedom it is.

Audrey

 

[HsiaoChu]

I was retired before I worked. It was called COLLEGE.

I expect to go back to COLLEGE after I'm done working. Only difference is that the wild parties won't be nearly as wild: which might actually be a good thing considering the "wild" girls who will be attending these "College Parties".

 

[myself]

I was retired before I worked. It was called COLLEGE.

I expect to go back to COLLEGE after I'm done working. Only difference is that the wild parties won't be nearly as wild: which might actually be a good thing considering the "wild" girls who will be attending these "College Parties".

Well, if you call that retired, than I am retired most of the time.
Nary a day goes by that I don't learn something new at work. If it's not something someone else told me, it's my own discovery of a better/faster way to do something.

 

[tmm99]

To me, college is where you pay money to learn something new. Work is where you get paid to learn something new. If you want to call college retired, so be it.

 

[Ronnieboy]

I was retired before I worked. It was called COLLEGE.

I expect to go back to COLLEGE after I'm done working. Only difference is that the wild parties won't be nearly as wild: which might actually be a good thing considering the "wild" girls who will be attending these "College Parties".

College wasn't retired for me. I hated college. No parties, no football games, just work, study, change poopy diapers (the kids - not mine), study, eat, study, sleep, study, work, study, babysit, study - rinse & repeat. Retirement for me will be to do what I want when I want.

 

[HsiaoChu]

To me, college is where you pay money to learn something new. Work is where you get paid to learn something new. If you want to call college retired, so be it.

Well.... when I was an undergrad back when college cost $1000 a year, my parents paid most of it, and I worked maybe 6 hours a day at it, and the rest of the time I partied. Now grad school was a horse of a different color.

In retirement, its called SENIOR COLLEGE. I do have to pay for the courses, but they are about 4% of the ost of real college now, and they is a good bit of partying involved.

 

[Milton]

Nah, troll radar flashing so brightly it is blinding.

I too suspect a troll, but who knows.

In any case, comments like "STFU" are gratuitously offensive.

 

[HsiaoChu]

College wasn't retired for me. I hated college. No parties, no football games, just work, study, change poopy diapers (the kids - not mine), study, eat, study, sleep, study, work, study, babysit, study - rinse & repeat. Retirement for me will be to do what I want when I want.

No wonder you hated college. I would have hated college too.

 

[Mill]

@ the OP... if you are real, and looking for something to satisfy your free time, why not try scambaiting? Youd be good at it.

Read some completed scambaits. They may take a week or longer, but amazing reading! Dabble into it, if you want. Its completely free, a lot of fun, and serves a useful purpose.

Just find something fun that you like to do. Youve earned it. It doesnt have to be something everyone else does. What makes you laugh? Figure it out, and expand on it. Personally, I may spend my retirement speeding around in rainstorms just to make cops have to get out of their cars to write me a ticket.

Tell your renters that youre running a contest for a month of free rent to the person who can collect the most items on a scavenger hunt. Then make a list, give it to them, and watch them go crazy. Have them email you their progress periodically. I think thatd be fun as hell! You dont need the money.

Pick up a job at Burger King, do everything really half-assed and see how long it takes you to get fired. Make a game of it. kinda like Kevin Spaceys charactor in American Beauty.

You get the idea. Creative thinking is the key to beating boredom.

 

[Purron]

@ the OP... if you are real, and looking for something to satisfy your free time, why not try scambaiting? Youd be good at it.

Read some completed scambaits. They may take a week or longer, but amazing reading! Dabble into it, if you want. Its completely free, a lot of fun, and serves a useful purpose.

Just find something fun that you like to do. Youve earned it. It doesnt have to be something everyone else does. What makes you laugh? Figure it out, and expand on it. Personally, I may spend my retirement speeding around in rainstorms just to make cops have to get out of their cars to write me a ticket.

Tell your renters that youre running a contest for a month of free rent to the person who can collect the most items on a scavenger hunt. Then make a list, give it to them, and watch them go crazy. Have them email you their progress periodically. I think thatd be fun as hell! You dont need the money.

Pick up a job at Burger King, do everything really half-assed and see how long it takes you to get fired. Make a game of it. kinda like Kevin Spaceys charactor in American Beauty.

You get the idea. Creative thinking is the key to beating boredom.

Geez. If you have that much time and energy, why not find something useful to do? Help children, homeless people, abandoned animals, raise funds to cure horrible diseases, donate blood, be a volunteer fireperson, fight against abuse, help out at the library, etc, etc, etc. Life is too short. Use that time to make the world just a little bit better. Something to reflect on when your time is nearly gone.

 

[mouschi]

Wow, this thread has become epic! @ the OP: I will be pm'ing you, so be on the look out

In my opinion, the harshness this thread is met with looks like ugly faced jealousy. I could be wrong, but that is what it looks like.

While I'm not in the same position (I still run my business, though, I admit I spend much of my time on the computer NOT working) - I am the same age as you, blessed to have my passive residuals take care of our monthly bills, for the most part. We have a good amount of reserve in the bank, and, while I could probably not tend to my biz much over the next year, I am VERY frugal also. I hate spending money, because I always constantly worry if something bad happens. I am looking into going into rentals to supplement the existing passive income for this very reason. But that takes ... you guessed it ... money.

You see, I don't see this thread as being far fetched. I spend much of my time not "forced" to work, and I do get depressed with the thought of my inactivity / ineffectiveness in life. The difference is that I feel obligated to stay near my computer, just like I have been for the past 10 years in case something goes wrong for one of my clients.

OP: Consider looking into starting a business, writing a book, and/or helping with the needy, whether at home or abroad. So many out there need help and people like us ... we are blessed, not just to be blessed ... but to be a blessing to others.

 

[mouschi]

nevermind - looks like i can't pm you for some reason. Bummer!

 

[haha]

OP: Consider looking into starting a business, writing a book...

What a great idea! If someone has no clue what will give them satisfaction, they should write a book to tell others how to be similarly dissatisfied. It's the american way.

Glad I mostly read fiction which is marketed as fiction.

Ha

 

[Lancelot]

What a great idea! If someone has no clue what will give them satisfaction, they should write a book to tell others how to be similarly dissatisfied. It's the american way.

Glad I mostly read fiction which is marketed as fiction.

Ha

You might be a bit more cautious (and politically correct) Ha. Being "Dissatisified" is now covered under the comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act

 

[donheff]

Ah, college was a fun time. We used to opine then that we should be able to "retire" for a couple of decades after college when we could enjoy it and then work till we die later when it wouldn't mater