You know you're an ER nerd when........

[Rambler]

When your DW(DH, DH2B in Freebird's case, SO, etc) think that your calculator and spreadsheets are your hobby...

R

 

[Coach]

When friends ask, "what do you do all day?" and you can only stare blankly because you wonder how you can be so busy while your "to-do" just seems to grow.

Coach

 

[dizzy]

... when you contribute to a thread called "You know you're an ER nerd when..." on a board called the Early Retirement Forum.

 

[Purron]

Love this! Guess I'm an ER nerd all the way. Today I not only updated my spreadsheets but hit Costco for food, coffee, and kitty litter

 

[Katsmeow]

When your DW(DH, DH2B in Freebird's case, SO, etc) think that your calculator and spreadsheets are your hobby...

You mean they're not?

 

[bbbamI]

... when you contribute to a thread called "You know you're an ER nerd when..." on a board called the Early Retirement Forum.

 

[Spartacus]

when your expense "budget" has a spot on the spreadsheet labelled toothpaste.

 

[Grizz]

Never met any ER Nerds, but I do know of an ER Nords

 

[queeneev]

...when you log into the FIRE boards at 6 am before you go to the office, which is where, everyday around 10 am, instead of taking a smoke break, you whip out the ER spreadsheet, and get high off the "possibility". It's a drug that gets me through the day. Great therapy thread for those of us still imprisoned...

 

[clifp]

You run retirement calculators to see if you can retire....even after you have been retired for 10 yrs.

LOL I am so guilty of this.

 

[RonBoyd]

Not only that, but one of the major mysteries of the universe to me is why everyone isn't obsessed with ER!

For the same reason everyone isn't a golfer -- can't handle the pace.

 

[crazy connie]

Not only that, but one of the major mysteries of the universe to me is why everyone isn't obsessed with ER! Maybe that's indicative of ernerdness as well.

Because they are woefully confused by the term delayed gratification in thinking it means wait until the Sat shopping trip and put it on the card. This is just not in the vocabulary of so many drones. Yet, it is nice to hope they will stay working longer and hopefully shore up SS.

 

[Lsbcal]

You know your an ER nerd when ... you start identifying with Wally in the Dilbert cartoon.

 

[ikubak]

....you have firecalc bookmarked and visit it on a regular basis

....you have to move all the "retire early" investment books out of your bookshelf because you are hosting the office party

....you find yourself correcting people in the office when they talk about the company retirement plan

 

[Stevewc]

When you are the GO TO Person for the 457 and retirement plan and not even in management at all. I try to promote and help fellow employees to save but it falls on deaf ears for the most part. I'm an electrician for god sake !!! Well, for the next 35 or so days, anyway.
Steve

 

[queeneev]

This is sort of off topic but I can't help it, I am feeling SO ornary right now....I was a very bad girl at work today. Here's the low down:

First, I have to tell you that this past August 14 (my birthday), I made a decision to chose Aug 14 2010 as my target ER date, with a caveat that I am free to change my mind. It's a decision that helps me get through each day at a really bad job. NO ONE at my work knows, or suspects, and won't find out until August 1. Second, I have to tell you that it my department has been total chaos and stress and overtime, and everyone is a little bitter and burned out. So....I just couldn't help myself today - I started a benign rumor. We had just finished a management meeting in which we were informed that a huge project looms right around the corner and we won't be getting any extra bodies to assist, and someone mentioned that "staff is going to freak out". That's when I said, "yeah, I know! In fact, I am aware of at least one person that intends to leave, they are so fed up". He looked at me and waited for me to whisper a name, but I didn't. I am just delighted that no one has a clue I am planning my exit, and they really will FREAK OUT because I am one leg of a 3-legged management stool, and if I depart, the other 2 legs are going to be in a great deal of doo doo. I am certain they will ask me to go part time, or to contract, and I will listen, but I won't bite. "I, um, have other plans, thanks."

Thank you for letting me speak my truth iin all its hatefulness and bad karma. They (the corp) have pushed me to this attitude, and the great thing is that I am GRATEFUL. I feel like I have won the lottery, and find it quite easy to break a smile in the midst of tough situations at work.

To bring this post back around to the topic of ER nerds, I have my faithful spreadsheet that I created the first week I began my career, and I am proud that I still use it nearly every single day. I have been feverishly revising it lately though, to account for this early ER journey. Indeed, the subject of ER is a hobby, and I actually get endorphins playing with the numbers.

 

[mews]

Good for you, queeneev!

You can have fun watching the rumor wander around your department, morphing as it goes...

ta,
mew

 

[SecondCor521]

...when it makes perfect sense to you to figure out array functions in Excel so you can predict your retirement 51.02 months in advance.

...when you predict your retirement date to the second decimal place of precision.

2Cor521

 

[audreyh1]

You run retirement calculators to see if you can retire....even after you have been retired for 10 yrs.

LOL!

Constantly recalculate your SWR at current portfolio value. In fact, have WR calculated for several spending levels automatically updated every time you review your AA, "just in case" you have to make adjustments in your expenses.

Even after 10 years......

Audrey

 

[Meadbh]

You run retirement calculators to see if you can retire....even after you have been retired for 10 yrs.

According to Otar, we should be doing that anyway, at least for the first few years!

 

[Moemg]

According to Otar, we should be doing that anyway, at least for the first few years!

That is what kept me sane through the big drop . Running firecalc and still being 100% okay .

 

[NW-Bound]

I am not sure that I am an "ER" nerd. I am just a nerd. I still like to w*rk if a good project comes along.

However, I like to count my money on a spreadsheet, or to be exact, with MS Money. Here's my avatar.

 

[scrabbler1]

when.......I created a spreadsheet in 2008 to better calculate my projected revenues and expenses in retirement and named it, "RETIRE", and added or changed something in it at least once a day.