Class of 2018

[poppydog]

Hi fellow 2018 friends.

I’m getting excited now. Work has finished now for 2017. When we return next week, me and DW will be into our last four months, and will be submitting our resignation to our employers in a week or two. Can’t really believe it!

The UK markets have now closed for the year, and although it hasn’t been quite as fruitful a year for us as it has in the USA, our blend of domestic and international equity and bond funds has done well - I’m showing a 12% profit for the year plus we’ve added a further 13% into our pot. We are 27% above the target we set ourselves for FIRE some 5-6 years ago. Plus we’ve got four more months to keep adding to the pot. We are in excellent health; we have a wonderful relationship and have great families and friends around us. And, we’re going to be grandparents in February! Goodness me, so much going on....

May I wish all my 2018 friends a happy and prosperous New Year.

PD.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Megacorp continues to just squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. There's no shame at all in their treatment of US based tech workers. They hold the threat of layoffs and offshoring over our heads on a constant basis. It has become a tech "sweatshop." Meanwhile, upper management publicly says "Don't work 80 weeks, have fun" and then privately the word gets to front line management to work us 80 hours. It is insanity! The final straw for me was having everyone work on Thanksgiving day (or strongly suggesting to do so). Most of my team did so, as they fear for their jobs. This is not a critical service. It is not a hospital. It is not for a customer problem. It is simply to work, make up time, just as the Saturdays and Sundays are. All this with no compensation.

Anyway, I could go on, but basically I really wanted to make it to 2018 so I can access my 401k at age 55. Our plan allows this. It looks like I am going to make it.

The sad thing is that the kids are Megacorp have caught wind of this and are all jumping ship. I think the winds of change may be finally getting to upper management as they see their precious young employees bail, but I'll be gone before they change their behavior.

Yikes, Joe. You make my job look like a cakewalk. Congrats to you. I vowed that I would not quit till after bonus 2018 (Feb), but things have eased up a lot at work, and I may stay on a bit. I swore I would not OMY, but its looking like I am. Congrats to you, though. Envious.

 

[Pellice]

So, hold on you 2018ers, our time is here. Let's rock!

Joe - you've been planning for a long time. Enjoy!

I've been planning a long time as well; I mentioned on some other thread that I found a slip of paper in my desk with "Five Year Plan" printed on it. I afterwards did similar slips at 3 years and then every six months. I am now on my "Six Month Plan" of "Zero Year!"

Planning an eco-trip with a bit of luxury after departure!

The first six months of Zero Year went slowly, but I have a feeling the second six months will fly. Still to do: eye examination, figure out dental insurance, see if there are employee discounts for a good computer not owned by my institution.

Are there any good "pre-retirement checklists" on this site?

Financial independence! It will be so different a feeling. I have always been anxious about money matters, an inheritance from my Depression-era parents. How will it be to NOT be anxious about money? Will it free a lot of energy?

I'm also wondering if my j*b, far from keeping me sharp (as all those bizarre "don't retire" articles claim), has in fact ruined my focus and concentration and ability to write more than reports that nobody reads and summary memos that also nobody reads. I used to have great powers of concentration. Is that gone? I guess I'll find out.

2018 feels much more a beginning than an ending! Happy New Year to the Class of 2018!

 

[JoeWras]

First of all, happy Retirement Year classmates!

Are there any good "pre-retirement checklists" on this site?

Might I suggest going to the "Forums" link on the click bar and then going through the posts in "Early Retirement FAQs".

For an actual checklist, read this post from the FAQ titled "How do/did you prepare for ER". Read Nords long post. It is a checklist of sorts, paragraph by paragraph.

 

[68bucks]

Yes finally made it 2018. I'm hoping to go late July, early August. Exit date is tied to a project completion. I have set Labor Day as a sort of drop dead, figure it out yourself, date. I haven't notified my employer yet. I'm trying to figure out when that should be with various elements weighing into when that day will be. Sooner than later I'm thinking. I'm sure a few jaws will hit the floor, I'll get a couple "deer in the headlights" looks, and probably a lot of high 5's.

Like most everyone else I'm excited and nervous.

 

[CoolRich59]

In summary: 2017 was a brutal year. I am so ready to retire. It is a slight miracle that I didn't get terminated from my j*b. Seriously. I almost said a few ugly things that could have lead there.

The end of my tenure at megacorp was like that. In fact, I was bit too blunt with some execs - which is probably why I was exiled and frozen out at the end.

Megacorp continues to just squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. There's no shame at all in their treatment of US based tech workers. They hold the threat of layoffs and offshoring over our heads on a constant basis. It has become a tech "sweatshop." Meanwhile, upper management publicly says "Don't work 80 weeks, have fun" and then privately the word gets to front line management to work us 80 hours. It is insanity!

Very similar at my megacorp - a bunch of avaricious ghouls who would gleefully work children to death if they could. I bailed at the end of 2015 when a consulting gig became available. About a year after I left, they fired 35% of my department.

Of course it would have required some compassion and empathy to call in 40 or 50 people and tell them that they were losing their jobs. Instead, they closed the building my former department was in for a week for "remodeling" and had everyone work from home. At the end of the week, those 40-50 people got emails telling them they had been terminated, and they were only to come to the corporate campus to drop off their laptops, cellphones and key cards at the Security office.

 

[Ed B]

The end of my tenure at megacorp was like that. In fact, I was bit too blunt with some execs - which is probably why I was exiled and frozen out at the end.


Very similar at my megacorp - a bunch of avaricious ghouls who would gleefully work children to death if they could. I bailed at the end of 2015 when a consulting gig became available. About a year after I left, they fired 35% of my department.

Of course it would have required some compassion and empathy to call in 40 or 50 people and tell them that they were losing their jobs. Instead, they closed the building my former department was in for a week for "remodeling" and had everyone work from home. At the end of the week, those 40-50 people got emails telling them they had been terminated, and they were only to come to the corporate campus to drop off their laptops, cellphones and key cards at the Security office.

Wow! Just.....WOW!

 

[CoolRich59]

Wow! Just.....WOW!

Absolutely. I had been a direct report to the exec who signed off on this.

Back then she was a lowly director; she was a decent manager and actually a pretty nice person. Over time, her ambition got the better of her. She made her way to a C-level position but traded in her humanity as the price of admission.

I saw a lot of callous stuff at that megacorp, but nothing as heartless as that.

 

[whatnot]

Absolutely. I had been a direct report to the exec who signed off on this.

Back then she was a lowly director; she was a decent manager and actually a pretty nice person. Over time, her ambition got the better of her. She made her way to a C-level position but traded in her humanity as the price of admission.

I saw a lot of callous stuff at that megacorp, but nothing as heartless as that.

Wow That is awful!!

 

[ILikeStarTrek]

I am targeting April - not sure exact date of month.

When I read other people's stories about Megacorp, I'm sorry to hear about your situations. I actually have a pretty good job situation, and if I didn't have a possibility of ER, I would likely work for several more years without being depressed/discouraged about it - just as I have worked in the computer field for the past 31+ years. But since I do have the opportunity of ER, it's getting really hard for me to be motivated to keep going into an office every day when I could be doing other things I enjoy. I'm single and I enjoy travel, but instead of only having 3 or 4 weeks of vacation every year, I plan to travel at least twice that much each year for hopefully the next several years, once I don't have to go to work. Not to mention that I'll also have more time to do other hobbies or just read a book.

A few years ago, I thought I would need to work into 2019 or 2020 to be where I wanted to be financially. I'm heavily invested in equities, and I don't know how many of you remember the dip of almost 15% in Jan 2016, but I was really thinking the market was headed to a long-term correction. I realize a correction could still happen, but my retirement funds have skyrocketed in the past couple of years. Even if there is a correction now, it won't be fun but I can weather the storm. My real estate investments have really gone up in value too. I'm very happy to be where I am financially. So I'm looking to retire this year, at age 55.

My main reason for working until sometime in April is that by getting between 1/3 & 1/2 a year of work, I'll be able to max out (or very close to it) my 401k Roth in this calendar year while keeping my taxes low since I won't have a full year of salary. Plus we get our annual company bonus in March, which can often be about a month salary, so I definitely want to stay long enough for that.

Sorry for the rambling here but I've been interested to read others' situations here so I figure people might like to read about mine too. I just discovered this forum about 6 months ago and I have posted a couple of questions over the past month or so and gotten very good answers. It's great to have this community of like-minded people.

Adding myself to the list:
--------------------------

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

January
-------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
ikubak 1/10 (55)

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Bigdawg
Poppydog 6/29 (63/60)

July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
------
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

 

[CoolRich59]

Sorry for the rambling here but I've been interested to read others' situations here so I figure people might like to read about mine too. I just discovered this forum about 6 months ago and I have posted a couple of questions over the past month or so and gotten very good answers. It's great to have this community of like-minded people.

Well said. Totally agree.

 

[Pellice]

Welcome, IlikeStarTrek (I like it too! I was exactly the right age for it when it came out in the 60s - and it made me think! And it was always on at a convenient time thereafter).

Well, the first members of the class are enjoying their LONG weekends - how does it feel? I am hoping for reports!

 

[poppydog]

Updating the list - I'd somehow managed to get myself inserted twice, after pulling our RE date forward two months from June to April.

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

January
-------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
ikubak 1/10 (55)

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Bigdawg


July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
------
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

 

[Brian]

You can add me to the list of April retirements at age 53.

Had an unexpected hospital stay for several days in Dec for a virus. Made me reconsider my priorities and decided I have a large enough nest egg to pull the trigger.

The company environment and my job roles/responsibilities had changed enough to make the decision relatively easy.

Not sure what I'm going to do with all the free time, but am sure I'll think of something. I'm the only one retiring in my close group of friends. Hopefully we'll be able to maintain the social group.

 

[Pellice]

You can add me to the list of April retirements at age 53.

Had an unexpected hospital stay for several days in Dec for a virus. Made me reconsider my priorities and decided I have a large enough nest egg to pull the trigger.

The company environment and my job roles/responsibilities had changed enough to make the decision relatively easy.

Not sure what I'm going to do with all the free time, but am sure I'll think of something. I'm the only one retiring in my close group of friends. Hopefully we'll be able to maintain the social group.

Good for you, Brian! What are your hobbies and interests? It's great you have a close group of friends, and worth telling them that you want to keep in touch with all of them - and maybe suggest "formalizing" it into a once every two weeks or so get-together?

 

[poppydog]

Myself and DW both submitted our resignations this morning, in good time for our RE date of 04/27. What a feeling!

 

[whatnot]

Congrats poppydog and DW!

 

[Uncle Lumpy]

Updated the list to insert myself in the list of January honorees. 4 days into retirement and feeling fine (despite the cold temperatures).

Lumpy

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

January
-------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)
ikubak 1/10 (55)

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Bigdawg


July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
------
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)[/QUOTE]

 

[CoolRich59]

Updated the list to insert myself in the list of January honorees. 4 days into retirement and feeling fine (despite the cold temperatures).

Congratulations!

 

[CoolRich59]

Updating the Jan list ...

January
-------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
ikubak 1/10 (55)
Coolrich59 (58)

Sorry, I just noticed that I didn't mention a month. I am going to be end of January.

I am 'hedging my bets' though, and have told the firm that I am still open to certain client engagements on a part-time basis. However, I think that's the part of me talking that is afraid to let go of a paycheck. In my more rationale moments, I think that no proposed engagement is going to interest me enough to start w@rking again.

 

[ears20]

Myself and DW both submitted our resignations this morning, in good time for our RE date of 04/27. What a feeling!

Congrats - that’s fantastic! Looking forward to doing the same as soon as bonuses are paid!

 

[poppydog]

Congrats - that’s fantastic! Looking forward to doing the same as soon as bonuses are paid!

Ha ha! I get my bonus in April too, but it's not affected by my working my notice!

 

[ears20]

Ha ha! I get my bonus in April too, but it's not affected by my working my notice!

I don’t think Megacorp would do this, but I’ve heard stories of people being walked out the door to avoid paying a bonus. Not going to take that chance-

 

[lwp2017]

Deleted

 

[ikubak]

I’m done. I signed up for class of 2016 and chickened out. I signed up for class of 2017 and I stayed on to help my boss through a hard time. I signed up for class of 2018 and kept my promise to myself. Today was my last day.