Is FIRE a disappointment?

[RAE]

For me ER was not a target to reach, but more like a state of life I wanted because it enabled me to do things that were difficult because of work

Exactly. You do have to have some idea how you will spend your time in retirement. I had plenty of things to keep me occupied once I retired, and I've since even added to that list. So I am never bored, and certainly not disappointed in the least with the decision to retire. You only have so much time on this earth......why spend all of it doing what someone else wants you to do? You worked hard and long to achieve FI........take some satisfaction in that, and enjoy the rest of your life!

 

[Nords]

Let's see, which one of these situations is more of an anticlimax:
1. Waking up on Monday morning and realizing that you can surf all day if you have the muscles to do so.

2. Waking up on Monday morning and realizing that you have to go to work.

 

[Chuckanut]

As I prepare to return to work next week, with almost six more months of work ahead of me before I am done, I am having a hard time imagining being disappointed when I am retired. Very hard.

 

[flyfishnevada]

I found out last year when my father-in-law got ill and died and we had to deal with his estate that was 11 hours away by car and just as long by air that retirement is still real life. It's not some utopia filled with endless fun and excitement. You still get sick, you still have to deal with people and family, you still get depressed, anxious, etc. It's life without work. I definitely prefer it to life with work, but it's not going to fix your life.

Temper your expectations. I think we all use a lot of superlatives to describe retirement, and it is great, but it's not magic. if you're generally happy and optimistic, you'll continue to be. If you're depressed and sad, you'll stay that way too unless work was the only source of that. What makes retirement great is the ability to do what you want when you want. That is still a lot of responsibility for the retiree.

 

[CalTex]

I LOVE being FIRE'd!!! Never was happy being a wage slave and my periods of self-employment were stress inducing. My problem is more dealing with the realities of being older. The future always seemed endless to me. I'm only 58, but it's dawning on me that my time & (especially) energy have limits.

 

[scrabbler1]

I've been running my FIRE spreadsheet for 5 years, actively thinking about it for the past 10 and now that I'm actually there it's a bit of a let down. There have been other things that have taken me few years to accomplish and I know that after they were achieved, and the initial euphoria of success, I felt as if I'd lost something. So once your spreadsheets or FIRECALC etc said you could actually retire was it a bit of an anticlimax?

I'd say not. As far as my main ER spreadsheet goes, I have had to maintain different parts of it since I ERed. Sure, the part of it which projected my investment income did not have to be run with several trial-and-error scenarios. But the expense budget part of it along with my year-long budget part still needs to be monitored often. The part which monitors my estimated income taxes always needs to be monitored because it changes as often as I get irregular cap gains distributions.

Because I was working part-time for the last 7 years of work, including only 2 days a week from 2007-2008, switching from that to working zero days a week was hardly a shock to my system. Work had become a nuisance to doing the other things I had been doing on the 5 days I was not working, interfering with them and often causing scheduling conflicts.

 

[NW-Bound]

I found out last year when my father-in-law got ill and died and we had to deal with his estate that was 11 hours away by car and just as long by air that retirement is still real life. It's not some utopia filled with endless fun and excitement. You still get sick, you still have to deal with people and family, you still get depressed, anxious, etc. It's life without work. I definitely prefer it to life with work, but it's not going to fix your life.

Temper your expectations. I think we all use a lot of superlatives to describe retirement, and it is great, but it's not magic. if you're generally happy and optimistic, you'll continue to be. If you're depressed and sad, you'll stay that way too unless work was the only source of that. What makes retirement great is the ability to do what you want when you want. That is still a lot of responsibility for the retiree.

How very true! I remember there were some posts about the same thing. Yes, the problems with w*rk are gone, but those might not be the biggest problems for all individuals.

 

[Seeking Hobbes]

I don't have the insight that many people on this forum do (I am only about 4.5 months into it), but I think "adjustment" is a whole lot better word to use to describe it than "disappointment".

I agree with this as well...

At just over 7 months into my FIRE. The biggest question for me has become "Why was I so worried about this?". I reviewed my ER to death... from every angle and through every scenario. (It didn't help that the few people, I confided in, were dissuasive.)

Now, however, the very thought of going back to work is almost physically repulsive to me. On the rare day that I wake up with nothing on the schedule, or with a hint of melancholy... I only need to think about my previous life to I snap out of it.

Then, with a shake of the head and a "whew," I grab the leash and take the dog for a walk.

 

[Chuckanut]

I found out last year when my father-in-law got ill and died and we had to deal with his estate that was 11 hours away by car and just as long by air that retirement is still real life. It's not some utopia filled with endless fun and excitement. You still get sick, you still have to deal with people and family, you still get depressed, anxious, etc. It's life without work. I definitely prefer it to life with work, but it's not going to fix your life..

Very true, but one doesn't have to deal with life's other problems while trying to balance a stressful work environment that is not sympathetic to problems outside of work.

 

[W2R]

It's not some utopia filled with endless fun and excitement. You still get sick,

That's for sure. I have the Cold from Hades right now, so bad that I couldn't sleep at all last night. I am utterly miserable and don't feel like going out. I feel pretty contagious and I don't want my sweetie to catch it.

It's still a lot better than having to go to work like this, though. I can sit here and doze, stay warm, and get better without feeling guilty about it. I think this is the first cold I have had since retirement.

Sorry for the whine!

 

[Nords]

I feel pretty contagious and I don't want my sweetie to catch it.

He's supposed to wear a facemask when he comes over with decongestants, antihistamines, acetaminophen, chicken soup, chick flicks, and foot massages...

 

[W2R]

He's supposed to wear a facemask when he comes over with decongestants, antihistamines, acetaminophen, chicken soup, chick flicks, and foot massages...

I'll just be happy if he doesn't catch it too, so that I don't have to do the above for him.

 

[flyfishnevada]

That's the best thing. Even though you still have problems and issue to deal with, you don't have to do it while juggling work. I was in a mood when I wrote that and it seems a little glum, but it's true. Retirement is not a cure all. But it is fantastic. It's really as good as you let it be. If you expect it to be more than it is, retirement might be dissapointing.

Get better, W2R!!!

 

[Hamlet]

I feel your pain (literally).

My daughter started daycare a few months ago, and I think I've been sick more in those months than the last decade.

The cough from the latest cold has been keeping me up at night (like I needed more breaks in my sleep than my daughter provides ). Thankfully I have discovered Robitussen with Codeine.

I've been near useless for the last two weeks at work, but I'm turning the corner now.

That's for sure. I have the Cold from Hades right now, so bad that I couldn't sleep at all last night. I am utterly miserable and don't feel like going out. I feel pretty contagious and I don't want my sweetie to catch it.

It's still a lot better than having to go to work like this, though. I can sit here and doze, stay warm, and get better without feeling guilty about it. I think this is the first cold I have had since retirement.

Sorry for the whine!

 

[foxfirev5]

The FI part of being FIRE'D ended up being the most important factor. After decades of worrying about the next layoff or quarterly sales quota's I feel no pressure at work. (evidenced by the fact I'm posting here during the last hours before the year end closing).
As a matter of fact I actually enjoy my job. The funny thing is that my clients and peers treat me very well. This is due in no small part to my attitude.
Being FI has actually created a new lease on my working life. It's fun.

 

[Midpack]

The FI part of being FIRE'D ended up being the most important factor. After decades of worrying about the next layoff or quarterly sales quota's I feel no pressure at work. (evidenced by the fact I'm posting here during the last hours before the year end closing).
As a matter of fact I actually enjoy my job. The funny thing is that my clients and peers treat me very well. This is due in no small part to my attitude.
Being FI has actually created a new lease on my working life. It's fun.

There was some real satisfaction in continuing work after reaching FI for me too. I was pretty confident in my role before then, but I was totally fearless (but not mean, why bother) once I reached FI before I actually retired (several years).

 

[W2R]

I feel your pain (literally).

My daughter started daycare a few months ago, and I think I've been sick more in those months than the last decade.

The cough from the latest cold has been keeping me up at night (like I needed more breaks in my sleep than my daughter provides ). Thankfully I have discovered Robitussen with Codeine.

I've been near useless for the last two weeks at work, but I'm turning the corner now.

Glad to hear you are getting better. I remember going through the same thing when my daughter was little, and I don't think I have had such a bad cold since that time. There were lots of little nieces and nephews that age running around at F.'s family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and Christmas, so maybe that is where I got it.

Just staying home and resting today seems to be helping, in my case. Hopefully I'll be over it very soon, too.

 

[Khan]

I retired 7 years ago today at age 54.
Pretty much no planning beyond realizing I could live on the reduced pension (with good health insurance).
I have described it as a "run screaming into the night" retirement.
Never regretted the retirement.

 

[Packman]

I have been retired for 7 months now. For me FI was a goal, it is security. Having FI is wonderful whether you are working or retired. ER is a transition. I still have good days and bad days. I love the loss of job stress, and the freedom to do what I want, not what others want me to do. But I have struggled with loss of human interaction and a bit of loneliness. My DW still works (way too many hours). Most of the people that were/are my friends still work, and we seem to be losing touch. I have to find new ways to meet people my age that are not working (not a lot of them around, as far as I can find so far). So I am working on that - the transition. I assume it will be on ongoing process.

I spent a lot of time on the financial part of ER (spreadsheets) but probably not enough time of the personal side.

 

[tightasadrum]

I spent a lot of time on the financial part of ER (spreadsheets) but probably not enough time of the personal side.

Yep. That's me. I know better, and all that number crunching is not necessary. I recently started having lunch with two different small groups about once a week and have really enjoyed these get togethers. I've given some thought to taking some college courses that interest me. I enjoyed graduate school, so this might be fun. Years ago I played a good bit of golf. Maybe I should try that again. My problem is having to leave my little dog locked up in his bed/cage for too much time. Doggie day care tends to be pretty expensive.

 

[Beryl]

No regrets here. ER'D 11 months ago - 1 year after FI.

Like others, there are moments that I miss my position, authority, and accomplishing things for MegaCorp but also like others, I remember the crap. No way do I want to return to that. It is great being FI, relatively young and very inquisitive.

 

[Dawg52]

Not a trick question. I don't mean retirement itself, as much as having the goal of reaching FIRE completed. I suppose it gets replaced with figuring out how to generate income

Trying to lower my golf handicap has been my greatest challenge and most frustrating one. Although the income challenge is not easy either.

 

[Dawg52]

My problem is having to leave my little dog locked up in his bed/cage for too much time. Doggie day care tends to be pretty expensive.

I took my mom on a trip the other day and her sitter was lined up to come over and let my dog out. Well she calls and says she's sick, but we decided to go anyway as this was our Christmas family get together. Anyway, 12 hours later I come home and my dog was just sitting in his crate like a good boy. I leave the door open so he can just come and go as he pleases, but he feels safe in there. No accidents in the house at all.

I wouldn't want to make a habit of leaving a dog alone that long, but it's surprising how well they can do. Four hours is usually his max on being left alone.

 

[pimpmyretirement]

The FI part of being FIRE'D ended up being the most important factor. After decades of worrying about the next layoff or quarterly sales quota's I feel no pressure at work. (evidenced by the fact I'm posting here during the last hours before the year end closing).
As a matter of fact I actually enjoy my job. The funny thing is that my clients and peers treat me very well. This is due in no small part to my attitude.
Being FI has actually created a new lease on my working life. It's fun.

This, to me, is by far the most appealing part of the goal. Work becomes play when I can do whatever job I want, with the flexibility of no concern for my financial well being.

Already, LBYM has enabled me to take risks over the years that have improved my quality of life significantly.

 

[rescueme]

It's really as good as you let it be....

Very simple, very true.

That has been my experience (and no regrets at all).

For me, it has been much better than expected, or imagined.

I'm a "newbe" at retirement (and not ER at all, at age 59); however, it will be five years on May 1st, some four months from today.

Regrets? None at all.

Life better in retrirement? Do you have a few days to discuss? ...