A year ago I called it quits, after my wife had passed away unexpectedly 6 months prior. Definitely has been the best decision I ever made! I've spent the last year focusing on getting fit by rock climbing, helping my 2 daughters navigate through the loss of their mom, and clearing out my house in prep for downsizing a few years down the road.
Between transporting my 8th grader to and from school, shopping for and making dinner, keeping up with house issues, and Ebay'ing / donating excess crap, I can't imagine how I'd be able to fit a full-time job in here. The days just fly by; never a dull moment it seems.
Financially it's going well so far. My investment portfolio, which had barely crossed a million a year ago, is nearing one and a quarter. My withdrawal's are pretty low, because I'm getting > $3k survivors benefits for my kids and myself. I may get a part-time job at the lifetime fitness where I climb, to give me a bit of extra pocket money.
Note to those with kids: Get your term life insurance! We had $200k on my wife and being able to payoff the house really helped with dealing with the loss. A definite factor in being able to quit and be there for my kids when I'm needed most. Fifteen bucks a month very well spent.
Physically, I'm in better shape now at 50 than I've ever been in the past. That has been an incredible positive in my life, more than I can put into words. Having time to go to the gym frequently, without having to 'squeeze it in' around work responsibilities, is wonderful.
Emotionally, while my job was not high-stress, I feel SO much more relaxed than while working. Don't underestimate the value of inner peace.
While my situation is different than most, raising my kids w/o their mom, I just wanted to check in and say I made the jump and I'm loving it. If you are on the fence, why wait? You never know when (like my wife at 46 years old) your number might be up.
Between transporting my 8th grader to and from school, shopping for and making dinner, keeping up with house issues, and Ebay'ing / donating excess crap, I can't imagine how I'd be able to fit a full-time job in here. The days just fly by; never a dull moment it seems.
Financially it's going well so far. My investment portfolio, which had barely crossed a million a year ago, is nearing one and a quarter. My withdrawal's are pretty low, because I'm getting > $3k survivors benefits for my kids and myself. I may get a part-time job at the lifetime fitness where I climb, to give me a bit of extra pocket money.
Note to those with kids: Get your term life insurance! We had $200k on my wife and being able to payoff the house really helped with dealing with the loss. A definite factor in being able to quit and be there for my kids when I'm needed most. Fifteen bucks a month very well spent.
Physically, I'm in better shape now at 50 than I've ever been in the past. That has been an incredible positive in my life, more than I can put into words. Having time to go to the gym frequently, without having to 'squeeze it in' around work responsibilities, is wonderful.
Emotionally, while my job was not high-stress, I feel SO much more relaxed than while working. Don't underestimate the value of inner peace.
While my situation is different than most, raising my kids w/o their mom, I just wanted to check in and say I made the jump and I'm loving it. If you are on the fence, why wait? You never know when (like my wife at 46 years old) your number might be up.
