Who has taken a 6-12 month "trial run"?
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Sarah in SC
Moderator Emeritus
Sorry, only 3 months here.
But yes, we came back wanting to save even more and work even harder to get to our FIRE goals. And yes, it sucked going back to work. Our quit work-go sailing-summer was in 2003, and I can still recall the wonderful times like it was yesterday.
But yes, we came back wanting to save even more and work even harder to get to our FIRE goals. And yes, it sucked going back to work. Our quit work-go sailing-summer was in 2003, and I can still recall the wonderful times like it was yesterday.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Sounds idyllic!!!
I wish I could do that right now, and I suppose that technically I could. But, as the saying goes, "It wouldn't be prudent at this juncture." Really, I think that listening to the sounds of the wind and water for a few months would do a lot for my peace of mind.
clifp
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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I took a year LOA when I retired. At the time I told my bosses and myself that there was 50/50 chance I'd go back to work after the end of the year. I figured it was a heads I win, tails I make more money situation. As late as one month before the LOA expired I seriously considered returning (I still had future options that were in the black.)
I didn't return and my options were underwater by the time they vested so it was a good decision. My company had 8 week+ vacation sabbatical every 7 years, so I did have a taste of the leisure life.
I didn't return and my options were underwater by the time they vested so it was a good decision. My company had 8 week+ vacation sabbatical every 7 years, so I did have a taste of the leisure life.
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I took a one year paid vacation (separation package with option to rehire after a year). It was a definite win/win. My stock options were priced in the 50's-70's and the share price was about $12. I figured worst case I get my old job back, probably a higher salary and way better option prices.
After a few months of looking at the finances (and girls in bikinis at the beach) I realized I didnt have to work. After six months I had no further interest in that four letter word 'work'....
Shortly before this I took a 3 month paid sabbatical. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I went back, it was very hard to get back into the routine. When you've been in the pot for a while with the hot water and the rest of the frogs, you dont notice how much crap is internally created and benefits nobody. Get out of the pot for a while...
After a few months of looking at the finances (and girls in bikinis at the beach) I realized I didnt have to work. After six months I had no further interest in that four letter word 'work'....
Shortly before this I took a 3 month paid sabbatical. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I went back, it was very hard to get back into the routine. When you've been in the pot for a while with the hot water and the rest of the frogs, you dont notice how much crap is internally created and benefits nobody. Get out of the pot for a while...
Not as much time as you're asking about, but:
- after I retired from the Navy I planned to take 90 days off before starting a "second career". It turned out to be 120 days because it took me a little longer to find a job than I had thought it would. It was a good taste of retirement, although it had always been my intention not to retire for good at that point.
- my "second career" turned out to be a few different jobs over a 6 year period, all but one of them with "beltway bandits" (defense contractors). Each time I left a job, I did not yet have another lined up but didn't worry about it. As a result, I had a few job hiatuses (hiatii?) of 2 - 3 months.
So, when I retired for good, I had a pretty good idea of what lay in store.
- after I retired from the Navy I planned to take 90 days off before starting a "second career". It turned out to be 120 days because it took me a little longer to find a job than I had thought it would. It was a good taste of retirement, although it had always been my intention not to retire for good at that point.
- my "second career" turned out to be a few different jobs over a 6 year period, all but one of them with "beltway bandits" (defense contractors). Each time I left a job, I did not yet have another lined up but didn't worry about it. As a result, I had a few job hiatuses (hiatii?) of 2 - 3 months.
So, when I retired for good, I had a pretty good idea of what lay in store.
toofrugalformycat
Full time employment: Posting here.
I quit, fed up and planning to go back to work sometime after a budget travel around the world. Back in town 14 months later, I was offered my same job back at six months on, six off. I couldn't pass it up. I didn't have quite enough month set aside to ER permanently, but it was close. So I needed some sort of way to set more money aside. So I guess you'd say I was happy to go back to work because I had a job share that gave me time off, yet was making decent money, and I needed the money.
But even though the worst of the problem people had left while I was gone (I'm assuming I wasn't the problem!) after three six-month stints, the money wasn't worth my time and stress, so I quit again. My health was so much better when not working, I figured being a little poorer and ERed was better than richer and dead.
Going back wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, probably because my six months on was in the winter, when I don't play outside as much, and I knew that six months off was coming.
Quitting my job to travel worked out extremely well for me, but I was also fortunate that the market was going up the entire time I was gone (and I traveled cheaply) so I had more money when I came back from my trip than when I left!
Did it convince me that ER was the way to go? Oh yes yes yesssss.
But even though the worst of the problem people had left while I was gone (I'm assuming I wasn't the problem!) after three six-month stints, the money wasn't worth my time and stress, so I quit again. My health was so much better when not working, I figured being a little poorer and ERed was better than richer and dead.
Going back wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, probably because my six months on was in the winter, when I don't play outside as much, and I knew that six months off was coming.
Quitting my job to travel worked out extremely well for me, but I was also fortunate that the market was going up the entire time I was gone (and I traveled cheaply) so I had more money when I came back from my trip than when I left!
Did it convince me that ER was the way to go? Oh yes yes yesssss.
ls99
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Yep, about 25 years ago, quit work, sold house, took off in a motorhome for 2 year bumming around the US. It was good practice for ER. Did all contiguous US states. ER was a no brainer.
HFWR
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Recently had seven months off after being downsized...
I could get used to that!
I could get used to that!
lazygood4nothinbum
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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apparently i'm on a 24-month trial now. i'll let ya know how it goes once i figure out just what it is that i think i'm doing.
Medit8
Recycles dryer sheets
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I took from October, 2005 to October 2006 off. Decided I wanted a break and figure out what I wanted to do in life. Wife got pregnant with number 2 (a lot of free time you know )and so decided it might be prudent to work for a few more years to ensure proper school funds were acquired.
Thoroughly enjoyed the year off and it was difficult to put the suit back on. However, now, almost 2 years hence, I am nearing my financial target and if all goes well, July next year will be the start of permanent ER. I'll be 46.
I learned a great deal being away from work for a full year. Probably the most important thing was behaviour modification relative to my marriage. After many years of my working and my wife staying at home, the daytime and travel separation (which engendered longing) was no longer present. We both had some adjusting to do, but it was a great rehearsal for the longer term and I'm happy I got a chance to do it. That is now one factor of ER I'm not worried about.
)and so decided it might be prudent to work for a few more years to ensure proper school funds were acquired.Thoroughly enjoyed the year off and it was difficult to put the suit back on. However, now, almost 2 years hence, I am nearing my financial target and if all goes well, July next year will be the start of permanent ER. I'll be 46.
I learned a great deal being away from work for a full year. Probably the most important thing was behaviour modification relative to my marriage. After many years of my working and my wife staying at home, the daytime and travel separation (which engendered longing) was no longer present. We both had some adjusting to do, but it was a great rehearsal for the longer term and I'm happy I got a chance to do it. That is now one factor of ER I'm not worried about.
I took a year's sabbatical in 1990 and realized how much I enjoyed the ER lifestyle. Did not have enough mullah back then to make it permanent so I reoriented my goals and lifestyle (earn as much as I could, save and invest as much as I could) so that I could ER, which I did in 2002, at 52. Been R'd for 6 years now - love it.
