Where will you be in five years?

[Major Tom]

5 years ago I was still working, but half-expecting to be laid off within a few years. A year later I was indeed laid off, and began my slow transition to my current state of ESR. Given that my part-time cash-in-hand gig is so minor that it only pays me around 700-$800/year (for just a few hours of work) I'm as good as ER.

5 years from now, I predict that I will still be ER, living in a LazyDaze RV with my 2 cats, and slowly crawling around Northern California. Fingers crossed

 

[foxfirev5]

5 years ago I was at the peak of my career and hadn't found this forum. My how things change in a few years. Still working with 2 new Grandchildren. Who know what the next 5 will bring. I just want to be around for the ride.

 

[NW-Bound]

5 years from now, I predict that I will still be ER, living in a LazyDaze RV with my 2 cats, and slowly crawling around Northern California. Fingers crossed

I hope you will find your LazyDaze soon.

I read a blog of a guy who upgraded from a Chalet to a LazyDaze which he bought for less than $10K. Surely, it's 18-yr old, but the photos he showed looked good, inside and out. It had 64K miles, and still ran well.

You've got to keep looking, my friend.

 

[Midpack]

Hopefully I will have quit MegaCorp and gone on to something more enjoyable (and lower paying), and living somewhere we'd like to live. Too bad I don't know what I want to do or where I want to live - but we're giving both a lot of thought these days. Even though we're in good condition, like so many, healthcare is what keeps us from hanging up MegaCorp (and a high salary).

I did retire 3 years later, but so far no second career (still don't know what), and still not sure where we want to live...ask me again in 5 years, what's the hurry?

 

[Major Tom]

I hope you will find your LazyDaze soon.

I read a blog of a guy who upgraded from a Chalet to a LazyDaze which he bought for less than $10K. Surely, it's 18-yr old, but the photos he showed looked good, inside and out. It had 64K miles, and still ran well.

You've got to keep looking, my friend.

Thanks NW-Bound. That's exactly the age and mileage of LD I'll be looking for. I'm hoping to put full solar on the roof too and do it all for 20K or less. Unfortunately, I can't afford to get an RV now - the budget dictates that I either have an apartment or an RV, but not both, so I'm biding my time in this affordable apartment for the next few years and hoping the stash grows a little.

There's a guy in this neck of the woods who used to work for LD. For a fee, he will come out and inspect any LD his customer is thinking of buying. He also keeps an eye out for good used LD's for his customers, and will do maintenance and work on them too - a really good guy to know.

The time will come, and when it does, my kitties and I will be ready to make the leap.

 

[FIYes]

I didn't see this thread five years ago, but if I had I would have said that I hoped to be retired by now. Glad to report that I am happily retired. Hope that five years from now I am still in the same house and that DH and I have taken at least five great trips. I budget for one big trip each year.

 

[grasshopper]

I wasn't here 5 years ago, but had already retired bought the ranch and was watching my portfolio slowly sink out of sight. Well kind of sold the lake house in 2006, and had most, if not all of the sale in 5% MMF, remember those? Hadn't really planned any farther than what's for lunch, and is the beer cold yet?

 

[RAE]

5 years ago I was still working........been retired for 3 years now. Retired a little sooner than I anticipated, but it worked out great in the end. Bought a lake cottage just before we retired, which we love, and use a lot now. Five years from now, I fully expect that I will be living in the same house and enjoying many of the same activities that I enjoy now (with a few new things thrown in from time to time, of course). I've moved plenty during my life, and I have absolutely no desire to do it again, especially since we are living in a place that we both enjoy (in a house that is paid for ).

 

[haha]

I am happy with my life, so my main goal for the next 5 years is to stay reasonably healthy and alive.

If I were to come up with a bucket list, most of the things would detract from my enjoyment of life by using up time that I can better use in current ways.

Ha

 

[Tree-dweller]

Five years ago, I was a year into the new position that: A) drove me to want to retire early, and B) greatly aided my ability to fund ER. I remember a colleague at the time (one who I had beat out for the position) asking me if my plan was to retire from that new position. At that point, I was still looking at retirement as being on the distant, hazy horizon (and therefore not even aware of this forum). Four years later, he proved to be a prophet.

 

[Huston55]

I didn't know of this forum 5 yrs ago. But, I would have said that FIRE is my primary financial goal and that I plan to FIRE before 60; how much before being portfolio dependent.

In the past 5 yrs, I've changed jobs and moved (same MegaCorp), and am still on track to FIRE before 60. Although, I can say I wish I was already there. Soon though, very soon.

 

[Caoineag]

In 5 years, I will be 30

we should own a house by then (with only 11 years left on the mortgage)

we should have most of the remodeling finished on said home

we will have maxed out our tax-preferred savings options and will have taxable investments at least started

we will have been to at least foreign countries during that time

we will have picked up at least 3 knew hobbies in that time

The rest I have no clue about.

We own the house, not even close on the remodeling but enough to be happy and number 3 would have been true except that a series of layoffs eventually led us both to access to 401(k)s vastly increasing our tax-preferred options. Nonetheless, number 3 should be true by the end of this year.

Number 4 did not come to pass because we have been exploring the US instead and number 5 was exceeded as usual (we love to learn new things).

Thanks for resurrecting this, 2007 is when I started to getting my financials in order so it was interesting to see this. Surprised how accurate I was given the number of layoffs we went through between then and now.

 

[Rambler]

By then I will be 51 and FIREd for about 3 years. I currently have two homes and will have sold one. The other is a couple acres and not yet landscaped...it will be done before the 5 years is over. Along with Want2Retire, I'll be planning my garden for the coming spring. Probably, I'll be relaxing on the veranda in the morning with a cup of cocoa, or perhaps cuddling in front of the woodstove on a cold morning. I'll get up some mornings and decide I want to go visit a friend or family a few states away. In essence, I'll do what I want, when I want...

R

As predicted, I am 51. That's where my predictive accuracy ends ;-).

I just retired, 3 years later that I had imagined. That is partly due to the economic situation but also partly due to having no succession in place and ready until now. DW and I so far have sat on the veranda with a cup of cocoa exactly two times, and I've cuddled our new puppy in front of the woodstove. I have laid out markings for a fence, a firewood shed, and a kennel. I got my backhoe reattached to my tractor just yesterday after having to fight with it for hours and order a new part, but haven't gotten as far as using it in the landscaping yet. I have a general idea of where my garden will be and will use the backhoe and tractor to do some leveling and prep. Later today we are going to decide on some of the tree locations (DWs cherry trees). We did drive to LA to visit DD & DSIL.

I'm still not decompressed, it's only been 3 weeks. The move is not complete...expect the shipment from Japan in 2-3 more weeks, then expect it to take a couple months to put things away and toss more stuff we realize we don't need.

R

 

[tulak]

I'm curious to read this again in 5 years, so I can't pass up adding to the thread...

Both DW and I will still be working. Closer to FI, but not quite there. Probably have another 3-4 years. Maybe we'll start ESR, but I think the current job will be hard to leave unless things get bad. DS will be in his first year of college - we hope. Or not. I just want him to find something he enjoys and most importantly, that he's employable making decent money. We'll see how it goes. DD will be in her 3rd year of HS. Once the kids are out, our expenses go down a lot, which will help with FIRE. That's probably why it'll take another 8-9 years...

 

[arky]

Wasn't a member 5 years ago (joined Jan 2012), but I did retire 5 years ago. Back then I would have said I hoped to live a comfortable lifestyle and have more investible assets than what I retired with. Fortunately, both wishes have come true ! Looking forward to the next 5 !!

 

[Niko]

I'm curious to read this again in 5 years, so I can't pass up adding to the thread...

I started the thread, and I too will be curious to check back in five years from now. My prediction from 5 years ago was actually not too far off the mark, so let me try again.

Unlike five years ago, I'm not planning any career changes in the next five years. I plan to still be working for the same employer. My job is transitory, so I'll be in a different location. But same job.

This almost goes without saying, but I predict I will have maxed out my TSP and both my and my wife's Roth IRAs each year.

I predict that I will have hit 6 new countries.

I predict that I will still have some student loans, but I should be within a couple years of paying them off.

Most importantly, I predict I'll be five years closer to ER, but still 14 years from the prize. This is Young Dreamers, ain't it?

Yeah, these aren't very bold predictions, but I guess I'm not planning anything bold in the next few years

 

[traineeinvestor]

I wasn't around here five years ago, but in January 2008 I lowered my target retirement age from 50 (in 2016) to 47 (in 2013).

I've now handed in my informal notice and agreed exit arrangements with my employer for later this year.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Retired, still working or dead--in order of preference.

Still working. Expect to not be working in 5 years for one of the other two reasons. DW says I am only working 2 more years, but the work is good and the pay is outtasight.

But it is hard to make predictions, especially about the future.

 

[Meadbh]

My previous five year prediction was uncannily accurate. So I am going to outline what I hope for five years from now, and maybe it will be good karma. I would like to be enjoying a healthy retirement with plenty of activities and travel. This might include some snowbirding. I want to be learning about new things, e.g. art, cooking, new cultures. I would like my net worth to be greater than it is now (in other words, I am hoping that the markets do well).

Here's hoping!

 

[FIREd]

Five years ago, I felt like we were on a clear path to the future. Not so much anymore. It's hard to predict where we'll be in 5 years. I expect lots of changes over the coming years. Probably a move. DW retiring. And who knows what the money situation will be.

 

[Koogie]

Fatter and drunker, god willing....

 

[Sarah in SC]

I was pleased with my predictions, but think maybe that I don't know as well how the next 5 will play out. Like FIREd, I just don't think the path is quite as clear. I know DH will be quitting his job, but whether he'll go back to work after a year off is hard to say. I'm planning to work another 5, but who knows if something else will present itself. I guess I am in less sure mode as for predictions--must be a byproduct of the 40s.

 

[heeyy_joe]

I took a seven year break from management jobs to work a lesser paying job in a field that interested me (stock brokerage). It turned out to be very valuable experience that will serve me well for the rest of my life. I then returned to management with new vigor. Money isn't everything, I think you are on the right path, afterall it worked for me! Best. Joe

 

[braumeister]

I wasn't on this forum five years ago, but I can certainly visualize what I would have said. Did my ER thing at 55, so five years ago, I had been retired for six years already.

At that time, I expected DW to hang it up any day, since the stress of w*rk was already starting to get to her. Much to my surprise, she stuck it out for another two years before deciding enough was enough.

As it happened, just about the time she was getting ready to give notice, she learned of an opening in the same place doing something she had enjoyed doing many years previously, at half the salary and half the stress of her current job. She decided that she enjoyed the social aspects of w*rking enough to go for it, and has pretty much enjoyed the last three years in that role.

Finally, she has admitted that the time has come, so she will retire for real this coming summer. It won't be early retirement, but she's beginning to look forward to it, so that's good enough for me.

For the next five years, I see us doing lots of travel and generally living the good life while we're still able to enjoy it to the fullest. Already booked an Alaskan cruise and starting to look into visiting some of the parts of Europe we haven't been to yet.

Financially, we're set. Pensions cover nearly all our essential living expenses, so our WR will be low, at least after we have some fun with it over the next couple of years.

The only thing I need to work on in the short term is to continue simplifying the portfolio so it can run on autopilot most of the time and give me the space to take up another hobby or two.

 

[utrecht]

My wife and I both expect to retire almost exactly 2 yrs from now, now in 5 yrs we will have been retired for 3 yrs. We will have sold our house and moved to Florida near relatives. Our son will have graduated high school and hopefully be a freshman in college. Since he is out of school we will have started the extensive travel that we have been planning for many yrs, including a semi perpetual travel type lifestyle where we move from place to place for a year or so and then come back to home base. DW plans to soak her brain with knowledge by going to culinary school, taking photography classes, ect. I plan to be less ambitious.