Less than a month to age 27, using my money shovel to save.

[yaosio]

Hi everybody, I'm 26, close to 27, and just wanted to say hi. I'm on a bit different path than most everybody here, I don't plan on early retirement and plan on working at my current work place until they kick me out. This would be about 40-45 years away. This may seem strange to some, considering the forum is called "early retirement", but this is the only place I've found where people talk about retirement. Three day weekends are terrible on me and I can't wait for the work week to start up again.

I have low expenses and am able to save upwards of 50% of what I make a year; living with parents helps keeps costs low but I do pay them rent every month. My current retirement savings consist of a Vanguard Lifestrategy Growth fund (taxed), Roth IRA with a Vanguard target retirement 2050 fund, and a TCRS defined benefit plan (Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System).

Right now I have no plans for post-retirement, a lot can happen in 40 years and any plans I make now can easily be destroyed over those 40 years. Maybe a relative or two will get lucky and I'll fall down the stairs a day before I retire and they get a huge windfall.

 

[Retch The Grate]

Some of us are more interested in the FI part than the RE part, and that's fine. I can't imagine staying at one place for 40 years (in my industry making it to 4 years can make you an old-timer at a company), but I can understand loving your work

 

[yaosio]

It's government work, everybody stays forever.

 

[donheff]

Welcome and keep LBYMing and saving. Financial independence gives you flexibility. Who knows -- that fun job may turn sour in 20 or 30 years. Nice to have good options if that happens.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Yeah, it is amazing how a couple of decades just may change your way of thinking. Saving money like mad gives you options that your more-typical peers won't have down the road.

When I look back to my old self in my 20's I sometimes ask myself... Just what was I thinking ?

 

[HatePayingTaxes]

I'm in my early 30s and I also value FI and not so much RE... yet. But the more I read this board, I have a feeling that'll swift to RE later.

 

[jacob]

Dude, forget about 40 years, a lot can happen in 4 years(!)

When I was your age, I didn't even take weekends. I showed up to work Saturdays and Sundays voluntarily, no pay. I also didn't imagine me ever doing anything else---even if they kicked me out with a pension, I'd still be working on the projects out of my bedroom or whatever.

Six years later, I had done a 180. I couldn't wait to get home from work so I could "pursue other interests". I took all the weekends and vacation time I could get my hands on. Eventually I just retired. I was glad that my younger self had decided to save the money to make that decision possible.

 

[obgyn65]

Welcome, yaosio.

 

[harley]

Hi everybody, I'm 26, close to 27, and just wanted to say hi. I'm on a bit different path than most everybody here, I don't plan on early retirement and plan on working at my current work place until they kick me out. This would be about 40-45 years away. This may seem strange to some, considering the forum is called "early retirement", but this is the only place I've found where people talk about retirement. Three day weekends are terrible on me and I can't wait for the work week to start up again.

I have low expenses and am able to save upwards of 50% of what I make a year; living with parents helps keeps costs low but I do pay them rent every month. My current retirement savings consist of a Vanguard Lifestrategy Growth fund (taxed), Roth IRA with a Vanguard target retirement 2050 fund, and a TCRS defined benefit plan (Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System).

Right now I have no plans for post-retirement, a lot can happen in 40 years and any plans I make now can easily be destroyed over those 40 years. Maybe a relative or two will get lucky and I'll fall down the stairs a day before I retire and they get a huge windfall.

Sweet! Can you maybe specify that your 40+ years of Social Security taxes go directly to my account? You could be my sugar daddy (mama?).

Seriously, if you love your job, work forever. I wish I could find something that I love that someone would pay me for. Doing whatever I want when I want is a good second best, though.

 

[Nords]

I'm on a bit different path than most everybody here, I don't plan on early retirement and plan on working at my current work place until they kick me out. This would be about 40-45 years away. This may seem strange to some, considering the forum is called "early retirement", but this is the only place I've found where people talk about retirement. Three day weekends are terrible on me and I can't wait for the work week to start up again.

Speaking of Vanguard, you might want to try Bogleheads :: Index

 

[yaosio]

Thanks for the Boggleheads link, I've been to their Wiki but did not know they had a forum.

I agree that's it's hard to say what will happen in just 4 years. I've actually not changed much over the last 10 years, but a sudden forced lifestyle change could easily change my plans for the future.

 

[KingB]

II've actually not changed much over the last 10 years, but a sudden forced lifestyle change could easily change my plans for the future.

I would expect lots of changes from 16 yo to a 26 yo unless you matured when you were 16.