FI/ER at 30. Anyone else in a similar boat?
- Thread starter tal930
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EastWest Gal
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Please introduce yourself and tell us more about yourself. Most of us arrived here the same way: LBYM, save, invest. Some were helped by an inheritance, some through stock options, etc. but most of us worked very hard and very long hours in high stress high pay positions. After working 25-30 years we feel we should and need to live the rest of our lives on our own terms.
You may be FI, but few RE at 30. The challenge for you is to create a happy and productive life without the financial incentive. We are all psychologically different at 30 than in our late 40s to early 60s.
So please share more of your story. If I were FI at 30 I wouldn't have retired as I didn't finish residency until I was 28, but may have chosen a very different track.
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You may be FI, but few RE at 30. The challenge for you is to create a happy and productive life without the financial incentive. We are all psychologically different at 30 than in our late 40s to early 60s.
So please share more of your story. If I were FI at 30 I wouldn't have retired as I didn't finish residency until I was 28, but may have chosen a very different track.
Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
Thanks for your reply.
I went from $0 to FI over the last 5 years, so it's been a bit jarring (in a good way!). I worked long hours the first year, but productivity shot up quickly, leading to results as a self-employed, commission-only professional. Of course, living below my means and socking away most income are a key part of it.
I'm basically devoting my time to hobbies, passion projects, non-profit work, but still have an obscene amount of free time. I'm new to my area and don't yet know any peers in this situation, so I figured this site be a nice place to hear from others.
Look forward to browsing and hearing more stories!
I went from $0 to FI over the last 5 years, so it's been a bit jarring (in a good way!). I worked long hours the first year, but productivity shot up quickly, leading to results as a self-employed, commission-only professional. Of course, living below my means and socking away most income are a key part of it.
I'm basically devoting my time to hobbies, passion projects, non-profit work, but still have an obscene amount of free time. I'm new to my area and don't yet know any peers in this situation, so I figured this site be a nice place to hear from others.
Look forward to browsing and hearing more stories!
NYEXPAT
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I ER'd at 33 (almost 34) 27 1/2 years ago. Traveled,partied,golf,tennis,skiing,dating occupied my early years. Got bored around 50 and started over again overseas. Made a bunch more money, many new friends, remarried (10 years ago) have a 9 year old son and a second son due this month. In a few years, planning another major relocation and once more when the YW retires. Enjoy the journey!
I quit working almost 5 years ago, at age 36.
Fulfillment means different things to different people, so perhaps you can tell us what it means to you. Some people seem to think that fulfillment can only come from paid work, or at least structured work that contributes or gives back to society. I disagree, though I think that "work", in its broadest sense, is a great way for me to find fulfillment. In my dictionary, work is defined as "an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result". There is no mention of many of the things people traditionally associate with work like compensation, set hours, or irksome bosses. So, ironically, I work a lot in retirement, putting much mental and physical efforts into activities I enjoy. I have a natural ability to concentrate and "get in the zone" when I enjoy the task at hand and I often lose track of time, which means that my days usually feel very short - and often too short.
35 about 10 years ago. Starting working in Australia in 1998 as a forex trader. Bought a $350K AUD 3000 square foot property on 2 acres in 2000 (x rate was .51) in 2000. Sold the property July 2005 (settlement did not happen until September because it had to get approval from the "tribunal" first) for $1.15M AUD (x rate was .762). Between the money from my job for 7 years and the dough from the property, stopped working July 25, 2005. Moved back to the States late 2005 (lived in VA, OH, TX, NV), got bored and moved to Thailand 2009 and traded THB, PHP, AUD, NZD and USD, made another pile of dough and moved backed to the States last year and traveled the U.S. and sold 3 houses that I purchased in 2009 (Vegas, Phoenix and San Antonio), which was added to my pile. Settled down this year and living off dividends.
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FUEGO
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Retired at 33 and I've enjoyed the last 18 months of early retirement.
I never really enjoyed work (in the 9 to 5, W-2 employee traditional sense).
I'll borrow FIREd's definition that he copied from the dictionary:
I think that sums up what life is all about these days (for me). I rarely get paid for anything I do, but that doesn't mean I don't do anything. I like to keep busy most of the time, but stopping to smell the roses (or stare blankly out the window) is something I try to do more of.
Between 3 young kids, travel, and indoor and outdoor hobbies, I haven't had a boring moment yet.
I never really enjoyed work (in the 9 to 5, W-2 employee traditional sense).
I'll borrow FIREd's definition that he copied from the dictionary:
I think that sums up what life is all about these days (for me). I rarely get paid for anything I do, but that doesn't mean I don't do anything. I like to keep busy most of the time, but stopping to smell the roses (or stare blankly out the window) is something I try to do more of.
Between 3 young kids, travel, and indoor and outdoor hobbies, I haven't had a boring moment yet.
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