Recent content by A Bird In Hand

| -- 2012 -- | -- [2013] -- | -- 2014 -- | -- 2015 -- | -- 2016 -- | -- 2017 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2019 -- | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 Retirement| $500k | [$627k] | $755k | $884k | $920k | $1,088k | $1,272k | $1,377k | $1,520k | $2,145k | $2,150k Savings| $165k |[$142] | $120k | $105k |...

Say what? My first post here was nine years ago, and here I am at 45, not retiring. :D | -- 2012 -- | -- [2013] -- | -- 2014 -- | -- 2015 -- | -- 2016 -- | -- 2017 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2019 -- | 2020 | 2021 Retirement| $500k | [$627k] | $755k | $884k | $920k | $1,088k | $1,272k...

| -- 2012 -- | -- [2013] -- | -- 2014 -- | -- 2015 -- | -- 2016 -- | -- 2017 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2019 -- | 2020 Retirement| $500k | [$627k] | $755k | $884k | $920k | $1,088k | $1,272k | $1,377k | $1,520k Savings| $165k |[$142] | $120k | $105k | $90k | $76k | $67k | $50k | $42k...

Hah, nicely done! I like to quip that, without the mortgage, I can afford to save more, work less, or spend more -- and I expect to do a bit of all three. But in our case we've already done all the heavy lifting over the last 20+ years WRT retirement savings. The "save more" will probably just...

I"m glad to hear you're enjoying your PT schedule! What does your 80% look like -- Fridays off? I'm considering that, or possibly 7 hours M-Thu and half-day Friday. Like you, 80% is just the first stop I'm planning on the downshift train. If it goes well (and if management is amenable), I...

Thanks man! Heck yeah, I'm a little giddy thinking about how the implications of no longer having the mortgage.

Thank you! It gives us a lot of satisfaction to have worked toward this milestone for almost 10 years, and finally see it come to fruition.

Mortgage update I usually do a yearly financial update in this thread in May. I plan on doing this again in a few months, but I wanted to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to announce that as of yesterday we have paid off the mortgage! I'm keenly aware of the pay off vs don't pay...

| -- 2012 -- | -- [2013] -- | -- 2014 -- | -- 2015 -- | -- 2016 -- | -- 2017 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2019 -- Retirement| $500k | [$627k] | $755k | $884k | $920k | $1,088k | $1,272k | $1,377k Savings| $165k |[$142] | $120k | $105k | $90k | $76k | $67k | $50k Mortgage| $237k | $213k |...

Similar numbers here at the end of Q3: $1.7MM NW, $1.4 invested, $300k equity in primary residence. Even with mediocre market performance we should reach our FI goal in ~3 years at age 45. I'm a little envious of that $120k/year rental income though. Nice job!

$95k is a relatively small amount, so it really doesn't matter much what you do. Investing in something like VTI for 10+ years is likely to maximize your return. But if you'd rather not do that for whatever reason, then certainly paying off 4.25% debt looks better than getting 2% MM returns...

Recast/re-ammortization. Our P&I is about $1,700/mo, but because of previous past payments we could recast and the new P&I would be < $600/mo. We're considering doing this and continuing the same P&I + extra payments as we're making now -- simply to give us the option to dial back in the event...

Definitely! Looking back at our portfolio growth provides a nice counterpoint to a line from Stephen Stills' (arguably) best song: "Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now."

Thanks MIMH -- I'm glad you found this interesting! It's never too early (or too late) to start developing a plan. In fact the planning/dreaming/imagining part of FIRE is probably half the fun, at least for those of us to whom the journey is as important as the destination. It's definitely...

Thanks! I think we like our jobs enough to keep working at least part time indefinitely -- until we don't like the jobs anymore, or until something else comes along that seems like a more appealing use of our time. Yeah, I selectively check my balances frequently (when the markets are on fire)...