Class of 2018

ikubak said:
I’m done. I signed up for class of 2016 and chickened out. I signed up for class of 2017 and I stayed on to help my boss through a hard time. I signed up for class of 2018 and kept my promise to myself. Today was my last day.
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IKubak, that’s amazing and many congratulations. Can you tell us more of your story?
 
poppydog said:
IKubak, that’s amazing and many congratulations. Can you tell us more of your story?
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Since poppy asked and I have plenty of time now...I'll try to keep it short and I'll start from the beginning. I believe certain personality types are more geared toward saving. I have always been a saver, since I was a kid. I'm not saying other personality types can't save, just saying no one ever had to convince me saving was a good thing.

When I got into the working world I continued to save and got lucky and married a beautiful, hard-working saver. This was probably the best financial move I ever made although the financial aspect of it was never a thought. We had a son and once he was born we started saving for his college. He joined the Marines and will get the GI bill when he is done with his active duty in November, so his college is paid for. We gave him the education IRA we started so his Master's degree is fully funded as well. If he doesn't use it, he can use it for his kids. Once he was on the military payroll, we also started his Roth IRA and fully funded it for a year to get him started. Savers gonna save, that's what we do.

We both worked but we took two years off each to raise our son while the other spouse kept working. We moved from the big city to a small(erish) college town when my son finished 2nd grade because we thought it was a better place for him. We didn't have jobs in the college town but I commuted and got a job at the university within a year. We downsized our house (took the proceeds from our city house and paid cash for the next house) and continued to lived modestly. Moving was a great decision in hindsight.

I found the Early Retirement Forum in 2007 and immediately knew there were a lot of financially wise people and information here. I had always saved but without a singular focus. Savers gonna save, right? I had already read some of the great retirement/investing books (Your Money or Your Life, The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need, Random Walk Down Wall Street, etc.) but this forum was a huge help because it applied financial strategies to individual situations. I learned a lot by reading how other people handled their finances and prepared for RE.

Around 2008, I thought we were getting close to where we could retire but I kept telling DW that we needed one more correction while we were putting away a lot of $ to get us over the hump. Well, we got it. 2008-09 was the worst bear market I had ever seen. This forum was a huge help at that time because the media made it sound like we would be hunting and gathering for our next meal but on this forum, everyone was relatively calm. Everyone was staying the course.

We survived the crisis and around 2012 I sat DW down and showed her that we were very close to ER. She liked my presentation so much that she came up with her own plan....she semi-retired (cut back to 2 days a week) to see if it was good and she proclaimed it...very good. So good in fact that she fully retired two years later. I had considered leaving my job as well due to the high stress nature of it but I decided to transfer to a different unit and that worked out very well. I liked the people I worked with and the job in my new dept. but I was still tied to a job and I couldn't travel or have my own schedule. I was going to RE in 2016 but I stayed on for no particular reason, just OMY syndrome. Then I was going to pull the trigger in April of 2017 but a coworker left giving us very short notice so I stayed until my boss could get a replacement hired and trained. I told my team a year before I retired about my plan and formally gave notice in November 2017. I'm 55 so I got a few strange looks from people when my retirement was announced and I got several questions about why and what I was going to be doing. But that's all in the past and today just feels like a weekend. I'm going to Mexico for 5 weeks on Saturday and am looking forward to some warm weather.

In summary, the things that allowed me to ER include marrying the right wife and staying married, reading the right books and having a plan, downsizing the house and living debt free, and finally, finding ER Forum and learning from other people who were trying to do the same thing I was.
 
ikubak, what a great story. Thank you for the inspiration!

I also married a saver. She is maybe a bit more LBYM than me even. However, she is generous, and it rubbed off on me. I am thankful for learning the joy of giving from her.
 
Great post ikubak. I have a very similar story right down to the part about telling your team a year before you gave your final notice. MY DW shares the same frugal values as myself. I will be FIREing this year at 54.
 
Senioritis anyone?

I'm a relatively recent joiner of your community. As my target exit from a Megacorp type place approaches, you are all helping me keep my sanity with your personal stories.

Me - I recently have been feeling like an anxious high school senior awaiting spring graduation! Coincidentally, I am targeting late May/late June 2018, graduation season. I have to see how many more months and weeks I can stand it, while stashing away one final 40k1 max contribution. I'm just obsessed with getting the heck out of the crazy rat race and not doing or saying something stupid in the meantime that gets me fired. But after my anniversary in mid-Feb., I will be free to go. Not sure I can make it much past that but I'm going to try - like I always do - or I wouldn't be in this fortunate situation to be able to get out early. Still leaving a ton of potential income on the table but time and my sanity is worth more.

I used to enjoy my career, dedicated myself to helping improve whatever company/group I was a part of. But ugh! Everyone is a self-serving texting two-bit news reporter (gossiper), better to look good than be good type. Nothing wrong with looking good, or looking 'the part', but does no one have a soul anymore? --That they are allowed to or dare to let out at the office?. Does no one have actual real life communications anymore that would constitute an actual conversation, ya know, a free sharing of ideas?

In 20 years ,these personality-free dopes we leave behind will be replace by computers/robots/AI. And they'll be surprised when it happens.

Senioritis - sometimes it's a good thing!:dance::dance::dance:
 
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Senioritis? Oh yeah, pretty severe too. Spent part of the day adjusting my 401k so I max it out (May timeframe). Having trouble dealing "with the most important problem EVER!!!!" kind of discussions.

For them, everything is a fire. Guess what? No it is not. Just about everything in akidagain2018's post rings true, except for the good looking part. I'm certainly the best looking around here. :)
 
akidagain - that's a brilliant and inspiring post, and I'm willing to bet that many of us here relate to it massively.

I particulary love this excerpt:

"Still leaving a ton of potential income on the table but time and my sanity is worth more."

How true! Anyone being overwhelmed by "one more year" syndrome should read this and reflect......
 
Still on target for 9/30!

Now with 16% more total saved than planned -- thanks to the stock market! I know that will soon get slapped back down, but it will help my sequence of returns problem considerably.

2yrs expenditures in cash, 5 years expenditures in after-tax should help me Roth-convert for a while at the beginning.

Struggling now with when to let folks know at w*^k. As usual, unique situation.....

Can't stand it! The loop is waiting!

great-loop.jpg
 
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poppydog said:
akidagain - that's a brilliant and inspiring post, and I'm willing to bet that many of us here relate to it massively.

I particulary love this excerpt:

"Still leaving a ton of potential income on the table but time and my sanity is worth more."

How true! Anyone being overwhelmed by "one more year" syndrome should read this and reflect......
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Yeah, I may end up staying longer, so OMY, or sixMY, but that's the money left on the table. I've worked long and hard to get here, realigning my plan over time to unforeseen life events, and market crash a la, what 2007, can't remember when the worst of it was. I keep reminding myself I am reaching my goal! I should celebrate that, not fear lost income Ii don't need. I've been more financially successful than I ever could have imagined. So why could I need more money? I have a close friend I used to work with who jumped off the big Co train many years ago. He hated it. I kinda ignored it as long as I was oblivious, head down grinding out work, all over the globe in some cases. Now I need to refocus on what I really WANT to do with my time and brain power, my heart.
 
poppydog said:
akidagain - that's a brilliant and inspiring post, and I'm willing to bet that many of us here relate to it massively.

I particulary love this excerpt:

"Still leaving a ton of potential income on the table but time and my sanity is worth more."

How true! Anyone being overwhelmed by "one more year" syndrome should read this and reflect......
Click to expand...

I can certainly relate. I will be leaving a large salary (to me) behind and a position where I could, somewhat, retire in place.

By retiring my revenue will decrease to about 65% of current gross salary which still leaves us well above median household income for the area. There is so much I want to do but can't because of being at the office. Some of it as simple and inexpensive as getting my two acres of woods and out buildings cleaned up and squared away. Then gardening, maybe mess with chickens, put more time into my beagles (AKC competitions, hunting dogs and companions), plus grandkids, photography, Church activities....and the list goes on.

Still there is some nervousness as I near the launch date, but more anxiety at the thought of staying on longer.
 
DW put in her papers, 03/02/2018 will be her last day to report, using paid vacation through first week in April.


Now it’s my turn?!?!?
 
FIREmenow said:
Still on target for 9/30!

Now with 16% more total saved than planned -- thanks to the stock market! I know that will soon get slapped back down, but it will help my sequence of returns problem considerably.

2yrs expenditures in cash, 5 years expenditures in after-tax should help me Roth-convert for a while at the beginning.

Struggling now with when to let folks know at w*^k. As usual, unique situation.....

Can't stand it! The loop is waiting!

great-loop.jpg
Click to expand...

Wave as you pass by my house on Chesapeake Bay.
 
Senioritis? The days are just dragging. I have one big energy-draining project to finish in early March, and then it's just bookkeeping until June 30 or July 31. I haven't told any boss yet - I seldom see them in person, and I do want to tell them in person. I am ducking training sessions for programs that won't start until 2019. I am keeping a list (it's up to 7 items) of soul-crushing activities (things like "developing an assessment program for your unit that includes a 'rubric'") that I will be able to avoid. My mental metaphors are increasing rapidly (as I've mentioned, the most frequent is that I am a small mammal in a field with my tall grass hiding places being mowed down - but there is a hole under the fence and I am just going to scoot under it). Our current contract ends June 30. The long-promised budget realignment is to take place in fall 2018. And on and on. Time to go. But getting there - a slow plod, but I keep motivating myself by thinking about how great it is going to feel. Is that wrong? We've read for so long that you shouldn't live in the future. But I haven't really, I've slowly amped up travel, developed a hobby into a passion, have at least managed cardio exercise for many years, and now am working my way through appointments. Next week is my third and final attendance at our institution's "retirement seminars." I have a physical and eye exam on the books for March.
How are the rest of you doing getting through these final weeks and months?
 
Pellice said:
Senioritis? The days are just dragging. I have one big energy-draining project to finish in early March, and then it's just bookkeeping until June 30 or July 31. I haven't told any boss yet - I seldom see them in person, and I do want to tell them in person. I am ducking training sessions for programs that won't start until 2019. I am keeping a list (it's up to 7 items) of soul-crushing activities (things like "developing an assessment program for your unit that includes a 'rubric'") that I will be able to avoid. My mental metaphors are increasing rapidly (as I've mentioned, the most frequent is that I am a small mammal in a field with my tall grass hiding places being mowed down - but there is a hole under the fence and I am just going to scoot under it). Our current contract ends June 30. The long-promised budget realignment is to take place in fall 2018. And on and on. Time to go. But getting there - a slow plod, but I keep motivating myself by thinking about how great it is going to feel. Is that wrong? We've read for so long that you shouldn't live in the future. But I haven't really, I've slowly amped up travel, developed a hobby into a passion, have at least managed cardio exercise for many years, and now am working my way through appointments. Next week is my third and final attendance at our institution's "retirement seminars." I have a physical and eye exam on the books for March.
How are the rest of you doing getting through these final weeks and months?
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I am having the same mental gyrations. 34 weeks left now. Haven't decided when to give notice. Trying to find interest in new short-term projects at w@rk......
 
20 weeks to go, my official retirement date is Jun 30th. I have been doing OMY for the last several years, but this time is firm :)
 
How am I doing? Ups and downs.

We can do this! But there is this nagging doubt. I mean, this is a big move! And for me, there's no re-do. It would not be easy to re-enter the profession due to the speed of change, and the fact that Megacorp has had me working on legacy stuff.

Have I really been working at this for over 33 years? With my plan, I'm down to the last %0.9 of my career. Wow. And is that "enough" of a career? I turn on TV and see someone accomplished in their 70's solving world problems. Oh no! Is it too early? That devil on the shoulder is speaking evil nothings in my ear giving me the seduction of OMY.

Then I come into w*rk, and get "soul crushed" (nice term recently used in this thread) by a bully manager, and OMY evaporates quickly.
 
I will not pull the plug in 2018 but do not want to take my name off the list until my plan firms up. Here it is so far: Sold golf course townhouse in May via contract for deed. Good news is that the buyer is letting me take all the deductions for 2017. When that finalizes, I will have 30K profit to pad the taxable accounts. Upgrading rental house in San Diego for a May/June sale. Market is high there so anticipate a quick high priced sale. Doing some pre marketing now. Current job is funded thru Sept. Should get re upped for a few more years so not worried on that front. Think I will go full 2018 and maybe full year 2019. I can't see working all of 2020. I think full thru mid March then cut back to 30/wk (work from home). Customer should be fine with that. I will see how that goes and eventually cut to 20/wk in maybe 2021. DW will be 50 in 2021 and 10 years on her current job (2nd pension too). She might be interested in cutting back at that point. DS and DD will be 28 and 25 that year so maybe a bit more settled. They are both on there own and working but mobile. DD is in Australia short term and DS in the USMC. My conservative planning puts my 401K at 500K, IRA's at 100K and taxable at 100K in 2021. I will continue to pull in 15K/yr as a sports official. Military pension will continue at 60K/yr for me and 40k/yr for DW. Tracking expenses and looking like 100K spend in retirement. Two biggest challenges are being addressed: #1. Convincing DW. #2. Figuring out what to do all day. Being busy isn't the issue. The issue is keeping the mind sharp. During my trial ER in 2015 for 8 months I was busy but bored mentally. Keeping my name on the 2018 list for now with move to 2020 or so in the next few months with more planning.
 
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The over/under is December

It's still premature to add my name to the list, although if I miss going out this year it probably won't be by much.

I am targeting a December exit, but there is a key unknown regarding upcoming changes to Megacorp's retirement plan. If they screw us early, I could be gone early; if they offer a retention incentive I might stick around for a limited time. I just don't know.

This is very much the story of my life, and I suppose the story of a lot of the engineers and accountants here. Our nature drives us to make data-based decisions, but more often than not we must wait for a ponderously long time for the data to become available. Or else we wait in vain because in the end what data we do get is incomplete.

Life would be so much simpler (maybe not easier, just simpler) if I were more impulsive!

Cue Carly Simon here: Anticipation, anticipation is making me late, is keeping me waiting...
 
Mdlerth said:
It's still premature to add my name to the list, although if I miss going out this year it probably won't be by much.

I am targeting a December exit, but there is a key unknown regarding upcoming changes to Megacorp's retirement plan. If they screw us early, I could be gone early; if they offer a retention incentive I might stick around for a limited time. I just don't know.

This is very much the story of my life, and I suppose the story of a lot of the engineers and accountants here. Our nature drives us to make data-based decisions, but more often than not we must wait for a ponderously long time for the data to become available. Or else we wait in vain because in the end what data we do get is incomplete.

Life would be so much simpler (maybe not easier, just simpler) if I were more impulsive!

Cue Carly Simon here: Anticipation, anticipation is making me late, is keeping me waiting...
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Agree. I am (was) in the same boat, with a good bit of FOMO thrown in.

However, this year my extra-curricular passion and desire to get out on the water full-time has trumped any and all else. Just 34 weeks left now......
 
I haven't added my name to the 2018 list but was eyeing 6/1/18 as a potential retirement date, depending on the market and the health insurance situation. This week's market performance has me rethinking things (for now). I obviously have no intention of retiring into the beginning of a bear. All this means I have to be careful of mentally retiring from work too early, otherwise, it will be a long, painful glide path at mega corp to ER.
 
Pellice said:
How are the rest of you doing getting through these final weeks and months?
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It is a very tough slog. I knew I had to get out of megacorp, but couldn't say anything because I knew from experience that I could be arrested and given the perp walk, er, immediately terminated and escorted from the building.

As a result, it was painful to have to participate in the endless time-wasting, soul crushing, mandatory feel good activities and initiatives that my company imposed on people simply trying to do their jobs. I ducked as many as I could. Those I couldn't, I attended and said nothing (and, of course, was criticized by my management for not being "engaged").

The last big event, the "Annual Townhall" pep rally held a couple of weeks before I gave notice, I knew I would not be able to endure so I called in sick that day.
 
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Carpediem said:
I haven't added my name to the 2018 list but was eyeing 6/1/18 as a potential retirement date, depending on the market and the health insurance situation. This week's market performance has me rethinking things (for now). I obviously have no intention of retiring into the beginning of a bear. All this means I have to be careful of mentally retiring from work too early, otherwise, it will be a long, painful glide path at mega corp to ER.
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Yes, the market today can give one jitters. But keep it in perspective. Look at where we came from. If someone just reached their number this month, well, yeah, don't retire. You are not FI. But years ago? Stay the course...

I can discount the market by 30% and bonds by 10% and we're still good. Not great like now, but good.

So, Carpediem, a hex on you for that devil OMY speak! >:D
 
My DW gave her notice the other day, 4 more weeks for her,I just gave my notice as well, 9 more weekend overnight shifts for me. Wow, emotions have been all over the place, but really looking forward to walking out the door for the last time! New RV is on order and should be arriving about the time I am done with w*rk. We have campground reservations for pretty much all summer already !
 
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