Columba Livia
Confused about dryer sheets
Howdy all,
New bird in town.
I'm looking forward to retiring early at 55 next year.
My opportunity to retire early is, unfortunately, due to the my last remaining parent leaving the planet. Between what I'd saved and inheriting the remainder of my parent's nest egg, I have enough to kick the working world to the curb where it belongs.
However, my plans to FIRE immediately were gummed up... by a j*b offer!
I was laid off last November from the best-job-I-ever-had at "Minicorp" when it closed after several years of diminishing business.
I sent out a resume to Megacorp, which (at the time) had no openings. I thought it would be good to have my info "in the stack" for if-and-when.
Two weeks later, my remaining parent unexpectedly died. :~( . I was now thankful to be unemployed, so I could take my time and deal with the funeral arrangements, etc. During this time, I learned that I have enough to retire Right This Minute. So, since I didn't have a j*b anyway, I exclaimed "I'm Retired!"
Shortly thereafter, I got a call from Megacorp. He wanted to set up an interview. He reiterated that there weren't any openings, but wanted to meet me anyway. Since I'd sent in the resume, I felt I should follow through. Besides, they had no openings. I can just say "no" if they ever called me up down the pike.
So I go to the interview, and he says, "When we spoke before, I didn't have an opening, but an employee left, and now we do."
Uh-oh.
I hoped I wouldn't get the j*b. But you know how, when you really want a red light so you can have a chance to look at a map, and you get all greens... Of COURSE I got the offer. Good money, benefits, easy commute...
Several people advised that, since I received a windfall, that I shouldn't change anything for a year. So despite feeling a huge "NO NO NO" in my heart, I found many logical reasons to say yes. So I did. I kind of regret it, but also think I (probably) made the right choice.
I'm getting a chance to test-drive my new situation by living on only the income from my investments, and will get to see how that fares. I can use Megacorp's withholding and contribute the max to their 401k to relieve some of the taxes. (Oh...lord... the taxes! Yikes!). Also health insurance. Additionally, the j*b acts as "cover," so no one is any wiser that I am suddenly FI.
I feel a bit guilty I'm only intending to stay a year, since this is a "career position." I know they're expecting me to work there for a long time. I also feel a tinge of guilt for taking away a j*b from someone out there who needed it more.
I had a real hard time making the decision to take this j*b. But the fish jumped in the boat. :-/
So this year, I will be doing a lot of research on how to provide for my own health insurance (I see there's a whole forum devoted to that here), how best to manage my assets so that I can enjoy the rest of my life without the horror of w*rk. I'm looking forward to reading a bunch on this forum about your experiences and tips on early retirement.
I thank my parents for their hard work and saving every nickel. They were able not only to provide for their own comfortable retirement, but also rescuing mine. (Even though I'm a pretty hardcore saver, and managed to save $350k from my pathetic upper-lower-class income, I'd have been stuck working until 67 or beyond...)
Once I FIRE, I'm considering going back to college, or RV-ing around the USA, and getting back to my studies of Japanese and French. And more travel!
Nice to "meet" you all!
-Columba
p.s.
I love how you guys use "j*b" and "w*rk." Like they are dirty, filthy words. (they are!)
New bird in town.
I'm looking forward to retiring early at 55 next year.
My opportunity to retire early is, unfortunately, due to the my last remaining parent leaving the planet. Between what I'd saved and inheriting the remainder of my parent's nest egg, I have enough to kick the working world to the curb where it belongs.
However, my plans to FIRE immediately were gummed up... by a j*b offer!
I was laid off last November from the best-job-I-ever-had at "Minicorp" when it closed after several years of diminishing business.
I sent out a resume to Megacorp, which (at the time) had no openings. I thought it would be good to have my info "in the stack" for if-and-when.
Two weeks later, my remaining parent unexpectedly died. :~( . I was now thankful to be unemployed, so I could take my time and deal with the funeral arrangements, etc. During this time, I learned that I have enough to retire Right This Minute. So, since I didn't have a j*b anyway, I exclaimed "I'm Retired!"
Shortly thereafter, I got a call from Megacorp. He wanted to set up an interview. He reiterated that there weren't any openings, but wanted to meet me anyway. Since I'd sent in the resume, I felt I should follow through. Besides, they had no openings. I can just say "no" if they ever called me up down the pike.
So I go to the interview, and he says, "When we spoke before, I didn't have an opening, but an employee left, and now we do."
Uh-oh.
I hoped I wouldn't get the j*b. But you know how, when you really want a red light so you can have a chance to look at a map, and you get all greens... Of COURSE I got the offer. Good money, benefits, easy commute...
Several people advised that, since I received a windfall, that I shouldn't change anything for a year. So despite feeling a huge "NO NO NO" in my heart, I found many logical reasons to say yes. So I did. I kind of regret it, but also think I (probably) made the right choice.
I'm getting a chance to test-drive my new situation by living on only the income from my investments, and will get to see how that fares. I can use Megacorp's withholding and contribute the max to their 401k to relieve some of the taxes. (Oh...lord... the taxes! Yikes!). Also health insurance. Additionally, the j*b acts as "cover," so no one is any wiser that I am suddenly FI.
I feel a bit guilty I'm only intending to stay a year, since this is a "career position." I know they're expecting me to work there for a long time. I also feel a tinge of guilt for taking away a j*b from someone out there who needed it more.
I had a real hard time making the decision to take this j*b. But the fish jumped in the boat. :-/
So this year, I will be doing a lot of research on how to provide for my own health insurance (I see there's a whole forum devoted to that here), how best to manage my assets so that I can enjoy the rest of my life without the horror of w*rk. I'm looking forward to reading a bunch on this forum about your experiences and tips on early retirement.
I thank my parents for their hard work and saving every nickel. They were able not only to provide for their own comfortable retirement, but also rescuing mine. (Even though I'm a pretty hardcore saver, and managed to save $350k from my pathetic upper-lower-class income, I'd have been stuck working until 67 or beyond...)
Once I FIRE, I'm considering going back to college, or RV-ing around the USA, and getting back to my studies of Japanese and French. And more travel!
Nice to "meet" you all!
-Columba
p.s.
I love how you guys use "j*b" and "w*rk." Like they are dirty, filthy words. (they are!)