goingtotravel
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2018
- Messages
- 176
Time for an update since I have been reflecting on how happy I've been since May 2021. It's been 2 years for me and about 2 1/2 years for DH since we FIRE'd. No regrets at all and wish we could have quit sooner. Still a frequent lurker on this forum and thought it was time for an update.
Here's what's happened since then:
* DH was approved for VA Disability. He is 160% disabled according to the VA. So we have both FEHB and VA healthcare (for him)/FEHB and CHAMPVA (for me) for HI.
* We haven't traveled as much as we hoped. A few domestic trips but after DH has a major surgery later this year we hope to be able to go overseas together mid-2024.
* I took two solo trips. One domestically to see family and my first international solo trip which was to Japan. A last minute decision to treat myself for my birthday. It was my first solo visit but my fifth trip to Japan so it was easy and enjoyable. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
* We are updating the house and only pulling retirement funds for big projects. Pulled out around 2.5% last year and half that this year. No financial worries which means all the time I spent in the last two years pre-FIRE modeling our budget and income streams was worthwhile. We have more in our accounts now than when we retired.
* Spent significant time going through every closet and storage room in our home trying to get rid of items we haven't used. Hoping to complete a second purge of our extra 'stuff' this year.
What hasn't gone as planned/improvements needed:
* DH has had a lot of health issues earlier in our retirement than anticipated. Unfortunately that has changed our plans from mostly travel to mostly home improvement projects.
* Still trying to find something in my community to get involved in to meet new people. I was burnt out on volunteer work before I retired so not ready to step back into that again. I am too young for senior centers/senior groups. Hoping to find some time this year to try out some new activities and find a group that is a good fit for me.
Overall we have zero regrets about retiring and wish we could have done it earlier (we quit at 56 for full benefits). I could literally feel the pressure melt away the first month after I FIRE'd. Not sure if it was dumb luck or brilliant planning that got us to this point but whatever it was it sure seems worth it from where we are now!
Here's what's happened since then:
* DH was approved for VA Disability. He is 160% disabled according to the VA. So we have both FEHB and VA healthcare (for him)/FEHB and CHAMPVA (for me) for HI.
* We haven't traveled as much as we hoped. A few domestic trips but after DH has a major surgery later this year we hope to be able to go overseas together mid-2024.
* I took two solo trips. One domestically to see family and my first international solo trip which was to Japan. A last minute decision to treat myself for my birthday. It was my first solo visit but my fifth trip to Japan so it was easy and enjoyable. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
* We are updating the house and only pulling retirement funds for big projects. Pulled out around 2.5% last year and half that this year. No financial worries which means all the time I spent in the last two years pre-FIRE modeling our budget and income streams was worthwhile. We have more in our accounts now than when we retired.
* Spent significant time going through every closet and storage room in our home trying to get rid of items we haven't used. Hoping to complete a second purge of our extra 'stuff' this year.
What hasn't gone as planned/improvements needed:
* DH has had a lot of health issues earlier in our retirement than anticipated. Unfortunately that has changed our plans from mostly travel to mostly home improvement projects.
* Still trying to find something in my community to get involved in to meet new people. I was burnt out on volunteer work before I retired so not ready to step back into that again. I am too young for senior centers/senior groups. Hoping to find some time this year to try out some new activities and find a group that is a good fit for me.
Overall we have zero regrets about retiring and wish we could have done it earlier (we quit at 56 for full benefits). I could literally feel the pressure melt away the first month after I FIRE'd. Not sure if it was dumb luck or brilliant planning that got us to this point but whatever it was it sure seems worth it from where we are now!
