AnIntentionalRoad
Recycles dryer sheets
Interesting, DW and I have been open about wanting to both be retired by 55, and no one has had a negative reaction at that - that seems universally the best case scenario for "normal" retirement in our circles.
I have kept hidden from large swaths of family/friends that I have gone down to 24 hours a week, however. I feel like the stigma of retiring/semi-retiring is much greater in your 40's, especially as I did it at 42. But it seems more of the "this is your steak days of salary/income, make hay while the sun shines!" thought, with some sexist old school mindsets thrown in. My wife went part time for seven years when the kids were teeny and it was universal praise for having our priorities right. Me part time, not so much...
Yep. I retired at 43 and got lots of awkward reactions from friends, family and strangers. Retiring when younger than 55 is different than at 55+ IMO. There are lots of government workers, teachers, etc who retire at 55 and at least in my experience, is not unheard of. But at 50 or 45, you got some splaining to do!
It took me a few years to come up with my "consultant and angel investor" disguise. Now I don't get any awkwardness from anyone.
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