Your Most Meaningful Change?

[ICNTR]

What is the most significant opportunity that FI or ER has provided you?
Maybe asked another way, how have you invested the rare opportunity of more free time and what returns have you received on those investments?

All responses are invited and appreciated but I am guessing that there are some that have found great pleasure and meaningful life rewards as a result of how they have decided to use their FI/ER. I would love to hear about those experiences.

Thanks

 

[Animorph]

Way more Netflix movies and video games.

 

[Louis2]

I am trying to learn to volunteer. When young I was somewhat self-centered. When I had children, became family-centered. When the kids got older I became career-centered. Now I am trying to learn to be community-centered. I have been blessed and lucky, and I feel like I need to give back.

It sounds good on paper, but I'm finding the change to be slow. I am not a natural extrovert, so every first time volunteering task is hard for me. But it gets easier and I am committed to doing more over time.

ER has taken away my "not enough time" excuse!

 

[ICNTR]

I can relate. Thought I would volunteer a lot too but have not as of yet due to similar reservations. Sort of hoping to hear enough inspirational experiences on this thread to help get me started in one direction or another.
I ER'ed about 20 months ago but still enjoy do some occasional contract work amounting to about 14 hrs a week. I am starting to think that I may be using that as a poor excuse to not do something more meaningful.......hmmm..

 

[obgyn65]

I have already mentioned many meaningful life rewards that I will continue in retirement. Please feel free to use the google function on this site.

What is the most significant opportunity that FI or ER has provided you?
Maybe asked another way, how have you invested the rare opportunity of more free time and what returns have you received on those investments?

All responses are invited and appreciated but I am guessing that there are some that have found great pleasure and meaningful life rewards as a result of how they have decided to use their FI/ER. I would love to hear about those experiences.

Thanks

 

[savory]

Peace Corps which was a great experience but also taught me NGO and community organization skills. These skils continue to be helpfyl.

BTW, age is not an issue. Heath and perhaps other things may not allow a person to qualify for PC.

 

[InParadise]

What is the most significant opportunity that FI or ER has provided you?
Maybe asked another way, how have you invested the rare opportunity of more free time and what returns have you received on those investments?

All responses are invited and appreciated but I am guessing that there are some that have found great pleasure and meaningful life rewards as a result of how they have decided to use their FI/ER. I would love to hear about those experiences.

Thanks

Have not yet retired...that is still 18 months away until we can break away from this high COL when our son no longer needs these great schools...But FI has been wonderful. It has allowed me to push back at work without fear of reprisal when I was asked to do something I felt was wrong. It allowed us to not worry too badly when DH's company was on the selling block, and going to be shut down if no buyer was found. 18 months of worry at FI level was bad enough...can't imagine going through that if we were not already pretty firmly on track to retire.

Early retirement is wonderful, but IMO the real goal is financial independence. Lets face it, ER is only made possible by FI. That is the message I am trying to get through to our kids, hoping it will make putting money in those Roths more meaningful.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Have not yet retired...that is still 18 months away until we can break away from this high COL when our son no longer needs these great schools...But FI has been wonderful. It has allowed me to push back at work without fear of reprisal when I was asked to do something I felt was wrong. It allowed us to not worry too badly when DH's company was on the selling block, and going to be shut down if no buyer was found. 18 months of worry at FI level was bad enough...can't imagine going through that if we were not already pretty firmly on track to retire.

Early retirement is wonderful, but IMO the real goal is financial independence. Lets face it, ER is only made possible by FI. That is the message I am trying to get through to our kids, hoping it will make putting money in those Roths more meaningful.

+ 1

Once you realize that, if pushed, you'll just walk out that door and not come back, then things change mentally for you. The boss isn't such a jerk anymore. The co-workers are more tolerable. And you can relax a bit and have more fun at work.

I agree, FI is the real payoff.

 

[Lsbcal]

What is the most significant opportunity that FI or ER has provided you?
...

1) I used to invest somewhat haphazardly. I've had lots of time to do some research and come up with a methodology that is fairly unique. Always trying to find the efficient frontier (loosely speaking).
2) I've explored various artistic areas: drawing, oil painting, watercolor + sketching. It takes a long time to develop one's skills and I had many pieces that I tossed out after a time. Nowadays I'm doing almost exclusively plein air painting and sketching. My goal is just to do a very nice piece that other art types can appreciate.
3) More time to do sensible exercise routines. Running every other day, 5 miles in hilly terrain. Off days I try now to work in a walk or two per week.
4) Better eating habits. More time to think about the alternatives, but also more time to try snacks.
5) Getting the house and garden in shape. A constant work in progress.
6) Taking pot-shots at ReWahoo.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We spent a week day at the Asian Art Museum to see the Maharaja Exhibit, including jewels and a silver carriage, on a free library pass, while our former co-workers were all working in their offices and cubicles.

We try to plan many activities like that now, but that was the first day I remember thinking that this lower overhead, semi-ER lifestyle was really going to be pretty cool.

I have read that spending money on experiences rather that stuff makes people happier, but I am having fun finding experiences that are interesting yet also free or inexpensive.

 

[seraphim]

I think the biggest gains have been non-tangible: more relaxed, no stress, happier, enjoy each moment a bit more, no worries ... and I think it's nicer being around me, now lol.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

5 days after retiring my family moved aboard a sailboat and cruised the Bahamas for a year. ;-)

Besides that, I'm able to be very involved in my school aged children's lives and really have a relationship with them beyond an hour after work and a few hours on the weekends.

I'm also vigorously pursuing some of my lifelong interests that were put on hold because of career. I'm considering attending either bakery/pastry school or traditional boatbuilding school, in order to really build deep artisan skills in some area that I have a strong hobbyist interest.

But having lots of free time with DW in the middle of the day is the best reward!

 

[Lsbcal]

...
I'm considering attending either bakery/pastry school or traditional boatbuilding school, in order to really build deep artisan skills in some area that I have a strong hobbyist interest.
...

I would say go for it. Building up a skill set at your own pace can be very satisfying. Having some years to develop skills and not having to report to anyone can make the process fun too.

 

[easysurfer]

I can buy groceries during an uncrowded weekday instead of battling the crowds during the weekend with all the [-]suckers[/-] other folks

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I can buy groceries during an uncrowded weekday instead of battling the crowds during the weekend with all the [-]suckers[/-] other folks

If you go to Trader Joe's it is best to go at nap time so you don't get run into by the customer in training carts. I narrowly missed a total cart wipe out this morning.

 

[Major Tom]

I can relate. Thought I would volunteer a lot too but have not as of yet due to similar reservations. Sort of hoping to hear enough inspirational experiences on this thread to help get me started in one direction or another.

I can relate to this as well. After almost 5 years of not working, I have just started doing some very limited volunteer work. It only involves 4 hours a month, so doesn't represent much of a commitment. I thought about Peace Corps and toyed with the idea of volunteer work as a result of a vague urge to "help people" but have had to face the fact that I am not at all community-oriented. I can be very helpful and supportive to individuals with whom I am close but the community and team aspect of much volunteer work doesn't do it for me. What an awful confession - it makes me sound like a completely anti-social misanthrope (which I am not).

I ER'ed about 20 months ago but still enjoy do some occasional contract work amounting to about 14 hrs a week. I am starting to think that I may be using that as a poor excuse to not do something more meaningful.......hmmm..

Perhaps your work is actually more meaningful to you than you are letting on? Only you know this, of course, but is it possible that instead of merely continuing your work because you can't think of anything else to do, there is some aspect of it that you find engrossing and satisfying?

There are worse things than continuing to work!

 

[movaly1]

Peace Corps which was a great experience but also taught me NGO and community organization skills. These skils continue to be helpfyl.

BTW, age is not an issue. Heath and perhaps other things may not allow a person to qualify for PC.

Where did you serve? I was Peace Corps Cape Verde 96-98.

 

[Walt34]

I think the biggest gains have been non-tangible: more relaxed, no stress, happier, enjoy each moment a bit more, no worries ... and I think it's nicer being around me, now lol.

I can buy groceries during an uncrowded weekday instead of battling the crowds during the weekend with all the [-]suckers[/-] other folks

Those. And my consumption of Excedrin dropped to zero.

That's enough for me.

 

[RetiredAndFree]

DH and I have embraced the outdoors since we ER'd. We've always enjoyed hiking and biking, but we've kicked it up a big old notch now that we have more time to do so. We are currently in the midst of a wilderness training course that is sharpening our skills with regard to rock scrabbling, backpacking, snow traveling, snow backpacking, navigation and a lot more. Even though we are both in our 50's, we have exceeded the physical limits of our 40's and earlier, which feels absolutely amazing.

Going forward, the outdoors will continue to be our focus, with plans to become trained wilderness volunteers on behalf of our national park system. In the interim, we're newly involved with backpacking via the Sierra Club, and look forward to continuing both the new hobby and the association with the club.

I feel as excited about life, and what the future will bring to us, as I did when I first set out in my 20's.

 

[ICNTR]

RetiredandFree.....sounds great. I would love that. I recently did a thread about my "big adventure" plans for a three night river float trip living on what can be fished, gigged, or gathered. Also going to a free orienteering course being offered this Saturday. 4 hrs of classroom work then 4 mile hike through the woods!

Thanks to all for the responses. I also agree with those appreciating the small but significant things. Happier, less stress, sleep when I want and be able top plan such fun activities as those described by all of you.

 

[LoneAspen]

As bad as it sounds, I'm probably going to be the most selfish SOB possible for the first year or two after retiring. I feel I've had to give up so much of what I've wanted to do free-time-wise because of jobs, that once I've thrown the job away, it's going to be all about "me" for the first couple years. I'm going to do what I want, when I want, where I want, etc, etc, etc.

I'm curious if anybody else did something similar after they retired? The first year or two was all about them?

 

[RetiredAndFree]

As bad as it sounds, I'm probably going to be the most selfish SOB possible for the first year or two after retiring. I feel I've had to give up so much of what I've wanted to do free-time-wise because of jobs, that once I've thrown the job away, it's going to be all about "me" for the first couple years. I'm going to do what I want, when I want, where I want, etc, etc, etc.

I'm curious if anybody else did something similar after they retired? The first year or two was all about them?

Absolutely! I just now started having a desire to volunteer, some 2 1/2 years later. It takes about that long to fully decompress.

 

[savory]

Where did you serve? I was Peace Corps Cape Verde 96-98.

I served with my wife in S. Africa from 06-08. It was a great experience. We have looked into Response, but PC Response is not encouraging when it comes to couples. We have been fortunate to have met up with folks we served with. And, before our recent move, we participated with local RPCV group. In the state we are living now, the group is far but we are closer to many more volunteers with whom we served. I always look back with great memories.

 

[misty57]

DH retired last May from Megacorp and thought he'd do some volunteer work, but has not pulled the trigger anywhere yet.

We did A LOT of volunteering while our DS was growing up to give back to the community and to teach DS the importance of doing so. It does require some commitment and can be time consuming depending on what you are volunteering to do. We've been through it all....little league coach, team mom, room mom, feed the hungry, Relay for Life, Special Olympics, and the most fun, but most time consuming....youth group leader for a bunch of high school aged military kids.

I think DH wants to give himself time to do what he wants, when he wants answering to no one or keeping any kind of schedule. I don't blame him. I think the one thing he might eventually decide to do is help coach one of the local high school golf teams. He loves golf and is a great teacher. Time will tell. In the meantime .

 

[robnplunder]

I have not retired yet but consider myself FI. Being FI (well .... finally accepting that we are FI) let us use our money to enjoy finer things in life before RE. That's the biggest change so far. In a way, all we did was remove LBYM from our lives in anticipation of our RE.