arrete finally signs on

[arrete]

I've been too busy with my volunteer activities to sign on before. Now, if I were still working, I would have had plenty of time.

I retired 4 years ago at 50 after 10 years in the full-time workforce (student and stay at home mother before that). No matter what I did or how hard I tried, I never found a job where I did much meaningful work. My volunteer work, while stressful, is much more rewarding and, I think, useful.

I started on the road to early retirement by first reading Your Money or Your Life. While the concept of trading your life force was interesting, I didn't think much of the how to invest your money part. I did start keeping a detailed budget, which I do to this day. It's very comforting to know exactly what you are worth and how much you need to live on.

Looking for a more sophisticated view of saving for early retirement, I happened on intercst's homepage, and the rest is history - except for one point. I was convinced I had to be able to live on my after-tax savings, and getting them up to where I could live on 4% looked impossible. Finally, my husband pointed out that at some point I would be living on my retirement accounts, too, so that I should add them all together, and then take 4%. I retired the next month.

I felt weird for awhile, because as some else said (andrew61?) I don't personally know anyone else who retired at fifty or before. But I'm over all that, and have plenty to keep me busy, and it's stuff I want to do.

One note - if something wasn't a high priority before retirement (like housework) you are not going to become a housework paragon after retirement. You'll always find something more interesting to do.

arrete

[andrew61]

Yeah, I was the one who said that I didn't know any other Very Early Retirees. I should qualify my statement, however -- I meant that I didn't know anyone else who retired in their late 30s like I did.

Working for a Baby Bell, I did know quite a few people who retired at 48 or 50 (although many of them went on to other jobs). These were mostly people who had started with the company right out of high school, put in their 30 years, and left with full retirement benefits (pension plus paid-for health coverage). Actually my plan had been to do the same. I guess seeing all those folks retire at that age was one reason I never thought early retirement was such a way-out concept.

You're right about the housework. I still don't find the time for it any more than I did while I was working -- and I only have an 800 square-foot apartment! I always figure that kind of stuff can be done another day.