Franklin
Recycles dryer sheets
What .... I would have thought u would have jumped by now. Skywalker you are fine! Dive in
Time To Jump?
- Thread starter skywalker
- Start date
OP
OP
skywalker
Dryer sheet wannabe
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2016
- Messages
- 16
Not yet, but soon Franklin. Looking at Oct 1st as the jump point.
I bailed out when I was 56 and my financial situation was similar to OP's. I could've continue to work on an as-I-pleased basis for a few more years, but, based on what people in this good community had to say, felt it better to leave early. It was not planned - a fortuitous situation arose where megacorp gave me a nice package, which helped me pursue something without touching my FIRE budget and monies. I've now been out for 5 years, am single and live in a HCOL state, and yet my annual all-inclusive OPEX is running just above 40k.
One thing that helped me unplug without any pangs of regret was that, after a month of leaving megacorp, I went on a round-the-world trip whic lasted almost a year. Along with relocation from Asia back to the US, the travel and a new country every 2-3 months kept me busy. It was so much fun that I think I didn't have much time to miss the daily routine that I was so used to or have regrets about leaving early.
Lesson learned - to avoid ongoing questioning/doubt about whether letting go of professional work life is the right thing, find an activity or pursuit that'll keep you so busy that one doesn't have the time to second guess oneself. It was so exhilarating to do what I had wanted and liked to do, and in depth, that the whole hesitation/OMY game I was playing over and over in my head while still working felt so ridiculous.
Interestingly enough (having preached thusly!), my travel experiences led to learning a new language, which, after a couple of years, in turn led to a part time teaching job in a University abroad, which I took up to hasten language acquisition. While the work load is light enough, and enables me to live long term in the country as I hone my language skills, I'm beginning to think that this is absolutely the last time and there is no way, no how, no reason I'm going back to w*rk of any kind again. W*rk, however flexible, light, easy, etc. it may be, is still w*rk.
In summary, OP - find something you like to do for six months that'll keep you busy having fun. Trust yourself and everything else will follow.
One thing that helped me unplug without any pangs of regret was that, after a month of leaving megacorp, I went on a round-the-world trip whic lasted almost a year. Along with relocation from Asia back to the US, the travel and a new country every 2-3 months kept me busy. It was so much fun that I think I didn't have much time to miss the daily routine that I was so used to or have regrets about leaving early.
Lesson learned - to avoid ongoing questioning/doubt about whether letting go of professional work life is the right thing, find an activity or pursuit that'll keep you so busy that one doesn't have the time to second guess oneself. It was so exhilarating to do what I had wanted and liked to do, and in depth, that the whole hesitation/OMY game I was playing over and over in my head while still working felt so ridiculous.
Interestingly enough (having preached thusly!), my travel experiences led to learning a new language, which, after a couple of years, in turn led to a part time teaching job in a University abroad, which I took up to hasten language acquisition. While the work load is light enough, and enables me to live long term in the country as I hone my language skills, I'm beginning to think that this is absolutely the last time and there is no way, no how, no reason I'm going back to w*rk of any kind again. W*rk, however flexible, light, easy, etc. it may be, is still w*rk.
In summary, OP - find something you like to do for six months that'll keep you busy having fun. Trust yourself and everything else will follow.
OP
OP
skywalker
Dryer sheet wannabe
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2016
- Messages
- 16
I appreciate your note LaVieQ. Sounds like you have found your post-megacorp groove. I have more than a few hobbies and numerous home remodel projects that have been planned but lacking time to produce. Also learning a language (FR). Best of luck to you -LS
OP
OP
skywalker
Dryer sheet wannabe
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2016
- Messages
- 16
Hi all, hope this post finds you all happy and healthy.
Quick update. My planned retirement date came and went. As my exit date approached rumors started flying about org changes and possible layoffs. Hearing this, I decided to stick around a little longer for the opportunity to raise my hand, figuring that the severance would cover almost a year’s worth of salary. Not a bad deal. Well, layoffs came, and I was asked to stay on. So, no package offered. Then Covid hit which put any retirement plans on hold for a spell while I evaluated the situation.
And so now here we are in November (over a year later than my planned exit) and I have a new target exit date marked on the calendar. Currently looking at March 2021. Hanging in for a few months more will hopefully cover the costs of a planned home remodel project also allow me to take advantage of the company 401K match.
One the plus side, the result of this OMY strategy (if you can call it a strategy) has been a portfolio growth from roughly 2.4 to almost 3.2 mil. Putting my planned withdrawal rate at around 2.8% give or take .5%. So a little silver lining in what has been a very challenging year in many ways.
Anyway, wishing you all well and hoping next year is a prosperous one for all of us.
-LS
Quick update. My planned retirement date came and went. As my exit date approached rumors started flying about org changes and possible layoffs. Hearing this, I decided to stick around a little longer for the opportunity to raise my hand, figuring that the severance would cover almost a year’s worth of salary. Not a bad deal. Well, layoffs came, and I was asked to stay on. So, no package offered. Then Covid hit which put any retirement plans on hold for a spell while I evaluated the situation.
And so now here we are in November (over a year later than my planned exit) and I have a new target exit date marked on the calendar. Currently looking at March 2021. Hanging in for a few months more will hopefully cover the costs of a planned home remodel project also allow me to take advantage of the company 401K match.
One the plus side, the result of this OMY strategy (if you can call it a strategy) has been a portfolio growth from roughly 2.4 to almost 3.2 mil. Putting my planned withdrawal rate at around 2.8% give or take .5%. So a little silver lining in what has been a very challenging year in many ways.
Anyway, wishing you all well and hoping next year is a prosperous one for all of us.
-LS
It is interesting how something like Covid can derail plans.
I am in a similar situation whereby I decided to not set a date due to Covid but after all the market gyrations and doom and gloom talk (I am a believer in the virus and unfortunately lost a couple friends to it) I have been trying to rationalize is there ever a 'perfect' time to stop working..? The question is outside of being FI for me but was more of...Is the world, country, state, my locality in a perfect state of bliss that it provides the comfort that one needs..?
I for one have been playing that in my head for the past couple of years and it was not until I had a chance to talk to someone who has been retired for almost 35 yrs that it shook some sense into me that in short there will always be some sort of crisis popping up. The most obvious examples they outlined that were a good dope slap for me... 08/09 recession, dot com pop, 9/11, RE collapse, Black Friday, RE collapse in 80s, crazy inflation, oil embargo, 70s stagflation, Vietnam...
