Fat Fire-ees - are you out there?

[DawgMan]

If you look at the 1 year returns vs YTD you might change your mind.

Well, not sure what you mean?? I suppose it all depends on one’s individual investments/income to answer that question...

 

[DawgMan]

Snow, I think the difference on the high food spend is that they are going to really expensive restaurants so dropping big amounts versus actually spending a hundred dollars a day on food.

Yep. Choice of restaurant, drinks, wine, and company can move the needle here.

 

[Perryinva]

He’s probably referring to YTD returns in the 16-18% range based on benchmarks, vs a1 year return which showed a more typical 7-8%, mainly due to the 12/2018 short turn market tanks. I agree, though, WTF, everyone has different investments, so who knows. Bottom line, no one retired would be really unhappy long term with 7-8% and less than 2% inflation. Well, I know I wouldn’t. My 10 year bull market returns have been well above that, but I will not fool myself in to thinking that is sustainable for the next 20 years. Like some here, I have more than adequate fixed income, and while not the OPs definition of Fat Fire, it is plenty fat for us with about 1/2 discretionary

 

[Scuba]

We have increased spending since our ER, mainly in 2 categories - travel went from $20-$25K to $35-$40K as we now take much longer trips and have done more short trips too. Healthcare has gone up dramatically as our employers no longer pay insurance premiums. We also spend quite a bit on eating out and groceries, but that was the case pre- FIRE.

 

[kimcdougc]

I mentioned earlier in the thread (or maybe another thread) that we tried coach overnight to Europe once. Once. Seven hours of hell. Never again.

Of course, we're quite spoiled because my previous 4 million miles were all in First so we're a bit skewed in our expectations.

I'm of the mindset that First is the real price of the flight and anything below that is a compromise in varying degrees of discomfort.

I'll economize elsewhere.

+1

 

[Dtail]

We have increased spending since our ER, mainly in 2 categories - travel went from $20-$25K to $35-$40K as we now take much longer trips and have done more short trips too. Healthcare has gone up dramatically as our employers no longer pay insurance premiums. We also spend quite a bit on eating out and groceries, but that was the case pre- FIRE.

Curious if I may ask you what is your dining/grocery budget, as we are at 15k which appears to be higher than most on this site.

 

[RetMD21]

Although I can qualify as fat-fi (not retired yet) on dollars/year and withdrawal rate % maybe this is just a matter of-working longer than necessary

 

[audreyh1]

Going tomorrow, before the concert. Blow at least $150 on dinner for 2.

Sounds like a bargain!

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

Fat FIRE? Overweight people who retired early? Come on, get on the darn treadmill!

 

[googily]

If DH were still here, the spending would still be all about volume of travel and about great meals at fabulous restaurants. Now that it's just me, the meals aren't really part of the equation anymore, so that money has shifted to quality of travel.

First class domestically (or at minimum Comfort+) has become my splurge. I look for "deals," or I use points and don't worry if it's not the maximal use of them.

I am just not that big a fan of the flying experience, and anything I can do to lessen the anxiety and angst and exhaustion of the cattle car experience is worth it for me.

Ditto when using Amtrak in the Northeast corridor. I will never again ride more than an hour without having a reserved seat. I'm too old for standing in the aisles running along the platform to get to the emptiest car.

 

[timo2]

"I think there is an easy way to define leanfire/fire/fatfire. Take a look at the yearly income the person is planning. One short hand for Leanfire is <= $40k/yr and fatfire is > $100k/yr. However, where do those numbers come from?

I think the numbers for leanfire/fire/fatfire correspond roughly to income quintiles. Leanfire people are comfortable being in the bottom 40% of income, fire people are comfortable in the next 40%, and fatfire are comfortable in the next, and top, 20% of income. This 40/40/20 split corresponds, in 2016, to the income levels of <=$42k / between $42k and $110k / and >$110k according to us census data."

We currently at 67% of our last W*rk income, but that puts us at about $98K, right in the ER part of the 40/40/20. Our conflict is DW would rather be more 'fat'. But the vagaries of the future keep me from going too high. I was fine with DW last year when the 12% income bracket was near my target, but now the bracket is higher, so the pressure is to at least keep up with the inflation creep of the tax brackets.

 

[Dtail]

We currently at 67% of our last W*rk income, but that puts us at about $98K, right in the ER part of the 40/40/20. Our conflict is DW would rather be more 'fat'. But the vagaries of the future keep me from going too high. I was fine with DW last year when the 12% income bracket was near my target, but now the bracket is higher, so the pressure is to at least keep up with the inflation creep of the tax brackets.

Our budget is in line with yours, although not as a % of former income.
DGF also would like it higher. lol

 

[BeachOrCity]

Ditto when using Amtrak in the Northeast corridor. I will never again ride more than an hour without having a reserved seat. I'm too old for standing in the aisles running along the platform to get to the emptiest car.

Just FYI. AMTRAK no longer oversells ne corridor Reginals. So you will get a seat when you ride. But a cheap way to get a more calm experience without splurging on Acela is to book business class on ne regional. It doesn’t cost much extra and the car is always less crowded and somehow seems more of a better experience without giving you much extra.

 

[BeachOrCity]

We are both fat and fat fire . Definitely spending a lot more on food dining as well as travel. As long as portfolio does well this is fine. If portfolio takes a big hit will have to cut back. No biggie.