Dd852
Full time employment: Posting here.
It's the last day of July so it must be the five year mark since the end of full-time work! All that was left in 2012 was a couple weeks of holiday and a couple of farewell parties and that was that after 25 years.
I've bored you all with yearly (or there about) report cards so I hope you don't mind another to mark what I consider a real milestone.
Personal: Super. I'm relaxed, healthy, spending really good quality time with DW. Started running, down 25 lbs from my peak. I feel a different man. We travel a lot, and that's our major expense.
Work: I've done some consulting and enjoyed it. Not so much as to interfere with fun, but hey, it's paid for some extra trips and new computers and kept me feeling involved and stimulated.
Financial: The markets have been kind to us all. I claim no wisdom here. But even after all my spending and withdrawals, my liquid assets are up an annualized 4.76% on what they were when I left and after I collected my tinsel handcuff payoff. My current spending level is 2.69% of current assets -- and 3.09% of the starting 2012 level, adjusted for inflation. And yet, we're doing everything we want and don't feel constrained despite being able to spend at a faster rate according to most studies and formulas.
As I've mentioned before - great thanks to this board for providing company, comfort and stimulation when those around me seem in a very different professional and financial place.
Regrets: No regrets. The only sadness is realizing how big a place in my life work and more particularly work friends had been. I've certainly made good use of all the time I have, but I don't have nearly as many social interactions as I used to and that sometimes feels lonely. Were they "real" friends? Of course not. But they were good "mates" and "pals" and time with them was enjoyable and that is probably the biggest gap - something for those not yet ERed to think about perhaps. It just isn't as easy at 57 to make friends, at least for me.
Best of luck to you all - those who long ago passed my five year mark, those approaching it and those yet to take the plunge!
I've bored you all with yearly (or there about) report cards so I hope you don't mind another to mark what I consider a real milestone.
Personal: Super. I'm relaxed, healthy, spending really good quality time with DW. Started running, down 25 lbs from my peak. I feel a different man. We travel a lot, and that's our major expense.
Work: I've done some consulting and enjoyed it. Not so much as to interfere with fun, but hey, it's paid for some extra trips and new computers and kept me feeling involved and stimulated.
Financial: The markets have been kind to us all. I claim no wisdom here. But even after all my spending and withdrawals, my liquid assets are up an annualized 4.76% on what they were when I left and after I collected my tinsel handcuff payoff. My current spending level is 2.69% of current assets -- and 3.09% of the starting 2012 level, adjusted for inflation. And yet, we're doing everything we want and don't feel constrained despite being able to spend at a faster rate according to most studies and formulas.
As I've mentioned before - great thanks to this board for providing company, comfort and stimulation when those around me seem in a very different professional and financial place.
Regrets: No regrets. The only sadness is realizing how big a place in my life work and more particularly work friends had been. I've certainly made good use of all the time I have, but I don't have nearly as many social interactions as I used to and that sometimes feels lonely. Were they "real" friends? Of course not. But they were good "mates" and "pals" and time with them was enjoyable and that is probably the biggest gap - something for those not yet ERed to think about perhaps. It just isn't as easy at 57 to make friends, at least for me.
Best of luck to you all - those who long ago passed my five year mark, those approaching it and those yet to take the plunge!
). The pros easily outweigh the cons, but retirement isn't without cons - "paradise" would be too strong a description to me.
