How did you ER

[LakeRat]

We did it by LBOM and saving everything we could. My husband is 62 and I am 55. Retired this year. I have a pension, my husband has his SS.

 

[HFWR]

Though neither FI or RE, I voted LBYM/save (like crazy)...

No inheritance coming, have a few SOs, lower that Davy Jone's locker, home appreciating but not bubbling, expect decent future returns, but probably no windfall, etc.

Only corp carrot left is health insurance, which could turn out to be a valuable carrot, assuming it isn't canceled.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Simple, Saved $1.5m ER'd at 49 & 46 Resp. (Now getting there was not so simple)

SWR

 

[MJ]

I voted LBYM.
Being single and very frugal (cheap), I actually LWBYM (Live Way Below Your Means). Of course, it is easier to LWBYM when you own a 2 fam house and earn over 6 figures for the last 8 years. Now if I had invested my money more wisely in 2000, I would have truly RE a few years earlier.

 

[BUM]

LBYM then having a JG "just do it " attitude at 53 six months ago. No rerets - not one

BUM

 

[tryan]

It's "sale of appreciated house" ... but rental property.

Will start retirement in October at 43.

 

[kat]

LBYM and saving, mainly, didn't sell appreciated house yet, been told about an inheritance/trust but it's not in my plans.

Might still work a few part time hours mostly because I'm way behind billing my cases and closing down my office. I haven't been planning this a long time. When I wanted to ER, I realized I could. I'm 43.

 

[unclemick]

I was DCA' ing my way to 1.3 mil at age 63 and 35 yr gold watch and defined pension - when I was layed off at the tender age of 49  jan 1993 with 200k in 401k, a duplex, and a girlfriend with a 100k 401k.

The rest is history - wouldn't look pretty on a spreadsheet - but looking back it was easy.

" Sis on you pister" - I wasn't gonna work no more (slipped in a 1 yr temp job in 95).

Discovered this forum in 2003 - now I are a high class ER - which is easier to spell than unemployed engineer.

 

[EAB]

This is another NYC guy. After 27 years 4 months and 10days of working for NYC I retired at age 46. 8) The pension did it. But smart investing and a large gain from the sale of the house permitted us to find paradise in the high desert of AZ. Never been happier! No regrets but do miss real bagels and bialys!
Ed

 

[Honkie]

Not retired yet but close to FI - 35 years old.

I was lucky enough to have a fantastic education (both academic and in practical "life skills"). This provided the basis of good employment income stream, business oportunities/ideas and investment sense that has got us pretty far.

 

[Shredder]

LBYM, then have the co. that I worked for (28yr, 50 yr old) tell me goodby after my third back operation. I feel pretty good, but do not recommend the route I took. Now I'm here, it's great!   Shredder

 

[Lancelot]

LBYM and retired at 49. Living in Thailand doesn't hurt

Lance

 

[NYC Guy]

One more bump and then I'll finalize the results. At present 70% LBYM, 20% pension, 10% financial windfall (inheritance, stock options, etc.)

 

[MJ]

My formula was, being single, making an excellent salary and LWBYM (way below). I would have RE'd a lot sooner if I wasn't such an ignorant invester.

 

[maddythebeagle]

I am a wanabe and targeting my 40s for a possible exit or at least semi-retire. I am counting on the following: 100% LBYM and dollar cost averaging into my investments. Saving 20-30% of my income. Once I reach age 55, I will be able to gather some pension money for around 20 years of service.

 

[Sparky]

Saved like crazy (about 50% of our after-tax income). Didn't buy a big house and endured derision about the little house we did buy.

We did get a small inheritance and that was enough to send us over the top to ER at 44 and 45.

 

[LEX]

I was lucky.   Great Stk. options and several years of large salary bonus money got us to critical mass and over the hump while we remained frugal. (Actually, we are just plain cheap!) I could sell the house and retire on that alone, as many will attest the tulip mania for housing prices has put lots of paper equity in everyone's balance sheets.  We are ER'd at 50/41. 

 

[cons]

i'm also a wanabe reitree.

however, i came across this article and it reminded me of how one can achieve FIRE:

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jun2005/nf20050624_0589_db016.htm


If americans just followed rule #1, LBYM, they'd be set to ER!

 

[maddythebeagle]

I dont like that little blurb on calculated risks in startups! Was that their little way of making a few bucks mentioning some bs startup investment firm?

Dollar cost average, minimize costs, invest a large chunk of your income, and start as early as possible to take advantage of compounding SHOULD have been mentioned, also.