View Poll Results: What is your actual spending pattern vs your FIRE stash?
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Bounce the check to the undertaker
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8 |
3.28% |
"SWR" - spend down to zero on a historical average basis
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28 |
11.48% |
Capital preservation - die with the dollars you started with
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27 |
11.07% |
Spending power preservation - die with the spending power you started with
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33 |
13.52% |
Scottish style - grow the portfolio on average
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95 |
38.93% |
Uncle Scrooge - grow the portfolio with intensity
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14 |
5.74% |
I like bacon
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39 |
15.98% |
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05-11-2021, 03:17 PM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boise
Posts: 7,862
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Poll:In broad strokes...
Mostly interested in the opinions of people who have been FIREd for at least a little while (a few years).
I'm interested in what you're actually doing, not what your intentions are. My intentions five years ago were SWR, but I'm closer to Scottish style in actual fact after five years.
ETA: The poll answers are broad categories, so just pick the style you're closest to, or the last option if you're undecided.
__________________
"At times the world can seem an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe us when we say there is much more good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough, and what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events, may in fact be the first steps of a journey." Violet Baudelaire.
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05-11-2021, 03:43 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 10,836
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Keeping with the traditions of polls on this forum, no category really fits me so I can't vote.
I'm planning on having some left, but not a lot.... Probably somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd category on your poll. Maybe 20 to 30% of what I started with. However, if I don't start taking better care of myself, it might be closer to 80 to 90%.
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20's "something" mind, trapped in a 70's "something" body
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05-11-2021, 03:47 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,285
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I'm a Scrooge naturally, but am willing to spend now that money is plentiful.
But I still make twice what I spend.
So since I keep stashing cash, I chose Scrooge.
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05-11-2021, 04:43 PM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3,650
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I hope to have more when I die, the $10M Firecalc has promised, OK, or maybe broke!
So far so good, I don't recall my exact numbers, I posted them on the forum a while ago, but after 2 years I have spent ~ $260k, but my portfolio is up ~ $340k. One more year of tuition and I'll be ending a $60k expense from my spending.
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05-11-2021, 04:47 PM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,846
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Can you elaborate more on the definition of the Scottish Style - at least in terms of how you define it for this poll? I've never heard the expression, and a quick google didn't yield much help.
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05-11-2021, 04:58 PM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 7,968
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ER 1993. Mentally 'unemployed' till I became 'a born again ER' via the fore runner to this and other forums. I voted Scottish style mainly cause that's what happened in spite of several historical dips which recovered in time.
Heh heh heh - Will probably leave some on the table as we are set in our ER habits and have no burning desire to 'upscale' significantly. But have drifted to 'less frugal' as time goes on.
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05-11-2021, 05:07 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boise
Posts: 7,862
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerides
Can you elaborate more on the definition of the Scottish Style - at least in terms of how you define it for this poll? I've never heard the expression, and a quick google didn't yield much help.
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Oh, it's a made-up phrase.
For that poll choice I was imagining someone like me, whose FIRE stash ends up growing over time because they spend below what they could. For example, I spend about 1% net from my portfolio, even though I think I could very safely spend 3% to 4%. I called it Scottish style because the Scots are notoriously frugal.
While a Scottish style approach is portfolio growth through passive neglect, an Uncle Scrooge style would be someone who actively works to grow the stash (for whatever reason) through deliberate effort.
__________________
"At times the world can seem an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe us when we say there is much more good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough, and what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events, may in fact be the first steps of a journey." Violet Baudelaire.
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05-11-2021, 05:11 PM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tampa
Posts: 11,196
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I picked Capital Preservation and would like to have the same monies as when I retired, even though the purchasing power will obviously be much less.
Just psychological and a first world problem.
__________________
TGIM
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05-11-2021, 05:53 PM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Puget Sound
Posts: 3,191
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I'm not there yet but I do like bacon.
We will probably be gunning for Capital preservation, because we'll be self-insuring for LTC.
I would be tickled pink if I could achieve it.
__________________
Class of 2023
OMY to 2024
Operating Engineer for a commercial plumbing contractor
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05-11-2021, 06:00 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,149
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I guess the "SWR" choice includes instances of running out of money? If you hit zero "on average" that would mean sometimes you end with money left and sometimes you "failed."
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
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05-11-2021, 06:04 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skyking1
I'm not there yet but I do like bacon.
We will probably be gunning for Capital preservation, because we'll be self-insuring for LTC.
I would be tickled pink if I could achieve it.
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I like "capital preservation" too, but I think it's tough to guarantee. Even with a low percent WR, FireCalc shows some instances of the real value of portfolios declining during portions of the decumulation years.
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
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05-11-2021, 07:03 PM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,150
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I’ve been retired for almost 10 years and evidently we’re Scottish in that our portfolio is up 60%+ since I retired. But that’s largely due to how well the market has done in my first 10 years more than intent. Undoubtedly our portfolio will ebb and flow over the next couple decades. I’d rather die broke but NOT running out is a much bigger priority, and “unfortunately” we’re cursed with above average longevity, so we’re doomed to go poof with a larger than ideal residual.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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05-11-2021, 07:17 PM
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#13
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,468
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Like others here, in this great market I simply have not needed to spend the WR percentage I had decided upon. I have had my SS and my mini-pension to spend, so for the past three years I haven't been withdrawing anything except my (small) RMDs. Guess I flunked out of BTD school! But I am happy and I get a certain glee out of saving money and still living my best retired life. I'm sure Daylatedollarshort and several others here could relate to that feeling!
Anyway, I voted "Uncle Scrooge" even though I have just been sitting tight and letting Mr. Market do his magic.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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05-11-2021, 07:23 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
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Probably SWR but I'm dead.
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05-11-2021, 07:32 PM
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#15
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 691
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I voted Capital Preservation, because we're living at pension income level. But the capital is appreciating as it is in a 75/25 asset allocation. I do like bacon!
__________________
--At what age does spending less now in order to have more later stop making sense?
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05-11-2021, 07:35 PM
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,593
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Bacon for me, the rest are not a good fit.
__________________
*********Go Astros!*********
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05-11-2021, 07:52 PM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 4,655
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We have spent more than anticipated pre-ER because we moved and did a complete remodel of our new home. Luckily the market has done so well that despite living off our taxable portfolio since retirement almost 5 years ago, we have more than we started with.
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05-11-2021, 08:17 PM
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#18
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 186
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Avoided picking Scottish Style, not sure why it’s called that. My intention would to maintain at least 50% of the value of the portfolio I started retirement with.
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05-12-2021, 06:34 AM
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#19
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SecondCor521
Oh, it's a made-up phrase.
For that poll choice I was imagining someone like me, whose FIRE stash ends up growing over time because they spend below what they could. For example, I spend about 1% net from my portfolio, even though I think I could very safely spend 3% to 4%. I called it Scottish style because the Scots are notoriously frugal.
While a Scottish style approach is portfolio growth through passive neglect, an Uncle Scrooge style would be someone who actively works to grow the stash (for whatever reason) through deliberate effort.
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Would it make more sense to rename that option to "Scottish Style - spend whatever and don't worry about it because you have more than enough for your lifestyle"?
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05-12-2021, 07:15 AM
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#20
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: 5-sided building
Posts: 1,183
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When in doubt, bacon and out...
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