Why some people hate early retirees

[marko]

Well, "FIRE" seems to be the most recent "hot thing" to be. If everyone else is working to pay for all the status symbols, not needing to work becomes the new status symbol.

So it's easy to be "retired" when you're really still working. We've seen a few RE's here who really weren't RE'd.

As noted above: "I don't think that word means what you think it does"

Just a lot of BS IMO.

 

[aida2003]

Warning...here's another blogger's post...https://chiefmomofficer.org/2018/04/09/poverty-tourism-is-frugality-really-just-for-the-rich/

She covers the backlash on a different blogger (Frugalwoods). I didn't read the linked article very closely, but it provided good highlights of the hypocrisy among the bloggers though I totally disagree with this blogger's conclusion. Comments were also interesting to skim through (didn't waste time reading all of them of course).
In summary, I agree with FW's message (I used to skim her blog posts once in a while). However, now knowing her family's approximate income I find some of her old articles almost dishonest because she claimed that her DH and she save (or used to) 70%+ of income. You don't save percentages, you save dollars and cents. You pay for your food in dollars and cents, not percentages. It's one think to save 70% of $70-100k income and totally different when it's more than $250K.
But like one blogger said, you gotta embellish and make FIRE look easy or your readership will not grow.

 

[HI Bill]

You don't save percentages, you save dollars and cents. You pay for your food in dollars and cents, not percentages. It's one think to save 70% of $70-100k income and totally different when it's more than $250K.

I save 46% of my gross income, and am up a percentage or two over last year, because of my lowered taxes, a tiny raise, and lower Amazon spending. I've been trying to get it to 50% (of $140K gross), but it's tough when you live in a high cost of living area.

 

[broadway]

I don't consider myself as "playing" at frugal.

Frugal is how I was raised.
I don't remember it, but my parents took mattresses that were thrown out on the sidewalk for us to sleep on.

The people who are jealous are missing the point.

There is woman who my mom knows drives beat up old car where the cigarette lighter don't even work. Yet this woman spends $100+/month for cable + telephone no internet.

Being frugal is a mindset.

 

[aida2003]

I save 46% of my gross income, and am up a percentage or two over last year, because of my lowered taxes, a tiny raise, and lower Amazon spending. I've been trying to get it to 50% (of $140K gross), but it's tough when you live in a high cost of living area.

Is this for one or two adults+child+dog? 50% of $140k would be quite different than 70% of say $250-$300k (Boston area).

 

[JoeWras]

There is woman who my mom knows drives beat up old car where the cigarette lighter don't even work. Yet this woman spends $100+/month for cable + telephone no internet.

Without a lighter, perhaps she stopped smoking. Saving money that can be used for internet.

How good would it be if employees were the ones doing the firing after 55? I’d think that management behaviors would evolve to one of humility and respect versus selfishness that runs rampant.

Is this your experience as well?

It is mine. I am looking forward to controlling my destiny and telling The Man that I'm outta here. After all the abuse shoved in our face, it will be nice to turn the table a bit. It probably won't matter one bit. I will be but a flea bite on this mangy dog. Maybe a few thousand other fleas will join in.

 

[GrayHare]

Being frugal is being efficient, and efficient is green.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Whenever people who know us express surprise at our early retirement, I assume they never read The Millionaire Next Door and the idea of saving money instead of spending it on luxury goods and status purchases.

 

[Milton]

Warning...here's another blogger's post...https://chiefmomofficer.org/2018/04/09/poverty-tourism-is-frugality-really-just-for-the-rich/

She covers the backlash on a different blogger (Frugalwoods). I didn't read the linked article very closely, but it provided good highlights of the hypocrisy among the bloggers though I totally disagree with this blogger's conclusion.

She references “the personal finance community” ... who knew such a thing existed?

Personally, I don’t [-]waste[/-] spend time reading financial blogs. Most seem to focus on investing and stockpicking ... typically, there is all kinds of pseudo-impressive analysis about why company or industry X is worthwhile, and then you find out that the blogger has been in the market for only a couple of years and has total investments worth less (often, much less) than $100,000.

 

[broadway]

Without a lighter, perhaps she stopped smoking. Saving money that can be used for internet.

This woman is a fitness instructor. No smoking.

She is an example of people who don't look carefully at their spending when they are living paycheck to paycheck.

I think that is step 1 of being frugal.
Look at what they are spending and whether it can be done differently or not at all.

 

[Amethyst]

Look at it this way - at least she isn't leasing an expensive new car.

If you save on the big things (cars, housing) you can splurge on little things that make you happy.

I
There is woman who my mom knows drives beat up old car where the cigarette lighter don't even work. Yet this woman spends $100+/month for cable + telephone no internet.
.

 

[broadway]

Look at it this way - at least she isn't leasing an expensive new car.

If you save on the big things (cars, housing) you can splurge on little things that make you happy.

Yes, but the thing is this woman lives hand to mouth.
The bank has initiated foreclosure on her home. It is on the market.

 

[Amethyst]

Well, that is much more serious than driving a beater (which I have been guilty of, quite a bit in fact ). Sorry she is in such a fix.

The bank has initiated foreclosure on her home. It is on the market.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

But like one blogger said, you gotta embellish and make FIRE look easy or your readership will not grow.

That's what I look for in a blog...out right lies disguised as "embellishments".

 

[Teacher Terry]

Maybe cable TV is very important to her. It is to us.

 

[Teacher Terry]

oops just saw the foreclosure post. Not good at all