Class of 2016 in their 5th Year of Retirement

[street]

For the class of 2016 we are in our 5th year of retirement. I looked for the list of 2016 class but was unable to find it.

Just wondering how many of us are still visiting the site, and how your retirement has been going, in the fifth year of retirement?

For me it has went so fast, it is hard to beleive it has been 5 years. It has been all I expected it would be and much more.

 

[street]

I must be the last of the 2016 class, still upright. Lol

I'm hoping for another uneventful next 5 years with good health and fortune and wish that to all.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I moved from class of 2014 to class of 2016 and finally, class of 2019, and done. Hopefully some of your classmates will show up.

 

[cathy63]

I retired in 2016, and I'm still here! Still happily retired, and have found plenty to keep me busy.

 

[38Chevy454]

I'm one year behind in class of 2017, and doing great in my 4th year of retirement.

 

[SecondCor521]

Class of 2016 here as well.

Things have turned out somewhat but not tremendously different than I expected, and mostly better. Getting things dialed in over the past few years - FIRE can be quite an adjustment in both lifestyle and money-wise.

Financially way better than I thought - hovering around a 1% net WR but enjoying a simple life.

 

[geeky_grrl]

Class of 2017 here, time has flown. The first 3 years were great, last year was what it was.

 

[mistermike40]

I'm also class of 2017. Most of the past four years were spent being my wife's caregiver. I'm finally learning to take better care of myself. I've just rejoined a gym, waiting for the J&J vaccine to fully kick in before I start going again... looking forward to lifting weights, swimming, tennis and basketball.

Regarding w*rk, I do miss it to an extent... but I don't miss waking up to an alarm clock My days are so busy I often wonder how I fit a j*b into my schedule!

 

[candrew]

DW & I are 2016'ers.

All going great for us. Still pinch ourselves every day!

We started our E.R. with a 3 month long trip around New Zealand. Between then and prior to COVID, we twice visited Italy - each time for 3 months along with squeezing in visits to Croatia & Slovenia. 2 months each in Morocco and Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. Lived in Costa Rica for 10 months in 2018. Currently in Oaxaca, Mexico for the summer and leaving again at the end of August for another 3 months between Italy and France.

Last month we sold our home in the Phoenix area along with our car and liberated ourselves of the entirety of our possessions save for two carry-on roller bags and two backpacks. Now fully vaccinated, free from the responsibilities of home ownership and with the world beginning to open up, we are looking forward to more roaming about.

 

[Dtail]

Never signed up officially, but am in the class of 2017 and looking forward to celebrating 4 years of retirement this summer.

 

[smalltownguy1]

Class of Nov 2015 military retirement and may 2016 civilian civil service job.
Mid 2016- Late 2018 was with my SO waiting for her retirement age and years of service to hit correctly.
New Years 2018 Jan 2019 we separated ( new man for her).
My disposable income Went up by $4000 a month.
Only debt was a 0% interest auto note on a suv as my road to my old house is gravel and has a homemade redneck engineering bridge.
I moved back into my paid off 1000 square foot lake cabin.
And started traveling south west USA ,south east USA, Midwest USA.
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Manila -Cebu -Palawan Philippines
Covid kept me near home in Texas.
Then last 6 months or so Costa Rica and Colombia and south west and south east USA again.

 

[pacergal]

DH- June 2016, me Dec 2016.
Started off traveling more than we thought we would, but it was fun!
Have had a few family changes: marriage /babies/divorce/illnesses--nice to be retired and much less stress to be able to deal with any issues from them.
Finances doing fine, budget working out as planned.
Really enjoying my days, no matter what I do or don't do--love having my own plan!
Have worked on call some, but always on my terms.
So far, Loving Retirement!!

 

[BigBob]

Time has flown for sure! Class of 2016 here. Hiked ( most of) the Appalachian trail, cycle 5000+ miles a year, and check in to this site less regularly. Really appreciate the wisdom here that helped allow us to enjoy ER.

 

[street]

Great! Good to hear from all of you and sounds like everyone is doing fine and enjoying their time.

It has been a great 5 years and the best thing I very did was to retire from my career job. I was one most thought would work till I dropped and I surprised them how well I adjusted to doing my own thing.

 

[DektolMan]

June 1, 2016 for both DW and myself! It's been great with net worth being up 30% while traveling and blowing the dough!

 

[msieweke]

Class of 2016, last day of work was May 6. The past 5 years have been good, though not typical in any way. I didn't realize how unhappy I was until I was away from work. Much of my time in the last couple of years has been devoted to spiritual/self-improvement study, introspection, and meditation. I'm much happier now and finally ready to move to more outwardly directed activities, though probably not what I had originally planned (with the pandemic and all).

 

[CaptTom]

Another June 1, 2016 alumnus here.

I was waiting for the official 5-year anniversary to post, but close enough.

It's been great. I'm ahead financially, thanks to my 401k rising, low inflation and me proving that I could, indeed, live within the limits of my 40% non-COLA pension. I had stashed away one years' expenses in cash just in case my projections were all wrong, but it's still there and growing. I haven't tapped into my 401k and I'm still holding out on Social Security and one other small pension I can tap if needed, but will continue to grow until I hit 70 if not. The last years have been very good for retirees in my situation.

In May 2016 I was getting underway on a 3-month Down East Loop cruise. This year, with the pandemic closing borders and making things generally difficult, we've put off doing the Great Loop as planned. Maybe next year.

I've got a couple of boat delivery gigs this month. I do get paid, but I don't really consider it w*rk so I'm still technically retired. I've only done 2-3 of these a year anyway. Maybe I'll post some pictures from my "office" at the helm if I get any downtime. Certainly better than the view out my old office window at w*rk.

 

[Hubcity]

I retired in August 2016, but this is my first time posting!

Things have been going well. I've traveled a lot, especially in 2019.

Only in the past few months have I started saying "I'm retired" instead of saying "I'm between jobs". When I quit in 2016 I hadn't ruled out finding a new job. But now? The stock market has increased my portfolio to what it is. And 2020 showed me how little I could spend (if needed) and still be okay. There's really no need to consider going back a likely possibility. Most people that I say this to just laugh. They'd assumed that I was retired after I went a year without finding anything new. I'm the one that took a while to figure it out.

 

[street]

Sounds like a lot of happy retired people, after 5 years.

I do hope for the ones that are in their 5th year but haven't got to that special day yet. Start another thread and tell us of your success story over the last 5 years.

 

[Doribe]

Class of 2016 here.

Retirement has been wonderful. I am busy with volunteer, fitness and social activities.

 

[foxfirev5]

April 2016 here. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years. So far so good on all fronts. My physical condition is better due to exercise and losing 40 lbs. Financially it went better than projected.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Technically Class of 2017, but only because I didn't close down my company until 12/17. The last year of meaningful income was 2016. DH retired in 2008. Since 12/31/2016, our Investments have increased by 61%, so we're doing [emoji846].

 

[arbeadub]

Unlike some, I did not know my last day at work was going to be in 2015, my last check for a medical claim came in 2016, so maybe I am in the 2016 class also. I had made plans and did save for when Diabetes would make renewing my licenses too hard.

 

[street]

arbeadub >> glad all is going well with you the last 5 years.

Golden sunsets >> Looks like you have done extremely well financially. Very nice that is a nice gain.

 

[aja8888]

I wasn't on any list as I was winding down doing part time project work. Technically, I was off the "paycheck" in 2016, but I took few lucrative assignments during 2017 and 2018 even tough I was collecting SS.

My, how time flies.....