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Old 01-04-2015, 07:10 AM   #21
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[QUOTE=Chuckanut;1538337]Imagine having a long journey on a treacherous road with a backpack full of extra food, clothing, maps, survival equipment and other gear needed to insure your safety and success.

Finally a few miles from the end of the journey you realize you don't need all the extra food, water, clothing, foul weather gear and so on. You toss it to the side or give it to some other poor soul and complete the last day's walk with a very light pack. The last few miles are an easy walk on a good road, in good weather with plenty of pleasant scenery and nice people to accompany you. At last you can enjoy the trip without having to worry about surviving.

That's how I felt.[/QUOTE

I like that! I am two plus years out and I am already starting to feel this way. We are also starting to literally shed/liquidate some of our physical possessions as well. Kind of like skipping down the trail while disrobing and knowing that there is a great swimming hole just ahead!
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Old 01-04-2015, 08:05 AM   #22
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I didn't have that new year sense of freedom last new years... that's because I still had myself in the 2015 or 2016 camp.... and didn't know I'd be retireing in 2014.

No pension considerations, just nest egg considerations.
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Old 01-04-2015, 08:39 AM   #23
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Our OMY turns into OMQ (One more quarter) at a time.

If we ER today, our WR would be slightly less than 4% (not counting SS, and we have no pension). So, the feeling of 'is this enough'? What if this happens or that happens? Is this the year that market will retract?

So, we soldier on. We both work from home with very little stress. After 3PM, we turn off our company laptops, and take a daily walk under California weather dreaming about the days we can actually be totally free.
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Old 01-04-2015, 10:10 AM   #24
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I have given notice for July 1, and am looking forward to that day! Congrats and good luck!


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Heck, yeah!
Old 01-04-2015, 10:27 AM   #25
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Heck, yeah!

Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyfuego View Post
And, any Class of 2015'ers feeling the same way?
I'm a newbie on this site, and am planning to retire sometime in late '15. Don't feel much different yet, but I'm sure once I set a firm date it will kick in.

Is there a thread re: the best time of year/month to retire? I'm sure it depends on the retirement system you're in. How about for SS?
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Old 01-04-2015, 10:58 PM   #26
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I had the feeling of freedom this month after getting the paycheck and being giddy that it was ours to spend/save or whatever! A little history-- early december, we paid our beach house off.

Now its a sprint to the ER finish line in 2020. We will have more than enough to retire come 2020, and will be splurging alot more over the next few years. The only reason for waiting until 2020 to retire, is because of the Early retirement pension option from mega corp. Currently golden handcuffed to the job.
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Old 01-05-2015, 03:35 AM   #27
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Technically, January 1st was my first day of retirement, so I did feel great that day.

But a year before my retirement, I worried about what if I'm wrong about finances. Fortunately, that only lasted about 6 weeks. Then countdowns and "lasts" started happening. That's the last time I have to work on a year end financials. Just 3, 2, 1 more quarterly report to do.

Six months before retirement was another feel good moment because I could quit at any time and the retirement plan would survive. At 3 months before, I knew I could make it to the end, because it was so close. I had an inept boss who had 10 people leave that year because of his ineptness, so a big feel good day was when I gave him a one line resignation letter, only surpassed by the last time I walked out of the office and the first year of retirement has been a continuation.


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Old 01-05-2015, 08:22 AM   #28
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Thanks for the replies! The feeling is subsiding a little bit, as I expected it would, and that's ok. Today may arouse suspicion among my brethren as we pick vacation slots for the year. They know that I typically choose fall, but I will pick some June and July slots and roll the rest into deferred comp. When they give me flack, as jovial firefighters do, I will just shrug my shoulders, grin and keep em guessing.

Arktinkerer, I hope it all works out. Having been a executor on three different estates, it was not easy, but in the end it was worthwhile.

No rv yet, still doing research. I'll be off to Houston next month to kick some more tires. That rv show is the biggest in the state. I imagine I will wind up with a toy hauler to take along the Harley, kayak, bass guitar w/ amp, golf clubs, fishing gear, other items I am forgetting right now, etc...
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Old 01-05-2015, 08:30 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by johnnyfuego View Post
No rv yet, still doing research. I'll be off to Houston next month to kick some more tires. That rv show is the biggest in the state. I imagine I will wind up with a toy hauler to take along the Harley, kayak, bass guitar w/ amp, golf clubs, fishing gear, other items I am forgetting right now, etc...
I recommend while you're checking out RV's in Houston you take the time to visit PPL. You can see many different makes/models and save big $ by buying a gently used toy hauler rather than take a huge depreciation hit buying new.
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Old 01-05-2015, 08:43 AM   #30
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No rv yet, still doing research. I'll be off to Houston next month to kick some more tires. That rv show is the biggest in the state. I imagine I will wind up with a toy hauler to take along the Harley, kayak, bass guitar w/ amp, golf clubs, fishing gear, other items I am forgetting right now, etc...
For the RV I strongly suggest finding a used one. I like older models and don't mind tinkering to make one just the way I want. Even if that is too much like w*rk for you, a trip to a southern location--AZ or FL-- to buy one that made a one way trip from the north will save you thousands. I find I pay money now because I don't have time. Having time would, I hope, make the road trip more enjoyable and the selection process less hectic. Buy a new one and its like taking a new car off the lot only worse. Losing 30% on a $100K RV on day one is a terrible thing when there are lots of great, like new, RVs sitting in the driveways and storage lots of retirement havens.
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Old 01-05-2015, 08:51 AM   #31
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Still a few months to go for us. Gotta get some 2015 earnings to max 401K, Roths, HSA. Home stretch though!
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Old 01-05-2015, 08:59 AM   #32
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Yep, it will be a gently used one. I have saved the brochures over the last few years to have more info as I spot em. I have always heard that the Tx valley is a good place to look since lots of snowbirds sell at that time before heading back north. Might not be too good for the toy hauler market but food for thought. Before the internet, and maybe still, they would use community billboards at the grocery stores, Walmarts, etc to advertise.
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Old 01-05-2015, 09:02 AM   #33
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Before the internet, and maybe still, they would use community billboards at the grocery stores, Walmarts, etc to advertise.
Yep. And even with the internet, craigslist and other local ads, many of them give up trying to sell it themselves and consign it to places like PPL. Once again, they are worth a look...
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Old 01-05-2015, 09:38 AM   #34
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There are several great RV forums, I would keep an eye on their classified sections. RVforum.net, IRV2.com, RV-Dreams.com, Escapees.com.

Post a wanted ad, if you decide which toy hauler you want.

And a subscription to RV.org is well worth the money IMHO. Good to avoid an expensive mistake.

Go RV'g!
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Old 01-05-2015, 03:26 PM   #35
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I recommend while you're checking out RV's in Houston you take the time to visit PPL.
Dagnabit. Now you got me looking & thinking about a travel trailer again. I gotta stop doing that.

And in warm sunny Texas too. At least warmer and sunnier than here. We're supposed to get 2" of snow tomorrow.
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Old 01-05-2015, 03:44 PM   #36
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Dagnabit. Now you got me looking & thinking about a travel trailer again. I gotta stop doing that.
Why? Trade that motorcycle in on something both you and your better half can enjoy!
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Old 01-05-2015, 03:51 PM   #37
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Why? Trade that motorcycle in on something both you and your better half can enjoy!
That's the trouble, she doesn't want to tour the country in a TT. We had that discussion a decade ago. I did talk about it with her brother, he was all for it but the poor sap still has to w*rk to support the cc companies.

Don't get me wrong, it is no great deprivation to me if I never do that because there are plenty of other interesting things to do.
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Old 01-05-2015, 05:20 PM   #38
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It's been hard for years, harder now that there is a definitive date (also July but possibly earlier due to corporate changes coming that will not lead to a layoff but are going to be big enough that I might not bother with a month or 2 worth of those changes). Right now the OMO (one more month) syndrome is to get health care things taken care of prior to leaving and max out the 401K (can't hurt right). That will be done by May or sooner and then we will see how those other changes are proceeding.
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Old 01-09-2015, 05:33 PM   #39
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I had the feeling of freedom this month after getting the paycheck and being giddy that it was ours to spend/save or whatever! A little history-- early december, we paid our beach house off.

Now its a sprint to the ER finish line in 2020. We will have more than enough to retire come 2020, and will be splurging alot more over the next few years. The only reason for waiting until 2020 to retire, is because of the Early retirement pension option from mega corp. Currently golden handcuffed to the job.
You sound like me, paid off the mortgage 2 years ago, and have the golden handcuffs until 2020 as well. Not having a constant drain on the paycheck is a great feeling, close to FI, and a step or two below what RE must feel like. I'm having trouble splurging, but its coming along.
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Old 01-09-2015, 05:48 PM   #40
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With the closing of oil wells, I imagine there will be a glut of travel trailers in So. Texas as the crews disperse.
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