Second career is imploding - can I just stop the nonsense here?

R

RioIndy

Recycles dryer sheets
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Messages
102
*Sigh* the argument that one is best to stay at the stressful but better paying job because nonsense and stress are found at almost all jobs, is something I wish I understood more thoroughly three years ago. (Though It's not 'quite' that simple.)

Had a very aggressive career early on that paid very well but I was completely exhausted (and other factors). So I switched to something that pays less but at least allowed me to come home every night, and just bide my time while my savings grew.

Unfortunately this position ended up having its own set of nonsense that many here can relate to and understand. And now that this w*rkplace is quickly imploding I am back to trying to see just how far off I am at finally just saying "forget this".

-Now i'm 30 years old.
-600K in indexed equities.
-No kids and don't want any.
-No dept.
-Expenses are about 25K / yr (tracked very carefully)

FIRECalc and ******** both give me results above 80%. But I know that 600K simply isn't quite there.

I feel so very close to the sweet spot, the event horizon of finances, but I just struggle at the notion of going through this charade of switching jobs all over again.
 
Does it have to be an either or answer? Many have found part time work or started their own low stress business as a way to "finish the race". Part of the problem may be burn out at this point of your life. Easing your foot off the gas pedal might help. In a few years, you might be ready to "go after it" again.

It looks like it might not take much income at this point to make it work.
 
If your education/work experience allow for part time or contract work then that is what I would do in your position. Just make enough to cover your expenses and let your saving grow(hopefully). Be prepared to do this for a decade or longer depending on investment performance.
 
Consider what a position you have, as it is similar to mine: most if not all of your savings can support you indefinitely, at 30 years old. However, there is very little buffer and a very long road ahead with many risks. You also know what freedom looks like, and life is short.

What does this mean? Simply put, my solution: optimize for fun. Do something risky (like start a business), with minimal downside. Try out a freelance lifestyle. Those are examples, not recommendations.

You missed it the first time trying for that. Learn from it, try again!

What is important now is that you analyze what it is that triggers you, both up and down? It might not even be workplace related (or it might well be). Would be a shame to give up monetary reward for a false conclusion.

Future you will be grateful if you can figure that out now :)

So many options and still in the early years, be happy!
 
There's a big project going on in the office. The doers are all assigned a technology resource (like me - thankfully my little portion of the project is done.) The deadline has been pushed back twice already. Some of the doers have been working late until the evening and weekends. The tension is weighing heavily on some. One gal in particular is having a breakdown, crying and essentially losing it.

Yet one guy, a confidant of mine is leaving at 5:30. I asked him should our colleague be so stressed? He answered In a word no. Everyone is stressed, has a lot of work to do but, he chooses to be focused and effective. No baloney, no excuses he just executes.

The issue is no one wants to say your deadlines are not realistic. No one wants to admit they can't get it done in the time allotted . Stress is often self induced. When I saw the amount of work to be done I said to myself (I am not stupid) I'm not working weekends and late until the night to meet some arbitrary deadline. I called the boss and told him I see disaster looming. He polled the rest of the team and published a realistic projection of when our portion of the work will be done and promised to update if anything changes. Bam -Stress nearly eliminated.
 
Well, with such low expenses, I'd say it probably shouldn't be that difficult for you to find some employment that covers your expenses by itself ($15/hour should do it). If you can do that, moderate growth in your existing portfolio should push you towards FIRE in only a few years. If the job bugs you that much right now, I'd say go try something else.
 
You are too young to retire in the classic sense of the word (no longer working). Where you find yourself is a beautiful place. You have come to the point very early in your life where you have FU money. You can now do pretty much whatever you want. In my case it came later in life, but I can tell you, once you don't care if you lose your job, the job becomes much different. I do my best work. I focus on making a positive impact. I enjoy my working relationships. I don't work like a dog and I don't focus on deadlines. I certainly don't get caught up in the politics. In short, I do much better defining my work life.

You can do that at your current job or you could look for a better job. Think how it would be to apply for a job knowing that it's not about money or your security - it's about a good fit. You could also do as others have mentioned, contract or project work. How cool would it be to work say, half the year and do whatever else the rest of the year.

At 30, you have a long road ahead of you. If you live to 90, you could live your current life two more times. Think about that. Take the opportunity that you've provided yourself and design the rest of your life. Bank your savings, knowing that you already have security locked up and go do something great. You may fail and the road my have a few (or many) peaks and valleys, but I'm guessing you'll find something more rewarding than just existing.
 
RioIndy said:
Second career is imploding - can I just stop the nonsense here?
Click to expand...

If you're asking about quitting your job and never working again, living solely off your current nest egg, then the answer (IMHO) is "no". You'd be looking at probably a 50+ year retirement at this point, and in your shoes I would not feel comfortable with such a long time span when my nest egg was only barely able to sustain my current spending.

RioIndy said:
FIRECalc and ******** both give me results above 80%. But I know that 600K simply isn't quite there.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'd agree it's not quite there, but that doesn't mean you can't use your 600K to great advantage right now. It gives you an incredible amount of freedom to go do whatever kind of work you really want to do (or think you might want to do), because you don't need much additional income to support your current spending needs. Be creative and explore some different career ideas, or see if you can take on some freelance consulting work in your field. Don't stay in a full-time job you hate when you don't have to.
 
OP - get a high paying, high stress, full of BS job environment, save like a bandit and retire in 5 years.

Or take a menial $15/hr job , end up getting the same BS environment and work at it for another 30 years.

You have already seen that picking a nicer career at lower pay was a mistake, the real issue is you don't want to work to 65, so make the bucks now and then quit forever..
 
Yeah, I also worry that at 30 it is really hard to know your minimum expense needs for the rest of your life. So many things can come up (including, but not limited, to opinion on kids changing and uncertain medical expenses). I think staying flexible is key, so don't necessarily stay in the current job, but don't drop out completely of the workforce so you become less and less employable over time.
 
Slow down and enjoy life. Why make everything about retirement? You need to enjoy the time between now and when you retire...you'll never get those years back. It doesnt sound like you have many hobbies. Maybe start looking at that. That may bring some joy to your life. Right now it seems like you're depressed...and not because of work. Good luck to you.
 
rayinpenn said:
There's a big project going on in the office. The doers are all assigned a technology resource (like me - thankfully my little portion of the project is done.) The deadline has been pushed back twice already. Some of the doers have been working late until the evening and weekends. The tension is weighing heavily on some. One gal in particular is having a breakdown, crying and essentially losing it.

Yet one guy, a confidant of mine is leaving at 5:30. I asked him should our colleague be so stressed? He answered In a word no. Everyone is stressed, has a lot of work to do but, he chooses to be focused and effective. No baloney, no excuses he just executes.

The issue is no one wants to say your deadlines are not realistic. No one wants to admit they can't get it done in the time allotted . Stress is often self induced. When I saw the amount of work to be done I said to myself (I am not stupid) I'm not working weekends and late until the night to meet some arbitrary deadline. I called the boss and told him I see disaster looming. He polled the rest of the team and published a realistic projection of when our portion of the work will be done and promised to update if anything changes. Bam -Stress nearly eliminated.
Click to expand...


I know this is not part of the OP, but timelines can be a big problem....

Once I was asked to help lead a team to implement a big program... they were going to write a program to handle a very specific issue that not a lot of companies do... they had shown what they had done so far to the masses and I asked so many pointed questions that the programmers wanted me involved... I was told they wanted it 'done' so they could roll it out in 3 months... I said 'this will take a year to get done', and that was just a guess as I did not have project experience to come up with a real deadline, just a guess on my part... SOOO, I was not asked to help as I did not have the right attitude... I left that dept. and after a year it was not completed... another year later and they had it rolled out to two accounts (they had hundreds if not thousands of accounts).... I do not think they every implemented it....


As to deadlines.... I have told many people that if you do not get me what I need in time, that does not mean I have to make up the time pressure you created...
 
One option to the OP would be to just, as best you can, ignore the BS at work... go in, do a good days work and leave it all behind when you go home at a reasonable hour. If you can find a way to make that work then great... if not then just change jobs.

You probably have enough to downshift to part-time work, or free-lance if you want, but probably not enough to stop working entirely.

Your wealth gives you the freedom to have choices.
 
RioIndy said:
-Now i'm 30 years old.
-600K in indexed equities.
-No kids and don't want any.
-No dept.
-Expenses are about 25K / yr (tracked very carefully)

FIRECalc and ******** both give me results above 80%. But I know that 600K simply isn't quite there.

.
Click to expand...

Your facts lead me to make two assumptions, that might allow you to fire now!

1) You aren't married, and seem comfortable with that.
2) You live a minimalist life style.

Have you considered a nomad life overseas? Look into international living. You might just find that you could travel the world teaching English, writing for travel blogs etc, to supplement your nest egg, and make many envious.:(

Alternatively as others have said "Make it and Bank it".
 
Dude, you are only 30 years old and have $600k. That's way way above most 30 year olds. Congratulations and enjoy life!
 
Fake
Early
Retirement
Blogger

thought that was a known acronym on this board?
 
Lots of good advice above.
Think about this- if you stop working now, you have a long span of years to bridge until SS helps you (assuming you will qualify and it's still there).
You may spend alot of those early retirement years worried whether/ how the money will last. That may rob you of happiness in that time.
Hang in there- all jobs have BS associated with them and like you said, at least you get to come home at night. Take some leave days and re-charge to re-think things...
 
Big_Hitter said:
Fake
Early
Retirement
Blogger

thought that was a known acronym on this board?
Click to expand...


Maybe others, but I never heard it before.... but also was not interested enough to look it up.... sorry...
 
One of the things that I would caution you on is making the assumption that you life in 20 or more years will be like your life today...

Back when I was in my 30s I remember talking to a lady at work and she was talking about paying her CC bill... said it was $3,000 per month... I questioned her on it since my whole cost of living was around $2K (or less)... I could not understand how someone could be spending that much money... at the time I was single...


Now, almost 60 and I have a wife and 2 kids... one in college... and my expenses are about $115K a year!!! I complain all the time to DW about the spending but it does not seem to go down... but when I talk to others about their spending with the same family dynamics it seems we are kinda in the middle... some spend less than us, some more...


There is NO WAY I would have thought that I would be spending this much money at this age.. I would have bet my whole stash that I would not...
 
aaronc879 said:
If your education/work experience allow for part time or contract work then that is what I would do in your position. Just make enough to cover your expenses and let your saving grow(hopefully). Be prepared to do this for a decade or longer depending on investment performance.
Click to expand...



That is what I am doing. I abandoned the "retire early" plan in favor of the "work at home" plan. Not making much but I have enough rental income to support the house so I think I'll be fine. I don't plan to touch the next egg for at least three years.
Unless of course health care gets crazy or the market bottoms out. Then I will be job hunting I suppose!
 
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