A good friend at w*rk just announced his retirement. Much more in alignment with this forum than I am, he's going out at 52 (I'm 58 and still trudging through TMY).
The logical half (quarter? eighth?) of my brain says my buddy's situation is completely different than mine. For one thing, he and his DW had zero offspring, putting him a million lifetime bucks better off in the expense department, so they have no debt. His lovely & talented wife runs an online business with a 10 year track record of predictable income, which she will continue.
They live way below their means, but so intelligently that if you went to their house you'd think they spent like royalty. They are moving from The Shire to a much lower COL area south of Gondor. He has a glorious hobby for which he already owns all the equipment he could ever want, so they will get by fine on a budget one quarter of the salary he's leaving. Good for them...
...but it also su*ks. The non-logical half (three quarters? seven eighths?) of my brain is awash in thoughts of which I am not proud. I am insanely jealous and feeling like "everybody gets to retire early except me."
Anybody else want to admit suffering ER envy in the last years/months before they got to FIRE?
The logical half (quarter? eighth?) of my brain says my buddy's situation is completely different than mine. For one thing, he and his DW had zero offspring, putting him a million lifetime bucks better off in the expense department, so they have no debt. His lovely & talented wife runs an online business with a 10 year track record of predictable income, which she will continue.
They live way below their means, but so intelligently that if you went to their house you'd think they spent like royalty. They are moving from The Shire to a much lower COL area south of Gondor. He has a glorious hobby for which he already owns all the equipment he could ever want, so they will get by fine on a budget one quarter of the salary he's leaving. Good for them...
...but it also su*ks. The non-logical half (three quarters? seven eighths?) of my brain is awash in thoughts of which I am not proud. I am insanely jealous and feeling like "everybody gets to retire early except me."
Anybody else want to admit suffering ER envy in the last years/months before they got to FIRE?