FI since 2015, still winding down employment

[lem1955]

Before I was FI, I found reports from others who had already achieved that goal both informational and inspiring. I figure it is time for me to share my story. I left my high paying job in 2011 at 56, despite having taken the big hit in my 401k in the Great Recession of 2008-9. I took a 32 hour a week job later in 2011 in a related field in a non-profit paying a little more than a quarter of what I had made previously, but enough that I did not have to make changes in savings or investments. I just left my 401k with the previous employer at 70/30 AA. After a couple of years, I reduced my hours at that non-profit to 24 hours/wk and lasted a couple more years. I left that job in late 2015 intending to retire and began taking withdrawals from my 401k now having been converted to a Traditional IRA. A few months later I received an unsolicited offer from the ED of another non-profit to work for him. I had admired the organization and the ED for a long time and asked for remote work, and a level of compensation that would make it worthwhile for me. Hours amounted to about 30-40 a month. I took the job and enjoyed the board, the quarterly meetings held in great locations, and found the work new enough and familiar enough to hold my interest. The ED I had so admired died two years into my employment and the board asked me to stay on to reconfigure the chart of accounts and financial statements to be more intelligible to them, which I did. And then when the interim ED left and the new ED took over a year later, he asked me to stay another year to teach him how to read and understand the financial statements and the relationship to the organization's programs. I did that too. And then I retired for the 2nd (or 3rd time in late 2021, depending on what you count as "retirement"!) A few months after that, I received another unsolicited offer to work as an independent consultant business coach for third non-profit. I was assured I could take on as many or as few clients as I wanted, be free to travel, and earn a minimal but reasonable stipend for the work. That is what I am doing now. I am the lead coach (with more responsibility) for one client and an assisting coach for three others (with much less responsibility - only in my field of expertise). I just turned 68. I have time to bicycle, hike, garden, hobby, see family and friends, and I still feel engaged in the world and contributing. I have not regretted any of my decisions and I've loved taking the slow route to FIRE.

 

[Exchme]

Congratulations! It's great that you found a balance that satisfies your needs wants and has been enjoyable along the way.

 

[pacergal]

Great story--thanks for sharing. It seems you have found an enjoyable work/life balance along the way.

 

[Markola]

Thanks for sharing your unique journey. It doesn’t sound like you have FIREd or unFired. You’ve just built a life that works for you, and hats off to that.

 

[MarieIG]

Great to hear that you are doing it your way!

 

[Koolau]

I became FI at age 51 but I stayed on at Megacorp because they had not yet figured out that I was enjoying what I was doing there. They were paying me all this money and pretty much letting me do what I liked to do. I no longer had to stay late or come in nights or week-ends. My assignment was mostly of my own creation and people left me alone - except to use my services which were for those who needed them. I rarely had to create a report or have any external deadlines. My direct reports were (for the most part) a well oiled machine that knew what to do and would let me know if they needed anything. My boss was as hands off as I was. What was not to like?

Almost the day that changed (the day Megacorp found out that I enjoyed my assignment and said "We can't have THAT!") I gave my notice and was gone at the end of the week.