What inspires and motivates you to FIRE?.

Suzan

Confused about dryer sheets
Joined
Apr 11, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Glasgow
Hi everyone, Suzan here, in my early 30s. I started FIRE three months ago(january). My decision to start FIRE was inspired by my values while growing up. I am also new to this wonderful community as i didn't know about it untill i was surfing the net yesterday to get more knowledge about FIRE till i found myself here. It motivates me to see a huge number of people here looking to achieve the same goal. Nice to meet you all ans hopefully will learn alot from you all.
 
Dear Suzan,
Welcome! Congrats on starting so young. This site has great people who have great advice, not only on financial matters, but also on whatever life can throw at you.
 
Good for you! This is only a point in time. Who knows what twists and turns our lives could take.

What inspired me to retire? At 58/59 I knew that I could not buy time...healthy time. Had enough money, more would not enhance our lives as much as healthy time would.

I worked hard, lots of responsibility, and a fair amount of travel. When a package came I welcomed it with open arms.

You just have to follow your heart and do what you feel is best for you.
 
I got a taste of it when we took 3 years off in Mexico. We've always been pretty frugal & saved the larger of 2 salaries. We were fire-bound before we heard of it... Now we're working on the details & efficiencies.
 
I wasn't necessarily working on FIRE, but I did want a comfortable retirement. Then, lo and behold, life happened. I ended up on disability and can't work. Planning for a comfortable retirement ended up being RE. Fortunately, we were FI as well and have all our needs covered as well as most of our wants.


You never know where life will end up. Planning for the future now will set you up for success!
 
I always had the spark. After HS/during college I knew I wanted to be a millionaire but quickly restated the goal to FI as that is what I wanted, not flashy spending "millionaire" conjures up (or is that conjured after several decades of inflation).



I always had an independent streak and didn't like being dependent on my folks and later on a job... I'm still dependent on the market/economy and whims of politicians but about as free as I can be in living in modern society and am the most content I have ever been.
 
1. tired of dancing to other people's tune

2. saw too many older family friends & older relatives work until the standard age 65 only to die a few years later.
 
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Welcome Suzan!
This forum has tremendous information and very knowledgeable members.
I got here by accident later in my work life, but the information I found here confirmed I could retire earlier than I thought.

LBYM, save money every paycheck, invest well, have a little fun along the way.
Early savings and compounding really work!
 
Those uncertainties of life that @ncbill touched on. I have things to do that require my undivided attention.
 
For us it was being able to give the finger to whatever we were doing and walk away. Even now it's nice being our own bosses.
 
Father died@70, very good man, just seemed too short a time with any good health. I retired @57.5, now 71.5, every day is a gift, especially every day after 70.
 
Hating my long, tiring commute drove me to more vigorously pursue ER, even after I reduced my weekly hours worked from 20 to 12 (3 days down to 2). Eliminating the commute totally was my only solution.
 
Welcome, Suzan! Read everything you can on this forum. There are gems of wisdom. Friends and family find it difficult to talk about financials. Not so on this forum. I guess the quality of life before I die inspired me to FIRE :)). Although, work can be enjoyable. My mom worked into her 80's (part-time of course).
 
Dear Suzan,
Welcome! Congrats on starting so young. This site has great people who have great advice, not only on financial matters, but also on whatever life can throw at you.

Thanks. I can see that and i hope to learn from you all?
 
Good for you! This is only a point in time. Who knows what twists and turns our lives could take.

What inspired me to retire? At 58/59 I knew that I could not buy time...healthy time. Had enough money, more would not enhance our lives as much as healthy time would.

I worked hard, lots of responsibility, and a fair amount of travel. When a package came I welcomed it with open arms.

You just have to follow your heart and do what you feel is best for you.

Thank you for this. I already know that this would do me so much good and I'm ready to work for it
 
Hating my long, tiring commute drove me to more vigorously pursue ER, even after I reduced my weekly hours worked from 20 to 12 (3 days down to 2). Eliminating the commute totally was my only solution.

Yes i totally understand that. I find it weird that my uncle liked to travel long distance for work because he likes driving long distances.
 
Father died@70, very good man, just seemed too short a time with any good health. I retired @57.5, now 71.5, every day is a gift, especially every day after 70.

Sorry to hear about your fathers demise. Lol, now you got me curious. How's life at 71?
 
Welcome, Suzan! I know you'll love this site and find a lot of information to help reach your own FIRE goal.

It's nice to hear you're starting so early - that compound interest is the key! I didn't have retirement on my radar until just after I turned 40; I'm thanking the good Lord Jesus for a military pension and disability pay! :)
 
My motivation was I wasn't finding enough time to do the things I had a passion for in life. I loved my work and I loved making money even more. Time was of more value than a paycheck at the time I decided to FIRE.
 
Yes i totally understand that. I find it weird that my uncle liked to travel long distance for work because he likes driving long distances.

My commute was on the trains. It included 2 different train systems in the NYC metro area, so I had to make the long trek upstairs from the deep, underground Long Island Rail Road platform in Penn Station to the street, then take the PATH trains from a station a long, crosstown block away. Then, I had to make the long trip upstairs out of the PATH station in New Jersey before a short walk to the office. That was the commute for the last 7 years of my career, following 16 years of the LIRR and the NYC subway to lower Manhattan. At least I could walk to my LIRR train for most of those 16 years so I didn't to deal with parking.

The commute was tolerable the first few years before becoming intolerable, especially the New Jersey part, even after I reduced the number of days for most of those 7 years. It was expensive, too, costing me as much as $20 per day in the last 18 months.
 
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