It’s happened y’all! I’ve worked long enough to earn 40 social security credits and have now been inducted into the club of Americans who will receive some of the money the government has been taking from my paycheck my whole career. WOOHOO! Continue reading “I Qualify For Social Security! (But I’m Not Depending On It)”
Category: Early Retirement
Lessons Learned After Half A Decade On The FIRE Journey
Five years ago, I was sharing a studio apartment with my partner. It had 200 usable square feet (the rest was a hallway) and faced an office building and the parking lot of a dive bar that is known for having a swing over the bar top (classy place 😉 ). Continue reading “Lessons Learned After Half A Decade On The FIRE Journey”
8 Months To Retirement: Shifting My Mindset To “This Is The Last Time”
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here.
There are 8 months and change until I quit my job forever. That amount of time at once feels short and long. On the short side, I remember vividly what I was doing 8 months ago – work and non-work activities. Though if I try to think back more than 1.5-2 years, I only remember the non-work activities, which gives me reassurance that I’ll realize none of these nonsense job dumpster fires will ‘matter’ in retirement – or ever did really matter. Continue reading “8 Months To Retirement: Shifting My Mindset To “This Is The Last Time””
How I Saved $68,000 In 2019
Also known as every dollar I didn’t spend in 2019! One year ago I declared the following monetary goals for 2019:
- Max my 401K ($19,000)
- Max a Roth IRA ($6,000)
- Overall invest $68,000
- Continue spending around $18,000
9 Months To Retirement: I’ve Achieved DGAF Status
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here.
I don’t know what happened. I’ve been pleading with my brain for years to not react to metaphorical office fires with a rapid heartbeat and rising stress, but it never listened. Despite knowing my job doesn’t really ‘matter’ and that there are no real negative consequences to something going wrong, my perfectionism muscle wouldn’t allow me to escape emotionally unscathed. Everything was a Category 5 emergency that continued to rattle around in my brain every evening and weekend.
Continue reading “9 Months To Retirement: I’ve Achieved DGAF Status”
It’s Official: I’m Quitting My Job In 10 Months. Here’s The Plan!
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here.
I’m not one to bury the lede so: We’re doing this people! Thank you so much for all of your comments on my last post about this decision. I really appreciate all of your encouragement, concerns and advice. After careful consideration it’s been decided: I’m leaving my job in September 2020. Continue reading “It’s Official: I’m Quitting My Job In 10 Months. Here’s The Plan!”
Should I Lock Myself Into Quitting My Job In 11 Months?
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here.
The time has come: IT’S DECISION TIME. I need to decide if next month I will book my month long trip to New Zealand and Australia for October 2020. My Mom and I are working on her goal of experiencing palaces in the sky by using travel hacking to book the Etihad First Class Apartments for our flight from Down Under. Check it out: Continue reading “Should I Lock Myself Into Quitting My Job In 11 Months?”
12 Months To Retirement: Recognition & Combating Self-Doubt
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here:
- 13 Months To Retirement: Prioritizing Loved Ones
- 14 Months To Retirement: Battling The Impatience Beast
- 15 Months To Retirement: Exploring The Different Kinds Of Stress
- 16 Months To Retirement: Discovering Cracks In My Favorite Company
- 17 Months To Retirement: Apartment Drama
A few months ago I was tottering along with my life of work, play and blogging when this happened: Continue reading “12 Months To Retirement: Recognition & Combating Self-Doubt”