Save. Spend. Splurge.

10 Comments

  • Mike

    Love how you voiced this.

    I too know I must keep my brain busy. It’s a great experience to “retire” early and have the ability to do so. And I have found it’s amazing to be able to go back to work, volunteer, have hobbies, or whatever you do with your time that you enjoy. I think the key is to make sure you enjoy how you spend your time, if you’re getting paid or not 😃

  • Hawaii Planner

    I think about this a lot, and have a pretty good sense of what my “retired” life will be like. And for me, “retired” means I won’t work a super high paying career job anymore, but not that I won’t work. I want my finances to support me having the flexibility to: work, work in a lower paid job for fun, work part time, not work, take breaks between roles, etc. Right now, I’m in the big career phase, but am winding down. To your point, it was easier to put in a few more years here while I’m making the big money, vs take 5-7 years making a lot less somewhere else.

    • Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.

      I think I like the option of being able to say: EFF IT! And not work again at my contract or for anyone ever again if I choose to. The thing is.. I choose to work. It’s unpopular with FIRE people but I enjoy using my brain.

  • Tim

    You have to find what works for you with respect to work and the rest of your life and often that is a LOT harder than most people think. After all, we often assume things about ourselves…like I could be happy doing ‘Y’ forever only to realize six months in that ‘nope this isn’t working.’

    Honestly, it took me about 2 years of leaving my career to start to hit my happy point where I had enough hobbies (and for the record you actually need more hobbies than you think with retirement) and then decided to add in some part time work after realizing I really enjoyed my volunteer time at the school library. I found ‘work’ that makes me happy and I would have literally never guessed it until I tried it (shelving books). So I got a part time job at the public library….with a pension and great benefits. Oh the irony since I just wanted a bit of work to help keep in involved in something with other people and a bit of extra hobby money but now I have better dental coverage than when I had my career job.

    There is no right or wrong amount of work during retirement. Find what works for you. If you love your: “do a contract and take six months off afterwards” then keep it up. If not, find the right blend for you. We really need to get past thinking of retirement as a binary choice of either 1 – full time work or 2- no work forever. There is a LOT of room between those extremes and all of them can work…you just need to find your particular combination.

    Good luck on what ever you choose!

    • Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.

      I love that – your part time library job is what made me wonder if I could do another similar job. Work in an independent bookstore, maybe be a shop girl in a consignment shop… things I’d enjoy and would still be work but I don’t need the money, I just enjoy the challenge and growing the business or helping others. Maybe I’ll feel differently as I age but right now, I’m choosing to work, take a break, then work again.

  • Sarah

    Most of the time, my work is fun and challenging, I just hate being a slave to the clock. I think I could absolutely enjoy a mini-retirement or part time work, but these things don’t really exist in my field.

    Our family has reached a low level of FI (frugality + selling and moving to a LCOL area), but I have a hard time imagining actually quitting. I am very good at just chilling (Type B), but I’ve noticed in the pandemic that I’m way lonelier without the regular interactions and friendships at work. I also need structure. Like you, I’d probably look for another job to keep busy, but why would I take up to a 90% pay cut (vs min wage) when I could just keep doing my job?

    I’m interested in seeing how/if high-achieving women in my cohort actually manage to RE (e.g. you, Revanche, StackingPennies). So far most of us seems like we’re close but not ready yet, but I know I will probably keep moving goalposts!

    • Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.

      I really doubt I’ll retire early. This has proven to me that I’m not fit to do my hobbies full time, and if I work at my contract, making bank.. why would I pick up another job making far less UNLESS it was for a non profit maybe or for a fun job (??)… I just really like using my brain.

  • Gail

    My husband was sort of forced into retirement at 55, but then did not work at anything else that was paid for more than a year or so. It was his decision. He has kept busy and alert with his personal study and writings/research of history related to his family and their origins, and he goes to the gym in non-pandemic times. I continued to teach until age 64 because I enjoyed it, and when I retired it was because of wanting more family time rather than devoting weekends to prep and grading essays. I did return for a 6-week stint and immediately knew I was glad I had timed retirement as I had.
    Now when there is no danger of virus I am a grandmother and school volunteer, an avid reader and a much better cook than before. We did travel some pre-pandemic, too. No regrets. I guess I liked my life both ways. I am glad for this greater amount of time with my husband more than anything. That is my form of YOLO. Everyone is different–it took me long to accept this and not compare or try to do what others say is “right” regarding working as a mom, when to retire, etc. In fact I still need to work on it.
    You seem to truly know yourself, Sherry, and to be flexible–both of you– enough to alter plans as times and your situation change.

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