Regret early retirement/downsizing

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2015
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by 2015 »

fantasytensai wrote:I may be a little out of the norm here, but as a thirty year old who was always told (by parents growing up and then by wife after marriage) that I cannot play so much video games, I cannot possibly imagine being bored after retirement....I will finally have all the time in the world to play all the video games that I have shelves because I had to focus on school and career. I can't even fathom the idea of being bored.

Maybe I will think differently as I get older? Or maybe this is a fundamental difference between the previous generation and this generation?
I'm not sure it's generational as much as it depens on the person. Some of us are just self-generating. I'm over twice your age and have never been bored a day in my life. In fact, I've been busier in retirement than when I was working. My father was the same way after he first retired. We have a running joke between us that we have to go back to work to find some spare time.

Been retired two years today. Best two years of my life. :beer
Nova1967
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Nova1967 »

celia wrote:
stickman731 wrote:My only regret and hardest thing for me are the rainy days - you get locked in the house and there is only so much reading, computer, and housework you can do. I am not a TV watcher unless it is sports.
Why don't you buy a good umbrella and maybe rain boots? Why stay in the house when there are so many things to see and do in this world?
Hopefully you don't in Seattle or some other rainy venue, you would never get out of the house, Perhaps you could move to Yuma AZ
wolf359
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by wolf359 »

freebeer wrote:
This is my beef with the word "retired" as used by, say, Mr. Money Mustache. I prefer "financially independent". kathyauburn could of course have done writing, music, publishing, and countless other things as paid endeavors at 24 as many artists do. If she was financially independent at that age she could have used it as a safety net as many artists do (there is a very strong artist-trustafarian correlation). But it would not have been "retirement", it would have been "being a writer", etc. There is plenty of work outside offices and so there are plenty of working people who don't go to offices who aren't "retired". Some of them may be financially independent just as some who go to offices are financially independent.
I prefer "Financially Independent" as well. However, his definition of early retirement is accurate. People have changed their definition of "Retirement" to mean "never working."

Check out this Life Magazine photo essay on "Early Retirement" in the 1950's. February 18, 1957, to be exact. The people they profile who retired in their 40's seem to be MMM-style retirees. It starts on page 49.
Cruise
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Cruise »

wrongfunds wrote:
vacation expenses are escalating logarithmically
I don't believe that word means what you you think it does :-)
It means exactly the opposite of what I believe you wanted to convey. I know you meant to say "exponentially".
Being a geek, it came across very funny to me.
Glad to provide amusement for you.

Here is one definition of Logarithmic: "(of a curve) forming a straight line when plotted on a logarithmic scale; exponential."
arsenalfan
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by arsenalfan »

logarithmic is inverse of exponential.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithmic_growth
J295
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by J295 »

No regrets.
Cruise
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Cruise »

arsenalfan wrote:logarithmic is inverse of exponential.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithmic_growth

Well, you might want to read the Wikipedia post you cited:

"In microbiology, the rapidly growing exponential growth phase of a cell culture is sometimes called logarithmic growth"

Now I am getting amused.
Jack7140
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Jack7140 »

High school math teacher here. No offense, but arsenalfan is correct about logarithmic vs exponential. Check out the graph at the top of the Wiki link - definitely not the growth you want to see with your investments. Also if you read the rest of the paragraph you cited you'll see the confusion has to do with some vertical axis re-sizing.

To the OP - not retired yet, but can't imagine having major regrets. Summers off gives me some good practice and with travel / hiking / reading I stay pretty busy.
MFD
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by MFD »

I wouldn't want my investments growing logarithmically, but I would like my vacation expenses to grow logarithmically. I'm not retired yet, but I can't imagine regretting early retirement because I have such a backlog of interesting projects and activities I would like to do. I'm also not planning on downsizing, since we never upsized that much.
wrongfunds
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by wrongfunds »

RE: "escalating logarithmically"

I thought you had made a funny typo but your insistence on being persistently wrong is even more amusing. For everybody's sake please don't tell me you have STEM background. In STEM, there are no alternate truths. Exponential and logarithms are inverse functions of each other. There is no arguing about it regardless of how many Wiki articles you try to dig up using your mistaken understanding of a fundamental mathematical concept,

Give it up please!
nova1968
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by nova1968 »

kathyauburn wrote:Different people are different. If I had had the money, I could have happily retired at age 24. I'm a creative person who can write, make music, pursue publishing and countless other projects. I don't get my energy or motivation from social situations or other people. I don't need or want validation from people working in an office. In fact, I disdain such people. (And I certainly don't think that the world's smartest people are found there.) I never met anyone in my years working in an office that I respected much at all. What a waste of life, I thought. If I have a regret, it's that I spent any time at all in such places.

Bottom line is that you have to examine yourself to determine whether you would regret retirement. What would be the possible reasons to regret it? Not enough money? That's entirely different from "not enough to do."
I can relate to your post and I am sure quite a few others can also. I would also have loved to called it quits at an early age. But unfortunately I could not make a living off of my passions. I loved playing sports, but was not good enough at golf, tennis, baseball or basketball to make any money. So I bit the bullet for most of my career and approached going to the office from a pure financial perspective. As a result I will retire at 55 with a lucrative pension and retirement accounts.
arsenalfan
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by arsenalfan »

Cruise wrote:
arsenalfan wrote:logarithmic is inverse of exponential.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithmic_growth

Well, you might want to read the Wikipedia post you cited:

"In microbiology, the rapidly growing exponential growth phase of a cell culture is sometimes called logarithmic growth"

Now I am getting amused.
Amusing to all!

Confusing logarithmic and exponential is a common fallacy - your quote above is from citation 7 in that Wikipedia. Click on the link - it is a great explainer about the common confusion of exponential and logarithmic in public forums.
https://books.google.com/books?id=seRaA ... &q&f=false

To the OP, I know of one person who ER at 37 after making his nest egg in medicine for 7 years. He is pretty happy, took some time to find a new groove but is undertaking other academic pursuits. We meetup every other month, and he has absolutely no regrets.
book lover
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by book lover »

Semi-retired at 55. Worked in healthcare where I felt frustrated with not having enough time for patients. Best decision ever to have more time with my wife and in realizing that time is our most valuable asset. As for downsizing, we try to simplify our life wherever possible.
wrongfunds
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by wrongfunds »

One of the fundamental tenet of investing is getting a handle on the effect of compounding. The basis of that is exponential growth. When you plug in your expected rate of return in the Excel spreadsheet, the underneath math is using the exponential formula to come up with the numbers. The three types of relationships to differentiate are :- 1) Linear 2) Logarithmic 3) Exponential. Once you understand that, you will never confuse yourself between logarithmic and exponential.
my3sons
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by my3sons »

Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by TheTimeLord »

my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
I am going with your wife. She probably has a real world view of you where most people have an idealized view of themselves. I am betting her instincts are spot on.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
Chuck
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Chuck »

my3sons wrote:I wish there were a way to follow threads.
Other than clicking the wrench icon at the top or bottom of the page and selecting "Subscribe topic?"
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Steelersfan
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Steelersfan »

I early retired and had already downsized a few years prior. One of my retirement gifts was a wooden plaque that just said "Simplify". It sits in a hallway and I pass it many times a day. I've lived that word and have never regretted it.
SrGrumpy
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by SrGrumpy »

my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
My job has never been better ...

Yeah. I'm with your wife too.
msk
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by msk »

Retired 17 years ago at age 55 with 4000 subordinates. Only got bored in the past two years because I no longer have the stamina for staying up all night with my latest hobby, astrophotography. My other hobby while working was to design and build houses, single family and apartment buildings. Built the last one 4 years ago. Maybe time to start a new building..
mak1277
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by mak1277 »

SrGrumpy wrote:
my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
My job has never been better ...

Yeah. I'm with your wife too.
Impossible to say. I can, in all honesty, say that my job has never been better too. I also would say, in all honesty, that I would leave it tomorrow if I could and not hesitate for even 1 second.
Lauren Vignec
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Lauren Vignec »

fantasytensai wrote:I may be a little out of the norm here, but as a thirty year old who was always told (by parents growing up and then by wife after marriage) that I cannot play so much video games, I cannot possibly imagine being bored after retirement....I will finally have all the time in the world to play all the video games that I have shelves because I had to focus on school and career. I can't even fathom the idea of being bored.

Maybe I will think differently as I get older? Or maybe this is a fundamental difference between the previous generation and this generation?
Well, here's some perspective. It's not always about having "nothing to do."

My father passed away a few years ago. He was the pastor of a mission congregation, which means he basically started the church. He had an enormous amount of freedom and incredible responsibility. He worked tirelessly in the community, and specialized in getting things done by getting people from various agencies to actually talk to each other instead of just staying in their silos.

I remember growing up the gangsters used to ask me, "Your father is the President of Tacoma. How does it feel to have a father who is famous?" His funeral was front page news for the city's newspaper.

When he retired it... um... it didn't go well. Even after he died, my mother kept the answering machine message, "You've reached the answering machine for Pastor Ron..." Being a pastor was just such a deep, powerful element of his self-concept, and of the concept that everyone else had of him, too.

Recently I went to a meeting of the local clergy in our area. Everyone introduced themselves to the group. A man I didn't know started off by saying, "I think you all probably know who I am..." Immediately I thought, "This guy is going to have a really hard time with retirement."

Then, a few minutes later, he said, "Six months ago I retired. And I have to tell you, I'm having a really hard time with it."
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by TheTimeLord »

mak1277 wrote:
SrGrumpy wrote:
my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
My job has never been better ...

Yeah. I'm with your wife too.
Impossible to say. I can, in all honesty, say that my job has never been better too. I also would say, in all honesty, that I would leave it tomorrow if I could and not hesitate for even 1 second.
But the question is would you leave it today, the question is would you regret it 10 months from leaving. Personally my spouse ha better insights into those area of my personality than I do and I would think the same might be true of my3sons spouse. On an aside, what I never get is I hear lots of people here saying they are loving all the free time but never really talking about what they do with it besides a couple notable exceptions. If you ask me today if I would like more free time I first think sure then when I think about it going on for months I have no clue what I would do with it.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
mak1277
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by mak1277 »

TheTimeLord wrote:
mak1277 wrote:
SrGrumpy wrote:
my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
My job has never been better ...

Yeah. I'm with your wife too.
Impossible to say. I can, in all honesty, say that my job has never been better too. I also would say, in all honesty, that I would leave it tomorrow if I could and not hesitate for even 1 second.
But the question is would you leave it today, the question is would you regret it 10 months from leaving. Personally my spouse ha better insights into those area of my personality than I do and I would think the same might be true of my3sons spouse. On an aside, what I never get is I hear lots of people here saying they are loving all the free time but never really talking about what they do with it besides a couple notable exceptions. If you ask me today if I would like more free time I first think sure then when I think about it going on for months I have no clue what I would do with it.
I get it. I'm just saying that just because "my job has never been better" that doesn't mean that retirement still wouldn't be preferable. I have a great job, but if I made a list of every single thing I do in a week, going to work would be my least favorite thing on the list.
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by TheTimeLord »

mak1277 wrote:
TheTimeLord wrote:
mak1277 wrote:
SrGrumpy wrote:
my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
My job has never been better ...

Yeah. I'm with your wife too.
Impossible to say. I can, in all honesty, say that my job has never been better too. I also would say, in all honesty, that I would leave it tomorrow if I could and not hesitate for even 1 second.
But the question is would you leave it today, the question is would you regret it 10 months from leaving. Personally my spouse ha better insights into those area of my personality than I do and I would think the same might be true of my3sons spouse. On an aside, what I never get is I hear lots of people here saying they are loving all the free time but never really talking about what they do with it besides a couple notable exceptions. If you ask me today if I would like more free time I first think sure then when I think about it going on for months I have no clue what I would do with it.
I get it. I'm just saying that just because "my job has never been better" that doesn't mean that retirement still wouldn't be preferable. I have a great job, but if I made a list of every single thing I do in a week, going to work would be my least favorite thing on the list.
I don't disagree but there will always be a least favorite thing. I am just going off my personal experience which taught me 3 things. First just because I had more time to do more of my favorite things didn't mean I actually would. Second a lot of the fun activities that were my release from work became like work themselves as I tried to fill the hours. Last just because your retired doesn't mean the people you want to associate with are. Sometimes your vegetables make you better able to appreciate the dessert. Besides the interaction I receive at work has many positive aspects and helps to keep my mind sharp.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
mak1277
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by mak1277 »

TheTimeLord wrote: I don't disagree but there will always be a least favorite thing. I am just going off my personal experience which taught me 3 things. First just because I had more time to do more of my favorite things didn't mean I actually would. Second a lot of the fun activities that were my release from work became like work themselves as I tried to fill the hours. Last just because your retired doesn't mean the people you want to associate with are. Sometimes your vegetables make you better able to appreciate the dessert. Besides the interaction I receive at work has many positive aspects and helps to keep my mind sharp.
I'd much rather try it, hate it, and then go back to work than never try it at all though.
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by TheTimeLord »

mak1277 wrote:
TheTimeLord wrote: I don't disagree but there will always be a least favorite thing. I am just going off my personal experience which taught me 3 things. First just because I had more time to do more of my favorite things didn't mean I actually would. Second a lot of the fun activities that were my release from work became like work themselves as I tried to fill the hours. Last just because your retired doesn't mean the people you want to associate with are. Sometimes your vegetables make you better able to appreciate the dessert. Besides the interaction I receive at work has many positive aspects and helps to keep my mind sharp.
I'd much rather try it, hate it, and then go back to work than never try it at all though.
Well, that is more or less what I did, but for a lot of people they can't go back to where they were or what they did making it a very difficult decision.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
LarryAllen
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by LarryAllen »

I am not there yet. My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down. So I am still working.
my3sons
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by my3sons »

Chuck wrote:
my3sons wrote:I wish there were a way to follow threads.
Other than clicking the wrench icon at the top or bottom of the page and selecting "Subscribe topic?"
Yeah, that works too....

Thanks, I missed the wrench.
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tennisplyr
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by tennisplyr »

LarryAllen wrote:I am not there yet. My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down. So I am still working.
Retired for 6+ years and have seen investables continue to grow with steady withdrawals. Life goes by fast, I stopped chasing the dollar long ago.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
likegarden
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by likegarden »

I retired at 62.5 years, but continued part time at the same company until age 69. I always liked to work in my profession of engineering. Others also worked to 70, one to 80. It all depends on the person and the job. Early retirement before 62 was never an option and never considered.
2015
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by 2015 »

Steelersfan wrote:I early retired and had already downsized a few years prior. One of my retirement gifts was a wooden plaque that just said "Simplify". It sits in a hallway and I pass it many times a day. I've lived that word and have never regretted it.
This. I've found it amazing how much the act of simplifying after retirement has added to the quality of my life.
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by TheTimeLord »

LarryAllen wrote:My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down.
I occasional wonder how I will react to that, my guess is not well.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
kathyauburn
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by kathyauburn »

thursdaysd wrote:No regrets! I retired in 2000 at age 53, although I did part time contract work off and on for the next three years. I think it helps to transition rather than going cold turkey. I was a very techie techie with a megacorp, and while the first 25 years had been great the last five the job became less interesting and the environment more toxic. Also, I heard too many stories of people who were going to do things when they retired who didn't make it, or weren't in good enough health.

I retired specifically so I could travel while I was still healthy. This year, for the first time, I am not healthy enough, and I value every trip I was able to make. I did find I missed being an expert, but spending time on some of the travel boards and writing a blog seem to be good substitutes.
Sounds like you have your priorities right.

It's remarkable, as I proceed into the latter part of my 50s, how many people I have known and loved have already died.
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by kathyauburn »

Steelersfan wrote:One of my retirement gifts was a wooden plaque that just said "Simplify". It sits in a hallway and I pass it many times a day. I've lived that word and have never regretted it.
One of the great benefits of this notion is not only the freedom it brings you but also the time it brings you to read things like Walden:

Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion. Our life is like a German Confederacy, made up of petty states, with its boundary forever fluctuating, so that even a German cannot tell you how it is bounded at any moment.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to "glorify God and enjoy him forever."

I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by VictoriaF »

I am like Edith Piaf: Non, je ne regrette rien ,

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uncaD
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by uncaD »

I retired in 2013 at 45. The ONLY thing I ever feel any regret about is how much more money I would have now if I didn't - so I know it was the right decision.
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by keystone »

LarryAllen wrote:I am not there yet. My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down. So I am still working.
I'm less than 6 years away and I wonder about this too. I get a lot of satisfaction seeing assets go up over time and don't know how I will handle seeing my net worth stagnate or go down over the long term. I won't know until I get there, but part of me hopes that the positive feeling of freedom from work will be much more powerful than the negative feeling of stagnating/declining net worth.
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by kathyauburn »

keystone wrote:
LarryAllen wrote:I am not there yet. My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down. So I am still working.
I'm less than 6 years away and I wonder about this too. I get a lot of satisfaction seeing assets go up over time and don't know how I will handle seeing my net worth stagnate or go down over the long term. I won't know until I get there, but part of me hopes that the positive feeling of freedom from work will be much more powerful than the negative feeling of stagnating/declining net worth.
Thoreau: "A living dog is better than a dead lion."
freebeer
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by freebeer »

wolf359 wrote:
freebeer wrote:
This is my beef with the word "retired" as used by, say, Mr. Money Mustache. I prefer "financially independent". kathyauburn could of course have done writing, music, publishing, and countless other things as paid endeavors at 24 as many artists do. If she was financially independent at that age she could have used it as a safety net as many artists do (there is a very strong artist-trustafarian correlation). But it would not have been "retirement", it would have been "being a writer", etc. There is plenty of work outside offices and so there are plenty of working people who don't go to offices who aren't "retired". Some of them may be financially independent just as some who go to offices are financially independent.
I prefer "Financially Independent" as well. However, his definition of early retirement is accurate. People have changed their definition of "Retirement" to mean "never working."

Check out this Life Magazine photo essay on "Early Retirement" in the 1950's...
I don't dispute that the meaning of "retirement" has evolved. But that doesn't make MMM using a meaning that may have been common in the 1950s accurate any more than it's accurate in U.S. to use "incredible" when you literally mean "unbelievable". But mis-use of the term "retirement" wasn't my main point (I'm not with the Internet Retirement Police(tm)!).

My point was that being FI doesn't mean you necessarily should stop being a full-time teacher, doctor, software developer, coming in every day to Berkshire Hathaway, or whatever else it is that floats your boat. And if you do love being a doctor, washing your towels once every two weeks in order to accelerate time-to-FI doesn't necessarily make much sense either. So I just don't see MMM's blanket advice to all comers to a) get FI ASAP and b) "retire" ASAP as being all that universal - "a" I see as pretty great for almost everyone but "b" not so much (being in the "FI but still working full-time" boat myself).
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flamesabers
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by flamesabers »

namekevaste wrote:There are many posts on this forum regarding early retirement or downsizing. Does anyone regret retiring early or downsizing?
At age 31 retirement isn't in the foreseeable future for me, however, I'm doubtful I'll have regrets about retiring sooner then later. Probably the biggest barriers that will make me think twice about retirement is the loss of income and benefits. While I understand how important it is for me to have structure in my life, I think it would be nice to not have the obligation of a 8-5 Monday-Friday job. There's more to life then just working a job. I would probably spend some of my extra free time volunteering and exercising more.
mhalley
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by mhalley »

I am retired 2.5 years at 60and so far not bored. I have always been somewhat of a introvert/loner, so I don't particularly miss coworkers. I thought that if I started to get bored I could always go back to work, but have absolutely no regrets.
Fantasytensai, I am a gamer and there is still not enough time to play all the games I want to play. As long as they keep coming out with new ones, there will always be something new and exciting to do. Making new online friends to replace my coworkers.

As to not being able to follow threads, one way to do so is just edit your post and check the notify me When a new reply is posted.
wolf359
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by wolf359 »

freebeer wrote:
wolf359 wrote:
freebeer wrote:
This is my beef with the word "retired" as used by, say, Mr. Money Mustache. I prefer "financially independent". kathyauburn could of course have done writing, music, publishing, and countless other things as paid endeavors at 24 as many artists do. If she was financially independent at that age she could have used it as a safety net as many artists do (there is a very strong artist-trustafarian correlation). But it would not have been "retirement", it would have been "being a writer", etc. There is plenty of work outside offices and so there are plenty of working people who don't go to offices who aren't "retired". Some of them may be financially independent just as some who go to offices are financially independent.
I prefer "Financially Independent" as well. However, his definition of early retirement is accurate. People have changed their definition of "Retirement" to mean "never working."

Check out this Life Magazine photo essay on "Early Retirement" in the 1950's...
I don't dispute that the meaning of "retirement" has evolved. But that doesn't make MMM using a meaning that may have been common in the 1950s accurate any more than it's accurate in U.S. to use "incredible" when you literally mean "unbelievable". But mis-use of the term "retirement" wasn't my main point (I'm not with the Internet Retirement Police(tm)!).

My point was that being FI doesn't mean you necessarily should stop being a full-time teacher, doctor, software developer, coming in every day to Berkshire Hathaway, or whatever else it is that floats your boat. And if you do love being a doctor, washing your towels once every two weeks in order to accelerate time-to-FI doesn't necessarily make much sense either. So I just don't see MMM's blanket advice to all comers to a) get FI ASAP and b) "retire" ASAP as being all that universal - "a" I see as pretty great for almost everyone but "b" not so much (being in the "FI but still working full-time" boat myself).
Mr. Money Mustache's actual goal is to preach minimalism, and to save the planet by encouraging people to step off the consumerism treadmill. "Early Retirement" is simply the mechanism he uses to popularize frugality and convince people to follow that path. He really doesn't care what you call it -- he's using the term that catches more people's attention.

He actually states this in his blog.
runner540
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by runner540 »

tennisplyr wrote:
LarryAllen wrote:I am not there yet. My fear is that I like seeing my assets go up every month. I am not sure I am ready to see them stay stagnant or go down. So I am still working.
Retired for 6+ years and have seen investables continue to grow with steady withdrawals. Life goes by fast, I stopped chasing the dollar long ago.
I think you forgot to add "YMMV" to this post: you retired near the beginning of an incredible bull market for almost all asset classes. May we all be so fortunate.
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unclescrooge
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by unclescrooge »

SrGrumpy wrote:Forced out of my depressing job at 43, and I've been plodding along these past 6 years in semi-retirement on sharply reduced income (about $20k annually). I no longer set aside $$ for retirement, so I have lost a lot there. But no regrets otherwise. I travel about a third of the year in my quest to do all 50 states and 100 countries before I turn 50. Even if it all ended tomorrow or I end up eating cat food in my 60s, at least I can say I did it my way.
If you're traveling this much, you should write a blog. There are a lot of people who would like to live vicariously thorough you.

Who knows, the ad revenue might help you make those retirement contributions!
basspond
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by basspond »

Can't beat life on the other side. No regrets and several friends have said the same.
Barefootgirl
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Barefootgirl »

This week I was feeling a bit sad about it all. I am usually a grateful person and happy to know I can retire now if I want, although hanging in longer for the health insurance and it bothers me that this is such a huge issue in this country...if not for health insurance...you can finish the rest of that line.

I was feeling sad, because at the risking of coming across as arrogant...by myself, I am carrying several people on my back who are far less competent and it occurred to me that if I were out on my own, as a sole proprietor, I could do as much in far less the number of hours and probably make more $$.

I was not cut out for public service, but circumstances (previous private sector employer froze the benefit plan) led me to it.
How many retired people does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Only one, but he takes all day.
Dead Man Walking
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Dead Man Walking »

my3sons wrote:Great thread. I wish there were a way to follow threads. My wife retired April 2016 and I plan on retiring in December @ 57 after 35 years in IT. My job has never been better but I've planned fairly well and will be financially independent. My wife has recently warned me that I may have some of the regrets discussed above, but I don't share her opinion. This thread has reinforced both opinions, I'm sticking with mine...
I retired early and have no regrets. My wife thought that I may miss working, so I got a part-time job in a related field. Big mistake! I fully retired several months later. I volunteered for several years for various organizations, but gave that up because some type A personality eventually made it seem too much like work. Stick with your opinion!

DMW
truenorth418
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by truenorth418 »

Retired 5 years ago at 47. No regrets.

I am rarely bored, and never as bored as I was sitting in those endless meetings listening to people I loathed drone on about meaningless nonsense. There are so many interesting things to do and explore in this world and I am grateful to have the time for that now.

Those who questioned my decision at the time now tell me how jealous they are.
Barefootgirl
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Re: Regret early retirement/downsizing

Post by Barefootgirl »

but part of me hopes that the positive feeling of freedom from work will be much more powerful than the negative feeling of stagnating/declining net worth.
Part of me sometimes wonders whether some of us (self included), attach too much significance to the number itself (net worth). I'd be willing to bet that the demographic here is goal oriented, lol. Racking up wealth accumulation like we do college degrees, professional titles, etc.

I have had to remind myself, these are just the means to the end. I hope in retirement, the notion will finally be forced home.
How many retired people does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Only one, but he takes all day.
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