Wondering if there is anyone on here that has retired early (FIRE Movement)

[Phaseolus]

I look back after retiring 6 years ago and wonder how I ever had time for a full time job! I’m busier than ever!

I've come to the conclusion that people who don't do well in retirement never developed enough interest in life outside of their jobs.

 

[dirtshooter]

Well my wife is a stay at home mom and we have 3 kids 6 and younger so I won't be retiring anytime soon at 37 but my employer funded union pension broke 500k this year as $7/hr worked in contributed by the employer not by myself (I have never put a penny into that pension myself as per the collective agreement) so I will keep working to see if it can reach 7 figures. Right now I average 40hrs a week and I feel like we spend too much money even though we have 6 figures in the bank. My goal will to be to work until I have 40 years in the union and that pension should be grand and my health benefits paid out for life. Maybe do two turnaround a year to make spending money.

We're gonna move to the farm this year and build new do that'll set us back too but it's better than being close to a city.

I don't wanna work but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[roymunson]

Cool idea, but man, I don't think I"d trust myself at this age with nothing to do.

I'd love to not be tied down every day, but I know if I had money and free time, I'd spend it pretty hardcore. Morally, for me, I'm not sure it'd be the right thing to do even if I could retire right now. Plus, I have 3 kids that I get to spend time with and I think it's important they see Dad knows to get up and go to work in the morning.

I own my business, I'd rather make myself a 3 day a week job and keep reaping the income I've got a pretty good gig going.

 

[eamyrick]

I retired at 48 from a blue collar job. I’m busy every day and much happier. Time with my kids and plenty of time for me. I have enough money for the things I need and a few things I want.

This is the way. Congrats.

 

[Elkbelch]

I retired at 54 in February. I love it so far, I didn't hate my job but I worked 12 hour shifts rotating between nights and days as well as Hollidays. I was able to access my 401k without penalty because I retired from my current employer. I purchased an annuity with half my funds and that replaced most of my income. I setup automatic withdraws with Fidelity where I am taking about 3% a year. Like I heard someone else say, I am busier now than ever. My wife and alll my friends still work so I pretty much spend my days by myself. She may retire next year if we can handle the health insurance. I will get a decent raise at 62 with SSI and a pension from a previous career.

 

[rayporter]

here is the dig=

i retired at 51 and my bud waited 3 years to retire. we were going to go all over hunting and fishing. he lived 4 more years. go while you can do it!!! i had 20 yr before i had trouble with altitude, and had to stay low.

i never had a problem with nothing to do. but i do know the different strokes thing is real. some folks just need to have that structured life. [ and some have not planned well]

edit
to drive the point home----the year before i retired 2 fellows that had waited until they were 65 to retire died the year after they left. another that was going to wait 2 years to retire died the year i left and 2 years before he got to retire.

 

[ChrisA]

here is the dig=

i retired at 51 and my bud waited 3 years to retire. we were going to go all over hunting and fishing. he lived 4 more years. go while you can do it!!! i had 20 yr before i had trouble with altitude, and had to stay low.

i never had a problem with nothing to do. but i do know the different strokes thing is real. some folks just need to have that structured life. [ and some have not planned well]

edit
to drive the point home----the year before i retired 2 fellows that had waited until they were 65 to retire died the year after they left. another that was going to wait 2 years to retire died the year i left and 2 years before he got to retire.

This scares the shit out of me. Been trading my labor for money since before I was 14, I just turned 53. I've always seen a light in the end of my tunnel, a vision, but I've always felt the to urge to go a little farther, save a little more, work a little more, good things come to those who wait, sacrifice now...you know the ant and the grasshopper story.

I've been blessed to be able to do and aquire most everything I've wanted but always feel under pressure, under the thumb of someone, and have this damned feeling that my body is gonna sputter out before I can do the things I truly want to do.

My eyesight is going to shit, cannot tie a Palomar knot without glasses, joints ache, fingers are getting slow and fumbly, short term memory is noticeably declining, etc.

I'm not worried about keeping busy, I'm worried about being physically able to do the things that I want to do. That's mainly walleye fishing and hunting almost everything. Guess my nest egg isn't big enough to comfortably say F-it, but it's sure becoming much clearer that you only get one shot at this life.

Seems as if Pink Floyd's song "Time" sums up my feelings, except I haven’t had too many dull days.