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Retiring Early On $870K In Arizona

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Why not become a streamer? Shit, if I had the money I would "retire" and become a streamer. All it really takes is persistance, a lot of up time and developing a personality. I am sure I could do that. If not I would just put the wifey in a hot tube while I game. Its a win win.

im 33 and net worth is close to that amount. Seems pretty insane to me. 2m seems like a good number where you could just coast on dividends and annual returns.
My net worth is close too at 37 but I couldn't do this because most of my "assets" are tied up in land that I wont sell.
 
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I would only retire if I had enough money to have a great house and travel around the world playing golf while eating at the best restaurants. Thats a good retirement.
 

McHuj

Member
I want to retire early and by early I mean like 60.

For me personally that is too low of a nest egg to retire on. I think it's too limiting. My goal in retirement is to see the world and that will be a pricy ordeal, but one I'm willing to pay for as I just can't imagine sitting around a house in the middle of the desert and "working out".
 

GymWolf

Member
I already do these things except I don't drink coffee. I did drink one once and what certain to have a heart attack. I wake up at 430, train until 6, work till noon, eat lunch, lunch time is a sport activity, usually kayak, work, end of daytime hobby time, prepping supper/lunch for the next day. Evening is hookups. Weekends it's house maintenance in the morning, afternoons videogames, evening friends parties. That still leaves me plenty of time that I was studying full time for 18 years. I can't fathom retirement. Covid made me appreciate working even more as I would've gone ceazy(ier ).

Did most of it during my 20s/30s. I once spent nearly $6k in bars in a month. Maybe I'm a bit jaded. Having a partner would sure help I guess.
I traveled a lot too but i'm still far from visiting any interesting place in the planet...
 

Winter John

Member
I used to think retiring early was something to aim for but after the forced shut down during Covid I changed my mind on that. I had plenty to do but it was getting real thin towards the end there. If exercisin, walking the dog and knitting hats in the desert is the lifestyle they want then good luck to them.
 

Liljagare

Member
Seems a bit too early for them. :eek:

But I think it is what people should aim for, have plenty of friends who didn't make it to late forties even. Going from work to the grave always seems like such a shame. All those things they wanted to do, never got done, because of work.
 

p_xavier

Authorized Fister
Seems a bit too early for them. :eek:

But I think it is what people should aim for, have plenty of friends who didn't make it to late forties even. Going from work to the grave always seems like such a shame. All those things they wanted to do, never got done, because of work.
Or work makes it do what they want to do? I understand that many loathe their jobs, but it can still be satisfying.
 

BigBooper

Member
I dunno. If they don't have any interests, that's kinda weird. Guess they can watch Springer reruns for 60 years. If you aren't going to have kids though, any wealth you leave behind is kinda a waste. I would want more available for world travels and burried somewhere just in case. Maybe they can join a WOW guild.
 

Aesius

Member
There's 2 kinds of people in this world. People who live to work, and people who work to live.

If you are category 1, or you just have a Type AA personality, you should never retire. Working defines your existence and not working is the same as death to you.

If you are category 2, you should retire the millisecond you have the financial independence to do so. You have a million other things you would rather do besides go to work every day and your mortal lifespan is terribly short and going to work is a waste of what little time you are given on this Earth.

Neither category are "wrong" or "right" and people in category 1 will never understand 2 and people in 2 will never understand 1. That's just the way it is. People in 2 should be thankful the people in 1 are around to keep society running. People in 1 should be thankful when the people in 2 quit and/or retire because they don't want to be there anyways.
Sometimes I wish I was in category 1. The typical Type A personality. It just seems far better conducive to surviving/thriving in a modern capitalistic society.

Basically, if you're a high-energy, Type A, highly extroverted personality, consider yourself blessed. You naturally have the attributes to succeed in the world.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
These guys are in their 30s and already burned out so much they want to bail from making money? Why not just stretch it to 40-45 years old and call it quits?

I want to retire when I'm 60 max. But no way I'm retiring in my 30s even if I had hoards of money. And $870k is not a ton split by 2 people and you might have another 50 years to live. Of course, if that money consistently makes good returns of lets say $50000 after tax, maybe thats doable to live modestly if everything is paid off already.

I'm not retiring where I desperately depend on assets to appreciate 4-5% to keep the pot full. All it takes is a market drop and there goes 20%. When I retire I want my asset pool in the millions and can do what I want and even live off a 2% high interest savings account is doable.

Now if I was a huge millionaire wall street broker at 33 years old burned out working 15 hours days for 10 years straight, ya maybe I'd call it quits. But seems boring as hell. Even when I go on vacation for a week I'm bored already.
 
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Aesius

Member
Holy shit at all the spam in the comments section of that video. Every other comment is someone hyping up how they made millions in the stock market because some guru (who is name dropped, of course) handled their investments for them. Interesting how these financial advisors are turning $50k into millions for their clients but are still working 8-5 jobs themselves.
 
It all depends on your personal priorities. Money isn't the end-all-be-all for many out there (including me), and I think many are realizing the futility of the rat-race. If you have enough for your needs and time to do what you love/enjoy, then you are truly rich imho.
 

JORMBO

Darkness no more
Doesn't seem too bad to me. I'd love the freedom to wake up and do what I want or travel wherever I want to go on a whim. I would have worked another 5-10 years in their situation though to build up more money.

They both look a lot older then I would have initially guessed.
 
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Airola

Member
Some people don't ever get to retire because they either die before it or they just get too caught in their jobs and never stop it.
If you can retire now, and you are ok with less money, go for it.

Must feel pretty good to be retired while you're still young and healthy and have more potential living years ahead of you.
 

dr_octagon

Banned
I'd love to retire from the artifice of modern bullshit masquerading as work. You can use the time to give back to community, charity, teach and put effort to worthwhile endeavours instead of spreadsheets.
 

Burnttips

Member
I retired at 28 and now 43. I own a bunch of rental properties and have a management company take care of them. I live in one of the properties with my daughter. I make enough to stay retired for ever but I may go back doing some easy job to pass time.
 

Aesius

Member
It all depends on your personal priorities. Money isn't the end-all-be-all for many out there (including me), and I think many are realizing the futility of the rat-race. If you have enough for your needs and time to do what you love/enjoy, then you are truly rich imho.
I think the problem is that getting ahead these days, provided you didn't inherit anything, requires an ENORMOUS amount of time, energy, and effort. Just putting in your 40 hours per week isn't remotely enough, and that's already a massive time sink as is. Especially if you have a longish commute.

Of course, it's doable if you're young, single (or have a partner who doesn't mind your absence/works similarly long hours), have no kids, and have hobbies that don't require a ton of time, effort, and energy themselves.

Basically, if you aren't heavily driven by money, it's very difficult to see the appeal in the grind when you have competing needs and interests. I remember being shocked at the end of my first 40-hour week at a desk job. "THIS is what people do for decades?" I was envious of the guy who came and restocked the vending machines because his job involved movement and looked somewhat interesting, whereas I was staring at a screen for 9 hours a day and shackled to my desk.

Grinding out the days, hours, weeks, years, and decades and still going above and beyond all the time requires feeling intensely rewarded by your paycheck and the promise of bigger paychecks down the road and more prestigious titles, and if you're not into that stuff, there's just no appeal whatsoever in putting forth the effort to "hustle." Because all you want to do is go home and be with your family or enjoy your hobbies or just relax.
 

TylerD

Member
I had a trial retirement of 4 months several years ago. My job came to a scheduled end, I received a year of severance pay and we were going to be moving to a new city. I can tell you that I am 100% cool with doing "nothing". Nothing in this case was whatever the fuck I felt like at the pace that I wanted. I was 35 then and can't wait to do whatever I want on my own time. I don't like working more than I have to and while I could make extra money with a side hustle or 2, my free time is so valuable to me so I choose not to.

I'm on track for probably 2.5-3 million in savings/assets by my early 60s calculated on my current ~60K/yr income. I'm making the transition into management and do expect that to go up considerably though.
 
I think the problem is that getting ahead these days, provided you didn't inherit anything, requires an ENORMOUS amount of time, energy, and effort. Just putting in your 40 hours per week isn't remotely enough, and that's already a massive time sink as is. Especially if you have a longish commute.

Of course, it's doable if you're young, single (or have a partner who doesn't mind your absence/works similarly long hours), have no kids, and have hobbies that don't require a ton of time, effort, and energy themselves.

Basically, if you aren't heavily driven by money, it's very difficult to see the appeal in the grind when you have competing needs and interests. I remember being shocked at the end of my first 40-hour week at a desk job. "THIS is what people do for decades?" I was envious of the guy who came and restocked the vending machines because his job involved movement and looked somewhat interesting, whereas I was staring at a screen for 9 hours a day and shackled to my desk.

Grinding out the days, hours, weeks, years, and decades and still going above and beyond all the time requires feeling intensely rewarded by your paycheck and the promise of bigger paychecks down the road and more prestigious titles, and if you're not into that stuff, there's just no appeal whatsoever in putting forth the effort to "hustle." Because all you want to do is go home and be with your family or enjoy your hobbies or just relax.

The system is designed for the top to squeeze the bottom and that pressure only increases with time and centralization of wealth/power.

The only real alternative in the unjust/unbalanced equation is for those at the bottom to devalue the very thing those at the top prioritize...money. Living simply, refusing to incur debt and participating as minimally as possible in the system are the only ways to combat the yokes we (at the bottom...read - most everyone) bear.

The irony of the whole situation is that virtually all of us are enslaved by money, by this concept of currency that has no basis, backing (anymore) or actual value in the real world. It's just Monopoly paper that persists in usage/trade by mutual agreement. Yet we (the collective masses) struggle and claw to secure the very chains that bind, perpetuating our own servitude. Granted, this is a larger philosophical discussion.
 

Rat Rage

Member
Amazing how smart they are. Enjoying life when they are still young and vital. They can spend their time how they want (within their limits). If you don't eat out much, it's a) healthier and b) you have to spend more time cooking, which is good skill and actually fun. That way you are way more mindful of what you eat ánd thus eat better/healthier. Also, if you have to not be wasteful with your money, it will make you appreciate the stuff you buy with it more, which will strengthen your character.
They both don't look like they are not doing anthing or being bored. Both are pretty smart, so you bet they can enjoy themselves in many different ways, from reading, learning, cooking, working out, playing games and stuff. Also, they can allocate enough time to their dog, and by doing so they spend time outside getting exposed to the bright sunlight which is proven to lift your mood. It also makes their dog happy and continues to keep them healthy/active.
They travel a lot, so they get to know many different places. The guy also allocates time for his personal fitness (so does his wife probably), so this will make him feel good and keep him healthy as well.
Also, the woman seems to be pretty cool. I'm really happy they get along so well. The older you get, the more you realize that looks are not that important - it's much more important to find a woman with whom you get along great and can have fun.
Basically they traded continuing making money, but having to sit in a computer chair for hours on end almost every day (which is definitely not healthy at all for both your physical as well as mental health) for a very smart way of spending/enjoying the precious/limited time they both have as mortal beings on earth. They've traded money/being forced to do what others want for... a beautiful, free and humble life.
 
I'm in my 30's and if I could, I would definitely retire. I have enough things I enjoy doing outside of work that I would never get bored. Props to these folks

The problem is I live in California where everything is ridiculously expensive and saving up 80k for a down payment on mediocre home is just silly. Thankfully I should be moving the hell out of here within the next couple years
 
I’m always amused whenever I see people celebrating and looking forward to their retirements. Those who follow this sentiment must clearly hate their occupations and are stuck in the mundane existence of punching a clock without a moment’s happiness.

Why would you spend life doing something that brings endless boredom and a minimum wage paycheque? Do something that brings our the fire and passions, something that you can be proudly tell people about and regret the day you can no longer do it?

You should fear retirement, not look forward to it. Fear the day when your balls are all shrivelled up and you’re of no use to the employment sector. That’s my view on “happy retirement” parties.
 
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Aesius

Member
I’m always amused whenever I see people celebrating and looking forward to their retirements. Those who follow this sentiment must clearly hate their occupations and are stuck in the mundane existence of punching a clock without a moment’s happiness.

Why would you spend life doing something that brings endless boredom and a minimum wage paycheque? Do something that brings our the fire and passions, something that you can be proudly tell people about and regret the day you can no longer do it?

You should fear retirement, not look forward to it. Fear the day when your balls are all shrivelled up and you’re of no use to the employment sector. That’s my view on “happy retirement” parties.
It's not always easy to switch gears like that. Especially years or decades into a career and with a family that depends on your income. Sometimes people enjoy their careers up until the day they don't, but by then it's too late to make a major change. And not everyone has a "fire or passion," at least from an employable/marketable skill point of view.
 
It's not always easy to switch gears like that. Especially years or decades into a career and with a family that depends on your income. Sometimes people enjoy their careers up until the day they don't, but by then it's too late to make a major change. And not everyone has a "fire or passion," at least from an employable/marketable skill point of view.
Then I would say to those people to think hard and long about which profession they choose to spend their entire lives within, before starting a family and having children who depend on their finances.

I’m aware the passion usually fades long term, but some people stick in dead end jobs because they’re scared of change and feel as though they don’t have enough time left to switch career paths when that usually isn’t the case. Maybe because I’m in my 20s and am able to speak this way and not my 40s.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
You should fear retirement, not look forward to it. Fear the day when your balls are all shrivelled up and you’re of no use to the employment sector. That’s my view on “happy retirement” parties.
Typically agree, but one thing rubs me the wrong way - the current notion that your sole value in life is derived of your work, that you need to constantly hustle, have side projects, work on multiple sources of income, etc. Add to that typical negative views of stay at home dads and moms.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Early retirement is what we love to see, it’s a phase everyone wants but that time period comes when you’re potentially dying or in the hospital.
 

JSoup

Banned
I'm not super worried about planning for my retirement because if there is any good in the universe at all I won't live long enough to bother.

Maybe because I’m in my 20s and am able to speak this way and not my 40s.

There's no 'maybe' about it.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I’m always amused whenever I see people celebrating and looking forward to their retirements. Those who follow this sentiment must clearly hate their occupations and are stuck in the mundane existence of punching a clock without a moment’s happiness.

Why would you spend life doing something that brings endless boredom and a minimum wage paycheque? Do something that brings our the fire and passions, something that you can be proudly tell people about and regret the day you can no longer do it?

You should fear retirement, not look forward to it. Fear the day when your balls are all shrivelled up and you’re of no use to the employment sector. That’s my view on “happy retirement” parties.
I don't fear retirement, but I don't hate my work either where retirement is my way to get away.

Some people must hate their work, boss and coworkers so much they dream every night of telling their boss to FU and quit on the spot.

I like going to the office working and being with people. Some people like WFH. I like WFH a bit too as I dont have to commute (especially in winter), but I like being with coworkers in meetings, going to lunch with them and contributing something to a company and coworkers to help a company run and make a pay cheque.

Even in the shitty summer jobs I had as I student, I never hated it even though some paid minimum wage. One job I stood there for hours at a machine churning out small tooling parts. You fill a machine with raw materials and metal bits and it spits out finished product every few minutes. Not a great job, but I get out of the house, helped make some products sold at stores and make some cash. There's only so much sitting around in the summer I can do before going back to school.

One thing IMO that is important is work ethic. If someone has made a bunch of money and can retire being self sufficient, thats totally fine. If someone wants to retire scraping by living ultra modest but like it, no problem. Do what you want. If you're 35 and and can live on your own calling it quits, go ahead.

But if you suddenly need government assistance later because you ran out of money and cant get a job because you retired too early and nobody wants you, then FU. You cant be a big shot and call it quits while everyone else works, and then years later say you need taxpayers to bail you out because you've been sitting on your ass watching TV in your 30s or 40s when you could had been self sufficient making your own money like other people.

You get zero.
 
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Hnjohngalt

Member
Im in my 40s living at the edge of Phoenix Az next to Desert. I work at home Fulltime with a gigabit speed cable internet. Im also a native here. And I find this plan not so great. You could never pay me to live that close to the border. Too much drug/human trades going on. Lack of decent restaurants etc... but to each their own.

Also the heat here isn't too bad. With A/C on at 72F and Solar panels on home i pay $200 a month in summer months to cool home. And i also have a above ground Spa with a huge fan and ice cubes to keep spa cool in Summer. I love it here. Also since i live out on edge of city therr isnt any noises nor aircraft that makes noise here. So it is quiet except for wild animals at night.
 

Liljagare

Member
Or work makes it do what they want to do? I understand that many loathe their jobs, but it can still be satisfying.

Trust me, none of my friends that died before 48, wanted to work until they died.

They wanted other things out of life, travel, hobbies, going fishing with their kids, etc, but they never got that. The majority wanted to travel and see the world, but that never happened. They died on the job.

If you are a person that live for your job, you are probarly happy though, not putting that down, but tons of people put off their dreams "until the day they can afford it", and that day never comes.
 
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Northeastmonk

Gold Member
My family does Dave Ramsey’s program. We have a budget and we only spend whats in our category for that month. Its paid off all the student loans, no credit cards, and the house is paid off in a month. We are in our 30’s, but we for sure aren’t ready to retire. I don’t even think if we had 200k in the bank that we would even consider it. They aren’t considering medical costs and even Dave Ramsey says that the most expensive years of your life are at the end. Keeping yourself in good care when you can’t work or do much for yourself. You would need way more than that. Dave Ramsey has a saying, “ If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else”. These people are not smart if you ask me and I’m not the money expert in the family. I think they could have gone another 10 or so years saving money. My wife and I are about to pay off this house and now we are saving to pay the yearly taxes on it. I don’t really know much about saving, but I learned a lot by listening to Dave Ramsey. I’m still the type of person who lets someone else manage it. I just get my own fun money and that’s it. I have my retirement and my Roth IRA, but I can’t touch any of that until I’m 65 or I get hit big time by taxes.
 
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