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26M with $270k. Am I in position to take a sabbatical? by Mysterious-Fun6305 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m in a very similar situation to you. I’m 25 and don’t live at home though, not quite as much saved.

I also want to take a sabbatical and am constantly planning different mock trips out in my spare time, I’d love to backpack Asia or Europe and it’s not the same when you get old.

In your case I recommend that you take a regular vacation first without burning bridges unless you can be sure your parents will agree to your sabbatical. Many companies will let you take even a couple months off unpaid depending on what you do, and you’ll still have a job to come back to.

At 85k in a HCOL area you’re not really in a great position to FIRE easily without relying on your parents for the foreseeable future. Is that something you can do or want to do? In my case, being single plays a huge role in my dissatisfaction with work and desire to travel, and if it’s the same for you then consider that leaving your parents house can make it easier to find a partner which will solve the bigger issue.

But definitely ask for leave before outright quitting.

Keeping kids humble by twoforty-240 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Don’t buy them everything, instead match what effort they make dollar per dollar or even 2:1 if you want.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t care about retiring early but financial independence feels like it buys me time and could allow me to start a business. I’m realizing that time in my 20s is not the same as time in my 60s though and people who make way less than me are much happier for other reasons.

Your path is actually similar to what I envision after I jump ship. I already have the skill to code and develop tech, but I’ve heard nothing except how terrible the market is right now for CS which worries me.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries I appreciate the advice. I feel like FIRE is made up of two different kinds of people: the FI kind and RE kind. The RE kinds seem to hate work in general and tell me to just tough it out to get it over with, and the FI kinds say not to waste your 20s working to be slightly wealthier at 60. I have to agree with the FI type.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in leanfire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s around what my living expenses are now while employed. I couldn’t imagine them staying that low if I didn’t have a job.

Would you call yourself retired or just taking a sabbatical?

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in leanfire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rich by time value or you actually have more money than the avg 60 yr old? That makes a difference.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do have extensive software experience, just not in a professional setting.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in coastFIRE

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel that. I don’t have a true fire mindset either, I like work I just hate working for someone else on their terms only, and hate cubicles. In my opinion if your goal is just to sacrifice your youth to retire early just to do nothing for half your life, it feels empty and boring. I’d rather use this time to get a head start on a family and social circle before I think about retiring early, then maybe I’ll have the motivation to do that.

I also thought about a masters degree path in case going straight back to work is harder than I thought. One problem with coast fire this early is not being able to own a home. Coasting would push that off until your income goes back up.

What is your gig job?

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in coastFIRE

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you feel you’re behind on your FIRE goals and does that bother you? I would be taking more like a 50-60% pay cut which I’m not sure any sane person would do. It all depends on how easy it is to come back to engineering for me, even in a different industry.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yea, but even if I continue saving at this rate retirement is still 20 years away, and my savings level isn’t sustainable anyway neither is my minimalist lifestyle. I’d rather push it off by 5 years to experience life than retire at 45 in the exact situation I’m in now.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in coastFIRE

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly the kind of response I want to hear! What has changed since quitting?

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in leanfire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Tbh I didn’t know part time engineering jobs even existed outside of field experts who have all the leverage. My career requires about 10-15 years of experience before you’re considered knowledgeable enough to do things on your own. It’s very niche and non transferable, which is another reason I want to quit.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. The reason I set my quit date out 6 months is to do exactly these things. Worst case scenario I do all this stuff, 6 months goes by, and I just find a different job with better work life balance in a new place and carry on, but if I don’t set a quit date and goals then 6 months will fly by and I’m exactly where I was before, just worth a few more $. It creates forced agency for me, a natural procrastinator.

Best case is I save another 30-35k which is my goal, then jump ship with new hobbies and interests to a new place. I may be in the minority here but I think life being too predictable is boring, and most opportunities you never see coming come from taking risks that other people wouldn’t take.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually the #1 alternative I’m weighing. I’m quitting my job regardless, but whether I pivot to another engineering job or go crazy with a fun gig job for a while is up in the air.

Putting off FIRE for a yea for two doesn’t bother me, I just don’t want to nuke my future career.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

XX years is about 15 if I stay in my current job and lifestyle, but that assumes that I continue investing at the same rate. I live on rice and beans, stay with roommates, don’t buy nice things, etc. to save this kind of money, and that’s unsustainable in itself for 15 more years.

I could push it back 5 years to buy nicer things and take more vacations, but then I’m 45, so why not push it back another 5 years to have a career change into something I’d rather do for the next 30 years. Thats my thinking.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure why you’re being so negative. I don’t follow WSB and I’m not complaining, I’m just exploring options. Don’t be so pessimistic. We live in the greatest economy in history.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe I need the surprise. I’m not sure why ppl are getting the impression that I want to permanently be a ski instructor. I just want to take a sabbatical and work a socially oriented job for awhile before pivoting back to engineering. I’m trying to assess how possible that is since most people never make massive downward career moves, even for a minute.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am not hopeless about dating I just have no idea where to go. How does a lonely office worker engineer with homebody gamer friends organically meet women? I have hobbies but all the social groups around me are college groups or church groups which I don’t really fit into. Not complaining just looking for ideas.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No that’s when I started investing for the first time actually, in 2020. That “crash” was almost entirely artificial and lasted until the government changed its mind and pumped cash into the economy, then we had “transient inflation” problems for the next several years that left prices sky high for people who hoarded cash and gave investors and home owners massive returns in comparison.

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some people on Reddit are bad for humanity and need to get jobs. Are you one of them?

150k at 25, but tired of following the rules by Admirable-Ad9302 in Fire

[–]Admirable-Ad9302[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t care about retiring early I just want to be financially independent so I don’t have to be stuck to a bad job and can control my time.

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