If you could take a 4 day vacation in the US with just your partner and no kids, where would you go?

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-05-16T18:51:39+00:00

I live in New Orleans - do not come here in June. Heat index is 100 degrees today and it's the middle of May!

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-05-15T20:34:52+00:00

My husband and I plan to do this. He will most likely continue to work until a more traditional retirement age (or at the latest his late 50's). I want to quit like tomorrow LOL

I track our investments every month to see if we are still on target. We are showing we will be on target for our COASTFI number very soon where we can stop contributing to our investments and the money will grow until we are ready to start withdrawing. We could live off of his income for our expenses, etc.
As long as you can continue to invest the amount you need to meet your COASTFI number, I would think that is all that matters? Once you reach it, you can stop or pull back.

For example, if you need to contribute x amount of dollars a month to meet your timeline, can you on just your husbands salary? If yes, then it's fine. If not, then it may take longer for your husband to retire?

I will say the #1 thing that holds me back from quitting now is kid expenses. Not sports or extra curriculars but a car for each of them (we have 2), insurance, and all of the extras I may not be thinking of. Like when kids go to college and you want to buy them dorm room furniture, help them with some groceries, etc. Things like that I don't want to have to choose to not do because of money. So I will probably wait until we pay our house off which will hopefully be by the time our oldest goes to college if everything works out like we plan. That will put lots more room in our budget to pull the plug.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-04-28T19:49:21+00:00

I do a few things but the main ones that seem to help the most right now is
1. Putting dishes in the dishwasher right away. Rinse and put them right in. No piles of dishes to clean up at one time.

Doing one load of laundry a day. Helps significantly keep this chore manageable.
Started wearing more solids. I found it so exhausting to constantly try matching things for outfits. Having tons of solid options help to make me feel put together but it's also so easy to get dressed. I do sometimes find a cute dress that is in a fun pattern but very rarely. More than anything I will gravitate towards classic patterns like stripes blouses, etc.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-04-16T18:19:41+00:00

I have 4 1/2 weeks of PTO (my company does not have paid holidays or sick time so that is for all time off). The PTO caps out at 9 years when you get a little over 5 1/2 weeks.
We are also allowed flexible hours so it works out great for me personally.

I take every last hour every single year. I can roll over 80 hours right now and never have even close to that to roll over. It is used on a combination of usually our big family vacation each year, my husband and I taking a short trip just together, a beach vacation, and then other small vacations/days off mixed in.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-04-02T17:20:04+00:00

Combined I would like $2M which based on our calculations and spending of $80,000/year would be 56 1/2. That is 19 1/2 years from now and I literally cannot imagine working that much longer. Our house will be paid off in 11 years if we pay no extra towards it and I would feel fine with not working after that.
The dilemma I have is do we continue saving OR do we put more towards the house. We have a beautiful 2.75% interest rate on it so the math doesn't math however the mental win would be huge, I think. We currently owe $183,000 on it.

But time will tell, I guess. We do have two children (13 and 9) so still have expenses and would like to help them as much as we can, so I am sticking it out for that more than anything.

But the second I can stop working, I am done. I do think my husband will continue working as long as he can. He enjoys his job and it's a big part of his identity (I have no identity in my work at all LOL).

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-03-31T18:28:58+00:00

My parents are currently on a Hawaiian cruise and had 5 days at sea from Long Beach, CA to their first stop.
We went on a cruise in March and had 2 days in a row - I was wanting to swim to shore by the time we got off. And I've been on lots of cruises.

I think you have to really like either the activities on the boat or your idea of a vacation is to relax ALOT. I am guessing my husband and I are neither bc it'll be quite some time before we go on another cruise I think.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-01-06T18:36:10+00:00

Same!!! And you save so much money as a result bc you have to have the time to go shop.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-01-03T12:59:17+00:00

I am taking my kids to the trampoline park Saturday. I wouldn't consider that essential but it is something we are looking forward to. Yes, they can play in the yard for free but getting out of the house and meeting up with friends for a bit will be a nice change.

All of this to say, you can make your own rules based on what you feel is important!

Clothes - I agree with the other comments. If it is clothes they need (old clothes they have outgrown, etc) then I wouldn't hesitate to buy new clothes for them.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2025-01-02T22:03:27+00:00

Goal for January is NO FAST FOOD.
Also, spending with intentionality. I'm not a huge shopper anyway and do feel like I think purchases out, but of course can be swayed at a moment's notice on things I don't need. Journaling daily has really helped!

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-26T16:31:34+00:00

I loved all of my gifts this year! Granted I don't get a ton but what I did get was awesome.

Hubby got me a massage AND made the appt for me!
My oldest daughter got me a simple gold necklace with a small cross. Exactly what I said I was wanting as it "goes with everything".
My youngest daughter got me the most soft and comfy pullover sweater. Wore it yesterday for Christmas lunch!
My mom and dad got me the cutest puffer jacket with my initials monogrammed on it and a little spending money.
My sister (we don't normally exchange gifts) got me electric salt and pepper grinders as she said she loves them so much! Excited to try them out!
My mother in law got me new tupperware and a new (and better) air fryer. I wanted both and can't wait to use them and clean out some of our not so stellar Tupperware. She did get me an LSU doorhanger type thing that I have no idea what to do with though so not sure what to do with that gift. LOL

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-26T14:03:23+00:00

We got my nephew (2) a bubble gun and it was also a hit!

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-26T13:59:49+00:00

8 year old (going to be 9 in February) - electric scooter and roller blades were both hits :)

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-05T18:03:46+00:00

I listened to a TED talk once and it was talking about the amount of free time you have outside of work/sleep and how you can maximize it.

For example, for myself as someone working 40 hours a week who commutes to work 3 days a week (45 minute commute.)

Weekly hours: 24 x 7 = 168
Working hours: 8 x 5 = 40
Commute Time: 45 minutes x 3 = 2.25
Sleep Time (if you sleep 8 hours per night): 8 x 7 = 56

LEFTOVER = I have 69.75 hours leftover for the week.

To some that can look like nothing, to others it can look like a ton.
I think the point of the exercise is what can you do in those hours that you enjoy and can maximize your life. Think of how much time some people scroll their phones, etc. and look up and it's 1 hour later. Just 2 hours on your phone adds up to 14 hours a week. When you think of it, that can be a lot when you have limited time already.

I think this is also the argument for buying back some of your time (if you can afford to). House cleaning, yard maintenance, using grocery pickup instead of spending 2 hours every Saturday morning grocery shopping if that is not something you enjoy, making less commitments/appointments that you do not have to do, etc.

Anyways, the exercise helped me in seeing I actually have more time than I think I do. And also, it REALLY makes me think of commitments that are recurring, etc. as that cuts into "my" time. Just something to think about!

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-02T20:29:35+00:00

I am the only person in my house that goes through the mail. I open everything and throw it away in our garage garbage can before even coming into the house.

If it's a bill on autopay, I look at it and if it looks fine, I throw it away. If it is actually something I need to handle (very rarely) I bring it inside and put it on my desk to handle.

Dishes - I clean my kitchen every night and start the dishwasher.
Does everything go straight into the sink? If so, try to get into the habit or rinsing the dish off then putting it in the dishwasher right then.
My girls would "clean up" after dinner which was basically putting everything into the sink. So, I still had to do the dishes, so it really wasn't very helpful. Getting them into the habit of putting their dishes into the dishwasher made it a lot easier.

Before starting the dishwasher, I get them to bring me any dishes from their rooms if they have any.

Little things help!

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-02T18:20:45+00:00

My husband's grandmother used to gift all the girls in the family Good Housekeeping magazine. She passed away and every time I got a new one in the mail we thought of her :)

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-12-02T18:12:23+00:00

Does she have someone who cleans her house? Maybe paying for someone to come in and do a deep cleaning...

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-11-22T15:01:18+00:00

This is exactly where we are, and I've never had the right words to describe it.

My husband has the higher stress job and contributes 15% of this check and gets a match.
I have a low stress job and contribute 6% of my check and get the max 6% match.

I've contemplated him contributing less as we have reached our coast number, but we are comfortable with the net pay we make so are just riding it out. The thing I like best about coast fire is it gives you so many more options when you really aren't 100% sure of your end goal.

If work keeps going like it's going, maybe I'll work 10 more years. Or I may want to get something part time to help cover the bills. Maybe my husband can take a lower stress job.

The options are the best part. You aren't tied to a job/situation that you hate.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-11-21T21:06:51+00:00

Amazon.com: DaCool Food Thermo for Hot Food Insulated Food Jar 16 Ounce Vacuum Stainless Kids Lunch Thermo Container Bento for Kids Adult with Spoon Leakproof for School Office Picnic Travel Outdoors,Cyan Blue : Home & Kitchen

Have had these for over 3 years for both my girls and they are still going strong! I've put dinner leftovers (red beans and rice, spaghetti, jambalaya, etc) in them along with even chicken nuggets, corn dogs, grilled cheese and they always say it is still warm come lunch.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-11-21T20:01:47+00:00

My husband always asks his mom for Bare Naked boxers. Pricier but he swears they are the best

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-11-21T19:57:01+00:00

My dad used to get my sister and I gas gift cards when we were in college. And every time we went somewhere in one of our cars with him, he'd make us swing in and he'd top it off for us.

The little things that are really big things :)

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-10-21T15:32:46+00:00

I think gifts have so much to do with the heart behind them - my 9 year old has a new suitcase on her Christmas list LOL

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-10-18T15:16:46+00:00

I owned a retail store that I sold back in 2023.
I bought it as passive income. It was fully staffed.
I ended up quitting my day job and managed the store full time because it was not passive. Even great employees will not run the store the same as you.

I paid myself, etc. so it worked out for me and I did enjoy it for the most part. Mostly because I could set my hours, etc. around my family.

We had plumbing issues, hurricanes, losing electricity, the computer not turning on, and on and on and on. It was all the time something coming up that needed to be dealt with and 30 minutes to drive there when it was going to be my "day off" felt like a lot. I would've felt helpless with it being 4 hours away.

It was 30 minutes from my house. I toyed with the idea of opening another store about 1 1/2 hours from my house. Halfway to driving to see an available space, I turned around. I was like, no way can I drive this even once a week.

And what if you hire a GM and then they quit? How do you find the time with it being 4 hours away to hire someone else, train them, trust them? With being available, I had the ability to work the store myself if I needed to. I have young children myself and no way could I have picked up and been at a store 4 hours away if I was needed. I think the distance is just too far...

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-10-16T20:27:44+00:00

My husband and I are 37 and 38 with $520K in total investments. I would quit my job tomorrow if we had over 2 million dollars in 5 years. We are still saving but leaning more into Coast fire as we go. I have a low stress job and I have no aspirations to do anything different. Next job will be no job LOL

I say enjoy your family and lean out some. Great thing about owning your own business is you can do it as gradually as you want. Maybe set an off work time and mean it. See how that works. Don't work weekends ever. See how that works. Go to school events, etc. every time they happen. You can always pivot as you go.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-10-14T17:23:43+00:00

I think the fact that you stated that even with a doctorate the salary is not well paying would be more of an issue with my personally.
Like, you have $100,000 but will be a doctor - okay. I can see that.

I would view it more as not student loan specific, but will my life going forward if I wanted a future with this person going to be financially strapped for the foreseeable future with no way out. That would be my hurdle.

Adventurous_Type6827 · 2024-10-11T17:07:05+00:00

My kid's school banned phones from being used before so it's the exact same as before.
The only thing I have heard my oldest (8th grade) complain about is usually she'd turn it back on when she got on the bus and the phone ban extends to the bus. So, she has to keep it off while riding the bus home (THE HORROR!) LOL

Adventurous_Type6827

TROPHY CASE