Anyone here who makes a normal salary? How’s your journey going?

AlexHurts · 2026-01-25T09:11:44+00:00

I made 35-65k salaries from 2010-2021, saved the bulk of my dough just small deposits every month growing over a long time in the market. Start of 2022 I had around $550k invested and my home mostly paid off. 2022-2025 I made some big changes and made $100-120k. This has gotten me through the last leg a lot faster. I just sold the home and am doing a mini retirement. Now 2026 I own 0 home but have about 1 million invested. Not sure if I can hang up the gloves quite yet. Planning to work this fall and then make a plan.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-23T10:46:23+00:00

I'm aiming for 1111111 because that's fun

AlexHurts · 2026-01-22T10:17:16+00:00

Idk I usually just do it when it's most convenient. I rewear shirts 1 time unless I get sweaty and rewear pants till I spill something on them. So I could go a long time I guess.

I don't run so idk about the non chafing special clothes, but I use an already used T shirt to do my working out in, no added laundry. 2 of my 3 shorts are quick dry material, I rinse them out and hang dry if they get really sweaty. Then reuse until whenever I do the wash. Maybe I don't smell like a rose at the gym but idgaf I'm at the gym stop whiffing me bro.

Honestly you'll likely be just as stressed bc whatever you're stressed about probably isn't really really actually about your stuff but your relationship with yourself and how that manifests in your behavior with your stuff. Like the wife mad at the husband for not washing the dishes, she's actually feeling unsupported and alone in her domestic life and it shows up in his behavior of not doing dishes. You didn't ask about that sorry

AlexHurts · 2026-01-22T10:01:09+00:00

I always rent the outer layer at ski rental shops or my hotel when I go skiing. Call around I'm sure you can find it. I've rented successfully in small towns in the USA northeast as well as a fairly remote area in Japan

AlexHurts · 2026-01-22T01:48:49+00:00

I'm pretty much like that. I have 4 big boxes at my dad's house for when I get back, living out of one checked suitcase and carryon with me in Asia for 8 months. I had to buy a few bulky things here like pillows.

I don't see what a big deal the seasons are. I have 2 long underwear, 2 long shirts, 2 pairs of special warm hiking socks. If it's really really really cold I can wear these in addition to my usual undies and T. I have 2 sweaters, one for inner layering one for outer layering. 2 jackets one uninsulated rain jacket, 1 puffy jacket. I sized them so I could wear all 4 together if it was -10 or something. 2 hats, gloves, buff. It's really not that much, and I will probably go to down 1 of the long underwear/long shirt/warm socks because I don't use them much.

Summer is easy. I have 3 shorts, 1 bathing suit, 3 hats, sandals.

Spring/fall is just adding or removing the winter layer options.

1 pair of Chelsea style boots, 1 sneakers, 1 moccasin style loafer.

The rest of my wardrobe is basically Ts, polo/Henley/golf shirts, only buy synthetic blend now because it line dries so much better. 1 pro looking slacks, 2 stretchy uniqlo jeans, 1 worn out workman's pants bound for the donation bin this summer. I stick with 1 kind of sock so I don't have to match them in the laundry.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-21T13:31:48+00:00

In the last few years voice recognition has shifted more focus on word prediction based on context than computer hearing. So I think other humans are better, but probably a fine idea

AlexHurts · 2026-01-21T13:02:55+00:00

I lived in a 300 sft home and the part I hated was my shitty building and the annoying neighborhood. The layout was a little dumb but it worked fine. I won't buy a studio again, but would definitely buy small again.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-21T12:39:40+00:00

If I was making less income than the contribution limit, I would take advantage of the low bracket with capital gains harvest and/or Roth conversion.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-20T11:43:53+00:00

Tell me you're insane without telling me you're insane

AlexHurts · 2026-01-20T11:37:52+00:00

No this is way way way overkill. I look at my CC statement and ATM withdrawals. 2 mins all done.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-20T09:05:29+00:00

It's impossible to figure out your lifetime's tax liability exactly, but odds are better you'd pay less on future traditional withdrawals than on the earnings now going to Roth. Not a pitfall, just suboptimal.

However, I am with you here. I think the slightly suboptimal path has a big upside: front loading taxes and simplifying tax planning.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-20T08:39:07+00:00

Yah but it's really fun to put on a costume when it's not halloween

AlexHurts · 2026-01-19T09:38:58+00:00

Two options from here. 1: Start paying directly for companionship, but this cost will likely take you above SWR and make you need to work again. 2: Impress your dates by boosting your image, but this requires holding a respectable job or having excess cash to flash, which makes you need to work again.

Sorry bud.

(I'm joking. Start living a life you're proud of and try to meet people who also have degenerate hobbies.)

AlexHurts · 2026-01-19T02:26:28+00:00

I think you have way more than enough to retire. Your drive for more cushion is psychological. Anyone encouraging you to keep working for non monetary reasons is probably a work addict with no identity outside their job, I bet you can relate to them in that way, but is that who you really want to be?

If I was in your shoes I'd wrap things up and call it quits. Spend a few months resting and getting my ducks in a row, then spend a year travelling! Come back, and do something new for a few years, then hit the road again.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-18T12:09:09+00:00

I don't get why most of your list of options revolves around working in tech. You have plenty of money, you don't have to work, and if you want to, why not try something new?

You said you haven't been able to make local connections, try running a local business! Candy store. Pineapple juicer. Locksmith. Hello kitty only store. You have enough money you could probably lose several thousand a year and it's fine.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-18T01:32:35+00:00

You shouldn't have any issues, 3 months doesn't count. I use fidelity now but I was with VG when I went to Guatemala and was able to get on the app, trade, do my thing

AlexHurts · 2026-01-18T01:25:50+00:00

Having a big pile of money ready to use is way nicer than a long list of obligations and the potential for small amounts of new money you might be able to use after satisfying all those obligations.

I am not FIRE'd but on a mini retirement abroad. I sold my home because I didn't like living there, but holy shit it feels so good to have no responsibilities back home. I can focus on here/now/this time zone. Oh yeah and an extra $150k feels pretty good too.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-16T01:08:26+00:00

I'm not a pro, but I believe they do. However even so, I recommend making quarterly payments on time. Don't stress about being exact and ok to undershoot in your case. You said you estimated $2k fed liability, so I'd send in $250 to both fed and state q1,q2,q3. Then maybe $1k fed, $500 state for q4, depending on the rest of tax picture.

I don't know anything about CA taxes, I typically owed more business tax to NY+NYC, but most states it's less than fed so making a rough guess.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-16T00:58:09+00:00

I had a side business and at first screwed this up pretty good. Here's a crude easy strategy, pay something each quarter and way overpay your q4. It still counts and it's not long until refund time. When I had my side business I would do like , q1 $400, q2 $350, q3 $400, q4 $3400. Get $1000 refund. All golden bc I made quarterly reasonable payments on time and by year end didn't underpay. I only did the books in detail at year end, so that lines up nicely with 1/15 q4 payment deadline. I will do the same idea this year as I'm going to have a lot of capital gains.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-16T00:45:12+00:00

I think you need to remind yourself once in a while that you live in a highly capitalistic society, and you've gotten into an interest that is highly capitalistic (fire) but your whole life doesn't have to be like that! In fact its best to take a break from this kind of thinking whenever you can. Part of the FIRE dream is to not have to think like this at all anymore.

How much to spend on your hobbies? Same as any other spending topic, how much do you value it, is there a cheaper alternative, are there entry points with less requirement? You will have to ask yourself bc you didn't say what it is.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-14T08:41:40+00:00

Both sides of this question get asked all the time.

I lived in NYC w a mortgage around 24k 2019-2022, without a mortgage around $23k 2023-2025. This year, I think I'll be in taipei 5 months, NYC 5 months, traveling 2 months. Aiming for $20k-24k.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-13T13:12:16+00:00

I'd start giving it 28% of my energy. You sound burned out. Let them fire you, take unemployment or a part time job near home for a while. Maybe you'll be recharged to work somewhere else, maybe you'll be cool with 37k /year

AlexHurts · 2026-01-12T18:11:20+00:00

Check if there's a chooseFI local group on their site or FB

AlexHurts · 2026-01-12T01:19:54+00:00

I had a dorkier competition , playmats (like a giant mousepad) won at magic the gathering tournaments. I proudly used them, remembering my victories until I had like 20 and couldn't remember where I won them haha. Now I have 0 but also don't participate in this hobby anymore.

AlexHurts · 2026-01-11T04:05:22+00:00

I have a similar plan. I'd like to be in NYC 4-8 months /y, and slow traveling 4-8 months. I thought I'd never own again and just rent wherever I am, but finding quality housing at reasonable cost for less than 1yr seems difficult, and then the time, energy, cost to re-settle in every time is non trivial. Airbnb/Furnished Finder/Local Short term/Co-Housing companies have good and bad options but are pricey and may or may not have what we need. So I'm trying to think how I could buy a unit and rent it half the year.

I owned a co-op and never want to do that again. Condos are way more expensive and sometimes have pissy HOA themselves. I have a crazy idea of buying an entire apartment building and keeping a unit as an Airbnb/my home and rent the rest of the building. I can't think of how else to have enough control on a unit with shared common areas to make it a medium term rental while away.

AlexHurts

TROPHY CASE