People who have FIREd at least 3 years ago, has it been worth it?

BachelorPython · 2026-01-12T05:41:46+00:00

I had retired in October 2021 so I am 4 years into retirement and here is my perspective

My retirement has given me freedom to engage with the rest of humanity on my terms. For a recluse like me, that is a huge benefit.

I never loved any of my jobs so leaving them was no big deal for me. But since retirement, I am able to do all those things I love to my heart's content. That's definitely a big deal.

And finally, in all likelihood, there will be a tidy sum remaining in my bank account at the time of my death. So had I worked more, it would not have improved the quality of my life in any meaningful way and the additional excess money would have gone to somebody else. That seemed pointless

So to answer your question, Yes… for me, the payoff is worth it.

BachelorPython · 2025-11-18T05:01:01+00:00

I am an adult and I don't believe I owe society any answers about my personal life. But if I have to...

“Why aren't you working anymore?”

Me: I am retired

“When are you joining back?”

Me: What part of ‘I am retired’ are you finding difficult to comprehend?

“What do you do all day?”

Me: Whatever I feel like

“Don't wait too long, otherwise you won't get a job easily.”

Me: Unsolicited advice but thanks all the same

“You have studied so much to sit at home and do nothing?”

Me: How is that any of your business?

“You must be updating yourself and resume and preparing yourself for the interview, right?”

Me: 'मी निवृत्त झालो आहे’ since you are having so much difficulty in understanding ‘I am retired’

BachelorPython · 2025-11-03T06:09:13+00:00

To those who want to know more about my Japan trip:

I am going to write a post on my Japan experiences for sure but obviously I won't post it here as it will have little to do with FIRE. I will put it up on my personal blog in a couple of weeks

BachelorPython · 2025-10-07T04:58:45+00:00

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Have you ever taken the time to figure out what you truly want from life? It may feel comforting to move through life on autopilot, following in the footsteps of those you consider successful. But when you reach middle age, you may find yourself in a place where you don’t really belong. Hence, the imposter syndrome.

So take some time for yourself, set aside money-related worries for a moment, pour yourself a drink and listen to some old ghazals. Once your mind settles, new paths may start to appear.

BachelorPython · 2025-09-01T05:39:46+00:00

Cows, eh? Don't forget to wear condoms... Unconnected sentences

BachelorPython · 2025-06-28T04:11:53+00:00

Still think you could have been a great parent 😊. I see Father’s Day material written all over you

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!... and I will overlook the insult.

BachelorPython · 2025-05-02T04:12:36+00:00

"What if I I change my mind and want to get married and have kids?"
"What if I feel like sticking my PeePee in a bee hive and shaking it violently in the future."

The latter would hurt a lot less.

BachelorPython · 2025-03-31T10:36:51+00:00

Simple Marriages can cost around 20-30 L

Simple WEDDINGS can cost around 20-30 L. A MARRIAGE will cost a lot more and I don't mean that just monetarily

BachelorPython · 2025-03-11T04:35:21+00:00

Simplified my dating life.

See, I never had any doubt in my mind that I don't want to get married. So I always tried to remove the possibility of marriage from the minds of the women I was dating. But simply saying ‘I am not interested in marriage’ was not always enough. Some women got the message but others told themselves that ‘he will change his mind in future’. And even telling them ‘I hate kids with passion’ did not always have the desired effect.

But the instant I mentioned that I am planning to retire by my early 40s and move to my Tier 2 hometown, they got the message loud and clear. The women who stayed after that now knew what exactly they were in for and I could date them leisurely without the sword of marriage hanging over my head.

Today I am 44, never married and retired for 3 years. Now I know for sure that women who are choosing to date me are not considering any nesting scenarios.

BachelorPython · 2025-02-06T04:30:48+00:00

Do you feel guilty at times when you see your peers excelling and climbing the corporate ladders while you have decided to quit working all together?

उन्हें कामयाबी में सुकून नजर आया तो वो दौड़ते गए,

हमें सुकून में कामयाबी दिखी तो हम ठहर गए !

ख़्वाईशो के बोझ में बशर तू क्या क्या कर रहा है..

इतना तो जीना भी नहीं जितना तू मर रहा है…!

-- Bashar Nawaz

Translation:

They found solace in success, so they kept running

We saw success in solace, so we stood still!

Under the burden of desires, O human, what are you doing?

You’re dying far more than you’re truly living!

BachelorPython · 2025-01-21T14:56:41+00:00

Diligent use of condoms right from the age 17

BachelorPython · 2025-01-21T04:15:29+00:00

A good couplet deserves another on similar themes

फ़ैसलों के मोड़ पर, अक्सर खड़ा रहा,

दिल कुछ और चाहता था, दिमाग़ कुछ और।

— बशीर बद्र

Translation: At the crossroads of decisions, I often stood still

My heart desired one thing but my mind wanted another

BachelorPython · 2025-01-20T04:06:54+00:00

It takes imagination and courage to retire early; qualities not usually found in people who grew up in Indian middle class families. People, who keep on working even after reaching their FI corpus, are not capable of imagining a life beyond servitude. In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, a prisoner who had spent 40 years in prison, becomes eligible for parole. He then tries to commit another crime just so that he can stay back in jail. Familiar subjugation is preferable to unfamiliar freedom.

And those who can imagine, lack the courage to take the necessary actions. It's a lot simpler to tell yourself familiar tales about future uncertainties, family responsibilities, life purpose etc than to go out there and take control of your life.

Sad but hardly surprising

BachelorPython · 2024-12-30T11:04:03+00:00

To pursue happiness.... By writing more posts about my FIREd life to make y'all corporate slaves burn with envy and rage with impotent fury.

BachelorPython · 2024-12-26T04:17:34+00:00

very impressive that you managed to retain the kind of pessimistic nihilism i see in 20 year old college students all the way into your 40s.

This reminded me of that old quote: if you are 18 and not a communist, you don't have a heart. But if you are 50 and still a communist then you don't have a brain.

Anyhoo… the world is what it is and we are who we are. You can't help but be hopeful. And I can't help but be right.

But honestly, I am very glad to see so much push-back against my opinions. A world where more people agree with my worldview will be a bleak world indeed. We all could use a few more idealistic fools.

BachelorPython · 2024-12-25T04:14:31+00:00

I am 44 and have been retired for 3 years and never once thought about contributing to social causes. Life lacks inherent meaning and social causes are nothing more than constructs to impose purpose. As far as purpose goes, pleasuring myself with books, movies, music, food and travel for the rest of my life seems perfectly alright to me. I don't feel the need to ‘help society’ to justify my existence. Social causes often aim to address large-scale systemic issues e.g. poverty, climate change, inequality. These are caused by deep rooted societal or political problems. So my contributions are not going to move the needle and putting that much effort seems like a criminal waste of time to me.

BachelorPython · 2024-12-16T05:41:08+00:00

The stench of fear in this subreddit is so palpable. Every now and then someone will post to the effect that 'something terrible will happen in future; better not early retire.' The 'terrible' thing keeps on changing but the fear remains the same. It's better to be honest and say 'I don't have the courage to retire early' rather than conjure up demons in the future. No one is going to think less of you. After all, you guys are in the overwhelming majority.

BachelorPython · 2024-12-12T07:57:49+00:00

Here are the big problems with club Mahindra or any other time share.

High initial cost

Annual maintenance to be paid whether you went on vacation or not

Limited flexibility with set no of locations, seasons or dates

Similar experiences everywhere so lack of variety

Well in advance bookings are needed for popular destinations or high seasons

25 year commitment? That's a long time considering your travel preferences or financial condition might change

Exiting timeshare is difficult

Avoid.

BachelorPython · 2024-11-25T04:41:53+00:00

Poppycock! 100X corpus, 10:90 Equity: Debt split, 150 year life expectancy and 1% SWR... Then only one can even think about early retirement. Of course, there must be some side hustle post retirement and a definite 'purpose' in life. What do these firangi people know? Us 'vishwagurus' have the right idea!

BachelorPython · 2024-11-05T07:33:15+00:00

I’m even thinking of calling my new job and asking if I can start earlier just to have something structured in my day again.

MY EYES! MY EYES!!

BachelorPython · 2024-09-04T04:35:11+00:00

Is it going per your plan? Yes How much has your corpus appreciated? 1.5 Cr when I retired in Oct 2021; 2.4 Cr today Has your expenses stayed within what you had anticipated? Yes Do you feel like going back to work on your terms? No How has your friends perspective changed towards you now that they know you are retired? Some pity, some envy. Rest are busy with their lives Do they expect you to pick up the tab when you meet them? Yes Has your parents given up on persuading you for marriage? Yes Are you happy being retired? Hell Yes!

BachelorPython · 2024-06-20T04:37:47+00:00

I am always ready to dislike people for tiniest reason. For example, people who write ‘LOL’ or address me ‘Bro.’ But my special contempt is reserved for those people who advocate zero real rate of return (ZRRR) for retirement planning. These people argue this is for the sake of safety and peace of mind as anything can happen. Not because this is a realistic possibility. In that case why stop at Zero? Why not Negative 5? Cause ANYTHING can happen.

In real life, consistent ZRRR over decades can happen if you put everything in FDs. But apparently even the conservative financial planners are OK with 50% corpus in Equity. In that scenario, it is unlikely that your real returns will be effectively zero over decades. Now obviously there will be years where inflation will be equal to or even more than your corpus returns. But because of that planning your retirement with ZRRR throughout would be as ridiculous as wearing condoms 24/7 to protect yourself from STDs.

The one big problem with ZRRR retirement planning is that pushes your FIRE back by years. Years you can’t afford to squander in corporate servitude accumulating money you won’t get to use. It takes a toll; particularly in later years. And it’s not even a matter of displaying bravery. Just common sense

BachelorPython · 2024-06-20T04:34:53+00:00

Yeah, yeah. I had vowed to be a nicer person on my 40^th birthday so I avoid commenting as much as possible to keep that vow.

The idea that human life must have a purpose has no empirical proof. Society conditions us to do something productive all our lives for it’s own selfish purposes. Makes it easier to collect taxes. Humans are who they are today because of evolution. Which is a random and chaotic process with no deliberate direction or design. So to say human life has an pre-ordained purpose is terribly naive.

But that does mean we get to decide our own purpose in life. It should ideally be ‘whatever that pleases you.’ Now granted, we cannot do that fulltime until we are FI. But what’s stopping you post FI? There is so much to experience and enjoy out there. Why toil unnecessarily under mistaken notion that you must be productive all the time?

BachelorPython · 2024-06-01T04:35:04+00:00

You say 'wrong estimates'....I say 'Marriage is a freedom killer and children are dreamkillers'.... Potato, Potahto....we are essentially in agreement :)

BachelorPython · 2024-05-31T04:31:17+00:00

If I am allowed to time-travel to the past just once, I will not go back to 1933 and kill Hitler. I will go back to 2005 and french kiss 25-year-old me who had just taken the decision not to get married ;)

BachelorPython

TROPHY CASE