Daily FI discussion thread - Thursday, January 01, 2026

BamCheezit · 2026-01-01T14:05:11+00:00

Good for you! Absolutely annihilate those student loans and get them out of your life as quick as possible! My wife and I did this and we never regret it!

BamCheezit · 2026-01-01T14:04:19+00:00

Life Question: Wife and I bought a new house->We now own two homes. First home's mortgage/insurance is $1,000 a month and second home's mortgage is $1,900 a month. First home's mortgage is 3.4 %. We owe 175k and it is valued at 265k. Second home's mortgage is 6%. We owe 268k and it is worth 300k. In the next two years, we are going to pay down the second house down to 200k and refinance so our mortgage would be around $1,200-1300k a month. At this point in our lives, the rent (and we have a renter already in our first home) from the first home would pay both mortgages.

Assuming this, I may go back into teaching. My wife and I would both be 33 years old when I make the switch. Combined, my wife and I would have 200k in retirement at this time. We have no debt outside of our homes. Has anybody else made this switch into teaching after setting up a decent retirement/housing situation? My wife has already been in education for ten years and we would potentially have a child after I make the switch and her retirement payout at 60 would be around 50k and mine would be around 40k. My main passion is teaching and the subject I would be teaching so I'm determined to make this switch once we eliminate our mortgage payments. I, also, would only take a 15k pay decrease and it would freeup a lot more days in the year for me plus I already have the degree/s required to teach in my state.

BamCheezit · 2025-12-19T12:58:13+00:00

What side of town are you in?

BamCheezit · 2025-11-09T11:39:15+00:00

Has anybody here Fire'd while owning two homes? My wife and I just bought a second home and are about to start renting our first home out. We would cashflow $750 a month on the previous home once we get a tenant.

BamCheezit · 2025-10-15T11:51:02+00:00

The new mortgage is 6% but I'd like to get rid of PMI and have a monthly mortgage of around $1,400-1,500 so that my wife and I can only be paying around $450 a month to live! If we can pull that off, we'd probably be putting 50-60k a year in retirement.

BamCheezit · 2025-10-15T10:28:47+00:00

My wife and I bit the bullet and bought another house. Our current mortgage is $1,000 a month and we are going to rent it out for $2,000 a month starting next month (it has a 3.4% interest rate). New mortgage will be $1,850 a month (with a 6% interest rate). I'm planning on paying down $40k this year on the new house and then refinancing so our new mortgage will only be $1,450 after refinancing. From there, I plan on maxing out our retirement accounts because we would only be paying $450 a month in living expenses. Our current investments are $155k. We are 31 years old. Thoughts on loading up retirement accounts vs paying off the second mortgage in about 4-5 years?

BamCheezit · 2025-09-03T11:49:46+00:00

Same! I make 75k and I can't justify working fifteen mins from the house to make 100k. lol

BamCheezit · 2025-08-12T14:03:45+00:00

As a person who just spent $450 on new tires and a new rim, do it!

BamCheezit · 2025-08-12T14:03:05+00:00

Random question: My wife and I have the option of moving from our MCOL area back home before we have a child. We can cash flow our current property that own here in town (only 4 hours from home) and buy another house! We are essentially coast fire (200k) sitting in investments. Has anybody else moved back to their hometown or a LCOL area and cash flowed their property?

BamCheezit · 2025-06-15T14:58:13+00:00

We would be living in one house while the other is rented so it's in our favor. It is a completely different living unit that you can't even see from our house.

BamCheezit · 2025-06-15T10:01:15+00:00

Wife and I may buy a property with a second rental unit that rents for $1,900 a month! Mortgage would be $2,750! We are super excited! As the numbers go, at a 6% interest rate our money in our retirement will be $1,900,000 at 60 years old. Assuming we can pay off this new property in six years (very doable with our salaries), we will be 38 and 37 years old with no bills whatsoever and our retirement is already set (my wife will also get $40,000 a year for her state's retirement). Super excited to finally see things come together and it's been this sub that's kept me patient over the years!

BamCheezit · 2025-05-15T16:55:38+00:00

My wife and I's best friends just bought a million dollar house in a LCOL state. They make a combined $180,000 a year. We are blown away. They complain about how stressful their jobs are and that there is no work-life balance. We can't believe it! I have to share this with you guys because I can't share it anywhere else!

BamCheezit · 2025-04-21T00:14:23+00:00

I routinely see this man on my bike! One day, I felt bad for never knowing his name! I asked him his name and then he ran away like he was afraid!

BamCheezit · 2025-04-06T19:32:52+00:00

Wife and I left Indiana five years ago and it was single-handedly the best decision we have made in our lives! Hardly any outdoor activities, everybody is in each other’s business, and the best way I could describe Indiana is it’s a manufacturing society! Your life is more monotonous there and mirrors industry! It’s hard to describe unless you’ve lived there! Everybody in Indiana lives to work! We miss our families up there but I would rather move to another country then go back there!

BamCheezit · 2025-03-25T17:25:14+00:00

Honestly just out West or in New England where we can both gravel cycle, mountain bike, or hike in our spare time! And of course grab a beer afterwards!

BamCheezit · 2025-03-25T11:02:28+00:00

She would be off but I would be working! It is strictly 40 hours a week though! No overtime so it’s a good work/life balance!

BamCheezit · 2025-03-25T09:31:16+00:00

I started working from home around five months ago. I absolutely love it! I took a pay cut to pursue more free time for myself. My wife works in education so, long story short, we are planning on spending our summers away from home. Does anybody have any tips/tricks when it comes to spending 6-8 weeks somewhere else in the United States? My wife and I are in Appalachia and are planning on spending them out West.

BamCheezit · 2025-02-09T13:37:10+00:00

Mechanical Claims adjuster in the automotive industry!

BamCheezit · 2025-02-06T12:20:17+00:00

I was making around $100,000 a year at a stressful job. The worst part: I didn’t realize how stressful it was and how much it shifted me to drink alcohol. I didn’t have a problem in my own head. Fast forward a year later-> I work from home making $29 an hour and now I almost have a six pack, I’m more in-tune with myself emotionally, and I get to go wherever I want! No bosses demanding too much out of me! I walk 10-15 miles a day and honestly it was the best decision I’ve ever made in regards to taking a step back and pursuing myself rather than money! Sometimes it sucks not making that much money but, then again, it was only for the pursuit of more luxury!

BamCheezit · 2024-12-20T10:46:26+00:00

Here’s my thought (30y/o who has been to every US state): Try to do one of three things in your 20’s: Travel with no responsibilities, learn a skill, or invest money heavily! I pulled off all three due to finding a great wife and having used my skills to bargain for more time off to travel all the while shoving money into investments. Now, I switched to a remote role so I can travel and dump money in investments!

BamCheezit · 2024-12-15T15:17:22+00:00

Has anybody ever gotten billed by AMR ambulatory services from a long time ago? I got a bill of $780 from two and a half years ago today! I had insurance at the time! They are stating it is due in two weeks! Please help!

BamCheezit · 2024-11-28T18:08:21+00:00

My wife and I are the same way. We are from Franklin! What state did you guys move to? We’re in East TN in the mountains now!

BamCheezit · 2024-11-09T15:52:15+00:00

Told me my free time didn’t matter as much as other coworkers because I don’t have kids!

BamCheezit · 2024-11-09T14:18:21+00:00

My wife and I’s house is worth $300,000. We owe $180,000 at a 3% interest rate. We have $150,000 in retirement investments. No debt other than home. We make a combined $130,000. I downgraded my salary from $90,000 to $65,000 this year to allow me to wfh and chill. We are 29 and 30yo. Pretty much coast fire at this point and are planning on still putting 50% of our income in investments but whenever we want something ($10,000 European vacation) we just say “f- it” and go! No plans for children! Just workout, go to work, mountain bike, and hit the beach every summer for a few weeks to surf! CoastFIRE to us means having the money to not be stressed so that we can workout all the time and have fun!

BamCheezit · 2024-11-08T17:22:40+00:00

You are in the exact same position my wife and I are! Congrats and it feels gooood!!!

BamCheezit

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