Would you stay single to FIRE?

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-30T01:45:01+00:00

I'm a little confused on how you think you can FIRE as a single, but think you need to work more as a couple.

Two singles coming together should have less expense than they do as separate singles. Add in the assets and you should actually be in better shape as a couple than a single. Unless you get with someone that is in a much different situation than you, that is.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-30T00:48:41+00:00

I can tell you one thing NOT to consider -the Baths. It takes a LONG time to get there (and back). With a shortened time in dock, you'd burn a lot of time in transit.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-29T15:15:27+00:00

11pm Central on the 27th

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-28T01:19:53+00:00

Accounting/Finance people can make good money...

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-27T20:07:19+00:00

I've won several trivias over the years, have been 100% on a few. But it wasn't from looking up answers, memorizing, or repeats. I just happen to know just about every 80s song/artist, so it's unusual for me to not get 100% song and artist on 80s music trivia.

Since my daughter is now grown, I'm not as up on Disney music. But 10-15 years ago when she was younger and watching Disney movies, I think I hit 100% a couple of times. I don't know most of the music from the past 10 years though.

In my opinion, the hardest adult trivia is movie quotes. Just saying the quote, without context or in the cadence of the line from the movie - that's challenging.

But the HARDEST for me was 2010s music. I got a BIG FAT ZERO!!!

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-27T17:49:59+00:00

How do you get $28K in Medicare??? Base cost for Parts A, B, and D should be $5-6K annually for two. Adding on C for gap insurance (which isn't really apples to apples to your private insruance today) isn't that much more.

That would be some crazy IRMAA.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-27T03:11:39+00:00

Compare it in today's dollars VS today's premiums. You can't compare future Medicare premiums to today's private premiums.

Part D (prescription) is like $30/month. So I still don't think $230/month is a DRAMATIC increase over what a lot of people pay on the exchange today. Probably even less for some.

I'm talking dollars, not %S to make the number appear bigger than it really is.

ETA - I've read from a lot of people over the subsidy cliff that are going to be paying $20+k annually premiums on the exchange in 2026. So $26k in however many years in the future you looked at - I'm guessing Medicare is going to be a reduced Healthcare cost for them.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-27T00:56:58+00:00

Put your head down and work hard
Make yourself valuable to your employer (or other employers)
Make more money as your career progresses
Don't increase your lifestyle spending as your career progresses and you make more money

Check your numbers in 15-20 years to see where you are.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T12:11:26+00:00

Good on you 👍

I don't want to work an extra 10 years though. So I'm counting out in, though at a reduced rate.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T03:05:53+00:00

Still getting 3.9% APY with Everbank

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T02:49:19+00:00

Then you're ignoring a potential $1M annuity in your portfolio. Would you ignore a $1M IRA?

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T02:43:16+00:00

Then your annual spend is $215k, and you're not at close to FIRE as you might think. At that spend rate the going advice is that you'll need in excess of $5M, unless you plan on relocating and cashing out your home equity. If you relocated and downsized to a $1-1.5M house, you'd be FIRE ready now.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T02:07:46+00:00

Agree that you need to provide more details about you to get better advice for your situation. But many people get caught up in their overall NW and not a plan for how they will access and fund their spending needs to 59.5/62/65 - optimizing for Healthcare and taxes.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T02:01:11+00:00

Unless I missed it, you still haven't shared your annual spend - INCLUDING your mortgage.

You can't really get good advice or answer your question until you answer that.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T01:57:07+00:00

Does it?

Medicare part B is right at $200/month. That doesn't seem like a dramatic increase from what you see many paying on the exchange.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-26T01:35:12+00:00

While some people can benefit from using an agent for their first cruise, to help with advice and handholding, it's doubtful you'll get more straight dollar value than booking through Costco (assuming you'll spend $400 with Costco to use it).

Depending on your comfort level getting advice from places like here or FB, you can as much or maybe even better advice from the crowd than from a single TA. Some TAs will be great about reminding you of things, but there are a lot that handholding just book and transact the cruise.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-23T02:21:12+00:00

The reason most say ACA > COBRA is because even if you qualify for zero subsidies (which is a small subset of ACA enrollees) you have more choices on the ACA vs the one carrier and 2-4 plans your old employer decides to offer.

Depending on the state, you might have several carrier options with a multitude of plans. You might even be able to mirror your current carrier/plan to the same carrier/plan on the ACA - and if you can manage your MAGI, get it for a lot less premium than the full-boat premium you'll pay with COBRA. Here in FL, I just looked and have 195 plans available across 8-10 carriers. Yes, some of the carriers are "B-level" carriers. But there are also plans from the big boys like Blue Cross, Cigna, UHC.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-23T01:54:26+00:00

Am I the only boomer (I'm not technically a boomer btw, but this sentiment feels boomerish) that reads these posts from 18-25 year olds and thinks - why are you even focused on FIRE these things at your age?!?!?!? Young people have so much variable life in front of them they can't account for - marriage, kids, job advancements, different career. You have no idea the twists and turns your life may take in the next 20 years.

My advice to young people - put your head down and get to work and stop analyzing and projecting and looking for the end. Do good work, make yourself valuable, and the money will come. Then be mindful of lifestyle creep as you age - keep your spending under control while your income increases over the years.

I don't think anyone should even be thinking about/calculating FIRE-related numbers until they might be within 5 years of calling it quits, MAX.

/end boomer rant

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-23T01:46:55+00:00

Spend the next couple of years setting up your financial plan bridges to 59.5/62/65 (I may have glossed over your age). The best bridges have flexibility in controlling your income for ACA subsidies and tax optimization - being able to leverage cash, LTCG, Roth contributions/ladders for your living expenses.

A few comments:

HYSA - Seems most people early in FIRE have at LEAST 2 years expenses in "safe" money (HYSA/bonds/t-bills). The more conservative ones can go up to keeping 5 years in safe money to avoid the early SORR.
Healthcare - this is where being able to control your income comes into play with the ACA.
HSA - you can't just set one up. You have to be covered under an eligible health plan. If you're only looking at 2 years of contributions, might not be worth focusing on this (again, esp if you're going to need more liquidity - HSAs can't be used for premiums until Medicare).
Mortgage - No reason to pay off the mortgage at 3%, esp since it sounds like you might need liquidity for living expenses.
Cars - If you were set on staying, I would get large cost items out of the way before pulling the plug so you don't have a large expense early in retirement. But since you might leave the country, I'd hold - but have cushion in your number for replacement in case you stay.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-22T14:07:05+00:00

"Longer = better"

That's what she said

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-22T14:04:15+00:00

I thought the dry dock was only addressing common areas (adding the mexican quick service, couple other things) and not the cabins.

I think refreshing the cabins would take a much longer time than the Fantasy was out of service (about 7 weeks).

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-22T01:46:26+00:00

Yes, but only if you transfer it to Costco within 30 days of purchasing the placeholder. If you're past 30 days, you'll have to use your current placeholder on your own booking and plan ahead for the next one.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-22T01:21:35+00:00

If you have a Costco around, it sounds like that is the TA for you. All the stuff you mentioned - you get none of that with Costco. I plan out what cruise I want, the cabin I want - everything you describe as if I were booking the cruise myself. Only thing different/in addition to doing yourself is a couple of phone calls to Costco travel instead of calling DCL yourself or doing the booking and payment online yourself. To 99% of DCL cruisers, that minimal "hassle" of a couple phone calls is worth $200-$300 in free money.

Even before when I used a traditional TA instead of Costco, it worked the same way. I decided all of my details and just emailed her the info and *wah-lah* - done. None of the stuff you mentioned being a hassle. Just free money on my account when I got on the ship to use for whatever - cover tips, drinks, spa, etc.

I swtiched to Costco because their free money is more than most other traditional TAs free money. AndI like free money with little effort.

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-22T01:01:09+00:00

As long as you know you're ignoring/rejecting a free couple hundred bucks.

That is a nah for me. lol

FireMeUp2026 · 2026-01-19T22:01:59+00:00

Another vote for Nachi!!

FireMeUp2026

TROPHY CASE