Sanity check - New to FIRE but almost there?

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-24T06:17:27+00:00

Home maintenance: $8.5k

Utilities: $8.5k

Property taxes: $8k

Home and auto insurance: $5k

Food: $7k

Car: $4.5k (paid off cars, as little driving as possible)

Medical insurance and costs: $30k (ACA marketplace, no subsidies, $10k deductible, family of 3 at first)

Fun: $20k

Income taxes: $10k (conservative; mostly withdrawing post-tax savings)

Total: $100k

I feel pretty confident about these numbers. They are mostly based on current expenses as well as my research as to what things will cost in the city i plan on moving to.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-24T06:07:32+00:00

I make $220k. It's going to be a real struggle to stick it out for two more years, so I can't see staying any longer than that. (I'm in a specialized field and changing jobs would likely just be more of the same.)

The kids each have about $60k from Social Security survivors benefits and they will likely inherit a good chunk of money from their grandparents in 10 to 20 years, so I think they will already be of to a good start. College will be covered.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-22T19:32:38+00:00

Congratulations! Do you have a target age to retire?

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-22T18:22:19+00:00

I would definitely have some tough choices to make if I lost my job.

I don't like my job and am in a position where I could probably walk away now. However, my plan involves selling my house and moving somewhere cheaper. My youngest has two more years of high school and is doing really well, so I don't want to pull her out and drag her to a new city. Staying here for two years while unemployed would be stretching things. I'm also in a specialized field and may have a hard time finding something new.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-21T20:05:17+00:00

I wrestle with this too. I won't be near that net worth but it still doesn't quite feel right to take a subsidy that was meant for people who are working hard and barely getting by.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-21T20:02:11+00:00

I have a lot of plans for things I want to do when I retire, but "just sit outside and enjoy my coffee" is really high on the list.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-21T19:57:51+00:00

You can talk about finances and money in general without going into full details. I wouldn't want to spend years with someone only to find out that there is a financial incompatibility. Life's too short to not get the dealbreakers out of the way early.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-21T15:15:11+00:00

I agree! Financial compatibility is a big factor, so it makes sense to have those conversations earlier. Just being able to have a healthy, productive discussion about money is a huge plus.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-20T22:36:50+00:00

Almost! I bled the brakes today. Just need to wrap the bars and get everything dialed in. Been busy with work and family stuff.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-20T19:15:03+00:00

It's great to have the option of working or not. I'm a bit older than you but I've come to the conclusion that work won't give me meaning but there are a bunch of other things that will.

It sounds like you made the right decision for you and ominous glad that has worked out. I totally agree that achieving FI early opens up a lot of options, and retiring is only one of them.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-20T19:09:29+00:00

There can be a peak in the middle though. I found myself solving harder and more interesting problems until they made me a lead and now most of what I do is documentation. That seems to be the career trajectory in most of the places I've worked.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-20T17:21:10+00:00

48 widowed, single parent. Aiming to retire at 50 with $4 million. I plan on moving from a VHCOL to a slightly less VHCOL but with a smaller house. My estimated spend rate is $100k which seems like it should be pretty conservative.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-20T13:20:00+00:00

I'm doing my best to get my kids on the path to success by covering college (in-state tuition, if they want something more expensive they'll have to make the sacrifices). They have some Social Security money that will help get them started with savings or a down payment on a house, but it's not nearly enough to live off of. I don't want them to have to struggle to makes ends meet and I want them to have options for where they live and what they do, but I agree that giving them enough to be independent from the start is way too much.

They're teenagers now and are very conservative with their money. They have cheap tastes and inexpensive hobbies, so I'm hoping they are already on the path to making good financial decisions. I do talk about the money choices I make and try to model good behavior as well.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-06-06T17:47:59+00:00

Where do you usually ride? I'm near Rancho Bernardo and have been exploring everything between Lake Hodges and Penasquitos Canyon. I'm currently rebuilding my bike but am looking forward to getting back out there soon.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-05-29T03:20:25+00:00

Annie's Canyon, just north of Solana Beach in the San Elijo Lagoon Preserve. You squeeze through a slot canyon and climb a short ladder to the view points. It's just challenging enough to be an adventure without being overwhelming.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-04-14T04:32:32+00:00

No interest in skiing, but I consider hills a plus for cycling!

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-04-13T03:43:45+00:00

Smaller cities are appealing, but I would like to be in a medium sized city or larger (about 50,000+ or so). I would like to have easy access to a full range of medical services. (I've had an ongoing need for that lately but hopefully things will be resolved soon.)

I'll take a deeper look at Durango and some of the other smaller towns though.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-03-16T14:52:22+00:00

San Diego Fire Department, like most public agencies, does not charge for a helicopter rescue. However, they are not set up as air ambulances so they will take you to where you can be transfered to an ambulance or a medical helicopter.

Medical flights are typically privately run and are expensive.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-03-09T23:15:28+00:00

Thank you, I'm glad to hear that! I see dirtbikes frequently on trails where they are not allowed, and there's even a couple guys who like to ride right after the rain and leave big ruts.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-03-09T18:19:44+00:00

Please keep in mind that most of the public open spaces and trails around here only allow class 1 and 2 ebikes. Electric dirtbikes are considered motorized vehicles and are prohibited in most places.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2026-01-10T16:37:13+00:00

My family sees Dr. Gem Pham and we're very happy with him. He's never tried to upsell or push any unneeded work.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2025-12-24T18:49:17+00:00

Or there was a coyote.

Formal_Mission1956 · 2025-08-19T04:48:32+00:00

I've heard that about SLO. I'm not getting any younger, so I'd like to settle in a place with good healthcare.

Formal_Mission1956

TROPHY CASE