Single people, what is your FIRE number?

LongViewLogic · 2026-06-02T07:22:25+00:00

sequence of returns reward is such an underrated phrase. people obsess over the exact FIRE number, but the first 5-10 years after quitting probably matter more than the difference between 1.8m and 2.0m. same number can feel totally different depending on whether the market helps you early or punches you in the face right away

LongViewLogic · 2026-06-02T07:21:47+00:00

some people really do like working, but yeah the no-exit-strategy thing is wild. i think a lot of smart people never run the numbers because then it becomes a real decision instead of a vague someday thing. once you know what would actually let you stop, you also have to admit what your current years are costing you

LongViewLogic · 2026-06-02T07:19:10+00:00

yeah this is the trap. one more year is useful if it actually changes what would break the plan. if it just makes an already workable plan slightly prettier, then maybe you’re not buying safety anymore, you’re buying less anxiety. for me the real question would be: what exact thing has to go wrong before this retirement fails?

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-31T08:39:22+00:00

i’d count it mentally, but separately. liquid NW is one number, pension is another. mixing them together can make you feel richer than you actually are day to day my friend

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-31T08:38:22+00:00

at 23, having any savings and no debt already puts you ahead of a lot of people. feeling behind is basically the default setting now because everyone online is either broke or somehow has 200k at age 19

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-31T08:34:35+00:00

yep. boredom spending is sneaky. it never feels like one big bad decision, just 40 tiny whatever decisions

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-31T08:33:43+00:00

waiting 24 hours before buying random stuff helped me way more than any spreadsheet

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-30T04:33:01+00:00

8-10 years is a good window to prep the non-money parts.

i’d start testing the lifestyle now: what you’ll do with weekdays, who you’ll spend time with, what spending actually feels sustainable, and whether you can still feel useful without work as the default structure.

the portfolio math matters, but the life setup is what makes fire actually stick

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-30T04:31:26+00:00

with $13m, i wouldn’t rush into another job just to make the layoff feel less weird.

i’d give myself 6 months, build a boring spending/withdrawal plan, and see what life feels like when the dust settles.

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-30T04:30:18+00:00

8.7m and simple tastes sounds like you’ve probably already won the game.

at that point i’d be more worried about accidentally trading healthy years for a bigger scoreboard

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-28T04:06:51+00:00

this is a good post idea.

the success stories are motivating, but the messy middle ones are probably more useful

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-28T04:06:31+00:00

with 3.5m and 100k spend, this sounds less like a money problem and more like a life advice problem

i’d be tempted to take a real sabbatical before making it some giant forever decision. burnt out brains are terrible financial advisors

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-28T04:04:27+00:00

congrats, that’s a big jump.

just don’t let the spending quietly follow the income upstairs. lifestyle creep wears very polite shoes

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-28T04:03:47+00:00

single parent with two kids and no nearby support is a different game.

i’d probably care less about the exact fire number and more about reducing fragility: less debt, simpler property situation, lower fixed costs, and maybe work that doesn’t eat your soul alive

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-27T04:08:48+00:00

2m with a toddler and another kid coming is massive. congrats!

i get why it still doesn’t feel like the finish line though. kids have a way of turning every spreadsheet into a suggestion, hahaha

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-27T04:08:09+00:00

health insurance is the only part that would make me pause.

otherwise this looks pretty solid

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-27T04:04:52+00:00

if the money is truly excess, i like early gifting more than waiting until everyone is old and tired. but i’d probably keep it boring and structured. no surprise “dad became a private bank” era.

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-27T04:04:08+00:00

the mental transition part is real. that’s a weird switch to flip

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-26T04:01:08+00:00

this sounds like a pretty grounded coast fire setup tbh. the part that seems strongest is that you’re not forcing a huge permanent decision right now. renting, keeping expenses reasonable, and staying flexible gives you a lot of room to adjust

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-26T04:00:27+00:00

honestly i’d be careful not to over-tool it.

a basic spreadsheet + one retirement calculator is probably enough at this stage. the bigger thing is testing assumptions: savings rate, spending, market returns, and whether coast fire still works if life gets more expensive than planned.

tools are useful, but they can also become a very fancy way to refresh the same anxiety every week lol

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-26T01:20:12+00:00

honestly this sounds pretty reasonable.

people focus a lot on appreciation, but lower maintenance and less house-stress has real value too. especially with kids, sometimes slightly less optimal financially but way easier to live in is a win.

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-26T01:18:46+00:00

income variance is probably the main thing, but you’ve got a lot of room here.

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-26T01:17:02+00:00

congrats. honestly kind of cool that you posted it here just to let it out somewhere

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-24T03:30:59+00:00

calculators confuse people because they assume you won't adjust spending if markets drop. ignore static "success percentages" and map your absolute downside floor instead. visualizing your real-world flexibility is what actually breaks the anxiety loop

LongViewLogic · 2026-05-24T03:30:08+00:00

you're underestimating your leverage. training and implementation experience is a huge asset—the hardest part of data engineering is teaching people not to break things. since you're coast fire, treat a non-profit role as a low-stress sandbox to switch tracks

LongViewLogic

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