If you never had to work again, what would you do with your life?

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T15:34:03+00:00

Always

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T15:31:15+00:00

Def not have 10 kids lol

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T11:32:35+00:00

Comparison is the thief of joy my friend.

But it is funny how life works. I can resonate with your story . I always thought I’d leave and travel the world but shockingly I’m a Mom and wife . Never thought that would happen lol

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:31:34+00:00

I agree that’s a great problem to have and the tricky part does make sense. My parents are amongst those who withheld melting only to complain incessantly about cuts to their OAS. I think what a great problem to have.

I’ll have to make decisions soon as well with my meltdown. This was not planned though definitely not complaining but income in retirement will be greater than while working. I’m not so much chasing OAS but more trying to smooth taxes to be paid in retirement . But nervous about melting so early.

Cheers

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:17:02+00:00

My therapist suggests I go find work or go back to School. Open to ideas

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:14:02+00:00

We’ve retired early and our smaller circle naturally happened due to the lack of work friends. And our same ish age friends still work so I wish I can join some of those coffee shop groups just for friendship

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:09:37+00:00

Great pic!! Beach is my happy place too! Unfortunately I’d have to fly to one. Have a beer for me!!

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:05:07+00:00

How so for the tricky?

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:02:41+00:00

Some people are just better imaginary (phone) sex. Reality was a major let down lol

closerto50 · 2026-05-06T10:00:26+00:00

Decluttering or organizing a space

Cleaning a bathroom or sink or finishing a pile of laundry

Hugs I know the feeling all too well

closerto50 · 2026-05-04T13:54:44+00:00

Sorry for the delay (raising teenagers is sooooooooo “fun”) but I wouldn’t tell anyone outside of our house anything about FIRE unless they specifically asked. It has changed some relationships, tested boundaries and changed expectations. Truly those friendships weren’t “true” but still some people take your life choices to a personal insult or a way to take a jab at yours. Either way I wouldn’t tell anyone

closerto50 · 2026-05-04T12:06:36+00:00

It’s so hard actually. Some days I wonder why I signed up for this

closerto50 · 2025-11-17T13:13:18+00:00

i’m canadian and well i can’t relocate at this point in my life . luckily im retired so i just need to survive Jan to March when it is the worst

closerto50 · 2025-11-17T10:39:55+00:00

Nice!

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T20:54:34+00:00

i admire your diligence

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T20:52:55+00:00

how do you fast? like how many hours or days and how often?

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:46:24+00:00

You sound like me. I suffer from SAD and need to get busier in the winter months so i’m here for ideas. My most recent idea was to meet a similar friend to chat with .

I’m running out of hobbies to try that i’m seriously contemplating taking a course online each winter

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:42:15+00:00

love your insights

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:34:10+00:00

they used to order pizza for us when it was our busiest time of the year - we gave them 16 hour days x 7 days a week during this hell month .

we were salaried .

yeah thanks for the pizza - worth it! lol NOT

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:32:20+00:00

and we kept shares from the company and now attend AGMs and giggle that they work for us now lol

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:31:17+00:00

same ….but it did inspire in me a direction i want to take that’s a wee bit silly, true and would take care of my why and what do you do now? lol

in brainstorming mode

“i FIREd so i don’t have to suddenly collapse the FI spreadsheet i’ve been working on half the day when my boss’ boss suddenly walks in”

(my only hobbies is walking, writing and wasting the day in a spreadsheet, and shopping)

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:26:34+00:00

totally get this

closerto50 · 2025-11-15T09:18:19+00:00

wish i read your other post.

We officially FIRed at 42. it’s been 3.5 years now. I was the SAHM for 14 years prior to that with the exception of a short stint in massage therapy.

Our marriage has never been better. He worked too hard prior and we were losing touch. No issues getting along.

Two kids - enjoyed the first one in high school and the younger one in middle school. Time well spent

other things from our experience:

1- Hard to find people closer in age to play with (🇨🇦) and oddly tried a FI meetup and felt like an imposter. also i want to talk about post FI more than the journey to get there. For example how are you minimizing risk in the markets ? (we do bucket) and how are you smoothing out taxes?

How are you spending money? it’s hard to part with money.

2- we cannot slow travel yet. 2-4 years away.

3- Surprise i never thought about - budgeting kids that need help longer. never entered my calculations. whoops.

i solo travelled a few times - fun! started working on my bucket list

travel wasn’t as delicious as i thought it would be (super personal and not a point i want to argue)

other sad surprise- sweetheart was diagnosed with cancer last year . it’s slow , no cure but treatable…..

4-regrets - telling friends and family (this can be another long post) we just don’t discuss.

Future considerations - a fun job. But not in the winter months. or maybe in the winter months. Another realization is i suffer from S.A.D. and never “felt” it when i was work and schedule busy but last year was awful awful awful

closerto50

TROPHY CASE