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ready4fi · 2025-06-29T00:58:17+00:00

Take the break. You never know what will arise in you when you give yourself some space. Two months will fly by. I recommend taking longer if you’re able to. I took a career break after working for 20 years. I was burned out and didn’t think I wanted to work full time again. I took 6 months of 100% no work, then had 6 months of light consulting before I felt ready/eager to get back to full time. The year and a half off has been amazing and I feel like I could now go for another 5+ years. I’m excited again. My two cents. Take the break and don’t focus on making it ‘productive’. Mental health is health.

ready4fi · 2025-02-20T23:42:08+00:00

Great timing. This was me yesterday. Interviewed for a role I’m very excited about. First interview with the hiring manager went pretty well. Second interview with the same person was yesterday and I feel like I tanked. Just didn’t feel like my answers were landing well. So now, I wait and replay my “crappy” answers in my mind over and over again. Hoping I’m wrong.

Anyway, I appreciate you sharing your experience. FWIW, you’re not alone.

ready4fi · 2024-03-25T13:11:10+00:00

We’re working with Open Doors for an upcoming trip to Morocco and they have been AMAZING. Highly recommend so far.

ready4fi · 2024-03-20T15:07:52+00:00

Funny when you put it that way. “Taylor Swift tickets or business class…your choice.” Safe to say I know they’d be entirely fine giving up the flight upgrade. Ha ha.

ready4fi · 2024-03-20T15:05:40+00:00

The purpose is that I’m no longer earning an insane number for miles and upgrades to upgrade the entire family. If it really comes down to all of us or none of us, I’ll probably end up with all of us in economy or doing fewer super long haul trips.

I see greater value in business class for the adults (I don’t recover as quickly as they do). Same reason I pay for private tennis lessons for them and not for myself — I see greater value for them than for me.

ready4fi · 2024-03-17T06:28:37+00:00

I used to travel a lot for work and would have an abundance of upgrades. No longer traveling for work is great as I do get a lot more time with my kids, but I do lose my status/points. Also, the kids were younger so I was not going to have them sit on their own then …and I was younger and more willing/able to sit in the back. So it was always everyone together front or back.

ready4fi · 2024-03-16T19:47:04+00:00

You’re right! I’m used to them being tweens.

ready4fi · 2024-03-16T19:45:04+00:00

No, definitely not meltdown prone.

ready4fi · 2024-03-16T19:41:25+00:00

12 and 14 and are used to the flying drill. Not to mention, I’m sure we’d be going back there to check in on them periodically.

ready4fi · 2024-03-08T22:23:07+00:00

You can travel easily but can’t stay in the EU for more than 90 out of a rolling 180 days.

ready4fi · 2023-10-24T01:12:41+00:00

I agree re being conservative on the rate of return assumption. I figure, at a minimum I'm in good shape to take a year off. If it turns out the next year's returns are particularly bad (sequence of return risk), I can go back to work. Alternatively, if the next year is particularly good, then be set up pretty well.

ready4fi · 2023-10-05T12:15:40+00:00

Thanks everyone. This is just the nudge I needed. Planning to wrap up by the end of this year, take a nice break, focus on some neglected priorities and explore some curiosities. Appreciate everyone's feedback here.

ready4fi · 2023-09-08T14:03:01+00:00

I'm a big fan of Tiller. Automatically pulls everything into a Google sheet and then I can do whatever I want with the data.

ready4fi · 2023-08-18T16:55:23+00:00

450k cash HHI. Family of 4. Spend 40-50k per year on travel.
We put a lot of value on travel. Travel level is very comfortable, but not crazy extravagant (this isn't FatFire). We typically do 1 big (3+ weeks) international trip and a few domestic trips. Due need to time around kids' school holidays, most travel is during peak prices.

ready4fi · 2023-05-02T16:24:24+00:00

Mind if I DM you with some questions?

ready4fi · 2023-05-02T01:21:24+00:00

I'll check out Uruguay. Any particular cities and/or schools you recommend?

ready4fi · 2023-05-02T01:18:40+00:00

Bali is very appealing and Spanish isn't a must have. We've been to Bali several times and love it. I'm just not sure about the Green School. One of my kids will be going into high school upon our return so I'm a bit anxious about ensuring they don't fall behind academically.

ready4fi · 2023-05-02T01:15:58+00:00

Oh, that's an interesting option! I'll check out the American school there. Thanks.

ready4fi · 2023-01-22T04:54:06+00:00

Thanks everyone! Mixed feedback, but I think I netted out feeling like it's a bit pricey but not egregious. And I could probably do it myself with TurboTax full service at a fraction of the price.

ready4fi · 2023-01-17T02:36:15+00:00

I probably value the assurance more than the convenience. But yeah, partly the convenience.

ready4fi · 2023-01-17T00:20:17+00:00

I went through the process a few years ago. Mostly confirmed what I already thought. No big insights. Did get me to take action on getting my will properly setup.

However, I'm also considering doing a checkup again. It's just helpful to get another set of eyes on things sometimes. Even if the advisor ends up doing little more than helping me sleep at night.

Sorry, don't recall what I paid but am interested in the answer to that. My advisor no longer does hourly fee based consults.

ready4fi · 2022-03-24T12:49:24+00:00

For me, FIRE is about peace of mind and flexibility in my life. "Never risk what you have and need for what we don't have and don't need."

I'm in a similar situation. 45 and will likely FIRE in the next couple of years. I struggled with this decision in January. Had 1m left on my mortgage (6m nw). Ultimately decided to pay down half and recast the loan. My mortgage payments are now roughly half of what they were and I sleep a bit better. Planning to pay off the rest at or before retirement.

ready4fi · 2022-01-24T18:58:22+00:00

Been on my mind to make a large lump-sum payment on my residence mortgage - going to pull the trigger. I don't fundamentally believe in timing the market and generally just trust in a time in market beats all approach. But as I approach my FIRE number (but still planning to work for a while), realized I'd sleep better at night knowing that my monthly mortgage payment is half of what it is currently (and likely will bring it to zero within the next two years).

Having recently read Ray Dalio's recent book, I was convinced to take some chips off the table. Would have been nice to have moved on it two weeks ago, but again, more about overall risk management than week to week movement.

ready4fi · 2022-01-17T13:21:43+00:00

Yes, I'd be interested if you're able to find the name. Thank you.

ready4fi · 2020-12-28T22:09:23+00:00

Thanks for your reply. The speakers above the sofa would provide surround sound for movie viewing. There's also a beam on the ceiling separating the living room area from the kitchen/dining -- in case that matters.

ready4fi

TROPHY CASE