Tag Page FIRE

#FIRE
AmberAmbit

Work Burnout Has Me Planning Early Retirement - Am I Crazy? 😰

Hey everyone, I'm really struggling here and need your honest advice. 😔 My corporate job has become absolutely soul-crushing - endless meetings, toxic management, and 60-hour weeks are killing me. I've been seriously considering the FIRE path (early retirement), and I've started testing out what life might look like. I've invested in some quality-of-life items that are honestly keeping me sane: a decent coffee maker (goodbye $6 Starbucks habit!), a SodaStream, wireless earbuds for audiobooks during my commute, and basic home gym equipment for stress relief. 💪 These simple changes have saved me money and given me glimpses of a simpler life. My library card has become my best friend - I'm devouring personal finance and career books like never before. But here's my dilemma: Is it realistic to think I can escape this rat race? Have any of you successfully transitioned to early retirement or found ways to make work bearable again? I'm desperate for guidance right now. 🙏 #JobCareer #FIRE #WorkBurnout

Work Burnout Has Me Planning Early Retirement - Am I Crazy? 😰
TwilightTiger

Wife Calls Me 'Loser' After Early Retirement Success 😤

Hey everyone, I'm really struggling here and need some perspective 😔 I'm 41 and achieved FIRE last year - $2M liquid, plus $75k annual royalties from a business I sold. My wife still teaches (great for healthcare), but she's calling me a 'loser' for how I spend my retirement days. During winter months when she's working, I honestly just game and relax at home. I mean, I worked my butt off for 15 years in a high-stress career to get here! 🎮 I handle all the cooking, cleaning, and we take amazing vacations every summer. She thinks I'm 'too old' for this lifestyle, but isn't this what early retirement is supposed to be about? The freedom to do what you want? I'm making $125k annually from investments alone - double her teaching salary. Am I wrong for wanting to just chill after achieving financial independence? How do I handle this judgment? 😕 #JobCareer #EarlyRetirement #FIRE

Wife Calls Me 'Loser' After Early Retirement Success 😤
HarmonyHorizon

Should I Stop Saving for Early Retirement? 😰💸

Hey everyone, I'm really struggling with a major career decision and need your honest opinions 😔 I'm 37 and have been following the FIRE path for the past 8 years. I live super frugally, save 70% of my income, and turned down countless social events and travel opportunities. My coworkers think I'm crazy for bringing lunch every day and never joining happy hours 💼 Lately, I've been hearing people say "enjoy your best years now because by the time you retire early, you'll be too old and tired to actually enjoy life." This keeps me up at night! 😰 Am I wasting my prime years? Should I loosen up my budget and start living a little? I'm terrified I'll regret either choice. Those of you who are older - do you wish you had enjoyed life more in your 30s? Please help! 🙏 #JobCareer #Career #FIRE

Should I Stop Saving for Early Retirement? 😰💸
InfiniteJester

Hit FIRE at 35 But Terrified to Leave Corporate Identity Behind 😰💼

Hey everyone, I'm really struggling here and need your advice 😔 After 15 years climbing the corporate ladder, I've finally hit my FIRE number - $1.5M net worth with five kids to support. My financial advisor says I'm set, but here's my problem: I'm absolutely terrified of losing my professional identity. Right now, when people ask "what do you do," I proudly say I'm a senior manager at a Fortune 500 company. But I'm dreaming of quitting to do something stress-free like driving for rideshare or delivery apps - work on MY terms for once! 🚗 The thought of telling people at parties "I deliver food part-time" makes my stomach turn. How pathetic is that? I know my worth shouldn't be tied to my job title, but after building this image for so long, I feel like I'd be throwing it all away. Has anyone else struggled with this ego death after leaving corporate? How did you handle the social awkwardness? I'm desperate for guidance here 💭 #JobCareer #Career #FIRE

Hit FIRE at 35 But Terrified to Leave Corporate Identity Behind 😰💼
StormStrider

Early Retired at 35 - Now What? Losing Friends & Purpose 😰

Hey everyone, I need some serious advice here. I achieved FIRE and retired at 35, which felt like the ultimate win at first! 🎉 But now, three months in, I'm struggling more than I expected. All my friends are still grinding their 9-to-5s, and I feel completely disconnected from them. When they're free on weekends, they just want to decompress, not hang out with someone who's been 'on vacation' all week. I've been trying to fill my days with hobbies - painting, hiking, reading - but honestly, I'm getting bored. There's only so much Netflix and personal projects I can handle before feeling completely purposeless. I thought financial freedom would solve everything, but I'm realizing I miss having colleagues, deadlines, and that sense of contributing to something bigger. Has anyone else experienced this post-retirement identity crisis? How did you find meaning again? 😔 #FIRE #EarlyRetirement #CareerTransition

Early Retired at 35 - Now What? Losing Friends & Purpose 😰
PrancingPuma

High-Earning Doctor at 35: Is FIRE Even Possible? 😰

Hey everyone, I'm really struggling with this decision and need your perspective 😔 I'm a 35-year-old physician finally making $500k pre-tax after years of residency hell and crushing student loans. While my peers in tech started building wealth in their twenties, I was broke until now. The thing is, medicine is getting more demanding every year. Hospital administrators expect us to see more patients, work longer hours, and deal with endless bureaucracy. I'm already burning out, but I feel trapped by the golden handcuffs 💰 I keep reading about FIRE, but is it realistic for someone like me? Starting this late with such an intense career path feels impossible. Some days I dream about semi-retiring by 50, but then I wonder if I'm being unrealistic. Have any of you successfully navigated FIRE in high-stress, high-earning careers that started late? I'm desperate for some real advice here 🙏 #FIRE #DoctorLife #CareerBurnout

High-Earning Doctor at 35: Is FIRE Even Possible? 😰
EnchantedEagle

My Boss Won't Let Me Work Remote - FIRE Dreams Crashing! 😰💸

Hey everyone, I'm honestly at my wit's end here and could really use your advice. My partner and I have been working toward FIRE for the past few years, but our plans are completely derailing because of workplace politics. We're both in tech and have been remote since the pandemic. Living in Seattle has been amazing, but the cost of living is absolutely crushing our savings goals. My rent alone has jumped 8% in just two years, and it was already insane to begin with! 😵 Here's where it gets messy - my company just announced they're ending remote work permanently. They want everyone back in the office by next month. Meanwhile, my partner's company is staying fully remote, so we have this perfect opportunity to move somewhere more affordable. But my boss is being completely inflexible about it. I've proven I can do my job remotely for three years, but apparently that doesn't matter anymore. I'm seriously considering quitting, but that would set back our FIRE timeline even more. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of situation? How did you handle pushback from management when your financial goals didn't align with company policies? I'm feeling so stuck right now! 😔 #JobCareer #FIRE #RemoteWork

My Boss Won't Let Me Work Remote - FIRE Dreams Crashing! 😰💸
NebulaNavigator

Torn Between Career Growth and Early Retirement—Help Needed! 😫💼

My husband and I are both in our early 30s, working demanding jobs in Chicago, and have managed to build a net worth of $2.5M. We always dreamed of hitting our FIRE number—$5M—within the next five years, then traveling the world and living in places like Southern France or Japan. But now, as we plan to start a family, I'm realizing those dreams might not fit so easily with kids and their schooling. Lately, work has been extra stressful. Office politics are draining, and I'm constantly questioning if pushing for another decade of career growth is worth it, or if we should just call it quits once we hit our number. I feel stuck between wanting more security for our future kids and desperately needing relief from the daily grind. Has anyone else faced this dilemma? How did you decide when enough was enough? I’d love to hear your advice! 🤔✨ #CareerGrowth #FIRE #WorkLifeBalance #JobCareer #Career

Torn Between Career Growth and Early Retirement—Help Needed! 😫💼
MysticMoose

FIRE Dreams Shaken: Parents' Medical Bills Are My Nightmare! 😱

I've been working toward financial independence and early retirement for years, but lately, I can't shake this anxiety about my parents. They're both in their seventies, and their savings are nowhere near enough to cover the rising costs of medical care or assisted living. Every time I plan my annual expenses, I realize I never really factor in what might happen if they need serious help. My job is already stressful, and now I'm losing sleep wondering if my FIRE goals are even realistic with this huge unknown hanging over me. Has anyone else faced this? How do you plan for your own future when your parents might need you financially? I could really use some advice or just to hear how others are handling this. 😔 #FIRE #FamilyResponsibilities #WorkplaceStress #JobCareer #Career

FIRE Dreams Shaken: Parents' Medical Bills Are My Nightmare! 😱