afterFI/RE Life after FI/RE
Common Questions · Money & enough

Life after financial independence

What if my expenses rise after I retire?

Family changes and new interests can alter spending. These are personal experiences, not a forecast of what your retirement will cost.

The life you enjoy can become more expensive

Growing children, repairs, healthcare and a new creative hobby increased spending. The author still enjoyed retirement and disliked the thought of returning to work.

“I'm still enjoying my life, maybe a bit too much.”

u/AutomaticSquirrel32 Aug 2026 · Year 3 Read original by u/AutomaticSquirrel32 (opens in a new tab)

Revising the plan can coexist with valuing the time away

Higher spending and financial-planning pressures joined a desire for challenge in his announced return to work. He did not regret the three-year break; the new role was not yet tested.

“I do not regret having a 3 year sabbatical”

u/outdoorfire38 Feb 2026 · Year 3 Read original by u/outdoorfire38 (opens in a new tab)

Different experiences, drawn from the people in our collection. Summaries are ours; quotations are theirs.

Explore all 38 questions

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