afterFI/RE Life after FI/RE
Common Questions · People & relationships

Life after financial independence

How do couples handle being together all day?

Separate space and explicit conversations appear alongside the pleasure of having more time together.

Maintain room for separate lives

The couple kept distinct spaces and activities even in a small trailer. Living and traveling together still involved ordinary chores and practical needs.

“We maintain our own separate spaces even in 200 sqft”

Steve Adcock May 2018 Read original by Steve Adcock (opens in a new tab)

Communication can matter as much as the schedule

They combined meals, exercise and study with individual projects and separate activities. A new communication approach reduced conflict without eliminating difficult emotions.

“drastically decreased our conflicts”

ESI Retiree 45 Jan 2023 · Year 4 Read original by ESI Retiree 45 (opens in a new tab)

Small spaces require breathing room

Shared mornings were welcome, but occasional separate errands helped when living in a fifth-wheel trailer.

“We also can drive each other crazy at times”

ESI Retiree 25 Jun 2020 Interview snapshot · published 2020-08 Read original by ESI Retiree 25 (opens in a new tab)

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

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