afterFI/RE Life after FI/RE
People
Selected life timeline 2020—2026

She escaped the office. Then burned out planning the next trip.

Quitting at 30 gave Purple her energy back. Years of travel followed, along with a growing portfolio—but eventually planning the next move had become an obligation. Her later updates reveal a quieter ambition: fewer itineraries, more family, and the freedom to stop chasing the next destination.

Finances
Investments at retirement2020-10 · Personal
$500,000Source
Net worth at retirement2020-10 · Personal
$540,000

Includes $500,000 in investments and $40,000 in cash.

Source
Reported spending2021-09 · Personal
$18,041 / year

Retirement year October 2020–September 2021; individual reported spending, not combined household.

Source
Reported spending2025-09 · Personal
$34,501 / year

Retirement year, not calendar 2025. Includes car and home setup.

Source
Reported net worth2025-10-01 · Personal
$970,817

Historical observation; not current wealth.

Source
Income after retirement2021 · Personal
Some income from activities after leaving employment

Some activities continued to earn income after retirement.

Source
Reported spending2026-09 · Personal
$24,408 / year

Retirement year October 2025–September 2026; individual reported spending, not combined household.

Source
Reported net worth2026-10-01 · Personal
$1,096,840

Author-reported personal total of investments and cash; not independently verified.

Source
Posts9
2021Year 1
Post 01

Recovering energy and rediscovering curiosity

“I feel more fulfilled, happier and calmer than ever before.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Explored nearby nature and spent time with family after the pandemic canceled international travel.
  • Took almost a year to start sleeping well and waking rested.

How it felt

  • Enjoyed the open time without missing the job or feeling bored. “I haven’t had one SECOND of thinking ‘I’m bored.’”
  • Felt calmer and more curious as energy returned. “I have my curiosity and love of life back.”
RecoveryCuriosityFriendsRoutineChange
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

What’s Changed? / I’ve become way more curious

What’s Changed? / I confirmed that the life I want doesn’t include corporate work

Spending

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2022Year 2
Post 02

Balancing exploration with recovery

“Well after all that, I have decided to give myself permission to slow down.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Spent weeks in Thailand and Mexico, alongside visits to nine US states.
  • Began leaving recovery time between trips and revisiting familiar places.

How it felt

  • Her still-working partner helped put everyday inconveniences in perspective. “Tiny inconveniences are not real problems.”
  • Wanted permission to slow down even with more places available to visit. “I have decided to give myself permission to slow down.”
TravelSlowing downPartners
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

Revelations / It’s Easy To Lose Perspective

Revelations / I Have Permission To Slow Down

Year 2 Spending

Year 2 Net Worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2023Year 3
Post 03

Giving herself permission to do less

“I planned less things to do and enjoyed a good book if that’s what I felt like doing instead.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Planned fewer outings, slept longer when needed and made room for reading. “I planned less things to do and enjoyed a good book”
  • Still spent more than three months abroad, including Singapore and Australia.

How it felt

  • Recognized that an overfull schedule could exhaust her even without a job. “And that just won’t do in retirement!”
  • Valued quiet time alongside travel, rather than treating every possibility as an obligation.
Slowing downTravelPartnersRoutine
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

Revelations / I Slowed Down…Even More

Year 3 Spending

Year 3 Net Worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2024Year 4
Post 04

Refining a life she continues to enjoy

“How have I now been retired longer than I held my longest job?”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Visited seven countries outside the US and seven US states.
  • Kept adjusting food, travel and daily routines to balance enjoyment with feeling well.

How it felt

  • Was struck by having retired for longer than her longest job had lasted. “retired longer than I held my longest job?”
  • Remained enthusiastic about the life she was building and another year of exploration. “Time is flying and I’m celebrating completing Year 4 of my early retirement!”
TravelRoutineContentment
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

Opening anniversary reflection

Year 4 Spending

Year 4 Net Worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2025Year 5
Post 05

Adding a home base to stay closer to family

“the FOMO of not being around my Partner’s family got to us.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Signed an apartment lease in upstate New York and bought a car.
  • Planned to keep traveling while using the apartment as a home base.

How it felt

  • Missing ordinary time with her partner’s family helped prompt the move. “the FOMO of not being around my Partner’s family got to us.”
  • Was happy with the decision, despite the added cost of setting up a home. “But I’m happy with our decision”
HomeFamilyChangePartners
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

What’s Changed?

Year 5 Spending

Year 5 Net Worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2026
Post 06

Valuing ordinary contentment

“I think I am this consistently happy because my overall happiness is based on contentment, not dopamine hits.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Spent time with family and enjoyed walks, familiar comforts and ordinary days.
  • Described roughly twice her starting net worth, without seeking a more extravagant life.

How it felt

  • Had stopped treating happiness as something to keep chasing. “I’ve tried chasing happiness and it was a fool’s errand.”
  • Measured contentment through everyday pleasures and close relationships. “I hit all of my contentment goals”
ContentmentFamilyEnough
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

Reflection on chasing happiness

Reflection following the ideal retirement day link

Reflection on small joys and net worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2026
Post 07

Discovering the appeal of staying put

“After 5 years of planning how to pop around the world every month and creating perfectly interlocking travel plans, I burned myself out.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Renewed the apartment lease with her partner.
  • Expected travel to occupy about a quarter of 2026, leaving more time near family.

How it felt

  • Recognized burnout after years of arranging the next move. “I burned myself out.”
  • Planning trips had changed from a pleasure into an obligation; some trips made home seem more appealing. “travel planning went from something I would wake up early excited to do, to something I was obligated to do”
HomeTravel fatigueFamilyChangeContentment
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

Full-Time Travel Planning Burned Me Out

Going Forward

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2026
Post 08

Making things without needing them to pay

“These days, I bring joy to myself and others with my creativity.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Helped with a week of detective games her mother created for a six-year-old.
  • Continued writing, reviewing and learning despite falling blog traffic.

How it felt

  • Did not need creative interests to earn enough to support her life. “receiving money for my creativity was never a goal of mine.”
  • Valued making things for the enjoyment they brought her and other people. “These days, I bring joy to myself and others with my creativity.”
CreativityFreedomRoutine
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

An AI Aside

My Creativity

Opening account of the family visit

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2026Year 6
Post 09

Making a home base part of the adventure

“I think we’ve settled into it nicely.”

A Purple LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Combined an upstate New York home with nearby travel and several international trips. “I think we’ve settled into it nicely.”
  • Renewed the lease through at least May 2027 while planning additional travel.

How it felt

  • Felt comfortably settled after more than a year with a home base. “I think we’ve settled into it nicely.”
  • Enjoyed discovering a new shared routine after her partner retired.
HomeTravelPartnersMoney
A Purple Life (opens in a new tab)
Notes

source_date

What’s Changed?

Year 6 Spending

Year 6 Net Worth

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

See how these posts compare with other people’s experiences.

Research

Last checked Oct 2026. The accounts are self-reported. This timeline follows selected accounts, including recollections where labeled; it is not a complete archive.

  • Monthly archives are extensive and not exhaustively read.

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