afterFI/RE Life after FI/RE
People
Selected life timeline 2013—2025

He escaped Sunday-night dread. A decade later, even freedom needed downtime.

Justin McCurry retired at 33 and found satisfaction in school-age parenting, books and days without a Monday looming. His wife joined him later; their children grew, and the trips grew longer. By 2025, money looked less restrictive than the calendar. The recurring question had become how to enjoy an increasingly busy retirement while preserving the unstructured time that made it worthwhile.

Finances
Net worth at retirement2013 · Household
Not established

A starting net worth was not established in the reviewed primary sources.

Source
Reported net worth2025-03 · Household
$3,347,000

Includes a paid-off home valued at $300,000; not all investable assets.

Source
Reported spending2024 · Household
$40,286 / yearSource
Income after retirement2025-03 · Personal
Blogging and consulting

March 2025 reported $456 in blog income and $1,028 in consulting income; these are one month’s figures.

Source
Posts4
2014Year 0.5
Post 01

Days without Sunday-night dread

“Now I don’t have Sunday nights anymore.”

Justin McCurry · Root of GoodRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Read, cooked, learned, played games and cared for three children.
  • Built a household routine while his wife continued working.

How it felt

  • Enjoyed losing the Sunday-night countdown to another working week. “Now I don’t have Sunday nights anymore.”
  • Was content with ordinary days rather than pursuing a grand replacement mission. “Just enjoying life each day.”
RoutineFamilyFriendsContentment
Justin McCurry · Root of Good (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Period described in the article; publication date is stored separately.

Transcript: introduction and answer to how he fills his days.

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. Based on the publisher’s transcript. The original contains the full story.

2016
Post 02

A second exit, a different adjustment

“she chose freedom and family over helping other people in the corporate world.”

Justin McCurry · Root of GoodRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Reported that his wife had left her job after earlier negotiations kept her working.
  • The couple could now share freedom from a nine-to-five schedule.

How it felt

  • In Justin’s account, his wife was uncertain about how to fill the open time. “Her biggest worry becomes the emptiness”
  • He described her choosing family and freedom while still wanting to contribute; this was his account of her transition. “she chose freedom and family over helping other people in the corporate world.”
PartnersFamilyIdentity
Justin McCurry · Root of Good (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Period described in the article; publication date is stored separately.

Opening description of his wife’s departure and adjustment.

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

2018
Post 03

A growing family, a growing itinerary

“wondering how we ever had time for full time jobs”

Justin McCurry · Root of GoodRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Prepared for the oldest child to enter high school.
  • Planned extended travel for 2019 and anticipated later driving and college expenses.

How it felt

  • Found family life full enough to wonder how full-time work had fitted into it. “wondering how we ever had time for full time jobs”
  • Was aware of the next stage of parenting approaching. “college is just around the corner.”
FamilyTravelMoney
Justin McCurry · Root of Good (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Period described in the article; publication date is stored separately.

Opening narrative; 2019 travel plans; annual spending summary.

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

2025
Post 04

Keeping room for an empty afternoon

“Some weeks we’re here at home in Raleigh relaxing and catching up with family and friends.”

Justin McCurry · Root of GoodRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Combined family travel, tax preparation and plans for more trips.
  • Alternated stretches at home with further adventures.

How it felt

  • Wanted to explore while travel remained enjoyable. “We can always rest when we’re ‘old’!”
  • Also valued time at home to rest and catch up with family and friends. “Some weeks we’re here at home in Raleigh relaxing and catching up with family and friends.”
TravelSlowing downRoutineFamily
Justin McCurry · Root of Good (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Period described in the article; publication date is stored separately.

Opening and Closing thoughts; Income; Net Worth.

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

Research

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

  • The timeline combines a 2014 publisher transcript with selected blog updates through March 2025. It is not a complete monthly archive.
  • Root of Good blocked direct retrieval. Its indexed article text was available for review, but a current live-page check remains outstanding.
  • Starting net worth is unconfirmed here. Later household balances must not be read as the retirement starting amount.
  • The partner’s experience is reported by Justin, not independently narrated or verified.

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