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Explore turning points, everyday joys and unexpected challenges after financial independence or retirement, with the date and original source for each account.

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21–30 of 91 posts

The money raced ahead. He still felt lost.

Jul 2024

“a decade long marathon of working and saving.”

u/finGuyHereRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Took a break and traveled after being let go.
  • Considered continued job hunting or moving somewhere cheaper after receiving lower-paid offers.

How it felt

  • Felt lost as the planned route to a $3 million target became uncertain. “I feel lost”
  • Had spent a decade working and saving without a settled picture of what came next. “a decade long marathon of working and saving.”
ChangeIdentityWork
u/finGuyHere
Read original postreddit.com

The layoff ended the waiting. Retirement became an experiment.

Jul 2024 · At departure

“The work environment had become much more stressful and political, and I dreaded coming into work every day.”

u/anonymous_1983Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Received layoff notice and severance after considering leaving a stressful workplace.
  • Planned travel and a kitchen renovation; neither was a completed retirement routine yet.

How it felt

  • Had come to dread going to work. “I dreaded coming into work every day.”
  • Believed he might already have enough money to leave, although the next phase was unsettled. “I think I should already have enough to FI/RE.”
ChangeRecoveryHome
u/anonymous_1983
Read original postreddit.com

Being home is different from being present

Jul 2024Interview snapshot · published 2024-10

“They don’t talk about it much, but balance is about being emotionally present for those you love.”

ESI Millionaire 423Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Newly retired, he spent time managing family finances and prioritized time with his children rather than immediately adopting every planned hobby.

How it felt

  • Leaving work exposed how often his attention had remained at the office even while physically at home. “It is a massive adjustment to step away”
FamilyIdentityChange
ESI Millionaire 423
Read original postesimoney.com

Five magnificent years gave way to restlessness. A new season needed a new plan.

Jun 2024 · Year 5

“My first five years were indeed magnificent”

David ChampionRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Spent early retirement hiking and climbing.
  • Later used self-study and invented tasks to fill difficult winter periods.

How it felt

  • Remembered the first five years very positively. “My first five years were indeed magnificent”
  • Found that staying busy no longer fully answered his need for direction. “I manufactured ways to stay busy”
PurposeOutdoorsChange
David Champion
Read original postcaniretireyet.com

They built a busy life in Nicaragua. Eighteen years later, another adventure beckoned.

May 2024 · Year 18

“We have no regrets”

Darrell & Amy BushnellRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Pickleball and golf had become regular activities.
  • They were considering Mexico or Italy, without having completed a move.

How it felt

  • They enjoyed their life and expressed no regrets. “We have no regrets”
  • Leaving established friendships would make a new beginning harder. “start over again”
HomeFriendsChange
Darrell & Amy Bushnell
Read original postafar.com

She loved being retired. She still needed a reason to use her brain.

May 2024 · Year 2

“Rather than focusing on saving, I’m trying to flex my spending muscle in order to spend more on food experiences.”

u/jellybean83087Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Sold her car, moved to Japan and started a year of language school.
  • Set out to spend more freely on food and experiences.

How it felt

  • Saw school as an answer to missing social contact and intellectual challenge; the longer-term result was still open. “Moving to Japan and studying Japanese is my solution to both of them.”
  • Was deliberately practicing enjoyment of her money. “I'm trying to flex my spending muscle”
CuriosityFriendsChange
u/jellybean83087
Read original postreddit.com

Redundancy became a retirement worth keeping

Mar 2024 · Year 0.25

“burnt out and bitter”

u/KippaxRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Explored contract work while weighing permanent retirement.
  • Began charity work involving financial and technical advocacy.

How it felt

  • Felt burned out and bitter after redundancy. “burnt out and bitter”
  • Repeatedly doubted the numbers despite seeing a chance to stop. “second-guess myself”
ChangePurpose
u/Kippax
Read original postreddit.com

He left at 54. Only afterward did he see the burnout.

2024

“So although we could have saved more and could have done better growing our nest egg, all that hard work and chaos ultimately got me this freedom, which is priceless.”

u/breathedownRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Left work at 54 while a spouse continued some paid work.
  • Kept side projects and possible income as options for the next stage.

How it felt

  • Was excited about the future soon after leaving. “I'm very excited about the future”
  • Valued the control over time that earlier effort had made possible. “all that hard work and chaos ultimately got me this freedom, which is priceless.”
RecoveryFreedomChange
u/breathedown
Read original postreddit.com

He won his freedom—and ran out of goals.

2024 · Year 8

“this is actually the first house that I’ve enjoyed owning.”

Mad FientistRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Returned to anniversary updates as a parent, with a home and music studio he enjoyed.
  • Spent more deliberately on everyday comforts while focusing on family, health and relationships.

How it felt

  • Found homeownership more enjoyable when the home fitted his current life. “this is actually the first house that I’ve enjoyed owning.”
  • Was practicing accepting a purchase as a worthwhile pleasure rather than automatically minimizing its cost. “It is a splurge and it’s a great splurge”
ParenthoodHomeFamily
Mad Fientist
Read original postmadfientist.com

A damaged RV, a market slump and a new home change the dream

2024Recalled in 2026

“We finally overcame that challenge and got back on track.”

Joe and Mrs. RVF · RV-on-FIRERead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • They completed a home in north central Texas and ended full-time RV travel.
  • Construction delays extended an expensive hotel stay from weeks to months.

How it felt

  • The move followed grief and waning enthusiasm for road life. “we finally caught a break”
  • A positive financial year finally felt like a welcome break. “back on track”
Travel fatigueChangeHome
Joe and Mrs. RVF · RV-on-FI/RE
Read original postrv-on-fire.com

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