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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.

Age
Wealth
Years
Posts
31–40 of 88 posts

A move to Spain became a comfortable semi-retirement

2024 · Year 0.5Recalled in 2025

Life at the time

  • Moved abroad with spouse and children.
  • Spent the first six months without paid work.

How it felt

  • Remembered the period fondly. “fond memories”
  • Recognized career anxiety and an unsettled work-based identity. “mini identity crisis”

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

2024Recalled in 2026

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”

He spends little. His retirement is anything but simple.

Dec 2023 · Year 13

Life at the time

  • Replaced the rental property manager and dealt with vacancies and repair costs. “I did a major business restructure”
  • Hiked with a friend, played games and turned an underused pool area into a weights room. “I spent a lot of time hiking all over the Ozarks.”

How it felt

  • Was unhappy with how the rentals had been managed.
  • Continued choosing familiar interests while the business demanded attention.

They retired to travel the world. Then family life rewrote the plan.

Dec 2023 · Year 11

Life at the time

  • Settled into school, sports, home routines and trips around school holidays.
  • Planned closer expense tracking after reviewing roughly $118,000 in annual spending.

How it felt

  • Was surprised by retail purchases even though spending remained within budget. “We spent HOW MUCH on Amazon.com?!?!”
  • Preferred devoting time to other things rather than endlessly optimizing expenses. “I would rather do other things with my time”

Longer trips, with fewer rental-property headaches in mind

Nov 2023Interview snapshot · published 2024-04

Life at the time

  • He traveled for weeks at a time and played tennis and pickleball at home, while considering selling troublesome rentals.

How it felt

  • He enjoyed retirement and hoped that reducing property responsibilities would make it better still. “the ones that have given me the most headaches.”

Comfort came easily. Companionship took longer.

Oct 2023 · Year 11

Life at the time

  • Moved to a quieter life in another city with a partner.
  • Supported her goals and added new learning alongside established hobbies.

How it felt

  • Valued the progress that came from being a beginner again. “The feeling of progress/self improvement is priceless.”
  • Continued to appreciate the reassurance of financial independence. “the peace of mind that FI brings never gets old”

He could go anywhere. Six years later, he wanted to stay home.

Sep 2023 · Year 5

Life at the time

  • Traveled in China and spent a month near Big Bend.
  • Considered more hobbies and commitments near home, including disc golf.

How it felt

  • Felt some aimlessness about what should come next. “I think I'm running out of ideas for things to do.”
  • Explicitly distinguished that uncertainty from boredom or stress. “I'm not bored or stressed”

A market crash threatened the journey; a seaside home later felt enough

Sep 2023

Life at the time

  • They lived in a modest home bought in2019.
  • Investment research and postponed activities occupied his days.

How it felt

  • He liked their seaside town immensely. “like it immensely”
  • He no longer felt a need to pass through airports. “never go into an airport again”

Adventure filled their early years. Writing and family made room for a quieter life.

2023 · Year 17

Life at the time

  • Robert had written three science-fiction manuscripts and published a crossword.
  • They divided the year among their Colorado home, family visits and shorter trips.

How it felt

  • Creative work felt rewarding without financial pressure. “the joy of creation”
  • Frequent moves could make life feel divided and friendships harder to maintain. “Sometimes our lives feel segmented”

They left intense work for island time, then spent decades exploring.

Oct 2022 · Year 31

Life at the time

  • Their 2022 days in Chapala included markets, art and leisurely meals.
  • Travel and keeping in touch with far-flung friends remained central.

How it felt

  • They valued independence and a simpler daily life. “value our independence greatly”
  • They wished they had anticipated the original social pushback. “difficult, confusing and unexpected”

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