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I’m doing what I can to retire sooner than the norm, including working extra jobs and saving money (though I occasionally will still have a month where I binge-eat and literally eat everything I would have saved that month). For those of you who have achieved freedom from work, how do you spend your time? My friends and family (except my mother) all died young and I’m a man who must have something wrong with me because I simply do not become attracted to or aroused by anybody (I wish I did, as I am lonely, but nobody really works for me). I’ve wondered what I’ll do once I actually save enough to retire—I spend so much of my time trying to make extra money to retire, I don’t have much of a sense of self beyond not liking work but liking money.
I’m doing what I can to retire sooner than the norm...
That's fine. When (if) you get to the point where you might have enough... think it all through.
There's NO POINT to even consider making a choice you don't actually have.
There's a word for that.
I have read otger posts of yours, but dont know if i ever saw your age, and if I did, I've forgotten, as there are many on here with different ages.
Like you, when I was in my 20s ( the 80s), I was a hard worker , saved hard, and even played hard. I worked 2 full time jobs, and even attended 2 semesters of college fully time ( came out with 3 As and 1 B each semester). I scheduled work so i had only 3 days that were double shift days, and 4 days were single shift days, but unless i took vacation, I never had a full day off. I did that on purpose, so that I didn't wear out with working from 8 am to 1-2 am ( depending on how long it took us to clean the kitchen...my second job was a libe cook at a very popular 4 star restaurant).
Prior to that i had one full time and 3 part time jobs in my late teens after graduation.
I saved, spent and took expensive vacations ( like Disney world and Hawai'i) I went to Disney every year and then visited my grandmother in Florida. I had an expensive 4x4 luxury fully loaded Chevy before they were making them all with luxuries. (It cost me $20k brand new in 1986). I had an expensive component stereo system ( separate Pioneer record player, CD player, dual cassette deck, VCR, camcorder and a receiver to control them all. )
I saved $75k for retirement, plus had a healthy efund abd general savings ( about $100k total). All making 3x minimum as a cook and retail supervisor. If left alone it would be over a million today.
Lije you i wasn't so interested romantically. I think working so hard has an affect on that department. I think if you ease up some, you will find both yourself and others , uh, ahem, more interesting .
My problem was that come my 30s serious chronic continuous medical issues set in ( some actually started uin my 20s, but real took its toll come my 30s). I blew through all my retirement savings and money payibg medical bills and living expenses as work was not possible . I actually ended up homeless living under a bridge next to the RR tracks. Finally I was early medically retired at age 40 on SSDI.
I certainly hope the last part doesn't happen to you, but if youve built up a healthy wealth fund, maybe you can back off some, not work so hard. A good steady stream of income that allows you to live, play and still save 15% for retirement , you'll do fine if you still have 15-20 years till FRA.
As I noted above, I think you will find more free time, less work stress, will increase your love life, you know the saying "all work and no play makes johhny a dull boy".
You don't have to just stop working, taper off, cut back one or two extra jobs, or cut extra hours.
Develop hobbies, try something you may be interested in that isn't work related.
OP, I've read some of your older posts. I know that you are young. How about working on your maturity? Being a mature adult means accepting the fact that we will have to do things we don't like. No one (or very few people) actually likes to work. However, they accept that they have to and find a way to have a happy life while working.
Even if you retire early, you still have at least 20 years to go. Are you really planning on hating everyday until the day you retire?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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BTDT - working multiple jobs at same time from age 15 to 50 + farming in my free time.
Be sure to LIVE in the meantime...
You might not live long enough to enjoy that money.
Assuming the responsibilities of a family (age 28) drastically changed my plans and free (?) time. Good thing I had saved a lot early. Was still able to fully leave employment at age 49 (single earner household / hourly wages).
I have never had trouble finding something better to do than work (wage income). As soon as I was done 'working' I headed to farms to help them out with projects and harvest (something I enjoy 16+ hrs / day of meaningful activity)). We also volunteered with local rural seniors to make their homes handicap accessible and adding living space for caregivers.
At the moment we are travelling (while able).
Things to do...after employment: About anything is better use of time than filling the pockets of a greedy employer. (if you have the CHOICE (I have had 100% 'retirement' freedom since age 15. No inheritance, just 'creative'... find something better to do with my time.)
I
took a Master's program after I retired
Built homes (again)
ski, garden, sing, volunteer, swim (couple miles / day), bike, library, invent stuff, mentor,
Buy trashed view acreage and spend a weekend on bulldozer and re-sell the property for $20k more. (Takes time to find these places)
Help the neighbors (from construction to farming to sewing to pruning, car repair...)
There is nothing wrong with you working / not attaching to a spouse / SO. If the right one is to come along, they usually show up when you are not looking for anyone.
If not, you will cope fine as a single. (better if that is the correct choice).
Nothing worse than 'attaching' to the wrong choice.
If you are over age 30, you may find 'lonely' to be preferred to what you get when 'attached'.
Lonely is NOT hard to solve. (without being 'attached')
join a hiking, photo, travel group
Community Sports
Volunteer in interest organizations that help others
I’m in education, now, and my concurrent education jobs (public school teacher, tutoring online through a company, tutoring in person as a sole proprietor) are much less bad than the retail, healthcare, and service jobs I had. Teaching still irritates me when the kids are just there because their parents want them there instead of wanting to study and improve of their own accord, but I usually get some positive feedback from the people paying me whether that be my principal or the parents of the children I help. The first dozen jobs I had, the only time I heard from my bosses was when they complained about something being “wrong” without them telling me what was wrong or how to do it better next time, or they were coming to fire me. The work I do now is not only better paid, but my dislike of the work is much milder since I don’t feel harassed and micromanaged every day. I’m considering advancing along the education career track by getting a masters degree then a PhD to teach something well-paid and in demand at the college level. College kids are more mature than high schoolers, and depending on what I get my masters in, I could make enough to only need that one job and could use the time off and money from that job to find something engaging outside of work.
I’m good a math, so I’m thinking of doing a Masters of Accountancy, but only if I save up enough to take a sabbatical from my current jobs. Still trying to decide if and when to take the leap to grad school.
Even if I had the best job in the world and was very well paid, though, early retirement would still be on my radar.
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