Hi from Massachusetts!

[Lucky C]

Longtime lurker here. Great discussions going on here and I figure it's about time I join in on the fun.

I graduated with an engineering degree nine years ago, with about -$50k from student loans and the car I bought brand new. Despite my big increase in expenses since entering the real world, on my high engineer's salary it was effortless to pay down that debt relatively quickly. The car was my one big splurge and I just didn't see the point in spending lots of money on dining out, grand vacations, or fancy objects. A few years later I was out of debt, rapidly building up savings, and wondering how almost everyone else at my workplace was spending all their money and actually caring about raises, as if the difference between a 2% and 4% pay increase would be life-changing.

For a few years in my mid-20s I was wondering what I really wanted to do with my life. I contemplated career changes, moving to another country, buying a house in the expensive Greater Boston market (now way too expensive), or just spending more money on social activities (maybe that would offset the boredom of work and make me more satisfied with life?). I knew I didn't want to be an engineer forever, but there weren't any alternatives that seemed right to me.

Then a few years ago my friend wrote about MMM on his blog and it all became clear. Despite knowing that with my financial trajectory I would be able to retire (in my 60s) with way more money than I would need, I never thought financial independence could be achieved at such a young age without being an entrepreneur or having a huge inheritance. But the math checked out and I estimated I could be financially independent around age 35.

Since then I have further increased my savings rate and income, and also got myself a wife who happens to have a much lower income. At age 30, I am already FI in the sense of being able to cover just my own expenses, but now I am working toward being able to provide for my family (including an unknown future number of kids). My wife just wants to be a stay-at-home mother, and I picture myself being content with various hobbies throughout the day while she's homeschooling the kiddos.

Now I've got between two and four more years of work left to reach my goals, and thankfully a job where the workweek goes by quickly.

I look forward to getting into some more specific ERE discussions with you all!

[DutchGirl]

Hey, lucky C, welcome. I see that you've joined in on several discussions already; good

You're in a very nice part of the US (I visited family there twice and enjoyed it a lot). Nice that you've already reached "basic FI", now just a few more years to go...

I picture myself being content with various hobbies throughout the day while she's homeschooling the kiddos.

Err, I would hope that as the other parent you would also invest some of your time in the kiddos; perhaps teaching them about engineering, finance, investing, beer brewing, stuff like that?

[Lucky C]

Oh yeah I would be all over that and doing various projects with the kids. As far as the organized curriculum covering all the "standard" courses though, that is more up my wife's alley.

I'm also the type that would love a few hours each day all to myself to do whatever with no distractions. I would still spend more time than the average parent with my kids, but having some alone time is important to me.