Hello from Santa Monica, CA

[davtheram12]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to extend a "hello" and huge "thank you" to everyone in the ERE community. I have read some great discussions on this forum. I've enjoyed reading the many journal entries and many are hugely inspirational. I've been a long time lurker and finally decided that it was time to come out of the woodworks.

Here are a few things I have done up until this point in my pursuit for early retirement. In no particular order:
- increased my savings rate from 25% to 70%
- moved towns so I can be within biking distance from work
- went from commuting ~15,000 miles/year in a car to biking ~7,500 miles/year
- opened and contributed to my Vanguard Roth IRA account
- opened and contributed to my Vanguard brokerage account
- maxed out my work 403B account
- maxed out my work HSA account
- immensely improved my cooking skills reducing my desire to eat out.
- repaired and refinished a number of furniture projects using discarded items that other people threw out. (These were all pieces that were very expensive new).
- learned basic bicycle maintenance and repair.
- cancelled my expensive cell phone plan and replaced it with a more affordable plan through Republic Wireless.
- cancelled my expensive internet provider.

That's all I can think of right now but i'm excited to divulge more if any one is curious. Its not easy finding others locally who share similar ambitions for frugality and ERE.

[Smashter]

Welcome! As a former SoCal resident who is very familiar with Santa Monica, your numbers are impressive.

The biggest negative of that area is the insanely high rents, what are you doing to mitigate that? Roommates?

Also, how is it to bike commute in that area?

[wolf]

Welcome!

[davtheram12]

@smashter Thanks! Fortunately I've always managed to live with a roommate in the past but for about 4 years now I've lived with my girlfriend. Her and I split rent and all bills 50/50. We are very fortunate with our current place. It's rent controlled, is situated in a prime location (I.e. walking and biking distance to a park, multiple grocery stores, library, co-op bike repair shop, the beach) and our surrounding neighbors are all very friendly.

As for bike commuting my work route is about 85% bike path so avoiding traffic is fairly easy but there are moments when it can get a little treacherous. This memorial day weekend was a perfect example. People were desperately trying to leave town for their weekend getaway and were driving a little more recklessly. Luckily I've learned optimal times and routes to best avoid those types of moments. Plus I have the pleasure of seeing the ocean twice a day to and from work. Pretty nice plus!

@wolf Thanks!

[Smashter]

Nice housing situation, you're living the good life

That commute sounds great as well. I didn't realize there was such good bike path coverage in those parts.

Do you think you'll stay in that area post FI?

[Sclass]

Welcome. I lived on 14th across from the cemetery for a short time. Loved it there.

[davtheram12]

@Smashter

I will admit its a pretty nice situation but a big part of the SoCal area is getting pretty densely populated. Sometimes the only time I can get away from the crowd is during my early morning runs or bike rides (i.e. 4:00-5:30am). After that people start their moving along in their cars and then I have to get a little more creative about where/when I move around town.

Santa Monica is pretty good about offering brightly painted bike paths and the surrounding cities have been catching on to the increased biking. Unfortunately many of the residents, who primarily drive to get around town, are fighting the city about installing new bike paths. Granted the design of said bike paths are sometimes questionable (e.g. sometimes the city removes traffic lanes to accommodate for the new bike lanes resulting in increased traffic congestion) so I can see why some people would throw a fit.

I've given it some serious thought and I dont think I can stick around these parts post FI. There are small town a little more north of here that offer everything I would like post FI but I'd have to be more creative about my living situation. Another beach town would be great but those towns usually have fairly hiked rent prices.

[davtheram12]

@Sclass

Thanks! Cemetery off Pico? I really like that surrounding area. Why'd you move?

[Sclass]

Yeah, right by the City College. 1990. I had a great deal crashing at a shop I worked in...it was cool for a 21 yo kid who didn’t mind sleeping in an industrial facility. Eventually I had to move on.

It has changed for the better there. I take it there is still a lot of fun things to do. It’s actually a miracle I left I was having so much fun. Oddly it was the folly that ultimately drove me away from the place. I felt guilty enjoying myself so much...while going nowhere. Funny thing is I haven’t thought about it in years till you asked but I realize it is just in my nature to feel comfortable suffering and sacrificing. Santa Monica was just not right for me but wow, I’d love to be back on the pier dancing with my friends at one of the free concerts right now. Do they still do that on Thursdays?

[davtheram12]

@Sclass

Sleeping in an industrial facility sounds like a great adventure! I've had this lasting fascination with living in a place like that. Perhaps retrofitting an abandoned hangar to accomdate for all of my interests and hobbies. Too bad strict housing regulations would probably prevent that idea from flourishing.

Free concerts and dancing?! That's a great combo. I'm not sure is those are still offered at the pier since I tend to avoid the more touristy areas. There are a lot of things one can partake in that general area. Running, surfing, gymnastics, biking, skateboarding, beach volleyball, people watching etc.

Suffering and sacrificing? How so?

[Sclass]

Suffering and sacrificing? How so?

Part of my personality makes me need to sacrifice, struggle, work and suffer to feel good. When things are too easy I feel uncomfortable. It was too nice.

That was Santa Monica to me. I was poor but happy. I had taken time off college and was assembling electronics for a small tech biz. I could have stayed there a long time just earning $14/hr forever because after work I’d meet my friends and go boogie boarding off the rocks on pch then walk up to Gladstone’s for a pina colada cream. After a couple we’d roll into Korea town or Thai town for cheap eats. Come home and dig my PJs out of a cardboard box in the warehouse and go to sleep on some shipping foam. I could do this forever. But deep down I had this gnawing feeling I wasn’t building anything for myself. I was going sideways. It was uncomfortable. A conflict inside. I eventually returned to college...in Berkeley, another very wonderful place.

A magical time in a magical place. Enjoy your time there. I should drive up for fun.

Edit - looks like the summer concerts will be pushed to fall this year. It’s a great cheap date.

https://la.curbed.com/2017/12/13/167720 ... -fall-2018

[davtheram12]

@Sclass

Those experiences all sounds like a great time but I can see how it might have made you feel like you were "going sideways". I regularly have that same dilemma when things are too easy. It's almost as if voluntary hardship needs to be incorporated on a regular basis in order to feel normal. Good on you for the introspection that most aren't willing to tackle head on. That alone can be a very uncomfortable process but it sounds like it worked out in your favor.

Thanks for the link! Looks like fun.

Now I have this odd hankering for a pina colada