Nomadic-ERE Year 5 - Wanderlust Prevails

Where are you and where are you going?
2Birds1Stone
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Re: 245 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

I've been enjoying work over the past few weeks.

Closed my first deal at the new company, getting along with my coworkers really well, and feel like I'm delivering very solid value to both my employers and clients. I work with the worlds largest financial institutions and insurers, selling a very cool technology. I learn something new on every proof of concept I execute with my engineers, and the networking at this job has been incredible compared to my old megacorp.

Been thinking tons about goals for 2019, and really approaching them in a systems theory way of thinking. Many are symbiotic, but not all.

It would be very helpful if we had a high income year in 2019, sold/donated more of our belongings, streamlined our finances, improved health/fitness, and started figuring out where the heck we will travel to and when.

It annoys me that our financial picture in late 2019/early 2020 will largely be controlled by market returns, although we can continue to buckle down on our total household spending.

I posted a few months ago about using a portion of my commission toward gearing up for our upcoming nomadic lifestyle shift. This is continuing to motivate me at work, and it will be fun spending some funds with SO. Luckily many of the things we will acquire, can serve multiple purposes and serve us for many years of adventure.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 2Birds1Stones' 350 day hustle to freedom!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

2Birds1Stone wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:55 pm
I need to start tracking weight and activity more diligently.

My weight has crept back into the 218-220lb range the past week, and today I started tracking calories and expenditure (using my Garmin 920xt).

My ideal weight is somewhere around 195-198lbs, which I have not been since spring/summer of 2014.
I wanted to share my thoughts here and help with accountability moving forward. After posting the above, I ended up dropping down to 198 (7 day average), by August 28th, and 195 by September 10th........since then I've gained back all but 5lbs.

There are several factors that contributed to this, all are within my control.

Diet - I was intermittent fasting, and whether or not it was the eating pattern, or the reduced caloric intake due to shorter feeding window.......it worked amazingly well for the first 6-8 weeks. I'm not eating 3 meals a day + snacks.

Cardio activity - Being in between jobs, I had a TON of free time during the week, and it was summer so weather was conducive to lots of walking, cycling, MTB, and running. I was working from home every day, walking 3+ miles during lunch, doing a 50-70 mile road ride on Saturdays, and MTBing during the week. Since I started my new Job at the end of August, I've been MUCH more sedentary.

Work Travel - I'm on the road half the month, often staying in swanky hotels, wining and dining prospects and customers, and overall just overindulging in alcohol and really crappy food (desserts, fatty steaks, fried foods etc). All while sitting in office buildings 10-12 hours a day, and spending my remaining free time flying around the country.

Motivation - For a few months over the summer, one of the few things within my control was my eating/training, and I made it a priority. Now with the new job, I feel like I lost focus and started prioritizing other things. It's become clear that I have to consciously make an effort to eat below my maintenance caloric level, and push myself for activity 4-5 x a week in order to not be a completely fat slob.

The Plan

Rather than trying to make too many changes at once, I'm going to start small and gradually get a bit more strict.

Step 1) Get back into the IF groove. I'm going to slowly drop back down to a 16h fasting/8h feeding schedule over the course of this upcoming weekend/week. It will be gradual

Step 2) Cut out all alcohol at home during the week. No drinking beers after a long stressful workday. On weekends limit alcohol consumption to social situations/holidays.

Step 3) Cardio - I signed up for a 10 mile running race in 7 weeks. Meaning I need to run at least 2x a week and build up to that distance, which should increase overall cardio for the week. I will also try to get out on my MTB for a little bit each week. Even if it's just around the neighborhood on a particularly non-freezing day.

Step 4) Weight Training - Make this a priority and ensure I'm lifting 3-4 days a week. I always feel good after a few weeks of consistent lifts, and it's been something I've struggled with most weeks, due to being away from home so much. Not only do I not lift when I'm traveling, but after a long trip, it's hard to get back into the rhythm for 2-3 days between those trips.

In regards to tracking calories - I will avoid that for now, it's easy to become obsessive, and I'm confident that with more mindful eating, avoiding the fried crap, most alcohol, and increased activity, my weight should start trending back in the right direction.

Goals

Short Term - Stick to the above plan for at least 21 days
Medium Term - Execute the plan and train up to a <90:00 10 mile pace/lose at least 7 lbs in 7 weeks (from 7 day average)
Long Term - Get back to <200lbs and stay there for good

I apologize in advance, but I will be updating the journal very regularly for accountability and a swift kick in the nuts if/when I fall off the wagon.

Mental Health + All of this crap

Wanted to note that I have to walk a fine line when doing stuff like this. For many years I suffered from eating disorders in my younger days. It took many years to overcome, and I have to do everything possible to avoid that slippery slope. So while I have a plan, I'm also trying to be mindful not to get back to old habits......

Day 1
Morning Weight - 214.4
7 Day Average - 211.3

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 213 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

December will be much higher spending due to some upcoming bills, xmas gift shopping, and travel accommodations we have to book for a wedding.

Yesterday was the first successful day of intermittent fasting. Hit the gym for weight training in the morning and had a feeding window from 1-9 PM. Think I ate right around or just below my maintenance level for the day. SO and I did go out in the evening, and I had two beers.

Today is a planned weight training + run day. I hope to manage ~6 miles in <1 hr. Depending on how dizzy I feel after that workout, I may or may not wait till 12-1 PM to eat.
Last edited by 2Birds1Stone on Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 213 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

Two posts in my journal in one day, I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules.

Morning Weight - 211.6
7 Day Average - 211.6

Training/Diet

Today was an upper body push workout. Bench press working up to 2 sets of 8 w/ 235 lbs, 2 types of cable flies for 3 working sets each, rope press downs x 5 sets, side lateral raises x 2 sets.

Afterwards I ran 6.2 miles at an average 8:56/mile pace, starting with a 10 minute mile and doing a negative split down to a 8:15 mile.

It's almost noon and I haven't broken my fast yet. Going to make a nice healthy lunch, and then SO and I are meeting my parents at one of our favorite farm-to-table restaurants. Really looking forward to this meal. I'm going to eat mindfully without stressing out over exact calories, which should produce a similar to slightly lower weigh in tomorrow morning.

Did some grocery shopping after the gym at Aldi. It's amazing what $35 can get you! Food for 2 people for a week :)

SO and I are doing a December spending challenge, were we are going to aim for <$3,100 including xmas gifts.

Happy Saturday, y'all!

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 210 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

Cha-Ching!

My previously assessed $11k in back taxes has been worked out by the IRS.

The final amount due? $155!
Last edited by 2Birds1Stone on Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 238 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

Morning Weight - 209.6 (Hanukkah bloat!)
7 Day Average - 210.5
Training - Upper Push (bench press 225x8x8x8, 2 variations of cable crossovers x 3 sets each, rope press downs, DB side laterall raises)
No cardio today.

As long as my weigh ins are 210 or less through Saturday morning that 7 day average should equialize around the same. From there I can finally make some real progress in the right direction!


I still see at least another 10-20% downside here before we get back to making new highs. So many sectors are getting pummeled into bear market territory. This is all good stuff for those of us in the accumulation phase. At least that's what I keep telling myself ;)
Last edited by 2Birds1Stone on Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 230 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

One the things I value most about this forum is the fantastic intellectual and philosophical debate that takes place on a broad range of topics.

A few threads I've been following closely over time, specifically the one about freedom of choice, part time work, and this nugget viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7870, are really having me second guess my own goals and plans to a fairly large degree. I'm realizing more and more that I'm a stereotypical salaryman and my plan relies far too much on living off of invested assets, and not enough about other ways of creating value and bartering that for what I need.

Jacob made a good point regarding pulling the plug on paid work being a motivator to increase ones skills and therefor ability to create value. I also see some very healthy debate in c_L and wolf's journals.

Analysis paralysis is real. It's much easier to continue down the path I've set, than to change course and do something bold.

Jin+Guice
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Re: 230 Days Till FI!

Post by Jin+Guice »

Wolf alerted me that you are considering the dark side of part-time work extreme and/ or semi-retirement. I have not read your entire journal so I can't comment on your situation, but I read your last financial statement and goddamn you have a lot of money. You're past my number. I think you may be ready to escape the vile drudgery of fulltime work.

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Seppia
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Re: 230 Days Till FI!

Post by Seppia »

I haven’t been as vocal as Jin+Guice, but I’m also a big proponent of part time work after pulling the plug.

I’m usually super-conservative financially, which is a quality that’s very useful for saving, but also counter productive when it’s time to ERE.

I see part time work as a first step, that should help me have a softer landing in all aspects of life.

For example:
I won’t go as far as to say “I fear I wouldn’t know what to do with my time”.
I have a looooong lost of things I want to do, but my fear is that going from “very little free time” to “any time is free time” may be too much of a shock.
Part time work would fill a bit of that time.

Financially, my assets are now generating a survivable salary, if combined with the fact that we paid for a small apartment in cash.
But knowing some cash is coming in every month could be of psichologycal help.

Etc etc.

I see it as a good stepping stone, kind of like MMM was a good stepping stone that helped me accept ere.
I’m not sure how I would have reacted had I found ere first.
I might have dismissed it as “too much”.
In a similar way, I’m afraid that if I tried to ere cold turkey, I would probably postpone it time and time again with different excuses, and never do it

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 230 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

@Jin+Guice, I'm definitely getting there! Been enjoying your posts on the topic in various journals and threads. It's been part of my plan since day one. If you read my first journal entry from March 2016, I lay out the plan and switching to PT work and semi or mini retirements before getting to a full blown FI level in no particular hurry. I didn't realize how much I can life-hack my way to a ridiculously luxurious lifestyle on $18k/yr.

I'll be making the transition shortly after my spending crosses below 4% of investable assets. Very likely by taking a long sabbatical prior to even PT work.

@Seppia, I have no shortage of things to do if I'm not working. That's not the issue for me at all. Just with triathlon training, weightlifting, and MTBing I can easily fill 2-4 hours a day. Not to mention I have a group of friends from the gym, belong to a 200 member triathlon team/club, and belong to my local MTB rider/trail maintenance group with 100+ people. All provide social interaction, exercise, a way to volunteer my time, and get involved with a community. Total cost in annual membership fees is $500/yr.

I have to be strategic from a tax standpoint, and a "do I work 1 year FT now vs. 5 years PT when I'm older?"

Much like You I can't see myself not making money in the future.......but I want that to be completely optional. I also want to protect myself in the case my future spending grows for reasons outside of my control (sickness, caring for a sick family member or SO, etc)

Realistically late spring of 2020 makes the most sense to quit work all together. I will have maxed out tax advantaged space for the year, made enough gross income to max out the 10-12% tax brackets, and by then we should be closer to 20X expenses for a ~5%
Last edited by 2Birds1Stone on Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 230 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

I wanted to expand on my post from earlier, not only to clarify something for anyone following my path to ERE, but for myself to read in the future.

The path I have laid out is hardly laid in stone. There have been several inflection points where I put things on the line and made what I thought was the best choice at the time. I remember when the opportunity to work the PT bike shop gig presented itself. In and of itself, could have been a cool thing to do and not work FT. But by flexing my FU$ and threatening to leave my job, negotiated a raise and had one of the most relaxing work from home arrangements imaginable with only 5-10 hours of real work per week for nearly 5 months before using that new income to negotiate my current arrangement.

@Victor K reminded me what it was like working in retail, and I'm glad I still have that job as a possibility down the line.



Which brings me to not being able to take 12 weeks off this upcoming summer. I will have to make a choice of whether the income is worth the time exchanged for it. My next career re-evaluation point will be late spring/early summer.
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2Birds1Stone
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

I'm sitting on the commuter train into NYC right now, sifting through a barrage of emails I've received from overseas team at work.

Have to prepare a big presentation for a prospective client I am traveling to see on Friday. Waking up to these emails gave me that dreaded feeling in my stomach that's usually reserved for Sunday nights before a particularly unpleasant work week ahead.

Last night I read through a few older journals here on the forums. I would really like to get over my fear of pulling the plug on this fire hose of cash, even if it's temporary. While my current trajectory has my exit date penciled in for June 1, 2020.......I have this overwhelming feeling that it could happen much sooner, and ultimately I would be better off for it. If not financially, then from a health and fulfillment standpoint.

A few unknowns that I'm patiently waiting to see sort out over the coming months.

a) SO is still underemployed and hunting for a FT work arrangement. Having a steady income for the household would ease my mind about giving up my own. This is a big one for me.

b) I'm still not quite at 4% of my TTM expenses, once this threshold is crossed, I feel that mentally it will make the shift to drawing down assets vs. accumulating easier.

c) my silly brain still have a "number" in mind that I would like to reach before I feel a margin of safety is in place to see me through a market downturn without freaking out about having made a big mistake. Right now that number would be $Xk. It's also a number that I could use as a floor once I turn off my full time income. Essentially continuing a semi-ERE lifestyle as long as that half mil is in the nest egg giving me dividends/interest/capital gains to life off of. If the number dips below $X, i can slowly start to look at increasing income/decreasing expenses until the floor is reached once more. This is the ultimate safely net from a financial standpoint, even a 20-30% downturn in the first few years of ERE could be mitigated with just a handful of years of FT work, while a more likely scenario of the portfolio growing past $X + annual spending would ensure FT work never has to happen again.

If I reach $X + 1st year semi-ERE spending, prior to June 1 2020....this would give me a good jump off point and motivation in the coming 12 months of work.



Thoughts?
Last edited by 2Birds1Stone on Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

suomalainen
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by suomalainen »

What are you solving for? In constitutional law, a law can be struck down as being unconstitutional for vagueness. In other words, a law can be so vague that it's meaningless. FI is kinda like that. A vague number solving for a vague sense of security is really meaningless. Figure out what you're solving for and work towards that. The number is a sideshow; don't over emphasize it.

frihet
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by frihet »

2Birds1Stone wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:54 am
Waking up to these emails gave me that dreaded feeling in my stomach that's usually reserved for Sunday nights before a particularly unpleasant work week ahead.

While my current trajectory has my exit date penciled in for June 1, 2020.......I have this overwhelming feeling that it could happen much sooner, and ultimately I would be better off for it. If not financially, then from a health and fulfillment standpoint

Thoughts?
Dreaded feeling in the stomach, I hear you. Happen much sooner I feel you

Also been going through the amount contemplation the last days. I have not reached the amount I had envisioned and reaching it would take me about another year. But when my system says enough it's hard to continue. Health and fulfillment...what's more important than that? Asking for a friend ;)

classical_Liberal
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by classical_Liberal »

I agree with @suo, nothing is really a plan until you actually commit to a plan. At least that's the problem I'm having. I've been rereading the ERE book and after chapter five I actually sat down and created (if you can call what I do in art create) a multi-colored web of goals. It was good because it forced me to actually write down what it is I think I need, and build a web with the people/systems/tools I have in place and how they are fulfilling my perceived needs.

I actually only had about a dozen " perceived needs" and there wasn't a single item that only had one source... IOW I don't need my full-time job to get what I want. Actually, the job actually showed many second order negative effects on my perceived needs. This was an interesting realization, to say the least.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

suomalainen wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:33 am
What are you solving for?
I'm trying to understand your point, which I assume c_L interpreted differently.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying that I should figure out what my post full time job life would look like? What are things I am looking to do that my current arrangement prohibits?

@frihet, I don't think anything is more important. But maybe as suo eluded to, I'm using FT work as an excuse not to do things that I'm putting off till I hit an arbitrary $#

@classical_Liberal, I think that's a great exercise. One I need to actually go through to prioritize my web of goals. I've already realized I don't necessarily need to work another FT job ever again, but it would mean that I would have to find other ways to satisfy my need for varying resources. I wish my job was in an area/field that I could go 50% time and make even 25% income.......unfortunately I have a typical high demand salaryman job which is all or nothing in my current environment.

50% work would allow me to do 80% of the things I envision for post ERE life. Pretty much the only thing I couldn't do is prolonged slow travel. Other outdoor interests and hobby pursuits would be easy to fit into a 2-3 day/week schedule.

suomalainen
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by suomalainen »

2Birds1Stone wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:35 am
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying that I should figure out what my post full time job life would look like? What are things I am looking to do that my current arrangement prohibits?
What I mean is, what need(s) are you trying to satisfy by reaching your number? You are buying your number (with time) in the hopes that your number will buy you something. What is that something? And if you can identify it now, can you just buy it now?

If all your number buys is optionality (due to a sense of safety?) ... well, having options and feeling safe aren't really useful by themselves. Borrowing an analogy from investing, you gotta exercise in-the-money options for them to have any real value to you. If the problem is that you don't know what you want, and you need to try some things out, that's fine and all, but if that's the case you may as well get on with it. Having your number may make "trying things out" easier, but why wait?

2Birds1Stone
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

That's what I suspected you meant.

My number is simply a fiction of my imagination, much like what is preventing me from telling my employer to go fuck themselves so I can go spend 6 months hiking the AT.

suomalainen
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by suomalainen »

Yeah, I know. You asked for thoughts and since you spent so much of your post talking about the number, my thought was just "don't think about the number so much". Ha.

But absolutely, work to get your number, take the 6 months and hike the trail (enjoy the blisters!). In the meantime, try to enjoy the journey too is I think my larger point. Go for weekend hikes, etc., so that you're not unnecessarily sacrificing today for tomorrow.

classical_Liberal
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Re: 225 Days Till FI!

Post by classical_Liberal »

suomalainen wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:50 am
What I mean is, what need(s) are you trying to satisfy by reaching your number? You are buying your number (with time) in the hopes that your number will buy you something. What is that something? And if you can identify it now, can you just buy it now?
This is what I meant as well... Except my web of goal needs were heavy in generalities, low on specifics. So, although my savings/investments can't "buy" me everything I need (I'm not FI), they can buy or contribute to buying me some of the things. Since I have a lot more going on than just my FI funds, I realized that everything I really want has other contributors as well.
2Birds1Stone wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:35 am
[50% work would allow me to do 80% of the things I envision for post ERE life. Pretty much the only thing I couldn't do is prolonged slow travel. Other outdoor interests and hobby pursuits would be easy to fit into a 2-3 day/week schedule.
You could easily slow travel for a decade (or half with the SO) without any earnings and still have at least half of your money left. Do you think you want to travel for longer than that? If you decide you do, do you think a decade is long enough to figure out how to do it in other ways?

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