Good afternoon from the Midwest

[Stacy]

Hi everyone. I read the book years ago and an have been lurking ever since. I live a modest lifestyle in a small Midwestern city with my son. We are considering a move to a bigger city the next state over for more opportunities. I'm a little too old to retire early, so I'm trying to find ways to retire in a reasonable time frame. It seems like it would take a miracle, as I find myself in a low-paying job due to some bad life choices and trying various things that just didn't work out in the past. I consider myself rather frugal, but I clearly need to learn a lot about managing money in other ways.

My dream life is to follow a creative pursuit of some type (I'm thinking along the lines of interior design) and owning a modest house while being able to travel now and then. That's it! Maybe have a garden and some cats, too.

[Dream of Freedom]

Hi from Nebraska.

[Western Red Cedar]

My dream life is to follow a creative pursuit of some type (I'm thinking along the lines of interior design) and owning a modest house while being able to travel now and then. That's it! Maybe have a garden and some cats, too.

Welcome. Are you currently focusing on creative pursuits outside of work? It sounds like you could probably achieve some of those goals while working and making progress towards retirement.

[Stacy]

Welcome. Are you currently focusing on creative pursuits outside of work? It sounds like you could probably achieve some of those goals while working and making progress towards retirement.

Unfortunately, my current job wears me out by the end of the day, so anything creative has been put on hold. I'll have to find the stamina to take classes part-time to develop my skills (which will be paid for with my company's tuition reimbursement benefit), but I hope to be in a higher-paying job in a few years, doing something far more interesting.

[Veronica]

Hi Stacy! Good to see some others in the midwest too!

I totally understand being wiped at the end of the day. Personally, that's when i'm most susceptible to bad choices that put me off track.
I've learned to get a second opinion on anything my brain suggests after 8pm LOL.

What kind of classes are you thinking of taking? Certain job you're angling for?

[frugaldoc]

Hello Stacy and welcome. I am always curious what people mean when they say the "midwest". Having grown up in Kansas I was shocked, absolutely shocked, to discover that people from Wisconsin considered themselves Midwesterners.

Your goals seem modest, therefore achievable. Is there a way to make your work less taxing so that you can engage in some creative pursuits now, even if on a minimal scale?

@veronica- I like your getting a second opinion on anything your brain suggests after 8pm. Reminds me of the wise (and frequently ignored) advice my father gave me as young man: "Son, rarely has any good come from an ATM withdrawal after midnight."