Hey Folks-
I made an introduction back in Sept 22 and was encouraged to start a journal. It's a new year with some timely inspiration from @AxelHeyst content, finally got the ERE book and off we go.
I'm not exactly sure what to include here so I'll take inspiration from a few others and mix in some of my own stuff.
I wrote this the other day:
Vision - I want to live. Not work. Jobs > Careers. To live a life full of things I want to do and as few things as possible that I don’t want to do. Have the time, physically and mentally, to explore curiosities and nurture relationships. I want to live a life where I do not notice if the internet is down.
Thoughts:
- wow this is a lot to get thru. A lot to digest and a lot of feelings of excitement, validation, and uncertainty!
- I watched this 90 minute video of Jacob on The Stoa and found it very interesting and helpful. I felt it set some good context for me before jumping into the book. I love the quote about how people who have/want millions in the bank are seen as uninspiring/unimaginative to Jacob - I've shared it with friends a few times. The whole Allegory of the Cave is so powerful in the book.
- Just two chapters into the book and WOW - I've never highlighted/underlined so much. It puts to words so many partial thoughts I've had. It feels like so much truth and distillation of ideas usually presented as complex.
- The last couple days have been me cleaning up my Mint account, categorizing expenses to get my baseline. My current employment (Tech) provides a pretty handsome income.
- I am sort of straddling two worlds right now. I'll expand on that below and would love some thoughts from y'all.
- Not a ton of assets at this point. Divorce and life can be expensive! Well, my Colorado rental property *$95K Mortgage) - going to Airbnb that soonish to increase passive income, my Central American property (Paid) (Maybe $120K each), $125K in retirement accounts, $20k in HSA. Income is high - 1-ish Jacob a month. Historically I've been spending most of it. Was unemployed (and loving it) during the pandemic for a while. Volunteered on a new small homestead. Learned Natural building, how to milk a cow, full lifecycle of raising chickens, lived in an off grid camper trailer, built a yurt etc etc. Self employed for a while. House in Central America is rented when I am not there. That can be $500 a month maybe. Maybe more. I could build little longer term rental cabins on my property. Not exactly sure but build em for $40K and rent em for $500/month. Maybe a vacation rental or two and always keep one of the two (my house, or the potential future rental) rented and both rented when I am not there.
- I don't own a vehicle. I have my main house paid for. I'm single (would like to be partnered). When I am in the US, I stay with family/drive their extra car and chip in a bit of rent per week I'm there. I'm a giant nearly well north of 6' tall and 300lbs.
- Food is joy and love. I love to eat, to cook, and to share delicious food with friends. Historically I've spend a lot on eating out. That is different now. A lot on travel - but that is going away too. I just cancelled a trip to South America.
- My goals for life in Central America are... 1) read more 2) cook more 3) walk more. I anticipate I'll be there more and more as my kids get older.
- I am not optimistic on the climate issues nor the willingness of the developed world to check it's self and keep from going all Easter Island on itself. I've accepted this and it is motivation to reap the benefits of the ERE plan. I love the idea of living ala ERE even outside the climate catastrophe context...
- I am divorced and have two teenage boys. I've been moving my life out of / away from the usual USA/American life for the last couple years. I own a small (paid for) house in Central America that I think of as home. My oldest will be 18 in about 6 months, the youngest in about 2.5 years.
- I have financial obligations to them/their mother for child support and to provide health insurance until they are 18. Support + health insurance - Somewhere in the $1500-$2000 range depending on how you count. Plus other misc related expenses.
- I back to the Central US on a TBD basis. Last year it was maybe 7 times. Part to see kids, part for work/other familyl
- I have an LLC that I did some consulting in 2020
- My home in Central America is paid for and the CoL is very low. I'm starting to grow some veg in a garden and already have some fruit. I hope to add some protein sources soon. And Bees.
- I don't own a car in either country.
- I won a small rental property in Colorado that is rented and covers the costs or better by up to $450 right now - depending on the renter/rent paid.
- I'm highly motivated to cut my spending, increase my savings, quit working the 'career' job whenever it expires, and really live/enjoy life.
- My job (Tech) is... I want to FI and get out. I am curious about getting out before FI. I want to be in control of my schedule. I want to not work. I want to enjoy life, explore curiosities, nurture relationships and be in peace. Or I want to at at least make sure my responsibilities as a decent father are fulfilled until they are 18 - and I'm happy to support them. (Thank god Alimony is over!)
I think I need to live the "ERE" world as much as I can for myself - but be able to slip in and out of it for two reasons. 1) my boys and 2) to keep the job working for now. It's largely remote but sometimes I need to travel for meetings (on my dime, because I'm in Central America on my own deal - ~$1000 RT flight average.
Are there flaws in thinking that I'd continue to straddle both worlds (the job allows for enough income to do it) and still save a significant amount of money each month. Working thru the numbers still. I'd hope I can save ~1/2 Jacob a month while in this job. If I do it until Mid 2025 (2.5 years) the youngest is 18 and I will be done with legally required child support and health insurance/benefits. I don't want to keep the job that long - but it feels like perhaps I should. Seems like it might be a good milestone for FI too, with expenses low enough.
Enough rambling. So much more reading and calculating to do. And maybe selling some stuff. So many questions too.