Elegant's journal

[Carlos]

The good think is either way you will be just fine, in fact better than the toxic workplace you are in today.

If you get the position you can cushion your ERE fund and if not you are okay financially. Best of luck surviving until October.

[Dragline]

Yup. Carpe diem. You can always switch gears later if you can't tolerate it.

[DutchGirl]

Interesting, that new job opportunity.

Funny how sometimes (I guess not always...) new opportunities arise when you're willing to let go of the current situation. I should try that one day

[elegant]

@DutchGirl yes, it is true!

Seems like scarcity \ unavailability is a powerful magnet for humans.

Kind of like when you enter a relationship after a very long time of being single. You then get approached by strangers who suddenly feel attracted to your as you become unavailable.

In Hebrew we have a specific word to describe this, I don't know the proper English word

[DutchGirl]

Ha, great that your language has a word for that specific situation! I believe my language, Dutch, does not. And I don't know an English equivalent either.

Good luck to you in the coming month, and may you make only wise decisions

@bigato: that was a very nice read. Good luck to you too.

[elegant]

May 2014 update

Not much to update, other than this has been a very bad month in terms of expenses.

I am unable to overcome my fast food addiction. Even though I'm still slim I'm sure I'll pay for it dearly in the future.

Other than that, I'm still counting the days (143, actually) to freedom. No news from that previous job application, either.

One interesting thing that I've noticed is that I may be developing a certain obsessive compulsive disorder towards cutting expenses, to the point I sometimes feel like an Anorexic teenager. I found out that the cables company has been charging my mother hundreds of shekels per months without providing the full services and I was furious. My mom couldn't understand why I was so angry, she said "this is pennies, relax" but it made my blood boil! I wasn't like that before I discovered ERE / latte effect, and frankly I agree with my mother that this kind of behavior might not be so healthy..

Finances

Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.29 USD

May Income:
Paycheck: 10045 ILS (2894 USD)

Total Income: 10045 ILS (2894 USD)

May Expenses:
Food: 585.58 ILS
-- Groceries: 144.68 ILS
-- Snacks & Soda: 81.2 ILS
-- Eating Out: 359.7 ILS
Cables - 214.04 ILS
Internet - 99.78 ILS
Hobby Related expenses - 479.55 ILS
Water and sewage - 53.06 ILS
Power - 111.78 ILS
Cell phone - 67.26 ILS
Toilet Paper - 34 ILS
Light bulbs - 20 ILS
Barber - 60 ILS
Bank Fees - 191.58 ILS
Gifts - 20 ILS
Misc - 20 ILS

Total Expenses: 1956.59 ILS (563 USD)

Savings Rate
This month: 80.60%
This year: 80.50% (target: 90%)
Total money spent this year: 9782.5 ILS (2819 USD)
Total money earned this year (after tax): 50160 ILS (14455 USD)
Money left to spend in 2014 (20,000 ILS challenge): 10,154.85 ILS (50.4% left)

Net Worth Update

Total liquid ERE net worth (as of June 4th): 817,808.55 ILS (235,679 USD)

[elegant]

Lets try some graphics...

My total net worth, including my apartment and long term savings, is 1,797,130.71 ILS which today equals 519,101$

My debt is 0$



My portfolio is in the process of looking like this



I really like the 50:50 stock/bond model and I find it fits my future needs as an early retiree.

[elegant]

June 2014 update

114 days to go, lol. I can hardly wait.

No news from that alternative job I considered, guess they're not interested in hiring me. Fuck'em.

Dated a girl for the first time in 18 months. Reminded me how awkward / insecure I am when it comes to women. Told her about ERE however. She seemed intrigued. Looks like a good filter by which to sort potential mates, hehe.

Recent developments in the region are more than depressing. Been struggling to contain my anger and lust for vengeance. The more I think about it, the more I realize this place is too volatile from a long term ERE perspective. Great country, horrible neighborhood.

Financially, cashed out an old savings account that my grandfather started for me 15 years ago. It is about 40,000 ILS, enough to fund 25 months of living expenses..

Finances

June Income:
Paycheck: 12,168 ILS

Total Income: 12,168 ILS

June Expenses:
World Cup Betting: 750 ILS (yes, I should be banned from this forum)
Food: 456.2 ILS
-- Groceries: 178.5 ILS
-- Snacks & Soda: 18 ILS
-- Eating Out: 259.7 ILS
Internet infrastructure - 80 ILS
Internet provider - 99.78 ILS
Barber: 120 ILS
Pharmacy & Hygene: 154
Medications: 37 ILS
Parking: 7 ILS
Bank fees: 75 ILS
Cell phone - 71 ILS

Total Expenses: 1850 ILS

Savings Rate
This month: 84.8%
This year: 81.4% (target: 90%)
Total money spent this year: 11632 ILS
Total money earned this year (after tax): 62328 ILS
Money left to spend in 2014 (20,000 ILS challenge): 8076 ILS (40% left)

Net Worth Update

Total liquid ERE net worth (as of July 2nd): 829,993.66 ILS (242,263 USD)

[DutchGirl]

Moving from your area to another part of the world is an option for you. When you quit working, you could go abroad for a month, or for three months, and see how it feels to live somewhere else. I'm not sure whether you have ever lived somewhere else for a while, but for me it changed my perspective just a little bit.

... And again a very good month financially.

[elegant]

So today I was driving back home listening to some music when I saw a couple of missiles flying over my head. Luckily they were intercepted but I had to stop the car in the middle of the road and run for cover so that the debris won't crush my little skull

Kinda puts the horrors of commuting in perspective

[George the original one]

I was wondering how things were going for you... yikes!

[llorona]

That sounds frightening.

Is that a "normal" occurrence?

[Dragline]

So today I was driving back home listening to some music when I saw a couple of missiles flying over my head. Luckily they were intercepted but I had to stop the car in the middle of the road and run for cover so that the debris won't crush my little skull

Kinda puts the horrors of commuting in perspective

Certainly does. Hope that Iron Dome keeps working for you. And that there is a cease fire.

Also puts random bombings/acts of violence into perspective for people living in other countries. The risk of getting killed by a terrorist in the US is down there with getting struck by lightning. Yet we're almost in a state of mass hysteria over it, and I would suppose many in the government and media would prefer it that way.

The average Israeli has a lot more actual risk, but has figured out how to live with it. Part of coping with these things is not becoming hysterical over them in the first place. That's what the perpetrators want you to do.

[DutchGirl]

I'm thinking of you, too.

[Hankaroundtheworld]

you are lucky to be behind the Iron Dome instead of in Gaza ...

[IlliniDave]

Stay safe. I hope all that ends soon. Even though I make a big deal about them, my day-to-day challenges are pretty insignificant compared to those of so many people.

[mxlr650]

So today I was driving back home listening to some music when I saw a couple of missiles flying over my head. Luckily they were intercepted but I had to stop the car in the middle of the road and run for cover so that the debris won't crush my little skull

AFAICT, nothing good will come out of that region, and if I were you, I would find another country. There is blood on everyone's hands and all are busy pointing fingers instead of looking at themselves.

Here is a nice read for a boring meeting

http://www.reddit.com/r/arabs/comments/ ... za/cism6ql

[elegant]

@Llorona well not really, missile attacks are more common in southern and nothern cities, not in the big cities (ie Tel Aviv & Jerusalem). This is a relatively recent phenomena.

@Dragline yes, Iron Dome is a brilliant system and it has saved many lives. It would not have been possible to deploy so many batteries without American support. It renders most rockets useless. Still, it is a bit unnerving to hear sirens and see such spectacles when you look up to the sky.

Fortunately/unfortunately Israel is a very interesting place to live in, with "interesting" manifesting itself both in positive and negative forms. I am not sure if it is possible to implement ERE in such dynamic environments. What do you think?

@Hank Absolutley, I feel terrible for the civilians in Gaza and would never like to be in their place. However, I feel less terrible for the people who hold them hostage, serially rejecting offers for mediation and cease fire.

@mxlr650 This is not an option. There is a reason why my grandparents moved here from Germany in the 1930s. Ironically Israel is the safest place for me...




@All Thank you for your thoughtful comments. It really means a lot in this difficult time.

[elegant]

July 2014 update:

In less than 3 months I'll take the leap of faith and retire. I have internalized the ERE philosophy. I will give up the cost-free car, the nice salary, the title, the office -- but I will gain my freedom and more importantly - the ability to do what I want with my time. From then on, work will be an option.

People keep asking me "so what are you gonna do after you quit". Generally I tell them that I'm going to take a long-ass vacation before I decide. Little do they know that this vacation is going to be decades long

On to the boring numbers ...

June Income:
Paycheck: 10,045 ILS

Total Income: 10,045 ILS

July Expenses:

Food: 418 ILS
- Snacks and Coke - 97.8 ILS
- Eating out - 153 ILS
- Groceries for dinner (aka loaves of bread & hummus) - 168 ILS

Utilities: 180.42
- Water - 49.42 ILS
- Electricity - 131 ILS

Communication - 218.22
- Internet: 99.78 ILS
- Cable infrastructure: 80.68 ILS
- Cell phone: 37.76 ILS

Misc - 217.3 ILS
- Bank Fees - 149.3 ILS
- Barber - 60 ILS
- Parking Fees - 8 ILS

Total Expenses: 1033.94 ILS

Savings Rate
This month: 89.7%
This year: 82.51% (target: 90%)
Total money spent this year: 12,665 ILS
Total money earned this year (after tax): 72,373 ILS
Money left to spend in 2014 (20,000 ILS challenge): 7334.81 ILS (36% left)

Net Worth Update

Total liquid ERE net worth: 842,256.13 ILS (246,273 USD)
Projected post ERE monthly expenses: 2,500 ILS
Projected SWR: 2.9%

[pemulis]

Wow you are getting close, very exciting stuff. So what are your vacation plans? Backpack across Europe? Sail in the Caribbean?