Retirement-Semi Retirement, (Tech/a personal study) implementation and discussion

[Sharkman]

Went full on fat FIRE a couple of years ago at 43. The only "work" I've done since then is doing my taxes and checking the markets/reviewing my portfolio for a few minutes every now and then in case any action needs to be taken. Other than that, it's just been waking up whenever, doing whatever, chilling out and enjoying life, very little purpose, very little direction. Exactly the way I like it, as a lifelong Epicurean hedonist.

Still early days though, and maybe the lack of purpose/direction might come back to haunt me at some point, but I haven't felt any sign of that so far. Everyone's different, some people need purpose/direction to find satisfaction, others like me are able to find happiness drifting along aimlessly.

I suspect I ended up this way due to my upbringing as a tiger parented child - forced to spend hours doing schoolwork every day, denied recreational activities if my academic results weren't good enough (and by that I mean anything less than top 1% of my cohort was deemed "not good enough"). I began to loathe studying, and by extension working, as they kept getting in the way of fun. Of course as an adult I completely understand now why they did it, but my allergy to work has already well and truly set in.

On the plus side, that loathing of work pushed me into the mindset of getting money to work for me, instead of me having to work for money, very early in life. I literally started planning my retirement before I even entered the workforce. Bought my first stocks at 14 using the prizemoney that I won from all those maths and science competitions we participated in at school (despite my hatred of schoolwork I actually did alright at it), kept investing consistently once I started working, added options trading to my armoury in my late 20s, and let compounding do the rest. Never started or owned a business of any kind, did it all as a regular (albeit fairly well paid) corporate drone.

 

[wayneL]

I thought you were a shoe expert, self designer,and your wife a very contented lady?

Haha, well, Mrs is not really enamoured with a semi circular piece of steel with holes punched in it...and Jimmy Shoo knockoffs not my core competency

 

[Dona Ferentes]

Went full on fat FIRE a couple of years ago at 43. The only "work" I've done since then is doing my taxes and checking the markets/reviewing my portfolio for a few minutes every now and then in case any action needs to be taken. Other than that, it's just been waking up whenever, doing whatever, chilling out and enjoying life, very little purpose, very little direction. Exactly the way I like it, as a lifelong Epicurean hedonist.

Still early days though, and maybe the lack of purpose/direction might come back to haunt me at some point, but I haven't felt any sign of that so far. Everyone's different, some people need purpose/direction to find satisfaction, others like me are able to find happiness drifting along aimlessly.

I suspect I ended up this way due to my upbringing as a tiger parented child - forced to spend hours doing schoolwork every day, denied recreational activities if my academic results weren't good enough (and by that I mean anything less than top 1% of my cohort was deemed "not good enough"). I began to loathe studying, and by extension working, as they kept getting in the way of fun. Of course as an adult I completely understand now why they did it, but my allergy to work has already well and truly set in.

On the plus side, that loathing of work pushed me into the mindset of getting money to work for me, instead of me having to work for money, very early in life. I literally started planning my retirement before I even entered the workforce. Bought my first stocks at 14 using the prizemoney that I won from all those maths and science competitions we participated in at school (despite my hatred of schoolwork I actually did alright at it), kept investing consistently once I started working, added options trading to my armoury in my late 20s, and let compounding do the rest. Never started or owned a business of any kind, did it all as a regular (albeit fairly well paid) corporate drone.

wot, no paper round?

 

[qldfrog]

wot, no paper round?

No time with tiger parents, you are chores free against mandated results

 

[rcw1]

And Mr @rcw1
remember, one can be a short time alive too.
So better dying working richer or retired living poorer..
A dilemma some of us have/had the luxury to have

@qldfrog and rcw1 yarn:

rcw1 loves work. Work good for one’s soul, for mine, anyways …

rcw1 on driving up to Weipa hits a beast at 100km/h going round a bend and doesn’t survive the collision.

Would the extra coin earned from working longer have mattered a flying puck to rcw1??

Might sound silly bloke, but maybe money not a consideration for this black duck..

Kind regards
rcw1

 

[qldfrog]

@qldfrog and rcw1 yarn:

rcw1 loves work. Work good for one’s soul, for mine, anyways …

rcw1 on driving up to Weipa hits a beast at 100km/h going round a bend and doesn’t survive the collision.

Would the extra coin earned from working longer have mattered a flying puck to rcw1??

Might sound silly bloke, but maybe money not a consideration for this black duck..

Kind regards
rcw1

If you love work, it is not work, it is fun..Lucky you!
I know all sides, been an employee..yuck, a consultant..better but still have to smile to a corporate customer and deal and do a lot of BS, and own startup: heavy work , long hours but fun.
I would still do #3 even if it was the less $ by far

 

[tech/a]

A few weeks in and just coming to terms with the adjustment.
Forcing myself not to engage in un necessary business dialog and leaving it to others who appear to be taking on the challenge —- early days.

It took a week to realise that I was going down the road of cramming my usual 5 days into 3

So I did this

I looked at the biggest Bain of my working life —- STAFF

So after week 1 I announced my role had changed all day to day business was to be handled by the General Manager down I would only be involved in more complex projects and forward strategies
But my role is now

Staff

I’m sure those in my shoes who have businesses which like mine are too small for a full-time Staff
Manager and to big not to have one! Much is always discussed and some implemented. Most fall away as the big picture is lost in the day to day grind.
The key is having people who love their job and all those they work with also loving where they work and their future within it.

We spent 12 mths weeding out the bad eggs those that bought down those around them with their own issues.
We are left with a very talented and motivated group who saw the chaff being let go to clear the path.
I’ve spent time with everyone from Management to labourers and listened to where they want to be and where they think they are currently.

I’ve opened doors and placed people together to support each other at their various levels giving each the opportunity to grow together.

What a difference overtime is encouraged so is weekend work if you want it.
People are taking up the opportunity 2-400 a week extra makes a big difference.

We are noticing an increase ( very early days ) in production and bill out.
I’m expecting an increase in profit from month 1

I’m feeling more relaxed
More in touch and solving my biggest problem

 

[Dona Ferentes]

Economics 101.. People respond to incentives.

well done on thinking it through.

 

[wayneL]

A few weeks in and just coming to terms with the adjustment.
Forcing myself not to engage in un necessary business dialog and leaving it to others who appear to be taking on the challenge —- early days.

It took a week to realise that I was going down the road of cramming my usual 5 days into 3

So I did this

I looked at the biggest Bain of my working life —- STAFF

So after week 1 I announced my role had changed all day to day business was to be handled by the General Manager down I would only be involved in more complex projects and forward strategies
But my role is now

Staff

I’m sure those in my shoes who have businesses which like mine are too small for a full-time Staff
Manager and to big not to have one! Much is always discussed and some implemented. Most fall away as the big picture is lost in the day to day grind.
The key is having people who love their job and all those they work with also loving where they work and their future within it.

We spent 12 mths weeding out the bad eggs those that bought down those around them with their own issues.
We are left with a very talented and motivated group who saw the chaff being let go to clear the path.
I’ve spent time with everyone from Management to labourers and listened to where they want to be and where they think they are currently.

I’ve opened doors and placed people together to support each other at their various levels giving each the opportunity to grow together.

What a difference overtime is encouraged so is weekend work if you want it.
People are taking up the opportunity 2-400 a week extra makes a big difference.

We are noticing an increase ( very early days ) in production and bill out.
I’m expecting an increase in profit from month 1

I’m feeling more relaxed
More in touch and solving my biggest problem

Interesting. I have a client in the same phase (and I'm guessing a similar sized business) and pretty much going though an identical process.

Pretty cool to watch.

 

[moXJO]

A few weeks in and just coming to terms with the adjustment.
Forcing myself not to engage in un necessary business dialog and leaving it to others who appear to be taking on the challenge —- early days.

It took a week to realise that I was going down the road of cramming my usual 5 days into 3

So I did this

I looked at the biggest Bain of my working life —- STAFF

So after week 1 I announced my role had changed all day to day business was to be handled by the General Manager down I would only be involved in more complex projects and forward strategies
But my role is now

Staff

I’m sure those in my shoes who have businesses which like mine are too small for a full-time Staff
Manager and to big not to have one! Much is always discussed and some implemented. Most fall away as the big picture is lost in the day to day grind.
The key is having people who love their job and all those they work with also loving where they work and their future within it.

We spent 12 mths weeding out the bad eggs those that bought down those around them with their own issues.
We are left with a very talented and motivated group who saw the chaff being let go to clear the path.
I’ve spent time with everyone from Management to labourers and listened to where they want to be and where they think they are currently.

I’ve opened doors and placed people together to support each other at their various levels giving each the opportunity to grow together.

What a difference overtime is encouraged so is weekend work if you want it.
People are taking up the opportunity 2-400 a week extra makes a big difference.

We are noticing an increase ( very early days ) in production and bill out.
I’m expecting an increase in profit from month 1

I’m feeling more relaxed
More in touch and solving my biggest problem

You should write a book. Something that combines business and investment to get to an early retirement. Although is that considered financial advice in a book?

 

[tech/a]

No books
I’m a reader not a writer

 

[sptrawler]

No books
I’m a reader not a writer

Be carefull money is like sugar, it is a short term motivator, until the person adjusts to that money.
People go to work to trade their time for your money, if they feel they are wasting their time because they are standing around doing nothing, they would rather spend the time at home.
It isn't all about money, from my experience.
It is hugely important, but it isn't a guarantee of continued excellence IMO.
That is a short answer to a big subject.

 

[tech/a]

Thanks SP
Discussion between everyone highlighted some who were struggling so together we worked on how we could help. Overtime and Saturday work were top suggestions that could be implemented immediately.

Money isn’t everything it’s a bi product .

A future is what most want
As you say not treading water
We can point to a future and together we can make one worth working towards

 

[divs4ever]

No books
I’m a reader not a writer

maybe a blog/vlog or substack , instead of waiting for the final outcome before starting

that would probably also evade 'financial advice ' allegations

 

[basilio]

This story offers another way of retiring from work but living a full life - without money.
Yeah pretty blasphemous on ASF but another perspective. Might be a few insights.

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’​

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

By Louise Southerden

Sat 1 Feb 2025 01.00 AEDT

Sharon Brodie clearly remembers her first Christmas with her good friend Jo Nemeth. It was 2016 and also her first Christmas without her husband, Monty, who had died suddenly a month earlier.

“I didn’t even want to be alive,” says Brodie from her home in Lismore, northern New South Wales. “I definitely didn’t want to go to the shops or buy presents or do anything. But Jo had come to stay with us [Brodie and her two teenage boys] to help out, and on Christmas Eve I told her my gift to her was that we could go dumpster diving, which I’d never done before – and we did, that night.


Nemeth hangs out washing at the multigenerational home she shares with her friend, her daughter and others in Lismore in northern NSW. Photograph: Natalie Grono/The Guardian

“It was a revelation. The things we found, just thrown out by local businesses. We brought home perfectly good food for a Christmas feast and all these beautiful flowers we put around the house and they felt like a gift from Monty, a gift I would never have received if not for Jo. That was my introduction to Jo’s moneyless life.”

A year earlier, in 2015, Nemeth had quit her community development job, given the last of her money to her 18-year-old daughter Amy and closed her bank account.

“I was 46, I had a good job and a partner I loved, but I was deeply unhappy,” Nemeth says

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

www.theguardian.com

.

 

[JohnDe]

This story offers another way of retiring from work but living a full life - without money.
Yeah pretty blasphemous on ASF but another perspective. Might be a few insights.

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’​

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

By Louise Southerden

Sat 1 Feb 2025 01.00 AEDT

Sharon Brodie clearly remembers her first Christmas with her good friend Jo Nemeth. It was 2016 and also her first Christmas without her husband, Monty, who had died suddenly a month earlier.

“I didn’t even want to be alive,” says Brodie from her home in Lismore, northern New South Wales. “I definitely didn’t want to go to the shops or buy presents or do anything. But Jo had come to stay with us [Brodie and her two teenage boys] to help out, and on Christmas Eve I told her my gift to her was that we could go dumpster diving, which I’d never done before – and we did, that night.

View attachment 192546
Nemeth hangs out washing at the multigenerational home she shares with her friend, her daughter and others in Lismore in northern NSW. Photograph: Natalie Grono/The Guardian

“It was a revelation. The things we found, just thrown out by local businesses. We brought home perfectly good food for a Christmas feast and all these beautiful flowers we put around the house and they felt like a gift from Monty, a gift I would never have received if not for Jo. That was my introduction to Jo’s moneyless life.”

A year earlier, in 2015, Nemeth had quit her community development job, given the last of her money to her 18-year-old daughter Amy and closed her bank account.

“I was 46, I had a good job and a partner I loved, but I was deeply unhappy,” Nemeth says

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

www.theguardian.com

.

It's not for everyone, but like you said 'it's another way of life to look at'.

Nemeth, now 56 and single, doesn’t own her own home or any property. Nor does she receive welfare payments or have any savings, a generous benefactor or a secret stash of emergency cash.​

Perfect. The government can organise and have half the people on social welfare benefits, including the homeless, to go live in country communities that require labour but can't afford to pay for it.

We can get all our small run-down towns repaired, painted and maintained by an army city long term welfare dependent and the homeless. Give them a sense of purpose and meaning to their life, while not having to worry about the day-to-day grind of money and saving for retirement.

For the first three years, Nemeth lived on a friend’s farm, where she built a small shack from discarded building materials before doing some housesitting and living off-grid for a year in a “little blue wagon” in another friend’s back yard. Then, in 2018, she moved into Brodie’s house full-time; it’s now a multigenerational home that includes Brodie’s new partner and one of her sons, Nemeth’s daughter Amy, Amy’s husband and their three small children.​

​

Instead of paying rent, Nemeth cooks, cleans, manages the veggie garden and makes items such as soap, washing powder and fermented foods to save the household money and reduce its environmental footprint. And she couldn’t be happier.​

​

“I love being at home and I love the challenge of meeting our needs without money – it’s like a game.”​

​

It's a win-win for everyone. The tax payer, the homeless, the alternative life-style people, the town and its people, the country, my superannuation, society.

 

[sptrawler]

This story offers another way of retiring from work but living a full life - without money.
Yeah pretty blasphemous on ASF but another perspective. Might be a few insights.

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’​

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

By Louise Southerden

Sat 1 Feb 2025 01.00 AEDT

Sharon Brodie clearly remembers her first Christmas with her good friend Jo Nemeth. It was 2016 and also her first Christmas without her husband, Monty, who had died suddenly a month earlier.

“I didn’t even want to be alive,” says Brodie from her home in Lismore, northern New South Wales. “I definitely didn’t want to go to the shops or buy presents or do anything. But Jo had come to stay with us [Brodie and her two teenage boys] to help out, and on Christmas Eve I told her my gift to her was that we could go dumpster diving, which I’d never done before – and we did, that night.

View attachment 192546
Nemeth hangs out washing at the multigenerational home she shares with her friend, her daughter and others in Lismore in northern NSW. Photograph: Natalie Grono/The Guardian

“It was a revelation. The things we found, just thrown out by local businesses. We brought home perfectly good food for a Christmas feast and all these beautiful flowers we put around the house and they felt like a gift from Monty, a gift I would never have received if not for Jo. That was my introduction to Jo’s moneyless life.”

A year earlier, in 2015, Nemeth had quit her community development job, given the last of her money to her 18-year-old daughter Amy and closed her bank account.

“I was 46, I had a good job and a partner I loved, but I was deeply unhappy,” Nemeth says

Meet the woman who lives without money: ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’

Ten years ago, Jo Nemeth quit her job and closed her bank account. Today, she’s more committed than ever to her moneyless life

www.theguardian.com

.

It isn't a bad life, I know people who live in a share house and the only money they have is welfare, it isn't for everyone but some enjoy it.
I also know others who could be on a disability pension, but prefer to go to work and struggle to make ends meet, everyone's different and one size doesn't fit all.
As long as they are happy with their choices, that's the main thing.

 

[tech/a]

@basilio

A wide variety of people seek many longer-term ambitions.
Financial independence (No need to work) is often strived for but less than 3% achieve this goal.

People like Jo Nemeth make up a very large group who are more likely to achieve their goals.
But it certainly comes with both sides of the coin.

You don't want to work for a living but you need a form of income even if its the dole.
Money even though you don't want to be governed by it and don't want it to be a necessity
will always be on your mind.

If you're ok with staying in one place (No car)
Don't want to see a doctor. All you're working bits stay working and you can live with someone who is happy to pay for the abode and out goings then all good.

But if you aspire to not let money rule all of your decisions you'll need to aim for financial independence and realise that 97% fail to attain it.
Falling somewhere between homeless to struggling until your parents pass or you win the lottery.

Ive noticed that those who want and choose this route have no idea how to choose any other route.
Its either their only option a large % of the world -- or the only option they THINK is available to them.

If you live in the Western world, the reality of your relationship or lack of relationship with money will at some point smack you between the eyes. The longer this takes, the stronger the reality! The earlier you understand what living in an affluent Western society entails the more likely you will be to reach that impossible goal!

 

[JohnDe]

12 mths ago I started this thread.

Financial Independence (Home Ownership, Super, Long Retirement) not possible for wage earners: What do we need and how do we get it?

Happy New Year everyone 2024 opens with many challenges for most. Following the discussion on one of the housing threads I feel that there is a great deal more that needs to be considered by everyone who chooses to live in western society. Getting a job is generally the first consideration...

www.aussiestockforums.com

Today is week one of my transition into Semi Retirement. I have put people and Systems in place to move into a 3 day week
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday. Being self-employed it has always been my intention to continue in some capacity in
my own company and I think that 3 days is the absolute minimum that would be beneficial to both the company and myself.

Financially I am ok and can travel freely, meet all commitments and increase my net wealth even if fully retired to the age of 95
which is how long my father lasted I am 71. Time and freedom along with RELEVANCE are my current goals.

I have to admit I've seen myself go through a number of personal attitude changes.
My goal in working for myself was to make excess funds so saving wasn't an issue it just happened to be surplus to my needs.
That achieved--my business allowed me to work longer than most even though I have a natural tendency to overlook
older job applicants. I want people to stay around. So Im the eldest most 20-50 and a few 55-65.
That came and went --then time became all-important --my wife has had Knees and Hips replaced and back issues. Friends have
dropped like flies around us. Priorities have become more ---How long can we do what we want to.

Im currently fine but who knows?

RELEVANCE

This word has more meaning now than ever. I go to parties and during conversations, I find those who are retired 70% of the time
arevBored brainless. Have very few goals particularly if they are pensioners.
In my narrow world of Civil works I have relevance. I enjoy the challenge and the interaction with all we work with. I'm not bored.

Why don't I sell. Good question and if the right number came along and it was in the best interests of those who work for me I'd
have to seriously consider it. But right now if I had a fist full of Dollars the return on it wouldn't come close to Director payments.
I'm invested in my own company and a few others.

My point of this thread is to report from time to time on my progress. Hopefully, some of my experiences could help others.

I encourage those traveling the same road (All of us at various stages) to add their experience Im no expert!.

Tech

I am starting to look at a similar scenario, but still a few years away. I own the family business that my father started in 1975, spent many weekends and school holidays helping him. And after a few fill jobs after finishing year twelve to travel around the country and backpack Europe, I started working with dad in my early 20's. Dad semi-retired at 60, fully retired at 65 but kept coming in a few times per week because he enjoyed it. And then, 5 days short of his 77th birthday he passed away, unexpectantly.

Lifes short, and unexpectant things happen.

I have a young man working for me that I have known since he was 7 years old, he is in a serious relationship with my daughter. He is like a son to me, and so I will slowly transition the business over to him over the next 5 to 8 years.

My wife and I started our own SMSF, cashed in all our compulsory super at the right time, and have the majority of the cash sitting in term deposits while we look fr quality investments and wait for the market to sort itself out.

I don't think that we will have any money issues, and my wife has no worries at all, but I'm always looking at the bottom line, grabbing every job, and working longer hours than I should. I don't mind, but I have to keep reminding myself to delegate and trust.

 

[sptrawler]

If you're ok with staying in one place (No car)
Don't want to see a doctor. All you're working bits stay working and you can live with someone who is happy to pay for the abode and out goings then all good.

But if you aspire to not let money rule all of your decisions you'll need to aim for financial independence and realise that 97% fail to attain it.
Falling somewhere between homeless to struggling until your parents pass or you win the lottery.

Those points are usually where life falls in a hole, at the group of units I'm in a pensioner was living a reasonably comfortable retirement renting one of the units, now it has been sold and the rent he was paying is no longer the market norm his life is changing dramatically.

Another person I know was living in his parents house, looking after his widowed mother, also living there are his wife, two daughters and their partners all in the house on some form of welfare.
The mother has passed away and the son expected to inherit the house, however the will and with it the house are being contested, It has gone from an extremely relaxed household to an extremely stressed one.
When life is left up to chance, the outcomes often are completely outside the persons control, all money does is give you more options.