I’m curious about people who hit FI pretty young and actually stopped working, especially if you don’t have kids.
On paper it sounds amazing obviously. No boss, no commute, complete control over your time. But I keep thinking… if you retire at 35 or 38, there is still a LOT of life left to fill.
What happens after the initial honeymoon period wears off?
Do you ever get bored or feel like your days lack structure?
Do you miss the social side of work more than you expected? Most of your friends are probably still working, building careers, raising kids etc, so does that ever feel isolating?
Also curious about something people don’t talk about much — do you ever feel jealous watching friends keep earning, getting promoted and growing their net worth while you’ve basically stepped off that treadmill? Even if you already have enough, does it still mess with your head a bit or make you wonder if you retired too early?
And what about purpose? Did you naturally find other things to care about, or was that harder than expected?
Would especially love to hear from people who have been retired for 3-5+ years, not just recently FIRE’d.
Did you try finding a job again but couldn’t?
If you could go back, would you still retire that early? And what does a normal week look like for you now?

I have 2 specific worries from stepping down and away. They are deep rooted psychological programming. so please have some empathy. it's not a switch i can just turn off.

I am currently an Machine learning engineer in a hedge fund. and frankly, the stress is getting to me. i hit coast fire earlier this year. What is keeping from leaving are: 1) the portion of my salary in excess to my monthly expense is a great discretionary money / traveling budget / extra investment to speed up toward full fire, 2) i am afraid that even lower pay job would be stressful and had difficulty at times too.

what made you walk away for a lower paycheck and what did you to to prepare yourself psychologically for it? TIA

edit. i forgot this community loves numbers. my numbers are:

- currently 37 year old with 800k in investment (ETFs), and 1.3 million in total net work.

- 4k minimum expenses

- monthly mortgage mostly covered by tenant

- looking to reach full fire with 1.5 million

I normally post on r/expatFIRE, but given that I'm doing more expatcoastFIRE, I thought I'd post it here as well. Thank you in advance!

Hi r/coastFIRE,

So I did it! Today is officially my 1 year anniversary of leaving my cushy tech job. Time flies when you're unemployed.

Unfortunately, I didn't celebrate the way that I thought I would. I was at the hospital the entire week, supporting my partner as her mother was admitted with a longstanding issue (she's fine now). My partner slept at the hospital the entire week, so I tried my best to be bedside every day, brought them food/coffee every morning, took her home when needed, and tried to provide emotional support as best as I could given it was also her birthday. And at the same time, I'm planning an unexpected, un-budgeted trip back to LA next month to support my mother as she deals with a recurrence of bladder cancer.

So as I write this anniversary reflection, I wonder how different life would be had I never quit my job, if I spent just One More Year^TM like I initially planned, and if I never uprooted my life to move back to SE Asia. Would I be richer? Certainly, yes. Would I be happier? I don't think so. Would I have the flexibility to do what I did this week and next month? Absolutely not. I am where I want and wanted to be.

In my 7-month reflection post, I wrote about my anxiety in FIRE-ing, some mistakes I made, and the adjustments I'm making for the future. I thought I would take a moment to revisit those themes with you, along with other lessons learned in this FIRE journey.

Quick Note: NW & budget are still the same ($1.4M, ~$3,600/mo spending, ~3% SWR). I won't focus so much on the financials for this post, but you can read about my spending & QoL in Manila here. Timeline-wise, I moved to Manila in June 2025 and left my job in Sep 2025.

My Biggest Regret

My biggest regret is that I let my post-FIRE anxiety consume me in ways that were ultimately detrimental to my goal. I wish I could go back to a year ago today and tell myself the following: "one year from now, you are not going to have the worries you have today. So just sell all your company RSUs, put it in the SP500, don't dabble with individual stocks, and enjoy your year off to the fullest before thinking about next steps."

Had I listened, here's where I'd be today:

1. $100k-150k higher net worth (sigh, I can go into it in the comments)
2. Wouldn't have spent 100s of hours "researching" stocks, checking my brokerage 10 times a day, etc.
3. Wouldn't have suffered intense "should I go back or get another job" anxiety for the first several months
4. That extra time & energy could have been allocated much better elsewhere instead of a constant stressed state

While this is obviously the benefit of hindsight, you can sense a theme here. Maybe I'm just an anxious person lol. When I had first started posting on Reddit, I mentioned that my plan is to expatcoastFIRE because I planned to work again in the future albeit in a different role fitting to the lifestyle. Somewhere along the way, I lost that mental framing and started to get really anxious about my NW, fell into the comparison trap, and tried to find shortcuts to boost it (AI stocks, namely) instead of sticking to the proven strategy that got me here (VOO & chill). I mentioned in my 7month update I was going to step away, but when the AI bull-run happened shortly after, I got suckered in and got burnt pretty bad. Alas, no crying in the casino.

The Main Lesson

My main lesson for FIRE, I learned, is to make finances NOT the center of my life. Finances should be like background music. This is counter-intuitive because so much of FIRE is hyper-analyzing the Financials: the investments, the SWR, the COL, yada yada yada. And so it's understandable that the habits we build in pursuit of FIRE are present once we FIRE. It's like a muscle memory that needs de-programming. Without income coming in or a job to keep you busy, you start to become fixated on the other parts of the equation and it can easily consume you.

But despite my regret, I'd argue this was my best year ever. I am so happy I made the decision to quit my job and move back to SE Asia. I developed a much deeper relationship with my partner, traveled to 12 countries in 12 months, and learned to enjoy the slowness of every day. I was never the type to live luxuriously nor someone keen to climb the corporate ladder. I started the FIRE path at 17, saved aggressively while still going on expat adventures, and got several lucky breaks along the way. I never felt, for one moment, that I sacrificed quality of life or my yearn for adventure because of FIRE, even when my savings rate reached 75%+.

Reflecting upon this week (and this year), I think that's what the I in FIRE meant for me. Independence not from corporate life itself, but also from finances consuming your energy away from meaningful time elsewhere. With that said, I am just as excited for what's next as I am proud of how I got here. I need to remind myself constantly that I accomplished something extraordinary, I should feel proud of it, and forgive myself for the mistakes I'll inevitably make. During this anniversary milestone, I'm more grateful than ever for this path and the lessons it continues to teach me.

So What's Next?

I'm excited for what's next! Here's how I want to spend the next year:

1. Write often: writing these FIRE posts have been one of the delightful surprises of this year - I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. And thankfully, the reception has been wonderful and encouraging. So for as long as there's positive response to my posts, I'll continue to share them here.
2. Start earning an income: my goal for Year 2 is to fund my ~$4k budget entirely from entrepreneurial income in the coastFIRE sense, while maintaining the lifestyle/flexibility I hold dear today. I don't exactly know how just yet (consulting, writing, whatever), but I'm not nearly as anxious as I once was. If anything, I have a lot of self-confidence that I'll figure it out!
3. Prioritize health: this was #1 in my last post and it's still true. I feel like I aged far more going from 34 to 35 than my previous 4 years of my 30s. Part of it is living in a high-UV, unhealthy country like the Philippines and the other part has been declining discipline/willpower. I've incorporated healthy habits like weekly pickleball/swimming, cooking everyday, and sleep hygiene, but there's still tons of work here to age gracefully (so I can enjoy my life!)
4. Move finances to the background: in my last update, I wrote "be active in your active income, be passive in your passive income." I plan to shift my portfolio by EoY to the point where I will only check once per month to withdraw funds. It was a mistake not abiding by it when I wrote it 5 months ago, so I don't want to continue making the same mistake now.
5. Continue with personal life milestones: get married, have kids, etc. Nothing's changed there. Yes, I know kids can be expensive, hence #2.

Thanks for reading this far! I know it's a bit longer than usual, so I appreciate any feedback or words of encouragement. If there's anything else you'd like me to write about, please let me know below.
~ u/MaroonJacket

25F. Just sold a townhouse and had 190k proceeds from it. I put 60k in principal towards my current condo property after townhome is sold.

Current condo property is 30 year fix at 5.875%. Value of house: 350k. After 60k, there is remaining principal of 179k left. The HOA is $638 per month.

I also put 50k in one of my brokerage account after townhouse is sold. So I currently have a multiple brokerage totaling: 250k.

That leaves me with 100k. Salary from job making 145k + commission at end of year (unknown). Got 25k sign-on bonus since I joined this year in this company. Employment is unstable so I am planning to front-load investments.

Due to tax implications of capital gains versus guaranteed 5.875%, I am conflicted in where I should put the 100k. I see online they suggest splitting it but I wanted to hear what other people think. Ideally, I want to be financial free by 32 years old.

Retirement has around $150k. I spend about $1,000 per month excluding mortgage.

Hi all - This might not totally fit under CoastFire, but giving it a shot. Want honest feedback on this plan.

• Currently in biz at a tech company. $155K base, bonus/stock putting to ~$210K/year.
  
• Partner going into nursing, graduating in 3 years, will plan for reliable salary ($100K-$120K?)
• Currently saving/investing ~$6.5K / month. Maxing retirement, rest in brokerage (boglehead). Also just got a $30K bonus which I will invest have of that
• Current NW: $971K (I'm not including house equity or unvested stock)
  • $450K in 401k
  • $128K in partner 401K
  • $370K in brokerage
  • $23K in HSA
  • Partner has $40K equity in a $410K townhome an hour south in a MCOL vs our HCOL. He is looking at renting out now and we could live there in ~3 years' time when we want kids. It's close to family. Housing would be $3K, unless we refinance or pay down
  • Have another $110K stock over the next 4 years to vest.
• Expenses:
  • $85K- $115K. annual
  • Yes, I know, big variance. I want a plan that works with ~$110K spend. So, we can still enjoy our hobbies (outdoor, most of these are cheap besides gear). We are figuring out our budget combined in the next few years with kids, so I'm open to feedback.

I've been on the FIRE mindset for a few years. But with looming AI fears and getting closer to starting a family, I want to explore earlier options. Moving to a MCOL place, i leave corporate earlier and be a SAHM while likely transition to something more part-time, & meaningful after a few years (healthcare related or education)

I saw a parent work most their life to only get sick after retiring and I now have a stronger value for family and less/no attachment to climbing corporate ladder. I always wanted to retire early, why not take years off while family is growing to be present? and go "barista fire" for my final working years

This would be a radical change, leaving a career I've grown for 13 years, and the tech salary. But if we stayed, we would want to buy a house in this HCOL area, likely double the mortgage (houses for 4 people are ~ $1M MINIMUM!), and then I would HAVE to then bring in a high salary.

I'm scared of layoffs and being house-poor!

It feels as though moving to a MCOL and situating a lifestyle around 1 income is safer

I've modeled this many times over and it seems sound. Even when I put in conservative inputs

• In ~3 years I could have $1.3M-$1.5M NW with current savings rate, substantial amount of that in brokerage
• I quit. Downgrade to 1 nursing income ($105K/year). We move to MCOL & I stay at home for the next few years. potential part time school for career change
• The 1 income wouldn't cover the full expenses (unless we refinance or pay down the mortgage) but even a $20K yearly withdrawal from brokerage & we can still be safely at $2.5M at 55 (goal)
• I currently volunteer often and know I love working 1 on 1 with people. I do see a career in healthcare (OTA?) or similar could be very fulfilling and also lend itself security and options for ramping up/down income as needed. this was my original plan before entering corp and golden handcuffs
• Target $2.5M to FIRE completely at 55. Or who knows, work 1-2 shifts a week for healthcare and keep busy until 60!
• Our passions are pretty physical outdoor hobbies. The time to do it is now vs when we are older and have more health concerns? It's just scary to exit the workforce with a high paying job voluntarily

Is this short sighted? too optimistic? Do others feel the same way with the white-collar job uncertainty?

FYI - I will be getting prenup as most of the NW is mine and he is all good with that. So that saves me from the "depending on husband financially" scary scenario

sorry long post..

has anyone actually taken his program and actually makde $10K from it? considering joining but unsure if its for me

Looking for a sanity check here - I had a wake up call of the first unplanned very very large home maintenance bill (bid, really, I haven't pulled the trigger yet) right after celebrating a milestone in the path to coastfire (and ideally leanfire).

My numbers

Current salary: ~125k usd annually

Current age: 37

Savings:

-500k ish in voo type stocks and retirement accounts,

- an expected pension that scales up based on how long I work (currently worth about 13k a year after I hit 62),

-some other piddly work based retirement savings

-30k emergency

House: owned with a mortgage around 2600 but house hacked - half gets rented out to cover up to 2200 of that (but averaging around 1600/no over the course of the year)

Spending: I don't track this well but I estimate net output is around 3k per month averaging in all surprises (not withstanding this last nightmare of a bill)

Calculators give mixed reviews based on the authors risk tolerances- I'm currently coast, I've got a ways to go, I need to save for another 10 years, etc. I like working but would like to go back to my old lifestyle - work half the year outside doing something cool and just bounce around the rest of the year.

What should I be thinking about more carefully?

I

I’m 34M and have managed to save $515K for retirement, about 75% is Roth. It’s all in index funds. I did this by agressively saving for retirement from day 1 of my career.

I’m proud of what I’ve built but I’ll admit I get the feeling a lot that I got too obsessed with saving and that it’s now appropriate to use my money to enjoy life more today. I don’t feel like I’m old enough to completely stop saving, I just wonder if it might now be more wise to direct way more (if not 100%) of my savings into brokerage so I can tap it for more near-term and intermediate-term goals, even if it’s not the most tax-efficient strategy. It would be a decision to prioritize some 30s events now over some comfort in my 60s later. I’m not married but would love to start a family one day, so I need to save some for potential wedding things, and I also love going on frequent but reasonably priced vacations of the outdoorsy and exploratory variety. My housing is modest today but I’d like to eventually upgrade to something more upper-middle-class.

I make $160K a year today working in tech but I spend a lot less than that. Probably between $60-80K a year. I’m happy with that but would love to gradually stretch my spending as I get older. What do you think? What would you do in my shoes?

Other context: I’ve also got $15K as an emergency fund and about $80K in brokerage. No debt.

Age: 37
Married

Trying to determine what my FIRE goal should be. I am NOT a numbers person. Please be kind.

My husband and I have about 400k each saved in our separate 401k accounts. We both max them out and are getting decent returns right now.

We own a house worth $650k and have probably $250k in equity. Not concerned about factoring kids/college at the moment.

I won’t earn a pension or have income when I stop working but he will have military retirement (CW2 rank as his high 3). Not sure about VA yet as he is still active but plans to retire within the next 3 years, before age 40.

Help me determine when we should be able to retire? What should our goal be? I think I’d like our annual spend to be $120k but not sure if that’s too much or too little.

I’d like to coast FIRE by 50, or shortly after if possible. I feel like we’re on the right track but again I’m not a numbers gal.

Curious to get the community's take...

42M, single, no kids, MCOL

• Net worth: ~$2.5M (~$1.5M locked up in Roth / 401K / HSA)
• Spending: ~$120K/year (Could dial this back)
• Current income: ~$350–400K/year
• Military/government pension: roughly $50K/year in today’s dollars starting around age 60

I also have the option to massively downshift rather than fully retire. Working roughly 6-ish days/month would probably gross around $125K/year and cover most or all of my current spending without needing portfolio withdrawals.

Was a bit of a grind to get here and I think I'd prefer to throttle back and chill, but it was a long row to hoe to get to this income and part of me feels foolish for walking away from it so shortly after getting there. Don't mind the work, and some aspects I actually like, but it's time consuming and precludes me from doing stuff I'd like to do.

Best to grind for a few more years to obtain flexibility to go full up FIRE or coast ASAP? Curious to get take from folks in similar position and if they loved or regretted their decision after a few years of hindsight. Thanks

Hello! This is a snapshot of my wealth. I’m super indexed on tech but scared of selling my equity awards. Any advice from someone that has been there?

Total NW - 1.05 M

340 k on MSFT equity
66 k on GOOG equity
460 k on 401 k

Im F38 and I have 1 kid.. might go for second. This doenst include my partners value which is roughly 1M as well but on Bitcoin and cash (I know…)
180 k on VTI and other index funds

I recently turned 58 and started reassessing whether our retirement plan has kept up with our lives.

My wife and I live in San Jose with three adult children, three dogs, and plenty of expenses. Even after years of planning, I realized how many assumptions can change.

These are the areas I’m reviewing:

• Retirement timing
• Expected income and savings
• Retirement spending
• Social Security timing
• Healthcare costs before and after Medicare
• Taxes on retirement income and withdrawals
• Resilience to a market decline, job loss, illness, or major expense

For those already retired or approaching FIRE:

• What do you review annually?
• Which assumption has been the hardest to estimate?
• What important area is missing from this list?
• What made you feel genuinely ready rather than merely optimistic?

Been lurking here a while. Would like some outside eyes before I make a decision I can’t easily reverse.

The numbers:

• Expat in the Gulf — no income tax, but also no pension, no social security, no state safety net, and residency is tied to my job

• Portfolio: $330k VWRA, all in a taxable brokerage (IBKR)

• No bonds, no cash buffer beyond 6 months of expenses, no property

• Contributing ~$7k/month, but lumpy — I let cash pile up locally and transfer every 2–3 months

• Income is salary plus freelance USD work on the side

If I stretch to 30 months I cross $625k by first quarter 2029, which has been my mental milestone.

Where I’d retire matters a lot here. The plan is not to retire in the Gulf. It’s Pakistan (home) or Southeast Asia, where $2,000–2,500/month is a genuinely comfortable middle-class life, not ramen. That’s what makes $625k look like a real number instead of a fantasy.

Am I over-solving this? Every calculator says I’m fine. My gut says keep grinding to full FIRE at 37–38. I can’t tell if that’s prudence or just fear wearing prudence as a costume.

I’m 29 and recently crossed about $803,000 in net worth. I’ve been pretty aggressive about saving/investing throughout my 20s, and lately I’ve been wondering whether I’m reaching the point where I should stop optimizing every dollar and enjoy life a little more.
Rough breakdown/context:
~$180k in my 401(k)
Taxable brokerage that I’m currently contributing about $1,500/month toward. Total is 185k in ETFS.
I continue to max or heavily prioritize tax-advantaged retirement accounts
I own three duplex rental properties and 2 single family properties (those 2 are with a business partner)
The rentals currently generate around $4000 month in net cash flow after being conservative with expenses/reserves
The remainder of my net worth is primarily real estate equity, brokerage investments, retirement accounts and cash
No car payment or other major consumer debt
Income is relatively high around 250k-300k although I work in sales, so it can fluctuate significantly year to year
For most of my 20s, my mentality has basically been: make more, invest more, buy real estate, repeat.
But I’m starting to question whether continuing at the same intensity has diminishing returns.
If I already have ~$180k compounding in retirement at 29, taxable investments continuing to grow, rental properties producing cash flow, and an $800k+ net worth, part of me thinks I’ve earned the ability to loosen the reins a little.
Not talking about abandoning investing or suddenly inflating my lifestyle. More like:
Spending more on travel, getting a nicer apartment, experiences, restaurants, hobbies, etc., while still saving a healthy amount rather than constantly trying to maximize my savings rate.

My ultimate goal isn’t necessarily traditional FIRE as quickly as humanly possible. Coast FIRE appeals to me more because I want financial independence without sacrificing my 30s just to accumulate a bigger number.

For those who reached Coast FIRE relatively young:
At what point did you actually give yourself permission to slow down?

Some background information -

1. My parents do not require my assistance when they retire and can likely offer some help if I ever needed to purchase a property (though I’m happy to rent if needed). A decent property in my locality would probably cost around 1-1.5m USD (10-20% down payment).

2. I’m in a stable job that pays well (200k USD/year - hence my savings. Income should increase to 300k in 4-5 years but promotions are heavily structured) with reasonable hours but I’ve always wanted to quit and travel the world. I’m fed up with sitting in the office all day and I’d really regret not taking advantage of my youth and seeing everything that I could before I settle down in my early to mid thirties. There’s no going back to this job after I quit, though. I do feel that the longer I stay, the more I suffer from OMYS.

3. I have around 500k USD in savings/investments (heavily invested in stocks) and I do not have any significant recurrent expenses nor do I really spend that much on food or clothing - my most substantial outlay would be travelling (currently going overseas once every month/two months and probably spending around 3-4k per trip). My monthly expenditure is around 6-7k/month including travel expenses.

4. I have some skills that would enable me to earn enough to cover my monthly expenses if I do decide to quit and do freelance work.

Questions - 1. Even though everyone would say it’s a dumb idea, am I in a position to quit on the spot (assuming that I don’t need to spend too much on a home and I don’t have kids in the future)? The math actually suggests I have enough to just quit and let my money compound - in 20-30 years, I should have a significant amount of wealth just by virtue of that.

1. Do I have enough to travel the world (I don’t want to live in youth hostels - I usually stay in 150-200/night hotels and I eat decent food when I’m abroad. I don’t have to live a very luxurious lifestyle and fly business everywhere but I’d like some comfort as well) for 3 years without ruining my investment portfolio, as in I could do that and still manage to have enough powder for coast FIRE?

2. If it’s too early now, how much should I aim to have by age X if I wanted to do this later on?

3. Is there any merit in moving to south east Asia (say Vietnam or Thailand) and just retiring right away?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

TLDR: 26F, $264k invested & saved, $2k/month expense. Very new to FIRE concept, where am I on the FIRE path, and what should I be more/less aggressive on?

Quick numbers:

Gross income: $120k

Investments: $223k in total
401k $124k (includes 6k in Roth 401k)
Roth IRA $50k
taxable brokerage $40k
crypto $4.4k
HSA $3.1k
529 $1.3k

Cash: $40.5k (HYSA emergency fund + checking)

Total: ~$264k

Monthly expenses: $2,000 (~24k/year)

Debt: Recently bought a home, put 20% down ($45k). Loan is $175k @ 6%

Question: for people who hit Coast FIRE numbers early, what did you stay aggressive on (maxing 401k/Roth, taxable contributions, etc.) vs. what did you deliberately dial back once the floor was secure? Curious what you’d tell 26-year-old me to prioritize vs. relax on. Also do I have too much cash and not enough in investments?

Trying to figure out the end game. How close am I to retiring? Can I do some version of barista fire? Getting burned out with high stress work, like to slow it down or do something I like. Numbers below are for both. Wife is late career changer, probably works another 10 years doing what she likes - $60k salary, with progressions.
50M & Wife 47, two middle school kids.

401k $1.35M & $255k

Roth $160k & $106K

$92k HYSA

1 Bitcoin (a "lotto ticket" acquired a while ago)

$6k HSA (just stared this one)

$215k Professionally managed trading account

Home $450k, $115k left at 2.25%, no other significant debt

Each kid has UTMA/529 for $26k/$140k

I'd like to get the kids out with no student loans, as that is how the wife and I got to where we are.

Need around $7k baseline, $6k once home is paid off.

32F. Last year I made a post about hitting the 100k milestone. As of today, I did my math again. I have ~$180k invested now. The growth over the last year is so impressive. Thanks to the stock market.

Last year I talked about hoping to switch to part-time by 50. So I did more math and actually applied to switch to part-time already (life is short). Part-time income will be enough for my expenses and still contribute some savings.

And now with a baby on the way, life's going to be interesting and more fun.

My current salary is at 120K but with OTE roughly 135K. I've currently received another job offer that pays the same but the company is based in the EU and includes more time off and work travel to Spain and Australia.

I've been really tempted to get out of the 120K range and look at roles that pay 150k. What are your thoughts do you prioritize salary income or work life balance to build more wealth?

Late 30s, \~$800K net worth, considering leaving a stable career for a work pause / semi-retirement — am I financially ready?

I’m in my late 30s, married with one child, and I’m trying to determine whether I’m financially positioned to step away from a stable but high-stress career within the next 1–2 years.

I’m not necessarily trying to never work again. The goal is closer to semi-retirement / Coast FIRE / a multi-year work pause, where I could focus more on family, creative work, and possibly part-time or self-employed income.

Current financial picture:

Rough household net worth: \~$780K–$810K

My retirement account: \~$240K+

Spouse retirement account: \~$200K+

Combined retirement accounts: \~$440K+

Both of us are in our late 30s

I contribute about 16% of salary, plus employer contributions

Current portfolio: 70% S&P 500-style fund / 15% U.S. small-mid cap / 15% international

Retirement accounts are intended to remain untouched

Cash: \~$30K+

Precious metals / collectibles / art / brokerage and other assets: well over $100K combined

Home equity: roughly $170K–$200K before transaction costs

Current income: \~$134,722 (for perspective)

Additional income:I currently receive approximately $4,300/month or close to $51,816 tax-free in permanent VA compensation.

Healthcare for my spouse and child can be covered through CHAMPVA, and I use VA healthcare.

Current major expenses:

Mortgage: \~$1,675/month

Vehicle minimum: \~$567/month, although I currently pay around $700 to accelerate principal

Vehicle balance: \~$30K at about 1% APR

Groceries: \~$800/month

Water: \~$120

Electricity: \~$100–$425 depending on season

Natural gas: \~$60 summer / \~$250 winter

Cell phones: \~$150

Internet: \~$80

Insurance: \~$88

Before leaving work, the plan would ideally be:

Pay off the vehicle

Pay off the timeshare (next month)

Have no consumer debt

Keep both retirement accounts untouched

Sell the current home

Potentially relocate to Florida

Looking into a $250K–$350K property.

Use a substantial amount of current home equity toward the purchase Ideally end up with a very small mortgage or no mortgage

Maintain a meaningful cash emergency reserve.

Because of my VA disability status, I may qualify for Florida’s disabled-veteran homestead property-tax exemption, which could materially reduce ongoing housing costs.

My question:

If I leave my career around age 39–40 with roughly $500K combined retirement assets, around $4,300–$4,500/month tax-free income, no car payment, no consumer debt, healthcare largely covered, and a low/no mortgage, would you consider that financially reasonable?

My intention would be not to withdraw from the retirement accounts for 20+ years. Ideally VA income plus occasional consulting, creative work, part-time work, or a small business would support current living expenses while the retirement portfolio continues compounding.

I realize that an \~$800K net worth does not mean I have $800K of liquid money. A large portion is retirement assets, home equity, collectibles/metals and other assets. I’m trying to distinguish being “wealthy on paper” from actually having enough sustainable cash flow to leave full-time employment.

What risks am I overlooking?

I’d especially appreciate thoughts on Coast FIRE vs. early retirement, cash-reserve size, paying cash for the next house vs. keeping a small mortgage, sequence risk when I’m not withdrawing from investments, and whether another 1–2 years of contributions materially changes the decision.

My priority is less about maximizing net worth and more about buying back time while still protecting my family financially for the long term.

From what I’ve read on these subs, all our coasts look a little bit different. I still hadn’t quite planned what that could actually look like and probably planned to keep working to be honest.

I still have a hard time believing if we’re actually at coast, but signs point to yes. Plus the fact that we are maxing out our 401k x 2 and will be for the foreseeable future, god willing, even though we may be able to coast presently.

I started a new job 3 months ago. I make a fair salary of just shy of 200k base. Perhaps I can make more in my future but part of my coast was settling into a job I like and leaving that 25-50k on the table.

Except, my new job is like drinking from a fire hose. It’s definitely not a coast job. My last job was legit a coast job but running the risk of lay off- it was too coasty.

This job is such a pain in the ass don’t even get me started and I am inundated with unreasonably urgent work and the place is burning down basically. I’m confident in my time management and I could work 20 more hours this week and it wouldn’t be enough.

But, I’m not the business owner and I’m replaceable. I worked 8 hours and did as much as I could. I closed my laptop at 5 pm on the dot. Thats when it hit me, the worst that happens is I lose my job. It may take a long time to find a new one, but my retirement will not be impacted. We can go on my husband’s insurance. And while i look for a new job, I can be with my toddler. That is my coast. A serenity in closing my laptop at 5 and saying, I did my best today.

Hey all, we are beyond our coastfire number but not yet full fi. I have been checked out from my current profession for a while and am checking job listings every day. The one hobby I took up recently that I really enjoy is gardening. Of course I'm not sure if I would like it as a 40 hour per week 'forced' hobby. Has anyone transitioned into a gardening or landscaping job? Thanks for any input.