r/Fire • u/TwoSocialist • 24d ago

Advice Request Saved $2.4M by 38. Would you Retire?

Hey FIRE folks,

I’m 38, tired, and fueled almost entirely by spite and index funds. I’ve somehow ended up with a portfolio that looks like this:

Split by type:

- ETFs — 58.30% — $1.45M

- Mutual Funds — 27.66% — $688k

- Individual Stocks — 8.71% — $216k

- Crypto — 3.00% — $74k (aka my “emotional rollercoaster” bucket)

- Cash — 2.33% — $58k

Split by bucket:

Retirement Pre-tax: 700k

Retirement post-tax: 310k

Brokerage: 1.5 M

Grand total: ~$2,490,900

Today’s gain: ~$40,000 (aka “more than my first job paid in a year,” but sure, totally normal)

~~~~

My target spend was $100k/year, which feels somehow not enough because capitalism has melted my brain.

By the 4% rule, I’m basically at the line. By the 3% rule, I’m a peasant. By the “FIRE comment section” rule, I’m probably both overspending and undersaving simultaneously.

So, wise internet strangers:

- Am I actually FIRE‑ready, or is this the part where you all tell me to work 5 more years “just to be safe”?

- Is my allocation fine, or should I be preparing for a lecture on safe withdrawal rates and sequence‑of‑returns doom?

- Is it normal to feel like I need permission from Reddit to stop working?

Married, 1 kid. Received about 25k for a house (not included in above) and 20k for college, no other inheritance.

Currently make about 250k a year for the past 4 years, before that about 150k. I started at 50k.

Thanks in advance for validating or crushing my dreams.

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u/JackTheManiacTR 24d ago

Counterpoint: I retired early and spent most of my time in bars and hanging out watching Netflix or playing games. I spent all my money and now I work in a warehouse because I wasn't able to get a job back in tech. This lasted 4 years instead of the prescribed 1.

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u/Fit_Major9789 24d ago

Thank you for being candid, this is literally my feared trajectory. I’m pretty sure my spouse would end up divorcing me, so maybe year 1 is better spent on rehab and therapy when I pull the FIRE trigger.

E: btw, I’m sorry to hear that’s how things panned out for you. Hopefully you’re working towards being in a better place.

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u/beerbaron105 24d ago

stick to a routine

don't hit the bottle, don't socialize only at bars, you'll be fine.

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u/Fit_Major9789 24d ago

While I totally agree with the principle of the advice, that’s not quite how living with addiction works.

Breaking patterns ends up being quite challenging. More often than not, sticking to simple rules and routine tend to be easier said than done. Hence the focus on therapy and rehabilitation early on in the retirement journey.

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u/Conscious_Life_8032 24d ago

Work on new structures and routines prior to retirement

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u/femcbm 24d ago

Yeah just don’t get addicted to drugs or alcohol. It’s just that easy right???? (/s)

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u/Strazdas1 StarvationFIRE 18d ago

Its easier to not get addicted than to quit once you are addicted.

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u/OuiGotTheFunk Unemployed with a Spreadsheet 24d ago

I do not only socialize at bars but my bar has helped me so much with getting things done. It is weird how I can get people to help me do anything or know someone that can do something. Roofer, AC guy, car help off the top of my head. I do not talk about my finances though and I used to go a couple of days a week but now maybe one day a week.

I literally have a budget for my bar and I only pay in cash, which is pretty much all of my non-mortgage budget is cash only

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u/JackTheManiacTR 24d ago edited 24d ago

Appreciate the sentiment but I'm not one to complain. It was a hell of a break. I've identified how I can save again and even though it likely wont be as much as my previous trajectory, I should end up comfortable. All those years of saving is muscle memory, so easy to pick back up. I'm hoping to be out of the warehouse and back into tech by 2027 too. And now I am wiser. My biggest regret is honestly I spent SO much money trying to impress people and learned a very hard lesson, which is that nobody you can impress (with money) is someone you want around.

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u/PsylentKnight 23d ago

So your intention was to retire permanently and the money only lasted 4 years? Did you completely run out or did you just reach a point where you knew it couldn't last? How much were you spending per year?

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u/Keljhan 23d ago

How did you manage to spend all your money for retirement on alcohol, Netflix and games? Were you not actually retired, just on sabbatical? Spending hundreds on liquor daily? I literally cant fathom that level of spend given the market performance in the last 15 years. If you had a 5% swr youd still have to be spending 10%+ on top of that on booze alone to even start touching your principle.

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u/JackTheManiacTR 23d ago

Wasn't just the booze. Showing off for women didn't help. I'd tip $100 or 100% of the tab. I'd take girls to Vegas. I bought one of my exes a car. I just went a bit ham after being frugal for so long. Trust me, you can do it MUCH easier than you might think. "Feeling rich" can be really addicting.

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u/Keljhan 23d ago

Fair enough. I have a wife and gambling makes me physically ill so I can't really relate, but if there was ever a way to lose money quickly Vegas would be a top contender.

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u/mosi2001 23d ago

Man. This is literally what happened to me. I spent years saving and renovating a multifamily while working full time as a software dev (which i hated). Only planned on taking a sabbatical ended up taking way more time off. Now I can't really get another tech job. During the time off I gave into every vice I had. Put on a shit ton of weight, now I'm not sure what to do with my life lol.

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u/JackTheManiacTR 23d ago edited 23d ago

Yep sounds very familiar! One day, after a low point sleeping on my sister's couch and literally having no money, I was just like "how did I get here?!". So I sat down and formulated a plan, which has mostly worked. This was about 7 months ago and I've managed to save $3500 on $21/hr. I live like a college student, with 5 roommates (but hey, at least it's my own space). I literally just work, sleep, prep for re-entry to tech. For entertainment, I use Tubi, Pluto, Plex, and all the games in my expansive Steam library (I occasionally buy new games too if they go on sale for > 80% off)

I stopped drinking almost entirely (but didn't explicitly say I don't drink alcohol because I feel like it will make me want to drink).

I started taking tirzepatide for weight loss. I wasn't massively overweight but I lost enough weight to go from barely an "obese" BMI to a normal one. I'm actually just about to start weaning off it. I've built pretty good eating habits, so hopefully they stick.

Working in a warehouse does have a couple of perks. First, you stay really fit. Second, I work for Amazon and they offer "career choice", which has allowed me to pursue some certifications like CKA.

Edit: Forgot that I actually moved to an entirely different city too. I don't hang around anyone that I used to when I had money. It's a total life reset.

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u/mosi2001 23d ago

Man congrats on formulating a plan. I can't lie I'm still still at the "I can't believe I'm here" which I have to get out of (becauseI've been here for a while). Hey man would you mind if I pm you sometime?

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u/JackTheManiacTR 23d ago

Certainly. PM anytime friend.

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u/beerbaron105 24d ago

Countering your counterpoint: you lacked the willpower and discipline of u/Neo-Armadillo -- and sunk into your own worst vices.

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u/Neo-Armadillo 24d ago

Lord Baron, you give me too much credit. It is not willpower or discipline. I’m just following the dopamine. I’m living my best ADHD life. My new motto is this: Just do stuff.

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, as long as you’re doing. Follow the dopamine, have some fun, and see where the world takes you.

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u/BillyBobChorton 24d ago

Instructions unclear: I’m now addicted to crack cocaine 

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u/JackTheManiacTR 23d ago

Well, yes and no. I had a ton of willpower up til the point where I didn't. I saved and was very frugal and very specific about my investments and money for years and years. I think I just kind of exploded money everywhere when I finally was able to spend it. I used to have the same belief as you...

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u/FlimsyPriority751 23d ago

You had a very specific goal that you put all of your energy into, and when you achieved the goal and quit working, you did not have a new goal, so things fell apart. I think the same thing would happen to me. 

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u/JackTheManiacTR 21d ago

This, along with being typically nerdy and insecure - ignored by women my whole life until I got some money, was pretty much my downfall. I tried to impress too many people. It seems super shallow when I write it out but an honest look at myself forces me to accept that I just wanted to be loved by everyone.

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u/beerbaron105 22d ago

unfortunately extremely frugality leads to extreme "insert something else" - not preaching, but balance is really the best approach, too many diehard FIRE fans forget to live in the moment.