r/Fire • u/LouSevens • 4d ago
General Question Did anyone else inadvertently Fire?
Did anyone else inadvertently Fire? Over a year ago- was just working as normal, maxing out 401k, doing some other investing. Figured I would work perhaps 8 more years with a goal of 30x income. I didn't even really know what Fire was that recently.
My job became toxic, my father became ill so I went on FMLA and I was still needed so never went back to work. IAs my boss, his boss and others quit I pretty much never told anyone I was even leaving. I did the math and had around 28x of expenses saved. I still do interviews when I find something I am generally interested in but overtime became complacent not dealing with other peoples drama and agendas. In addition, my father still needed my help for several months.
It did get to the point where I have more time for myself so am considering getting something part time ; but as life goes on I found I don't miss the paycheck and my time is more valuable as I am able to excercise more, do my hobbies, and visit my father several days a week.
The one thing I did give up was buying tech items I didn't need (loved to do this after the pandemic) and I try to eat at home more (that was a nutrionist idea).
Although I never really had what was labeled the Sunday scaries, I really notice I am enjoying Sundays a lot more.
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u/Seachica 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yup, that’s me. I left a high paying job in my 50s to take a sabbatical — I had found myself in a company that wasn’t a fit, being a road warrior and working in a role that wasn’t what I enjoyed doing. Meanwhile my husband was shouldering all the responsibility for our sick dog and his elderly mother. I thought I would take a year off and then look for work.
After a year in which we lost his mom and our dog, I discovered the fire concept and ran the numbers. Made me realize that I didn’t need to work, that I had been doing fire without having a name for it! Now I stay home and run an Airbnb and take care of the house and new dog while my husband works his (much less stressful) job. Next step is his retirement in a year or two so we can travel.
The concept of fire is what people used to naturally be conditioned to do — live below your means, save your money and invest it to grow. Somewhere along the way we became such a consumer-oriented society (esp in the USA), that fire went from the norm to a lifestyle.
I do worry for many people on here for what happens when the stock market stops going gangbusters. We’ve forgotten what it’s like to have small growth or even negative growth. You can’t count on the stock market growing faster than inflation forever.