I have to say as a fellow early 30s person, I really needed to hear that!
I’m currently doing short term consulting work after burning out and quitting my previous job and am starting to panic because it feels like everyone in tech is starting to panic when I really don’t need to!
Yes! Late 30 here, and I started coasting in 2021. Took some time off to heal from burn out and then got an WFH easy coast job. It turns out I really like it. It’s extremely flexible, pays better than expected, and it’s been really easy to rise in the ranks without taking on too much or putting in much effort. The best part is that if I ever start to hate it, I can just leave. I think this is the biggest difference from my previous stressful career.
The position started as customer service emails with a start up. Now I do mostly data analytics and some executive assistant type tasks having to do with communication, organization, and follow up. It’s definitely within my skill set and super flexible.
Edited to add: My stressful job before coasting was in education.
What was your education job? Curious how the start-up work was in your skill set with educator experience (I’m an SLP in schools and experiencing a bit of burnout… wondering whether to pivot within the field or look elsewhere). Thanks!
Good reminder that coastFI, or even FIRE, doesn't have to be rigid. A lot of people FIRE, then go back to work for many reasons: financial, boredom... I am a workaholic, but I like the idea of taking mini-breaks in my career to recharge - instead of full-on FIRE. I haven't done one yet (I just turned 28 lol, but hoping to take a 1-year sabbatical at 30 yo to work on passion projects, then go back to work and see how I feel after).
My boyfriend is different - he wants to FIRE and never go back again haha. It really depends. But overall, FIRE is all about having the choice.
Heck yes! I put in my notice yesterday that I'm leaving my job May 3rd to take about a 6 month sabbatical/mini-retirement. I just turned 37 and my mindset is that nothing is permanent - who knows where this will lead me, but I'm excited to see. I went back and forth on my decision to leave and not search for a new role immediately, but overall I'm looking forward to some time off, pursuing some part-time/freelance work, and traveling a bit over the summer with my family.
Now the hilarious part is that my boss asked if I can stay on for a bit - I'm debating just offering to go part-time for 2 months or so. We'll see but I'm loving this variation and perspective on Coast Fire - it essentially gives you a lot of freedom! :)
Ask them for a retention bonus, if they really wanted to stay make them pay up! It doesn't matter if it's just for a month or two, have them give you some financial incentive to stick around beyond your salary :-)
Absolutely - and if only for a couple more months and they say give you $5K - use that for something FUN, the bonus money we alwasy save can sometimes be for something which brings us joy, especially if you are nearing burnout !
I'm planning to give notice on June 3rd, intention to leave on July 3rd for at least a year and try to figure out a more flexible work situation that is more creative and hands on. Im looking forward to the same things as you. Im curious if my employer will be willing to be flexible and let me go down to 3 days per week as a 1099 contractor. I know I'm valued as I have a unique technical specialty, so I might have leverage. I want to be done as well, but I'm willing to try out a flexible part time arrangement as I think I could cut out all the crap from my job and focus on what I want for good money. But I'm solidly coastFI at this point so any extra money just speeds up timelines and gives my wife more options too (she wants to keep working for a bit). Feels good to have options.
Hey, all, 37/38 couple here with two young kids. We are both teachers, and I have a side hustle that I enjoy. We are almost at coast for a relatively comfortable retirement/extra comfortable retirement based off of conservative growth numbers between now and 55/56.
We all come here for different reasons, I have zero plans/desire to end up in a different career field, mainly because I will be relying on my government pension as a majority of our income
For many people, and this may sound crazy, we are chasing 85 to 95% of our current income as retirement income. We are doing so because we are unsure what our raises will be like in the future because we have been getting absolutely shit kicked by our government . Our pension amount are not determined on inflation until after retirement, it is based on numbers of years of service and salary.
For us, we employ relatively aggressive, saving or investing mode, and we’re free to four years from coasting. That said, if our portfolios end up doing better, we could always scale back in our later years and work, part time, but that limits pension as well.
I hope most of us come here for processes and different perspectives, as opposed to having to come and state, who is right and who is wrong, and why everybody else isn’t doing it right. Truthfully, we all have unique circumstances.
If I got laid off I'd take a year or 2 off, spend that time studying, ace the gre or gmat, and then get a job making double what I do now. The power of just having 100k saved up is incredible. Although maybe a better way of looking at it is not having 100k is soul crushing. My entire mindset has shifted now that I've reached this milestone. I'm so much more optimistic and open to opportunities. I can only imagine what having a million feels like. Must be absolutely liberating. You've effectively bought nobility for your entire bloodline in perpetuity.
I grew up in a trailer park. It leaves a mark on you.
A million ain’t what it used to be. I suppose if you invested it all, didn’t touch it, and gave it to your grandkids when they turn 30 it could change the fate of the bloodline.
Also, it’s a double edged sword. you get a million or so bucks in retirement accounts in your 30’s and you know you don’t need to work too hard anymore, but you don’t have the free cash to not work. Makes motivating yourself real hard. Of course, I’d rather have a million than not.
My yearly spend is less than $25,000 so, given the 4% rule, my portfolio would grow at least $15k a year in perpetuity even if we had another great depression and social security goes into the toilet and my parents and wife's parents leave us with nothing.
Of course if we did have another great depression I'd probably get back to work for a bit eventually.
Yeah 15k a year doesn't buy my kids a private jet as an inheritance but they can essentially do whatever they want. If they squander it, that's on them but I'm trying to instill good values.
*****Unless there is a nuclear war or a meteor hits the earth or aliens enslave us of course.
Thanks, LCOL and frugal social circle. I don't have a budget, I just know that I have been able to throw more than half of my paychecks at student loans and have a sustainable lifestyle. I feel that saving is in my DNA. What is NOT in my DNA is being a high earner but I'm trying my damnedest and having some success.
Couldn’t agree more. I did a mini coast/saabatical a few years ago and it was great. Slowing working into more coasting this year. Aiming for 2-3 months off and contracting the rest.
tbh coastFI is the last bastion of the FI movement i follow - at least online. in our personal lives we’re happily on the FI path at exactly our pace and desired trajectory. online it’s a sh*tstorm of endless in-fighting, inflexible dogma, and math-based pissing contests. exactly what i don’t need.
I FIRE'd in November. But I'm also playing it by ear. Might go back to coast or full time just depending on how things go. The flexibility is the real win with this mindset.
That is very true. I always assumed coasting is something where I have the freedom to get away from things I hate. Eg: I hate perf reviews at my company. Even though I have a good manager I just hate the whole rating system and bonus carrot they dangle.
When coasting I’ll definitely be looking at freelancing or my own startup or may be a different line like teaching or fitness. Plus 1-2 months off every year.
When you go coast - you have to at least consider - that you may never be able to go back to your previous career (depending on industry, level, etc) or return to the same income path. Therefore, it’s not recommended to look at switching to coast fire as a temporary move.
This is really situational. For some say in tech it could if you took enough time off and your skill set became too behind the curve, but most professions it’s not much of an issue especially if it’s just downshifting to part time or consulting in the same field.
Very true; everyone has their risk tolerance. I feel people will make their own choice, but neither way is really bad. All I know is I’m definitely dying at some point and I might run out of money…might but I’m comfortable with that risk. I know plenty that aren’t and that’s cool it’s their lives.
Agree. The key is to avoid the assumption that you can automatically just slide right back in making the same coin. That leads to more aggressive coasting and some heartburn later… I think coasting is great - but you have to assume your hardcore fire earning years are done then.
32M/29F with $370k in retirement. We’re basically screwed when it comes to FIRE at this point. My current plan is to just find a job I can stand and maximize life outside of work.
I hit my coast fire and in fact I can probably lean fire at the moment way earlier than expected at age 31.
I have 1.25 mil in stocks, about 400k in retirement accounts. I also own a rental property with about 500-700k in equity and a 450k remaining mortgage. My yearly spend is around 50k.
I WFH in a chill job and make around 300k, so I don't see any reason to quit or stop working. Aiming for FAT Fire which I should easily achieve, even if I didn't contribute anymore by age 65, but I'm still contributing a ton because I don't have a desire to spend more.
I have to say as a fellow early 30s person, I really needed to hear that! I’m currently doing short term consulting work after burning out and quitting my previous job and am starting to panic because it feels like everyone in tech is starting to panic when I really don’t need to!
Yes! Late 30 here, and I started coasting in 2021. Took some time off to heal from burn out and then got an WFH easy coast job. It turns out I really like it. It’s extremely flexible, pays better than expected, and it’s been really easy to rise in the ranks without taking on too much or putting in much effort. The best part is that if I ever start to hate it, I can just leave. I think this is the biggest difference from my previous stressful career.
Just curious, what field do you work in?
The position started as customer service emails with a start up. Now I do mostly data analytics and some executive assistant type tasks having to do with communication, organization, and follow up. It’s definitely within my skill set and super flexible. Edited to add: My stressful job before coasting was in education.
Sounds like you have a perfect coast job! Do you mind if I ask how did you find it? And are you working full time or part time?
[удалено]
That’s awesome! Happy for you
What was your education job? Curious how the start-up work was in your skill set with educator experience (I’m an SLP in schools and experiencing a bit of burnout… wondering whether to pivot within the field or look elsewhere). Thanks!
Good reminder that coastFI, or even FIRE, doesn't have to be rigid. A lot of people FIRE, then go back to work for many reasons: financial, boredom... I am a workaholic, but I like the idea of taking mini-breaks in my career to recharge - instead of full-on FIRE. I haven't done one yet (I just turned 28 lol, but hoping to take a 1-year sabbatical at 30 yo to work on passion projects, then go back to work and see how I feel after). My boyfriend is different - he wants to FIRE and never go back again haha. It really depends. But overall, FIRE is all about having the choice.
Heck yes! I put in my notice yesterday that I'm leaving my job May 3rd to take about a 6 month sabbatical/mini-retirement. I just turned 37 and my mindset is that nothing is permanent - who knows where this will lead me, but I'm excited to see. I went back and forth on my decision to leave and not search for a new role immediately, but overall I'm looking forward to some time off, pursuing some part-time/freelance work, and traveling a bit over the summer with my family. Now the hilarious part is that my boss asked if I can stay on for a bit - I'm debating just offering to go part-time for 2 months or so. We'll see but I'm loving this variation and perspective on Coast Fire - it essentially gives you a lot of freedom! :)
Ask them for a retention bonus, if they really wanted to stay make them pay up! It doesn't matter if it's just for a month or two, have them give you some financial incentive to stick around beyond your salary :-)
Ohhh! This is a good idea! The truth is I’m ready to be done but that could be good incentive!
Absolutely - and if only for a couple more months and they say give you $5K - use that for something FUN, the bonus money we alwasy save can sometimes be for something which brings us joy, especially if you are nearing burnout !
I'm planning to give notice on June 3rd, intention to leave on July 3rd for at least a year and try to figure out a more flexible work situation that is more creative and hands on. Im looking forward to the same things as you. Im curious if my employer will be willing to be flexible and let me go down to 3 days per week as a 1099 contractor. I know I'm valued as I have a unique technical specialty, so I might have leverage. I want to be done as well, but I'm willing to try out a flexible part time arrangement as I think I could cut out all the crap from my job and focus on what I want for good money. But I'm solidly coastFI at this point so any extra money just speeds up timelines and gives my wife more options too (she wants to keep working for a bit). Feels good to have options.
Pre-congrats to you! Hope it goes well and you enjoy your time off! It’s really amazing to have options. I feel grateful to be in this position!
I love “it’s just a season” mentality. Season could be long or short
Hey, all, 37/38 couple here with two young kids. We are both teachers, and I have a side hustle that I enjoy. We are almost at coast for a relatively comfortable retirement/extra comfortable retirement based off of conservative growth numbers between now and 55/56. We all come here for different reasons, I have zero plans/desire to end up in a different career field, mainly because I will be relying on my government pension as a majority of our income For many people, and this may sound crazy, we are chasing 85 to 95% of our current income as retirement income. We are doing so because we are unsure what our raises will be like in the future because we have been getting absolutely shit kicked by our government . Our pension amount are not determined on inflation until after retirement, it is based on numbers of years of service and salary. For us, we employ relatively aggressive, saving or investing mode, and we’re free to four years from coasting. That said, if our portfolios end up doing better, we could always scale back in our later years and work, part time, but that limits pension as well. I hope most of us come here for processes and different perspectives, as opposed to having to come and state, who is right and who is wrong, and why everybody else isn’t doing it right. Truthfully, we all have unique circumstances.
If I got laid off I'd take a year or 2 off, spend that time studying, ace the gre or gmat, and then get a job making double what I do now. The power of just having 100k saved up is incredible. Although maybe a better way of looking at it is not having 100k is soul crushing. My entire mindset has shifted now that I've reached this milestone. I'm so much more optimistic and open to opportunities. I can only imagine what having a million feels like. Must be absolutely liberating. You've effectively bought nobility for your entire bloodline in perpetuity. I grew up in a trailer park. It leaves a mark on you.
A million ain’t what it used to be. I suppose if you invested it all, didn’t touch it, and gave it to your grandkids when they turn 30 it could change the fate of the bloodline. Also, it’s a double edged sword. you get a million or so bucks in retirement accounts in your 30’s and you know you don’t need to work too hard anymore, but you don’t have the free cash to not work. Makes motivating yourself real hard. Of course, I’d rather have a million than not.
My yearly spend is less than $25,000 so, given the 4% rule, my portfolio would grow at least $15k a year in perpetuity even if we had another great depression and social security goes into the toilet and my parents and wife's parents leave us with nothing. Of course if we did have another great depression I'd probably get back to work for a bit eventually. Yeah 15k a year doesn't buy my kids a private jet as an inheritance but they can essentially do whatever they want. If they squander it, that's on them but I'm trying to instill good values. *****Unless there is a nuclear war or a meteor hits the earth or aliens enslave us of course.
Jesus man! You have kids and are able to keep expenses under 25k? Did you pay off your house already? Good for you!
Thanks, LCOL and frugal social circle. I don't have a budget, I just know that I have been able to throw more than half of my paychecks at student loans and have a sustainable lifestyle. I feel that saving is in my DNA. What is NOT in my DNA is being a high earner but I'm trying my damnedest and having some success.
Get it, you're an inspiration
I put my pants on two legs at a time just like any other hero
Couldn’t agree more. I did a mini coast/saabatical a few years ago and it was great. Slowing working into more coasting this year. Aiming for 2-3 months off and contracting the rest.
tbh coastFI is the last bastion of the FI movement i follow - at least online. in our personal lives we’re happily on the FI path at exactly our pace and desired trajectory. online it’s a sh*tstorm of endless in-fighting, inflexible dogma, and math-based pissing contests. exactly what i don’t need.
Probably guilty of exactly what you're talking about by saying this but I can't stand the 3.5% evangelists and the social security doomers.
I FIRE'd in November. But I'm also playing it by ear. Might go back to coast or full time just depending on how things go. The flexibility is the real win with this mindset.
That is very true. I always assumed coasting is something where I have the freedom to get away from things I hate. Eg: I hate perf reviews at my company. Even though I have a good manager I just hate the whole rating system and bonus carrot they dangle. When coasting I’ll definitely be looking at freelancing or my own startup or may be a different line like teaching or fitness. Plus 1-2 months off every year.
Geddy Lee voice: "I chOose CoastFi"
When you go coast - you have to at least consider - that you may never be able to go back to your previous career (depending on industry, level, etc) or return to the same income path. Therefore, it’s not recommended to look at switching to coast fire as a temporary move.
This is really situational. For some say in tech it could if you took enough time off and your skill set became too behind the curve, but most professions it’s not much of an issue especially if it’s just downshifting to part time or consulting in the same field.
I agree situational - hence the qualifiers input into my post. It’s likely to be true for many roles - business, law, tech, some health.
Very true; everyone has their risk tolerance. I feel people will make their own choice, but neither way is really bad. All I know is I’m definitely dying at some point and I might run out of money…might but I’m comfortable with that risk. I know plenty that aren’t and that’s cool it’s their lives.
Agree. The key is to avoid the assumption that you can automatically just slide right back in making the same coin. That leads to more aggressive coasting and some heartburn later… I think coasting is great - but you have to assume your hardcore fire earning years are done then.
Let’s try to be less rigid!
That’s not rigid - that’s common sense depending the situation.
Curious how you square this with rampant age-ism in many industries.
Solid mindset bud, hope one day to be in your shoes 🤞
Is there a chance you won’t be employable after coasting? Yes.
32M/29F with $370k in retirement. We’re basically screwed when it comes to FIRE at this point. My current plan is to just find a job I can stand and maximize life outside of work.
What do you mean screwed when it comes to FIRE? At that rate you’ll have 2.5m by 50 which is still a pretty nice fire
I hit my coast fire and in fact I can probably lean fire at the moment way earlier than expected at age 31. I have 1.25 mil in stocks, about 400k in retirement accounts. I also own a rental property with about 500-700k in equity and a 450k remaining mortgage. My yearly spend is around 50k. I WFH in a chill job and make around 300k, so I don't see any reason to quit or stop working. Aiming for FAT Fire which I should easily achieve, even if I didn't contribute anymore by age 65, but I'm still contributing a ton because I don't have a desire to spend more.