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Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

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Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#111

Post by groktor »

baremetal wrote: post #41

I quit tech, moved to a rural area, and bought some farmland at the beginning of the year. got a couple different jobs to learn how to do things. first building polebarns and then framing houses. got to journeyman in framing last month and quit. finishing up my first barn and now i am getting ready to build a greenhouse over the winter. been preparing the soil. will be ready for planting next year. technically i didn…

funny reading stories like this as someone who grew up on a farm and knows how much hard work it is, I would drive tractors, feed cows, pull in hay, silage etc on evenings and weekends and even before school when required, from around age 11... I studied maths/sci and went into computing, and am now again coming full circle with vertical farming and controlled environments! Traditional farming is so much better for the planet than intensive farming, however, I believe it takes a certain type of person and mentality to get through it. It really is a lifestyle choice! I have also wondered how much easier farming could be if the farm didn't actually need to generate money to survive...

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#112

Post by winternett »

suifbwish wrote: post #8
jimmyvalmer wrote: post #2

It sucks to be frank. It wasn't quite my choice to take an early retirement. Despite what the pundits say, you are your job.

Actually you are what you do. People can quit their job anytime they want to; most just lack the courage and fortitude to attempt living without a solid income and utilize all manner of emotionally based arguments to make them think this is not the true reason they do just that.

Some people simply don't have a choice of whether to work or not... The difference is between being home and being homeless.

A lot of the posts in here are based on a singular view and it worries me.

Only some of us are very fortunate to be in a position where we can simply quit our job or pivot to a new way of life, but the majority of people in the world cannot do that and survive well. We should never forget the need to be able to consider walking in the shoes of others.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#113

Post by cheezebubba »

Best I can tell it's extremely situational. Depends on the person and also family/kids/environment.

A friend cashed out mid 40s but is the kind of person who doesn't stop. Did real estate, baking, landscape, had a kid, seems up for anything and quite content.

A another is wealthy enough to stop working at anytime but doesn't want to retire.

I slowly slid into retirement in mid 30s. Started out great. I sometimes work part-time and program for fun a bit. But when kid #2 and #3 came it was very difficult for me. Being retired was the saving grace that made it work at all. Now things are slowly getting better.

For me a normal day is 4-5 hours for kids, 1-2 hours walking/biking, 2-3 hours reading/programming/working. Then there is always something (doc appt, car repair, house stuff) in there somewhere.

Best part is the flexibility to do things during weekdays. Meet with friend/family for lunch, random escape room, errands.

Worst part is not having the camaraderie of good coworkers working together. I had one job that was great in that respect and gave me lasting friends. Other jobs not at all.

Financial freedom is amazing but everyone handles it differently. Best advice I have is if retirement is an option see if you can try it for 3-12 months.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#114

Post by globular-toast »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #56

My brother was a doctor and was able to take an extended hiatus for a long time. He gave me these words of wisdom that I have found true as well. “You need a job or you get weird.” Humans are built for problem solving and the struggle and the adventure of challenge. I think we need it like we need food, water, sleep, etc. I quit my job as a scientist and rolled over all my retirement into Bitcoin a few years ago. Tha…

> Humans are built for problem solving and the struggle and the adventure of challenge.

I think that's only true for some people. More generally we need to feel useful. For many people (women especially) that means caring for people, making sure they are well fed, warm etc. not problem solving or adventure.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#115

Post by [deleted] »

wahlrus wrote: post #59
baremetal wrote: post #41

I quit tech, moved to a rural area, and bought some farmland at the beginning of the year. got a couple different jobs to learn how to do things. first building polebarns and then framing houses. got to journeyman in framing last month and quit. finishing up my first barn and now i am getting ready to build a greenhouse over the winter. been preparing the soil. will be ready for planting next year. technically i didn…

I've been daydreaming about this for years. How did you get into building polebarns? And then framing houses? Who did you convince to take you on? Did you have prior experience?

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#116

Post by themdonuts »

moksly wrote: post #106
polynomial wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And HR depts are just fine with that? (taking 2-6 months off) I get the impression They prefer those who stay on the wheel, as they don't have to worry you will just decide you need to take a break from working again.

I’m not American and maybe your HR culture is different, but I have worked in enterprise sized organisations for a few decades, currently one with 10,000 employees and a relatively large HR department, and I’m curious as to why HR would get involved. If I had a valuable employee that could leave us for 2-6 months a year (without pay), without us having support issues from the absence, I wouldn’t much mind it, and if…

Yeah and actually some companies allow you to have unpaid time off (like 1 year) after you've been with them for x amount years. Companies know people need a break.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#117

Post by iSnow »

At this point, I could retire, but I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life. I feel like I have achieved all I could (which is very wrong, but that's how it feels)

I'm no longer young and I have family, so simply packing my bags and touring the world is out. Can't take my kids for a 1y world tour either, the school system doesn't allow it. Going on expeditions would saddle my wife with the full child care, something I dare not ask. Just staying at home for the kids would probably get boring.

I did like to code, but 10y in enterprise have cooled me to it somewhat and I feel my age. Just joining some OSS project to kill time isn't that great either if you just dropped your coding job.

I don't really know how to socialize and have no (next to no) friends. And those that I have, I tend to neglect for some reason.

I have some ADHD traits and the older I get, the harder I find it to focus for longer times or concentrate deeply enough to really solve challenging problems, so I doubt I'll start 3D-printing the next drone generation or rebuild a vintage car or something.

It's a weird problem to have, but I feel like not retiring so I don't bore myself to death.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#118

Post by robcohen »

Pention wrote: post #87
eric4smith wrote: post #51

30 years programming and got sick of it. Started to travel around the world 2 years before Covid. Was kind of semi retired but still CTO and directed the team on projects and issues. Then Covid hit. Now went back to work full time rebuilding systems but looking forward to jump into semi-retirement next year again. The most important thing I learned? Time. I’ll do anything to preserve time freedom. Housekeeper, transp…

I'm struggling with this thought because to me it feels that I want to become full self sustainable. Which contradicts hiring someone to do my tasks. My retirement plan (I wanna be independent by 50) is to have time to do all my chores proper and in my time. Would you say you got used to that lifestyle? Do you earn so much that it doesn't matter from an expenses standpoint? I'd I would hire someone that would be 5k a…

This is a tricky issue to struggle with, and I've done a fair amount of thinking on this. I think that it's worthwhile to become knowledgeable and capable in everything that you hire someone for. There are exceptions which are impossible, like being a doctor, but by and large I think most work is learnable. I just don't think it's okay to say "oh I'm just not a math person, or a person who does physical labor, or a person who can fix a car". Certainly, learning a variety of fields takes time and isn't economically optimal, but that's not what's important.

In the example of cleaning your own home, everyone should be able to do that barring a disability. Learn how to do it, learn to do it well, then offload it to someone else and routinely ensure you know how to do it well. I think a similar approach is useful in business as well. I think middle managers and execs give themselves way too strong of a pass on understanding how to actually do the jobs in their own company. This is partially why so many managers have almost no idea how their internal systems actually work.

Anyway, diatribe over.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#119

Post by refurb »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #83

My buddy cashed out big 15 years ago. Immediately had to pick up something in another field - he chose construction. Bought lots, hired contractors to build on the condition he could be in the crew. Studied and apprenticed and became a competent carpenter. So to each his own!

Yup. What I think id do is go and get my PhD in chemistry. I always found it interesting but left the lab to pursue a better career. You get paid a small amount and it’s intellectually stimulating so seems perfect.

Re: Ask HN: People who cashed out early and stopped working: What is your life like?

#120

Post by more_corn »

I knew an awesome software architect who retired early. He was back at work a few years later. I asked why. "Turns out I'm kinda shit at my hobbies, but I'm quite good at this." I think I'm the same way. I like the sharpness that comes of working on interesting stuff, and I've devoted the prime of my life to becoming good at tech. I like the work, but often hate some of the boss bullshit. I like the person I am when I'm focused and working on interesting work. I started doing contract work just swapping a boss for a customer changed almost everything. I'm also free to fire the rare customer who won't listen or can't get out of their own way (and I try to provide radical candor about what they can do to fix it during my exit interview). An agency has emerged around me and now we have 15 people doing the same. Email is in my profile if anyone is interested. We ask people to work at least 20 hours a week (otherwise it's not worth the trouble of onboarding). We favor competent, senior, independent people who like to build things. I don't think I'll ever retire, but I'll shift more and more into "work I love, conducted on my own terms". That being said I'm also considering a move to a rural area and want to construct a pole barn workshop. Crazy how much overlap there is here for this particular interest. Maybe it's something in the zeitgeist.
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