32 year old, hopes to semi retire by 40

@goingforgold

I am not aware of any staff in my college who have retired at 40 years. All have taken early retirement and the reduced earnings/pension that it brings. Most of my younger colleagues will never reach A pension based on your figure of €65,000. A number of them currently have a medical card.

Personally, I cannot afford to retire early. I have a mortgage that extends beyond my retirement years a mortgage that had been expected to be repaid earlier but unanticipated cuts in public sector pay and unforeseen enforced austerity measures put a stop to this .

Apologies for taking this thread off topic temporarily. I have nothing further to say on this issue.

Marion
 
The retirement fund should never be used in betting. That's just from my own perspective.
 
To thread over old ground - I am totally with Mandelbrot on what he says and can add to it.

I used to prepare the tax returns of a gambler - it was his trade.
 
This was a fascinating read this morning. Not just for the OP's outline of what he wanted to do & how he has planned for it. Also because of fella's insight into his world.
I used to think when I started working I'd want to be retired by 40. I couldn't imagine working beyond forty as it seemed ancient. Now at 41 I can't imagine being retired - I actually quite enjoy my job & have a decent work/family balance. Two kids & aspirations to move house probably put paid to the notion of retiring early as well.
That said I have seen someone in work retire recently in mid-late 40s. Obviously further up the totem pole than I am and a wiser saver & investor.

Best of luck with the plans to both PP & Fella. Having a plan & the will to carry it through seem to be key.
 
Or a luckier saver and investor, maybe?

Actually he is both wiser & luckier! Wiser because he held on to company shares over the years, I sold a lot of mine at various stages. Luckier because when he did sell the share price was at an all-time high. And being higher up the pecking order the share rewards were greater - so yeah, wiser & luckier!!!
 
peterpanics ~ you're 2 years away from that magic retirement age of 40.

Any update on how you're doing?
 
Reactions: jim
Be interested to know how Peter got on , just reading this thread again
November 13 had 250k saved
May 15 I have 290k saved and 186k in investments
34 now and feel like I would have to work really hard to retire at 40 , early retirement is more challenging than I first suspected , better start doing the lotto
 
November 13 had 250k saved
May 15 I have 290k saved and 186k in investments
34 now and feel like I would have to work really hard to retire at 40 , early retirement is more challenging than I first suspected , better start doing the lotto

There very few 34 year olds that have close to half a million in savings, you have to be congratulated. Well done!
 
Can I be your friend?
 
I am 37 and my annual expenditure is about 1.3% of the value of my investable assets. I think in theory it is possible for me to retire - ref: the "4% rule". However a change in circumstances would throw my calculations off. For example, I may wish to fund nursing home costs for my mother in the next few years and I would want to be working if I did that. Also, I am a conservative investor and think that a "1% rule" is more appropriate for me than 4%.

I am in the good financial position that I am in due to several factors:
Steady job in the public sector
Minimalism
Consistent high savings rate (usually save around 75% of net income, saving seems to come naturally to me)
Inheritance
Good luck
Being single with no children
Not smoking

Were I to retire now I think I would receive a small public service pension as a preserved benefit at age 60. With minimalism, a little money goes a long way. I generally don't count that pension in my calculations.
 
Make sure you enjoy yourself and live your life. Money is just a tool, it can't bring happiness.
 
37, single, no kids, public sector job, saving 75% of your income. Go out and get your hole, you'll be a long time dead...........
 
peterpanics ~ you're 2 years away from that magic retirement age of 40.

Any update on how you're doing?

My salary increased a good bit since my last update early in 2013, enjoying my job a lot more these days on top of being a father. It is much easier now to see myself working in current role well beyond age of 40. I spend a lot more money on myself while having a good time with family, my Savings Rate has dropped but still overall good financial habits.

Renting as before but not given up the plan to have a small hobby farm as part of a later than originally intended semi-retirement. Some part-time experience and education in this direction over the last years.

No big regrets, I think it was good for me to save hard for a decade as it gives me more options now. Maybe my earlier dream for 40 when that was years away helped me to get through the hardest years of my career.

Financial summary:
-----------------------------
Cash: 171k
Shares & Funds: 166k
Pension: 188k

Partner has about 70k seperately saved and invested.
-----------------------------

Thanks for the inputs and interest.
 
Reactions: mtk