Thought experiment overview: projects when FIRE'd
Let’s see what other people are going to do once they reach FIRE (based on their responses to SavingNinja thought experiment #5).
Prelude
When writing my response to the previous thought experiment I thought that it would be cool to write an overview of all the responses. Perhaps there are some patterns and peculiarities. This is my first attempt at this. Obviously I have no clue where this will go, but I will just start reading all the responses and then see.
Overview
Please find it in this Google Spreadsheet.
Conclusions / peculiarities discovered
- There were 2 ways to understand the problem statement. One is to describe what you will do once you reach FIRE somewhen in future (i.e. after your normal FIRE date). Another is to assume that you magically reach FIRE today (at least 3 responses did this).
- I forgot about some stuff when was writing my post, like reading and languages. However, this probably just illustrates that these are less important for me.
- One can use this overview to find like minded people, e.g. Sam @ A Simple Life and The FIRE Shrink would both like to do more gardening once reaching FIRE.
- Surprisingly, at least 4 responses do include part time work and only one (Marc @ Finance Your Fire) says 100% no to work.
- For some reason, learning French is very popular (at least 3 responses).
- Only one post was from an already retired author (Young FI Guy), I did enjoy their perspective.
My notes
Not sure why you would like to read them, but below all the notes I took while reading the responses.
SavingNinja
Not fired yet.
Why do people want FI? They want time (like during their childhood).
Always wanted to be a game developer, but went to mobile development for money.
Dream: having a title on Steam (or Project Stadia).
Writing a novel (an epic fantasy).
Creating my own mobile apps.
Building (shed, sawmill, barn, stables, home)
in-deed-a-bly
Not fired yet.
Describes one project to be done in the nearest future (next step for personal finance and budgeting software).
I get an impression that the author assumed that “they have reached FI today, what would they do”.
CaveMan @ DitchTheCave
Describes their experiences during Brexit vote day.
Going to the gym multiple times a week (plus possibly some sword fighting).
Going to bed whenever feeling like it, the same for waking up.
Learning. French and Spanish. Joining a choir, relearning the piano. Doing a masters degree in Shakespeare. Doing this already, but giving more time and attention after FI.
Volunteering (conservation works in the countryside).
Slow travel. Spending weeks rather than days, being able to speak the language and culture immersion.
Buying 1€ house in Italy. Training at Muay Thai camp in Thailand. Going to India or Bali to become a qualified yoga teacher.
Decompressing and understanding real priorities.
Fears. Absence of motivation to stay fit, family rejection, busy friends.
A Way to Less
Assumption: hitting FI today.
Probably continuing working part time as a transition before the trip to Africa.
Learning Swahili and others.
Sport: training better.
Spending more time with family (e.g. niece) and friends.
Reading more.
Strength training 3 or 4 times a week instead of 2 now.
Finishing learning to do handstand.
Food - interesting restaurants and trying different cuisines from around the world.
Finishing DIY projects.
After the trip, probably quiting work. Doing another trip, but to South America.
Starting a family (having a kid). Full time parent.
More slow travel. Spending more time with their partner. Improve at sports. Watch sporting events and music. Play music. Volunteer. Building a house.
Cashflow Cop
Dream of not being tied to the job.
There is a lot of usual “stuff” they could do (spending time with their wife and kids, traveling, reading, writing, learning to play piano, carpentry, photography, build our forever home, gym, hiking, learning French) but there is no point to go into this. Let’s rather consider a project, for which he will have more time and energy once FI.
Describes his childhood visit back to the country of origin 9 years after leaving for the UK.
The project is to return to the native country, but not for a holiday. Understand history and culture. Know their relatives better. Enable children to understand roots and mother-tongue.
Charity work in their birth country - helping children to get out of poverty. Probably introducing financial literacy as well.
Their wife is worried, that they will be too busy during FIRE. Family is the highest priority, especially after FIRE.
Merely curious
No precise projects, since plenty of time before FIRE to achieve them.
Programming, data analysis, making websites.
Doing projects differently - sprinting (focusing on one project).
Projects are defined very broadly (a finite chunk of work with a title).
Derailing into how to collect ideas.
Writing more in the blog, including posts requiring more time. Art (juggling with humor, learning to draw, playing music and composing). DIY - sewing. Cooking - more unusual and time consuming dishes, including for others.
Suggests to upscale current lifestyle in FIRE.
Probably stand up comedy.
Sport (everyday)
Doubt whether answered Saving Ninja question.
Giving short term examples (FIRE game, making rain-stick, FIRE calculator).
Sam @ A Simple Life
Mentioning MMM advice to see what you are doing on weekends these days and to expand it to the full week once FI. MMM suggests to think in terms of the following categories: outdoors, social, physical, generous and challenge.
More time for garden. Growing vegetables all year round. Selling some produce.
Being much more active member of existing social groups in the village. Posting more on Twitter and other social media.
Walking more. Cycling.
More direct charity helping work (once a week or once a fortnight).
Learning French and Italian.
Doubt whether answered Saving Ninja question.
Gentleman’s Family Finances
Giving advice to the readers.
More balance.
Enjoying art and culture.
Focusing on longevity.
Having passion.
Travel, trying new things, have friends.
DIY,
Don’t ask me exactly what I want to do – I haven’t a clue! But it will be fun whatever it is.
Marc @ Finance Your Fire
Initially: visiting coffee shops, practicing doing nothing, reading books, travel, contemplating, donating time (volunteering), smiling to people.
Could one get Olympic depression syndrome after FI?
Pledging not to return to earning money after FI.
Not going to work either.
Making music (electronic, DJ skills).
Drawing and painting.
Writing a book (a novel).
You shouldn’t underestimate boredom. Without it you can’t have its counterpart states.
Marc is not scared of boredom.
Traveling more with his brother (but not for the traveling sake, rather to relax, enjoy life, do nothing).
The FIRE Shrink
Participating first time.
Probably continuing working part time.
Already started projects. Learning welding and sheet metal work. Learning languages. Overlanding. More renovation projects in the UK. Grow more food, keep more animals, experiment with brewing.
Young FI Guy
Already retired. “Retire from retiring”. It is important to put up with shit in your life (like vaccinations). Complete absence of nonsense makes very minor nonsense seem worse.
Looking at part time jobs (1-2 days a week).
Fretful Finance
Not the first time participating in “thought experiment”.
Plans to travel, relax, go to theater more and enjoy leisurely lunches.
Catch up on a lot of TV (series and movies).
Part time work (a metaphysical supply store).
Volunteering for a charity.
The Rollercoaster and Theme Park blog.