Put in the effort to learn another language

Happy New Year!

Or, since I couldn’t say it properly as a young child… habbynoony! (My parents still say this to me every year)

Net worth spreadsheet. Or, realistically, just a good way to look at my overall financial picture. I don’t really care much about the net worth number.

Forgot to do my spreadsheet this weekend. Feeling like a fraud. I’m sorry FIRE gods…

Agreed. I think they’re going to hold longer than people expect. No point in burning all your ammo to fight a real recession. But I’m just a layperson.

Yeah I’ve seen projections for 100-200 basis point rate cuts in the next 12 months. I don’t know if I would expect more than 75 or so but anyway. Rates should go down.

Wife is pregnant for the first time (very early, so we’re still in the ‘fingers crossed’ stage). Definitely not ready to tell family/friends, but exciting times nonetheless!

We’re slightly older than most new parents and have been down the FIRE path for a while so we’re financially prepared, which is nice. Definitely grateful for the financial security.

Now I get to look in to 529 plans for the first time. Not thrilled that I have to use one of the ones run by the state to get the state tax benefit. Didn’t want to have to manage a separate account from my brokerage/IRA. Oh well!

I’m the same way. I basically only take on extra projects that would actually make my work easier in the long run.

I tell my wife that it’s essentially the Sims (which she loves) but with war crimes and cannibalism…

I assume there is a decent overlap between Lemmy users and gamers. What are we all playing these days?

I usually have a PS5 multiplayer game going with my old college buddy. Currently it’s Overwatch 2 with some Rocket League sprinkled in.

On PC I am once again immersed in Rimworld. Love games that can be paused at any time! Also works on both my Windows PC and Linux laptop with no issues.

sips coffee

stocks sure are cheap these days

I also have no idea what a dream job would be for me. If I have to do it and I wouldn’t ordinarily do it with my free time, then it’s still just a job to pay the bills and get me to retirement.

There aren’t many situations I would take a pay cut for, aside from protecting my mental or physical health.

It’s evenly distributed.

• 50 born 1965-1969
• 49 born 1970-1974
• 50 born 1975-1979

Point is, Gen X is PLENTY represented in Congress.

I mean… lol. Gen X makes up ~33% of the US House and ~20% of the overall population.

Meanwhile, Millennials make up 8% of the House and 25% of the population.

Yep! Everything is proportional based on the FTE.

I technically have an underlying hourly rate, but am salaried in the sense that I am guaranteed a certain number of shifts equivalent to my FTE if that makes sense. Currently my FTE is 1.0 and I work 10 shifts biweekly. 0.7 would be seven shifts biweekly and so it would be 56 hours times my hourly rate. 401k match is 6% of whatever I get paid regardless of FTE. This kinda setup is common in healthcare.

Insurance cost would rise a few bucks a month. Nothing crazy.

Non-FIRE-related question of the week:

What’s the best Halloween question costume you have ever worn (or seen)?

That would be perfect. Fortunately we’re in healthcare and our jobs are pretty accommodating to adjustments in our FTE. My wife already dropped down to 8 shifts biweekly. As the money tracker of the couple, I’m not quite ready to let of the accelerator to FIRE… (one more year 🤣)

Set my first career reduction goal on my way to RE: Dropping down to 3.5 days/week (okay, 7 days biweekly) as soon as we have our renovations paid off.

Should be doable before the end of 2024!

Something warmer at that point of the year. I guess that’s important to note when asking for advice haha. Also considering a Jamaica/Dominican Republic all-inclusive.

Looking like I’ll get a week off in January or February.

Any recommended US destinations? I prefer Hyatt hotels fwiw. May use a big chunk of points for Big Sur…