year one
PORTFOLIO
The portfolio went from $1,025,772 to $1,146,164 (an 11.73% increase) after expenses. Living expenses for the year came to $36,582. This is $4768 (14.9%) over the first year targeted amount of $31,814. We generated $46,452 of income from my wife wanting to work, my old book royalties, an unexpected tax refund, and an unexpected inheritance. Our investment withdrawal was -$9870 this year (a $9870 deposit), thus our withdrawal rate was –0.76%. Without the additional income stream, our withdrawal rate would have been 3.45%. Without the tax refund, inheritance, small splurge as a direct result of the inheritance, and the delayed construction of the cabin (a measure that I consider the best indicator going forward), our withdrawal rate would have been 2.1% (3.5% with no supplemental income under this same scenario. In short, I have finally arrived at the conclusion that our COL creates an effective withdrawal rate of 2%, but it would be 3.5% without additional income.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I consider these the highlights of my first year away from work: broke three hours in a marathon, broke three hours in a marathon for a second time (including a course record and state championship victory), won a second marathon by setting another course record, set a personal record in the half marathon, set a personal record in the 1500m swim, built a cabin, saw a total solar eclipse, took a two week driving vacation, read the three longest books of my life, got around to watching every movie we own, got around to playing every video game we own, got around to listening to every album we own, wrote in my daily journal every single day without exception, tackled all of my CE requirements, became a volunteer tour guide and paleontologist assistant at the natural history museum, created an astronomy timeline exhibit for the museum, made plans to become a volunteer running coach, watched Game of Thrones, re-watched Parks and Recreation, painted for the first time, played a round of golf for the first time, grilled out for the first time, held a drunken scumbag at gunpoint for the first time, kayaked for the first time, went metal detecting for the first time, mastered the Rubik’s cube, mapped our property in detail, planted trees, fixed the driveway, made a creek in our woods, picked up a lot of litter, finished Final Fantasy XV, made monthly reddit posts on FI, and completed a 100-point gratitude list.
CHANGES
What have I done more of since leaving work? Running (about 1500 miles), swimming (now twice weekly), weightlifting (now twice weekly), volunteering (almost weekly), hiking (several treks), watching movies, solving puzzles, visiting my parents, spending time with my wife, housework, yardwork, cooking, video gaming, reading, studying astronomy, studying paleontology, napping, and doing whatever the fuck I want.
What have I done about the same amount of since leaving work? Cycling (kept focus on running), bowling (to favor a running injury), visiting friends (who are no less busy), listening to SACDs (distracted by internet), and watching television (trying to avoid too much).
The portfolio went from $1,025,772 to $1,146,164 (an 11.73% increase) after expenses. Living expenses for the year came to $36,582. This is $4768 (14.9%) over the first year targeted amount of $31,814. We generated $46,452 of income from my wife wanting to work, my old book royalties, an unexpected tax refund, and an unexpected inheritance. Our investment withdrawal was -$9870 this year (a $9870 deposit), thus our withdrawal rate was –0.76%. Without the additional income stream, our withdrawal rate would have been 3.45%. Without the tax refund, inheritance, small splurge as a direct result of the inheritance, and the delayed construction of the cabin (a measure that I consider the best indicator going forward), our withdrawal rate would have been 2.1% (3.5% with no supplemental income under this same scenario. In short, I have finally arrived at the conclusion that our COL creates an effective withdrawal rate of 2%, but it would be 3.5% without additional income.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I consider these the highlights of my first year away from work: broke three hours in a marathon, broke three hours in a marathon for a second time (including a course record and state championship victory), won a second marathon by setting another course record, set a personal record in the half marathon, set a personal record in the 1500m swim, built a cabin, saw a total solar eclipse, took a two week driving vacation, read the three longest books of my life, got around to watching every movie we own, got around to playing every video game we own, got around to listening to every album we own, wrote in my daily journal every single day without exception, tackled all of my CE requirements, became a volunteer tour guide and paleontologist assistant at the natural history museum, created an astronomy timeline exhibit for the museum, made plans to become a volunteer running coach, watched Game of Thrones, re-watched Parks and Recreation, painted for the first time, played a round of golf for the first time, grilled out for the first time, held a drunken scumbag at gunpoint for the first time, kayaked for the first time, went metal detecting for the first time, mastered the Rubik’s cube, mapped our property in detail, planted trees, fixed the driveway, made a creek in our woods, picked up a lot of litter, finished Final Fantasy XV, made monthly reddit posts on FI, and completed a 100-point gratitude list.
CHANGES
What have I done more of since leaving work? Running (about 1500 miles), swimming (now twice weekly), weightlifting (now twice weekly), volunteering (almost weekly), hiking (several treks), watching movies, solving puzzles, visiting my parents, spending time with my wife, housework, yardwork, cooking, video gaming, reading, studying astronomy, studying paleontology, napping, and doing whatever the fuck I want.
What have I done about the same amount of since leaving work? Cycling (kept focus on running), bowling (to favor a running injury), visiting friends (who are no less busy), listening to SACDs (distracted by internet), and watching television (trying to avoid too much).
What have I failed to do much of
since leaving work? Learning to play an instrument (lack of talent), target
shooting (lack of interest), improving my Spanish and Japanese (got lazy), being
able to bench press my body weight (tough hill to climb), helping fight the
opiate epidemic (burned out), going to yard sales (lost interest), reducing
internet time (too much political interest), writing a sci-fi novel (still in
planning stages), deconverting religious adherents (taking a break), stargazing
(often monotonous), cleaning up our woods (needs it), studying cartography (due
to astronomy/paleontology), painting (only twice), kayaking (only twice), metal
detecting (only twice), and camping (only once).