Financial Independence / Retire Early

[Jody Lee]

I’ve been trying to learn how to not let things offend me for a few years now. Making progress slowly… But I still tend to let some things get under my skin.

[_Robert_]

The things said that offend you may be nothing compared to the things that are said that you don’t know about, LOL. I gave up trying to be liked or even respected and was fine with just trying to be fair and high performming. The dreaded days when you have to fire or let people go in a layoff or the demotion of employees who aren’t getting it done. I will not miss that. The economy has been good. When it turns bad it is hell on managers.

[Glen D]

@Robert

” I gave up trying to be liked or even respected and was fine with just trying to be fair and high performing. ”

Me too, once I had been diagnosed with what used to be called Asperger’s Syndrome. (2012)

I don’t so much offend people as bore them rigid.  It’s accurate to say I have the social skills of a turnip. This includes having no small talk and an inability to ‘read’ non verbal social  cues.

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On topic:

I turned 73  this month.   Retired in 1999  because I could . It was called ‘taking a package’ and was actually voluntary redundancy. For me that  meant a full year’s salary (tax free) as  well as my super.

Australian Public Service for over 30 years.  Contributed 10% of my salary for the last decade. This was matched dollar-for-dollar by my employer.

By pure serendipity, I worked with a bloke who had  written a couple of books on Government Super. I listened  to him, doing as he advised, which was:

Because I had the choice;  Convert half of my super to a fully indexed pension.  ‘Roll over’ the other half, into investments.

The small pension plus redundancy and leave entitlements were enough to live in modest comfort until age 65.  I then qualified for a part age  pension, also fully indexed.   That meant I could live comfortably AND still have my investments.  Since that time my income has allowed 30%  of nett income as discretionary spending.

 

Caveat:

Apart from differences between countries , I ‘m atypical even in my country;

Divorced, no kids.  Own my house and car and do not use credit. I have a debit card with an overdraft facility which I’ve  never used.

Also a recovering alcoholic (18 years sober)  and ex smoker (17 years)  Nor do I gamble or go out with dancing girls.

 

 

 

 

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Glen D.

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