This past summer I discovered the concept of FIRE (financial independence/retire early), purely by accident. I needed something to listen to on my 4-hour long commute from my place of work to my home ranch every weekend. My daughter installed SPOTIFY on my cellphone and added the podcasts she was listening to on a regular basis. One of them was Bigger Pockets MONEY with Scott and Mindy. And I got hooked…
You might say: “GREAT! There are millions of people who have successfully embarked on this journey or have already achieved financial independence. What’s special about your situation?” Well, to begin with, I turned 65 in 2021, which is by all standards a bit late in the game, or is it?
There are multiple blogs, books, and podcasts that provide guidance on how to build your financial independence (your “F.U. money”) starting much earlier in life. If you happen to be in your fifties, it is commonly considered a bit late of a start already. What about 65? Is it too late?
It sure is for the “early” retirement component, since 65 is the official retirement age in the US – the year when you can start receiving your full SS benefits. What about the other component – “financial independence”? Will you be financially independent living off of your SS monthly check if you quit working?
Here we need to define what “financial independence” means to you. To me, it means having the financial freedom (enough money) to support my lifestyle without constantly worrying that I could potentially run out of money at some point.
It was quite obvious that, though I lead a rather simple lifestyle, I would not be able to sustain it if I retire at the end of this school year, June 2022. The good thing is that I never planned to “completely” retire (in its traditional meaning) and sit in front of TV 24/7. I am a teacher and I love what I do. After a long soul searching, I decided to start this blog documenting my journey to financial freedom, starting today.
I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME on this journey because it is never too late!
My Latest Posts
I was born last century in the Former Soviet Union, a country that does not exist anymore. Does it make me a living dinosaur? Maybe so, to some extent…
After graduating from Moscow State University with a Masters in socio-economics and Chinese language, I landed my first job as an instructor of Mandarin Chinese at my Alma Mater. I had to work hard to excel in my new profession. With time, I was able to add some tutoring on the side along with occasional translation and interpreting gigs. I relentlessly built my portfolio and expanded my client base. I was set up for a bright future. Mission accomplished!
And then life happened… After living in multiple countries, teaching all over the world, and starting a family, I immigrated to the United States and had to start all over again. I was lucky to get my first job as a teacher of Russian and Chinese at a Texas public school. It was a part-time job paying $12,000 a year (half of a 1st year teacher’s salary in 1993). This first job was my blessing, my foundation to build upon. I took it and started looking for other opportunities. I did not look long. My motto became “where there is a will, there is a way”.
Since then I changed my career path several times, reinventing myself every single time. I had part-time jobs, low paid jobs, high paid jobs, corporate jobs, local jobs, expatriate jobs. I traveled the world and taught school at different levels in different countries. I’ve learned how to adapt, fit in, and grow in any environment while keeping my eyes open for new opportunities every step of the way. But all these adventures left me reaching retirement age without being truly prepared to “retire”, both mentally and financially.
My unique and diverse experiences have led down an unusual path to retirement. I decided to launch Retire After Retirement to share my experiences in reaching financial independence after reaching typical “Retirement” age. I am hoping that my blog will help you foresee and overcome obstacles on your way to financial freedom because it’s never too late to start your retirement journey.