Regrets when you are financially free?

With less than 3 years remaining on our early retirement clock, we decided to test the 'knuckle-down' end of the work/life balance scale but it wasn't before long that we realised we were quickly becoming miserable. We didn't have the energy to spend time with family, pursue our hobbies, or continue transforming our home into the dream we previously envisaged. There was also the risk factor of a significant economic event changing enough variables to push that 3 years out to 5-10 years, which would diminish the reward of all that early effort.

For us the solution was to retreat back to a more balanced approach; dedicated family time, freedom to pursue hobbies, upgrades to the house etc. We are much happier for it and worth the sacrifice of pushing that ~3 year clock out to ~4.5 years.

 

Waiting for the day when I can purchase my Godzilla and fleet of cars. Still have my old s13 silvia in the garage, which I want to work on once I am unshackled, but happy to drive my GTI for the time being.

What I would like to have is a daily, weekender, fun/ track car, and a family car (4 wheel drive). But knowing my partner, probably only going to end up with 1 or 2 even if financially free.

 

Sounds exactly like what I'm building, all in one car Docile and comfortable to drive all week, more space inside than our Range Rover for hauling bub+dog+shop, handles better on track than my Lotus
- big brake kit
- suspension/wheel upgrades on the way
- tune, coilovers, semislicks and half rollcage in the future

 

Nice! I like the fact that GTI and Rs are almost sleepers and receive hassle free treatments from the police. In 6 years of ownership, never been pulled over for any RBTs and been waved away many times.

 

Nothing wrong with a GTI.

This is my "nice" car...



and I only bought it because wifey did this to EURO73 by driving it into the garage centre pillar the day after we moved into the new house! She put it in D instead or R ...

Otherwise, I'd still happily be driving the old girl ( Honda Accord Euro Luxury 2005)

 

Ha... they're nicer to look at than annual tax returns and offset balances....

Ok, so financial freedom. Lots of people here like to bag NRAS and cash cows, but its at times like these that I believe it SHINES over speculative strategies.

I can tell you that for the 2017/18 financial year my NRAS / cash cow portfolio paid me 450K NET. Thats AFTER migrating more than half my loans across to P&I

How's that for financial freedom?


And I've got another 7 -8 years of this .....

 

Tell us more on the breakdown of the numbers

 

PM'd.

 

Agree with what most said, of course experiences and relationships or someone to share your financial wealth is what matters to me. However, MOST important to me is being totally WEALTHY. Financial wealth is just one little aspect of that total WEALTH (for me being how I CHOOSE to spend my TIME on health, family, spirituality, social interaction, work, volunteering, giving).
Hence your attitude, philosophy, how you think, your experiences will or should dictate what is really important to you at present, as you progress in this life you will change, as life is about constant change, whether we like it or not.
So instead of comparing what am I giving up, or should I save or spend, how about you word your questions differently? Ask what would be more important at this point in time, what is my plan or goal, whether in relationship, finances, family, etc...?
You see the aim of financial wealth is so that you can choose what you want to do in your life to experience it the way you want it not to miss out!
Imagine having the freedom to spoil your loved ones, if that's what your wish to do, or having the freedom of time to spend with them?
I have no regrets, as the frugality in my early stages, now enabled me to live a complete life of my own decision making and my choosing....I know how blessed I am not being woken by alarm clock for the last 20 years or so, for being able to give more time to the loved ones, to my causes....you cannot put a price on that!
Some quotes to help you with:
- Learn how to separate the majors and the minors. A lot of people don’t do well simply because they major in minor things.
- Don't wish it was easier wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenge wish for more wisdom.
- Humans have the remarkable ability to get exactly what they must have. But there is a difference between a “must” and a “want.”
- Each of us has two distinct choices to make about what we will do with our lives. The first choice we can make is to be less than we have the capacity to be. To earn less. To have less. To read less and think less. To try less and discipline ourselves less. These are the choices that lead to an empty life. These are the choices that, once made, lead to a life of constant apprehension instead of a life of wondrous anticipation And the second choice? To do it all! To become all that we can possibly be. To read every book that we possibly can. To earn as much as we possibly can. To give and share as much as we possibly can. To strive and produce and accomplish as much as we possibly can.

Love should not be a measure of material things...rather than what my mentor said:
One of the greatest gifts you can give to anyone is the gift of attention.

 

That's Scrooge! I know people like that - property worth 10 mil, but as tight as a fishes @r$€ - incredibly frugal for the sske of it.

 

Check out Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Title speaks for itself. About his time in a Nazi camp and how he survived it.

 

OMG! I would rather stick a fork in my head...lol

 

Sounds like my wife and I. She hates her job and I am happy doing my work. We too are in Newcastle. We would both like the financial freedom and flexibility and the choices that come with that. It's not about 'things'for me

 

anyone who really wants to drive a "high" powered car.. honestly as someone who owned and still current drive a "high" power cars, unless your constantly at a track or drag strip (which means u kinda want more balance than power).. kinda overrated..i cant use 10% of throttle on the roads and on highways 30%... kinda boring tbh..

rather have something like a miata/86 where you are gonna be on full throttle between corners.. now that is fun..

others may fell different..


as for $1400 celion dion.

i flew to europe watch a football match and flew back to sydney.. done it 6 times.. and doing another this summer... this considering i lived there for 2 years. .lol.. a real addiction of mine

if you love something and can afford it, the experience is priceless..

 

It's all about how the car balances handling/fun with power. Most high-power cars need serious provocation from the right foot to feel special, as the rest of the package doesn't contribute to the occasion. That's why Miatas/86s are so popular as they have this balance spot on.

If you want to experience a proper high power car, pop down to Alexandria and try a McLaren 570S. That car matches its insane levels of power with sublime handling that makes tootling down to the shops more exciting than thrashing an 86 on a back road. Ask for Arthur

 

Back on topic, the biggest regret that I've seen in financial success wasn't my own, and wasn't even recognised as a regret by the party involved. He had dedicated so much of his life energy toward hitting his financial goals that before he knew it, he had a daughter that was almost solely raised by his wife, and a total lack of comprehension for activities outside of work. In his own words, "I don't know what I'm good at."

Life is a journey to be enjoyed all along the way, not just at the end. We all end up in the same box and it's your duty to yourself to try your hand at activities which return value that cannot be represented on a balance sheet.

It's one thing to be absent from your family; but it's another thing to be absent from yourself.

 

never been in a mclaren, but driven enough ferrari and 911.. to know what those are like.. its out of my price range.. so i wont bother.

best part about these cars are the sound... but too back too many people buy it to show of.. i doubt in australia 3/10 seen a track

back to topic.

If u reach financial Freedom but not your life's goal.

still a regret.. but people say a life without regrets is not worth living ?

for many life is more than money, doing something you love means more than doing something you hate for more $$.

 

Just gotta be at the right trackdays... Porsches doing 1:40 and McLarens doing 1:38

(Burrows Drive Days @ SMSP, invite only)

 

just as i thought.. 3/10.