It's so weird, I know that I lurked here even before I started my blog (peeking over at the stats - 2015). I recall before CeeJay and her family had children, when they still lived in the small condo and oh my goodness, their oldest is 15!!! I can't believe I've been here this long. 

I had read all about how much you should be investing in retirement but as a single parent, I couldn't even imagine that. Money was too tight back then, in the beginning. I recall a supervisor telling me to at least get the retirement match. 

I food preppped, never took out car loans, just had the mortgage, always took my raises and put them into my retirement accounts. Slow and steady wins the race. I also had a tragic loss of my father and all the inheritance and small insurance payout went straight into retirement (it was blood money 😭). That was 18 years ago and you know what they say about compounding interest.  

*I was also told that most folks spend out their inheritance within 8 years. This is shocking to me but I guess that's what folks who like to spend money do. ::shrug::: 

And I still have and some really wonderful experiences in my life, travel to NZ/AUS, Costa Rica, so it's not like I've penny pinched and lived on beans and rice my whole life but like Paula Pant says - you can afford anything, just not everything.  I truly am the millionaire next door, I remember reading that book. 

Honestly, I'm kinda shocked at where I am now, financially. Next fall, I will be switching to part time work and fully retired in 6 years. If the online calculators are correct, we could potentially have more money in retirement than what we live on right now. I'm starting to loosen the reins. We purchased a new bed, 20 year warranty. We have looked at taking our first cruise next year to Alaska. I'm starting to lean into things that I've not allowed myself to do...consider hobbies and what those might be.  I feel like the time is close at hand and because I know life can be unpredictable, I hope I can make it to the land of leisure. As I feel like I'm in the afternoon of my life and it's been good but busy and I'm ready to slow down to my own pace. My dad only had a few short years before his life was cut short, I want to live fully as I know he would want me to. Money is just a tool to get there. 

I've been feeling so much gratitude these days which is kinda incredible to me despite the current state of our country. (us) Thank you to everyone here who's shared their lives in this space.