Early retirement / FIRE

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Go travelling, check out some options and draw up a list of what felt right. If you have a career you can take anywhere, there are so many great places to live in Australia :) It’s a great position to be in!
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I’ve heard the family thing cited about Canberra a lot... Obviously this does nothing for me, but if kids and that whole trip is your thing than maybe it works? But you can raise kids and ride bikes anywhere really, I’m looking for a bit more than that from a place to call home.

For me it’s not home and has shown nothing in 6 years that would indicate it would ever be home. Again, your milage may vary...
That's a long time to stay somewhere you don't like. You must have a very strong commitment to being miserable.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
That's a long time to stay somewhere you don't like. You must have a very strong commitment to being miserable.
Nah, just the job... It’s a cost benefit calculation I’ve made work for the most part. I feel like the job should have a remote living allowance though :)
 

damo666

Likes Dirt
I think Canberra is a pointless pile of shit in the middle of nowhere with delusions of relevance, but I get that others like it. So it’s hard to recommend options to people to who never been there...
Yep, you sound like every overpaid, self entitled public servant here.
I am genuinely surprised you dont fit in

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Haakon

Keeps on digging
Yep, you sound like every overpaid, self entitled public servant here.
I am genuinely surprised you dont fit in

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Oi. Read it again dude. Not overpaid, not self entitled, not even remotely comfortable in the madness that is public servant life. Just don’t like Canberra - I don’t have to and it’s not an insult to everyone that does. Some people don’t like Hobart either...

Sorry OP, was trying to provide some thoughts on there being variable views on anywhere and ultimately you’ll need to try yourself before buying...
 
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frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
What are your current careers/work skills? Have you looked into regional areas that one of your skills are more in demand? Coming from Sydney to somewhere less busy will feel like a semi retirement even if you are working aimilar hours. Work/life balance in Sydney is typically fucked. You spend forever getting to and from work and then the weekend comes and you are stuck in traffic trying to get somewhere you want to be with everyone else trying to do the same.
Wife would require a city with 120k+ Population. That’s more restricting than me.
We are in NZ and the work life balance is ok but we (me!) are just looking to maximise our fun times.

All the advice on each city is great, but as a few have mentioned I think we will have to sample them beforehand.

Has anyone else invested then done the shift from full time to part time, still been financially comfortable and most importantly, happier?
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Haha yeah I didn't mean to bring a shitstorm. For me it was the escape in the OP and our son was 1 when we came which along with riding, career, friends here already it lined up for my family. We bought here before house prices got silly. I had no probs finding enough partying ever. No probs finding social groups. I really truly love it here. I have plenty of deep community connections and I live a kilometre from the bush. I cross 4 roads on a 99.9% cycle path commute.

We moved here career wise because I had a business partnership break down in Sydney. I worked for one of my clients I had before the business that folded who was here, after a year was out doing my own thing as a small biz, working from home. In the IT game there was always going to be a career in this town if business didn't work out and I found the right place to work and start a career. It's going good so far.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
Has anyone else invested then done the shift from full time to part time, still been financially comfortable and most importantly, happier?
I went from full time to part time (3 days/week) when my son was born 10 years ago. We owned our house and everything in it. Still comfortable. But we were in a regional city at the time.

These days...we are single income. I've not had paid work for 18 months but M'lady is well paid. Still own our home and everything in it on the outskirts of a small country town. Still comfortable...but I've never been so busy. We've had this 100 acres for 12 months and I still haven't had time to sort out anything significant in the way of a MTB track?
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I guess this clip is what your referring to your original question.
While it all sounds good in theory it doesn't take into account that share markets are quite volatile at the moment and worlds countries and economies are clashing, and possibly housing market bubbles in Aust, NZ and Canada could burst as well.
Making investing for a income difficult to manage.
There"s a lot of people in their mid 60's going back to work because investments they counted on have lost money or value. Good paying jobs are going to be fought for and to walk away from them at this point of economic time might seem a bit crazy.
 

frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
I went from full time to part time (3 days/week) when my son was born 10 years ago. We owned our house and everything in it. Still comfortable. But we were in a regional city at the time.

These days...we are single income. I've not had paid work for 18 months but M'lady is well paid. Still own our home and everything in it on the outskirts of a small country town. Still comfortable...but I've never been so busy. We've had this 100 acres for 12 months and I still haven't had time to sort out anything significant in the way of a MTB track?
Thanks that sounds similar to what I’m thinking our future family plans could look like. I’d be the one to go part time because I’ve reached my earning potential for the next 7-10 years. Where as my wife hasn’t, so financially it’s make sense for me to stay home if we were to have kids. The lack of trail building makes me sad, can’t you put your kid to work on the shovel now anyways? ;)

Haha yeah I didn't mean to bring a shitstorm. For me it was the escape in the OP and our son was 1 when we came which along with riding, career, friends here already it lined up for my family. We bought here before house prices got silly. I had no probs finding enough partying ever. No probs finding social groups. I really truly love it here. I have plenty of deep community connections and I live a kilometre from the bush. I cross 4 roads on a 99.9% cycle path commute.

We moved here career wise because I had a business partnership break down in Sydney. I worked for one of my clients I had before the business that folded who was here, after a year was out doing my own thing as a small biz, working from home. In the IT game there was always going to be a career in this town if business didn't work out and I found the right place to work and start a career. It's going good so far.
We didn’t realise how much we’d miss living somewhere with decent bike infrastructure until we had left Darwin. I’ll always try to ride the bike because my car is a pain in the arse around the city and some prick will always try and ding it in a car park.
Canberra as I’ve mentioned before would definitely be somewhere we could make work. Although there’s way more trees on Stromboli’s now right?! I was last there for the MTB World Cup in 07

I guess this clip is what your referring to your original question.
While it all sounds good in theory it doesn't take into account that share markets are quite volatile at the moment and worlds countries and economies are clashing, and possibly housing market bubbles in Aust, NZ and Canada could burst as well.
Making investing for a income difficult to manage.
I had read about the moustache guy in one of those FIRE books. It’s definitely on the extreme end of what I have in mind however it does have some good points. Ride your bike more! We are more aligned with going down the property route as that’s the wife’s specialty. We both still have the earning capability (if required) with our current jobs for the next 25-35 years. They are both relatively stable so should be able to ride out any dips in the market because we are looking longer term. I dare say what will probably happen is once we buy or own A house would be for me to go part time and the wife can decide if she wants to do the same.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
What about the regional centres? Bendigo for example is decent these days, as is Ballarat (nicer but colder...). A bit of character and within easy reach of Melbourne - have just as much to offer as Canberra for example without being so isolated and cheaper real estate. Assume other states have something similar...
 

NUMBER5

Likes Dirt
Don't know about everyone else, but when the temp gets below 8 degrees and over 35 riding's not FUN anymore hahaha.

We did a bit of a tree change about 2.5 yrs ago up to the Hunter Valley. Weather's pretty awesome although we could do with a bit more rain. The worse season here is summer but that's only shocking for like 4-6 weeks. Even then it's still nice enough to do something late/early in the day. The winters is especially harsh, there are a few days when it might touch 0 but by lunch time you're back in a T-shirt and pair of shorts ;)- The only downside of where we are, the riding is not out the door but there is tonnes 30mins in any direction. we seem to have picked this spot right in the middle haha. On the plus side, we've got nearly 2 acres, I've built a pump track which the kids don't even ride (if only they did, the whole backyard would be full of jumps and rollers,, bahaha) :(:eek:

At the end of the day the kids/wife absolutely love it up here so that's the main thing.

IMO, the biggest thing for you guys is whether you guys decide to have kids. No kids = easy street.... Kids is opening up the box and pretty much, all bets are off hahaha.
 

Sethius

Crashed out somewhere
What about the regional centres? Bendigo for example is decent these days, as is Ballarat (nicer but colder...). A bit of character and within easy reach of Melbourne - have just as much to offer as Canberra for example without being so isolated and cheaper real estate. Assume other states have something similar...
Bendigo is rougher than ever.. Wouldn't move back there. Amount of random violence on the street (everyone I know has now been assaulted male and female during the day up there now.) Ballan would be the go, growth expected is still 10% plus as bacchus marsh grows.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Bendigo is rougher than ever.. Wouldn't move back there. Amount of random violence on the street (everyone I know has now been assaulted male and female during the day up there now.) Ballan would be the go, growth expected is still 10% plus as bacchus marsh grows.
Oh, thought it had gentrified a bit... All the hipsters must have tricked me! It was rough in the 90s when I was growing up near there!
 

frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
What about the regional centres? Bendigo for example is decent these days, as is Ballarat (nicer but colder...). A bit of character and within easy reach of Melbourne - have just as much to offer as Canberra for example without being so isolated and cheaper real estate. Assume other states have something similar...
That’s what I was thinking in regards to Toowoomba and Cairns.
Don't know about everyone else, but when the temp gets below 8 degrees and over 35 riding's not FUN anymore hahaha.

We did a bit of a tree change about 2.5 yrs ago up to the Hunter Valley. Weather's pretty awesome although we could do with a bit more rain. The worse season here is summer but that's only shocking for like 4-6 weeks. Even then it's still nice enough to do something late/early in the day. The winters is especially harsh, there are a few days when it might touch 0 but by lunch time you're back in a T-shirt and pair of shorts ;)- The only downside of where we are, the riding is not out the door but there is tonnes 30mins in any direction. we seem to have picked this spot right in the middle haha. On the plus side, we've got nearly 2 acres, I've built a pump track which the kids don't even ride (if only they did, the whole backyard would be full of jumps and rollers,, bahaha) :(:eek:

At the end of the day the kids/wife absolutely love it up here so that's the main thing.

IMO, the biggest thing for you guys is whether you guys decide to have kids. No kids = easy street.... Kids is opening up the box and pretty much, all bets are off hahaha.
Agree on the temperature front. Kids absolutely will be the biggest influence, but it’d more than achievable if we were to be on one income or go part time with our current jobs. The biggest hurdle would be the time management. Although if I had my own dirt jumps they could just sit under a shade umbrella until they’re old enough to pick up a shovel right?
 

NUMBER5

Likes Dirt
Although if I had my own dirt jumps they could just sit under a shade umbrella until they’re old enough to pick up a shovel right?
Yup!! We're at the point now where the little ones will prep, groom and water the track while I just limber up and get ready to ride........... FARKIN NOT!!!!! hahaha
 
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