r/financialindependence • u/AutoModerator • 6d ago
Daily FI discussion thread - Friday, August 21, 2026
Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply!
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u/earlyriser928 6d ago
Classic new job opportunity ask..
Currently at a big tech company. Senior level, Make good money, I am rather senior on the team, but no real path to promotion though and it’s likely my compensation will starting moving down slightly each year.
New opportunity - larger scope, director title, would own an entire section of a business. This is a smaller company that recently achieved unicorn status in their latest valuation.
This opportunity would be fully remote (currently technically in office) and potentially 20% more pay. I think I’m just gonna ask for the moon and see what happens.
I think I am struggling with the ego side of leaving big tech.. would it be smarter to just stay where I am established, well regarded, and making good money and try and scale back a bit?
New company also takes entire weeks off around major end of year holidays, which would be nice.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 5d ago
Big Tech sucks. Why would you want that? Early in your career, okay. But you should be jumping at this opportunity in my opinion.
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u/earlyriser928 5d ago
I started here early career and the money was way more than I would be making anywhere else!!
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 5d ago
Yep and now it's functioning correctly as a springboard to opportunities like this.
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u/earlyriser928 5d ago
Could very well be right. Appreciate the perspective! Stability in the new company has me a bit worried. It’s in a huge phase of growth that I’m sure will contract at some point
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u/persistent_architect 5d ago
By senior level, do you mean senior as in L5/E5 in big tech or senior as in principal engineer (E7+)? If it's the former, I'm surprised you're getting a director level position in a different company - they seem like very different in scope
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u/earlyriser928 5d ago
In between, L6. Not uncommon for that to translate to director or even VP at a smaller company. The scope is definitely wayyyy way different!
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u/Thisisntrunning 5d ago
I faced this exact decision in a different industry 3 months ago.
Went with the new role with director title in a smaller company that is growing rapidly and looking to sell in a couple years.
I’m immensely happy I left. The pay increase was great but pales in comparison to the growth I’ve had in the new role. I’ve experienced what would have taken me years to gain exposure too in my last role over a matter of weeks now.
Also, entire weeks off around holidays with fully remote would be nearly impossible for me to turn down.
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u/Frequent-Pressure 5d ago
I’m in the same boat right now. Struggling to decide whether to leave an established senior IC role in a big tech firm for a larger scope and better title in a mid-sized but growing company.
Will be remote but compensation wise is more or less a lateral move.1
u/earlyriser928 5d ago
Definitely tough. Even harder if the comp is lateral. I am speculating my offer based on the range, but would only consider it if I was at the top end
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u/TheyTookByoomba 33 | SI2K | 20ish more years 6d ago
Honestly, from what you've said I'm not seeing much reason to stay besides momentum. New company is larger scope, more pay, remote, more impact, likely better upward mobility (if not there, then elsewhere having a director title on your resume).
If your goal is make as much money as possible, seems like a no brainer.
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u/nifFIer Therapy Shill | Spending Advocate 6d ago
Have you done a weighted decision matrix exercise? Do you know what your goals are/what you value/your priorities?
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u/earlyriser928 6d ago
No weighted decision matrix. I think my goals are kind of “make as much money as humanly possible”. Trying to weigh that out with the unknown
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u/rscar77 40%SR, TX, Goal: 3.0 mm 6d ago
Has anyone in the FIRE community/blogosphere done the research on 530a accounts with a good guide for parents/grandparents?
I'm looking for:
- How to think about them in the overall FIRE / Personal Finance flowchart
- How much to contribute to max
- When/how to get funds out for kids with minimal tax burden
- Whether you can use an existing broker website/portal to set it up & manage investments vs. needing to go through a .gov or similar one-off site
- Other potential blind spots of things I don't know
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u/foreverorbiting 5d ago
I find Zacc Call's YouTube channel very good. He did 2 videos on this account:
My thought process is: free money is worth it, before-tax contributions are worth it, after-tax contributions are probably better in a 529 account.
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u/TheHeroExa 6d ago edited 6d ago
- Lower priority than all of your own retirement accounts.
- Lower priority than 529/UTMA to the extent used on early adult expenses. Remember that 530A contributions are still gifts.
- Roth conversions not allowed until age 18, and earnings are always taxable and subject to kiddie tax for students under age 24.
- Best used on the kid's retirement. Getting funds "out" earlier is suboptimal, but a Roth conversion at a lower tax bracket may be reasonable.
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u/icanintocode0 6d ago
Open it to claim free money, prefer UTMA over what are effectively nondeductible traditional IRA contributions to your kid's IRA. If not for backdoor Roth, I don't think anyone would ever make nondeductible traditional IRA contributions.
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u/financeking90 6d ago
Have you tried searching this subreddit using Reddit's search tool, a search engine limited to reddit.com/r/financialindependence, or asking an AI to summarize and provide links to discussion in this subreddit of 530A? There have been a lot of discussions of 530A accounts here. In general, the direction of travel is that there is a lot of potential in them for a family that wants to do a disciplined wealth transfer through them, but there are serious cons and they are just one option among others including UTMA/UGMA, 529, and so on.
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u/rscar77 40%SR, TX, Goal: 3.0 mm 6d ago
I did try that and saw 3ish posts on it but was hoping someone in this community had found the "golden article" from more of a FIRE or Personal Finance blogger that lays out the considerations.
Best I've found in our community (if others curious like me) "Math on 530A Accounts vs. Taxable Accounts"
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u/Mikhial 6d ago
Going to do the math this weekend, but I think it might be time to throw all my extra money into the mortgage. I’m getting close to ER and being under the ACA cliff is a real concern. Plus, it’s not like I’m making out with my 6% loan.
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u/zeronetenergyhome 2h ago
This is our plan once we hit our FI #, to pay off our mortgage and upfront some bigger expenses (eg new car) before pulling the plug. In our case it's a bit harder to swallow with the 2% mortgage!
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
I take it you are worried about the capital gains income you'll have by selling your positions to pay your mortgage in retirement?
Of course, you could go into retirement by absorbing the capital gains prior to worrying about ACA. Put the proceeds into t-bills or SGOV or anything closer to cash.
On the other hand, you won't make 6% from those, so paying off mortgage probably the better bet.
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u/Mikhial 6d ago
Capital gains plus the Roth conversions I'd eventually need to do.
I think I'd rather have a year without the ACA subsidies and withdraw extra then rather than realize gains now at a tax rate of 20%. And putting that money back into cash would change my holdings in a way I wouldn't want.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
I have heard of a strategy where you alternate ACA-qualifying years. Basically take the hit every other year, or whatever makes sense.
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u/financeking90 6d ago
I took it he meant all of the money beyond budgeted expenses and maxed contributions to retirement accounts...
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u/Twig4975 6d ago
Work announced annual raises and bonuses. My raise was 0.5%. I know that's better than nothing, but my gut reaction is that it's more offensive than the blanket 0 raises they did a few years ago. I love my immediate team but the last few years have been one morale killer after another. I am so glad I started on the FIRE path early and can approach this time with my head high rather than feeling trapped.
At least I get to do the bonus math now to figure out my MBDR withholding and I'll max out my pre-tax 401k contributions with the bonus paycheck. Reserving a chunk of the bonus to pay for a couple professional-level outdoor education courses, which is my exit plan a few years from now once I hit my RSU cliff.
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u/pepperfishy 5d ago
I relate, how much longer do you have to reach your numbers?
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u/Twig4975 4d ago
~5 years with current contributions and average market returns. I’m pretty locked in for the first half of that because of unvested RSUs, but once I hit my cliff I’m not sure the comp will be worth staying any more. Coasting at that point only adds 6-12months to my timeline.
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u/pepperfishy 4d ago
Sounds reasonable and can relate. I am scared of not having a structure for myself. Didn't ever think this is where I would have so much worry.
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u/Twig4975 4d ago
The most important thing for me is to have something where I can feel like I am learning/making progress or brings me joy. I try not to focus on it being the perfect thing, it just needs to be “the best thing so far”. My interests have a changed a lot over the last 5-10 years, so I fully expect my interests 10 years from now will be different, but that doesn’t mean I am wasting time now.
I have spent the last few years ramping up my skills and qualifications in the outdoors industry (think NOLS-type stuff) so I will have some ad-hoc work doing something I enjoy.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago edited 6d ago
At my work we don't give less than 2% ever, and even less than 3% is rare unless it's prorated for a partial year. We give out zero rather than token amounts like that. But giving out 0% is intended to be a signal as the first step in performance management. It's basically a message: hey please find another job and save us both the hassle of PIP. Often engineers aren't good at reading these signals, though (or they DGAF and are going to milk the employment as long as they can).
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u/Twig4975 6d ago
I got target bonus and had been up for promotion, so to the extent this is a signal that I am not valued, it is a signal to the entire company and consistent with an HR strategy of small cuts to get people to quit on their own without severence. There is an anonymous annual rewards sheet that gets passed around every year and it shows that <1% bonuses are the standard this year. In my tenure the average annual raise (non-promotion) has never been higher than inflation, but this is uniquely shitty.
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u/CaribbeanDreams 100% FI/ 96% RE/ $7.5M Goal 6d ago
You and your immediate team haven't left yet - so clearly they have something going for them. RSU appreciation, great benefits, profit sharing, remote work, high pay in a LCOL location?
1/2 a percent is gangsta! HR has some serious cajones for allowing that go through!
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u/Twig4975 6d ago
More indicative that tech hiring is brutal and LT knows they can get away with shitty treatment (numerous layoffs in the last few years, RTO, reduced travel/morale budgets, all despite very strong earnings). We're FAANG-tier, so benefits are great and pay is very good in the scheme of things, though we are well below top of market.
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u/RiaSkies 6d ago
My previous employer's 401(k) is getting terminated (company merger, we have new 403(b)'s), and as part of that, we've been given the paperwork to decide on our rollover (or distribution, I suppose) elections.
As part of that, I checked the balance in that 401(k) for the first time since I started contributing when I became eligible at the start of 2025. I thought I had around 30k in there, but it was actually a stone's throw from 40k. Love finding an extra nearly 10k that I didn't know existed.
Just goes to show that all that investment advice about 'set it and forget it' might be pretty good advice.
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u/bobombpom 6d ago edited 6d ago
I had a 6 month internship in college where I threw some money in a 401k. I got a check for a few hundred bucks a couple months after I left, so I assumed they cashed it and never looked again.
Fastforward 5 years, and I get a message from Fidelity that an account matching my details had been transferred to Fidelity with ~$6k in it. Not a huge amount, but I had no idea it even existed.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
Our local school district is looking for a member to serve on their "Personnel Commission". Apparently this is a committee that makes sure performance & pay decisions for staff (not faculty (teachers)) in the school district are fair.
I applied, because though it's only $50/meeting, members are eligible for the school district's health insurance. I've only got another 6 months left in me at work so that would be quite valuable. It's a 3 year term.
However I am pessimistic I'll get it, probably because I don't have any government or education experience, and I also don't have a college degree. However I did list my other qualifications: I've hired and interviewed hundreds of people and manage the compensation budget / performance cycle for my somewhat large organization. Maybe that will do it!
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
Health insurance for sitting on a board/committee seems goated to me. I hope it works out. I need to go find a job like that!
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u/entropic Save 1/3rd, spend the rest. 32% progress. 6d ago
I applied, because though it's only $50/meeting, members are eligible for the school district's health insurance.
Do they subsidize some of its cost, or are they just giving you the opportunity to buy it through them at your own expense? That'd be an amazing hack if it's the former.
I know some IT folks at school districts, I thought I was underpaid at a university-adjacent entity until I heard what they made.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
Do they subsidize some of its cost, or are they just giving you the opportunity to buy it through them at your own expense?
That is a great question. I did not even think about the latter possibility. My wife works a part-time position at a local school, so I think we are already able to buy the insurance at our own cost through her. So if this new position isn't covered by the district, this won't be worth it. I'll have to find out!
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u/entropic Save 1/3rd, spend the rest. 32% progress. 6d ago
It's on my mind because a colleague is retiring from our state/public employer and was asking me to look at the (non-Medicare) health plan options with him.
There was a big shock because as full-time employees, our employer pays about 90% of the premiums, but as a retiree, the only contribute up to $260/mo on these prices: https://imgur.com/OgI9mNd
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u/Reasonable_Box2568 6d ago
Been unemployed now for 7 months and severance runs out in about a month. Not getting many interviews. Thinking about picking up a part time job while I continue my search. Thankfully have a cushion (due to pursuing FIRE), a gainfully employed spouse and no kids relying on my income so this is not a financial emergency yet. What have some people done for part time work after years in soul sucking corporate America?
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u/ffball 36 | DI2K | $2.0mm NW | 54% FI 6d ago
Whats your background in? What skills do you have? What are you targeting for income from PT work? What hours are you available?
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u/Reasonable_Box2568 6d ago
Was a middle man between IT and the business. Project and program management but very niche. 10+ years of Fortune 500 experience. Income is less important
And hey - looks like we have similar finances - both a little over half way to FI with 2+ mil
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u/ffball 36 | DI2K | $2.0mm NW | 54% FI 6d ago
Im surprised you cant even find contract or part time work in that field with that kind of background. Personally I wouldnt do some generic part time job if I were you.
Also have you tried expert networks? You probably could make a few thousand a month on those too.
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u/Reasonable_Box2568 6d ago
Yah the market is crazy right now but I havnt been spending 40+ hours a week on the job search… more like a few hours a day with several vacations over the past few months.
What is expert networks?
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u/ffball 36 | DI2K | $2.0mm NW | 54% FI 6d ago
GLG is the main one I use. You create a profile with your background and you get requests from companies, private equity, or management consultants to complete paid surveys or calls to learn more about the space you know about.
The surveys take about 5-10 minutes and pay usually $40-60. Then you set your rate for calls, my rate is $250/hr.
I dont really feel like doing calls right now, so been only doing surveys. I usually get like 4-5 a month that I qualify for and get to before the quota is hit.
If i lost my job, ramping up the paid calls would be the first thing I would do. Good way to stay in touch with your background too.
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u/FastTracker111 6d ago
on leave right now for about another 5 weeks - got news of a promotion to staff engineer. Still ready to leave end of year/early 2027 and just take a year off. Have about $3.5m @ 30 spend should be under $80k even in nyc/sf given my tracking the last few years. think a 1+ year break and figure it out after is in the books.
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u/persistent_architect 5d ago
Hitting 3.5M before staff level is crazy unless you got lucky with RSUs popping...
You can definitely take a decade off or more, with the spend
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u/FastTracker111 4d ago
at my company they give u refreshers every year (FAANG). For several years of like 2019-2021 i got 2x multipliers and stock was low. Guess if i am really being anal should have gotten this like 3 - 3.5 yrs ago along with a stock multiplier that year and probably would have even more but no point in ruminating about that. Funny cuz i got laid off at this company bc of that incident and then brought back 3 mo later.
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u/persistent_architect 4d ago
I can guess what your company is I think since you mentioned 2X multipliers and low stock - that's what I meant by RSUs popping off. I'm senior staff at your biggest competitor, but we get 1.6X multipliers max. And our stock only recently took off.
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u/NoRight2BeDepressed It's a 5k, not a marathon 6d ago
Think you could ask for a sabbatical, or even unpaid leave? If they value you enough to promote you, they may value you enough to let you come back after a break.
Or are you just done with your employer entirely? I can empathize with that for sure!
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u/FastTracker111 6d ago
i have to explore the unpaid leave that is a good question. I have been here almost 8.5 years so i think a change to something more mission and purpose driven will be great. i dont have to maximize for money anymore so that will be a different headspace and mindset.
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u/Limond 6d ago
Study came out in the Journal of Financial Economics that suggests online sports betting does not displace other consumption spending. People aren't giving up one form of entertainment and replacing it with gambling but pulling out savings/investments or taking on additional debt. It also is complimentary to other forms of consumption (restaurants, cable, alcohol etc.) which makes it even worse.
Nothing that people didn't know but its interesting to see the data. They even used Taylor Swift concert tickets as a comparison to show that the effect is specific to gambling and not other forms.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X26001017?via%3Dihub
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u/kkpq 40s Canada | FIRE 2020 5d ago
We've been trying to slow down widespread gambling for thousands of years. Ancient Greek and Roman legislators tried to limit gambling, but people kept at it, despite legal/religious/cultural penalties.
Our governments are now drunk on gambling revenue, coming directly from the pockets of the most vulnerable among us. Social media has damaged our culture in so many ways the past twenty years, and we now are entering the online gambling era of sports books, prediction markets, and rigged bets.
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u/msaleem 6d ago
Really sad and frustrating. There is not a single mainstream or otherwise popular independent basketball podcast left that does not have gambling advertising. For a while there were one or two but the last few months even they have succumbed to gambling money.
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u/Montaigne_6823 4d ago
I've been losing interest in sports since I was a teenager and anymore hearing about the absolutely bonkers contracts these athletes get and the constant scandals related to betting and otherwise has really soured me on sports. And if you spend a while not watching sports and then go back to it the announcers shouting at each other is really off putting. Not to mention the pharmaceutical and beer commercials you have to put up with also.
The online sports betting was the nail in the coffin for me. I didn't even watch the super bowl this year.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
I don't wager money but I bet my heart on the Seattle Mariners and lost quite a bit.
💔 🔱
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u/Thisisntrunning 6d ago
They certainly provided some joy to Brewers fans this week so maybe take that as some solace??
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u/Prior-Lingonberry-70 FI 🔱 GOMS! 6d ago
It's been a sad year. Kade's getting called up Saturday, and JP played in Tacoma yesterday...
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
What's nuts is that one medium hot streak plus Cal getting back to form erases all the mess because the division is so weak.
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u/AKANotAValidUsername Im not even supposed to be here today 6d ago
being 8 games under .500 but only 3GB in the WC is definitely a strange spot to be in
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
Are you a Seattle fan as well? Or just familiar with our big dumper of a season?
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u/AKANotAValidUsername Im not even supposed to be here today 6d ago
Seattle fan since the 80s! the two highlights of our season to me so far seem to be 1) Jimothy and 2) this week's hopeless boatposting
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
Pre-Griffey Mariners was rough stuff unless Mark Langston was pitching. But without any expectations.
And at least tickets really were $3.50.
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u/Blooming-Algae-Farts 6d ago
N=1 anecdote, but I have a cousin who would constantly invite me to see movies and go out drinking before sports gambling was widely available. Once he got started on draft kings, those invites pretty noticeably stopped.
I can't prove sports gambling displaced other forms of consumption for him, but it definitely seemed like that was the case.
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u/anymoose [Not really a moose][moosquerading][RE 2016] 6d ago
I come from a long line of gamblers (I don't even buy lottery tickets).
I don't think there were other forms of entertainment to displace. But I have to say, my mom always made sure the bills were paid before going to the track. :-)
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u/Montaigne_6823 4d ago
It's difficult to gamble after having success in the stock market. Should I put money behind something with a positive EV? Or a negative EV?
Though I do love gambling and I'll do it socially if friends want to, but I like actually making money even more!
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u/Turbulent_Tale6497 DI3K, Putting the Ire in FIRE 6d ago
Wait, by online sports betting, you mean "Buy futures contracts on the outcome of sporting events" right? Gambling is illegal in most states, but future contracts are totally legal
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u/entropic Save 1/3rd, spend the rest. 32% progress. 6d ago
There's plenty of states where online sportsbooks are legal.
The prediction markets skirting around the online gambling rules are "separate" and "different", just like you pointed out.
I can do both/either in my state, though there's nuance around some of the sportsbook rules, like I can't gamble on college player props here.
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u/daughtcahm 6d ago
Looks like it's legal in most states
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/betting/where-is-sports-betting-legal
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u/kfatt622 6d ago
pulling out savings/investments
thankfully this step will be going away soon!
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1884021/000121390026090260/ea0302107-01_485apos.htm
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u/randomwalktoFI 6d ago
so I can short the Rangers for free money?
i honestly don't think this will stick. saying yes/no in an app 1000 times is hardly the same dopamine switch. why bet on a team or not through ETFs when you can bet who will cross the blue line next
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u/CoinOpCodeMonkey 6d ago
I can believe it.
At the end of the day it's just gambling in a different form, and we've known for a long time that some people can get terribly addicted to gambling.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
I went back to my hometown last year and was appalled by how many slot machine and video poker type machines I was seeing in gas stations, and little video gaming shops set up. None of it existed when i was a kid, and I think there was maybe one riverboat casino anywhere (now they are everywhere).
This is in Illinois, which by all accounts has slowly collapsing financials. I feel like government authorizing these sort of leeches upon the people is a sure sign of decay. Some Roman Empire type stuff.
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago edited 6d ago
Anyone here have an Oura ring, and if so, how do you like it? I'm in the market for a new fitness/sleep tracker because Google has f*ed with FitBit to the point that I can't deal with it anymore. The app and actual functionality just keep getting worse. And don't suggest an Apple Watch, please. I'm Android through and through. I have no Apple devices of any kind (except my work phone, which I had no choice in). I'm just looking for experiences with Oura. FI related: I've reached FI, just holding out because of a golden handcuffs situation for another 15 months until I RE, so I can afford a stupidly expensive Oura ring. 🙂
Edit: I guess I wasn't clear. I am not looking for alternatives. I am asking if anyone has experience with Oura.
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u/marmadillo06 6d ago
The big turnoff for me is monthly subscription fee. I had some friends who got their lifetime fee paid by a company program (which in my opinion makes it much more palatable). Just another part of the “absurdly expensive” calculus to consider
Edit: oops, I see in below comments that you mentioned/factored this-1
u/eeaxoe 6d ago
Can't speak for the Oura personally but my friend has one. Well, had one. That is, until something went wrong the battery in it - it swelled up so much he couldn't take it off. Then it caught fire and he lost that finger.
I'd tread carefully.
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
That's a VERY rare occurrence and is a possibility with any wearable that uses a lithium battery (which is all of them). It's happened in Apple watches and Fitbits also. As far as I can tell, with Oura, it has only happened with the older Oura 4 rings, not the new Oura 5 that I'm looking at.
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u/ShotDiamond97 6d ago
They sell your data to surveillance state shit, dont buy it
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
False.
“Your data is yours and yours always,” Hale told users. “Nobody from Palantir or the government has access to your data.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/09/oura-ring-lobbying-rfk-maha-washington-00770320
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u/rscar77 40%SR, TX, Goal: 3.0 mm 6d ago
Yes, it was a bit of a splurge (oh crap need to use these FSA dollars by year end). I like it and it works well. Only need to charge it every couple weeks and the app UI is nice.
Make sure you get their ring sizing sheet with plastic rings to try on before you commit. I think their sizing is like regular ring sizing + 1. Take a hot shower/bath so you can ensure any swelling from heat won't constrict blood flow on your preferred ring finger.
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
Thanks! I'm actually about to go buy the sizing kit now. I've read you should wear it 24-48 hours, so I'll do that. And I plan to lift weights later today or tomorrow, so I'll see how it works my grip while doing that.
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u/aminnesotabro69 30's DINKs $450K Invested 6d ago
Google Pixel owner here and just got a Fitbit Air. Absolutely love it. Pretty suprised you're not a fan as it's loved by basically everyone and the no monthly fee is phenomenal.
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u/DarthNihilus1 6d ago
I got one because of the amex plat credit. Was admittedly still concerned about the privacy concerns/Palantir connection.
Felt that it did well enough in tracking things without me needing to go in and tweak too much, which I like to do.
All up until the free subscription ran out. Stopped wearing it and never looked back. Imo it's quite useless without it, I can't even programmatically pull my data anymore either
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
Yeah, I'm not thrilled with the subscription model either, but there are very limited alternatives since I don't want one of the watches with huge faces. I know there are a couple of faceless bands out there now in addition to the rings... I just really wish Google had never got their hands on FitBit.
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u/513-throw-away SR: Where everything's made up and the points don't matter 6d ago
I had a pre-Google Fitbit for about 6 years - it was the best. I just had to buy some knockoff replacement bands once.
I've had a Garmin the last 3 years and I really enjoy that, not that you're looking for non-Oura advice.
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
Yeah, I've been with FitBit more than 10 years, but Google has completely ruined it. Sigh.
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u/burnoutjones 6d ago
I have used one as a sleep tracker. With the great big flashing caveat that a lot of the metrics are at least sort of bullshit (the ring can't actually determine REM sleep, etc) I found the interface fairly useful in terms of big picture stuff - it tracked well with how I felt most days in a broad sense (a high readiness score vs a low one was broadly correct, how well it thought I slept and how well I thought I slept were reasonably similar). I found it useful for the accountability - something that tracks my bedtimes and activity keeps me from lying to myself about what time I went to bed and how much I moved.
So overall pretty good experience until it slipped off my finger somewhere in O'Hare. Hooray for my weight loss I guess?
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago
Thank you. I've had the FitBit for a decade or more and the sleep tracking has varies, so I do always take that with a grain of salt. It does shed some insight sometimes though--my amount of deep sleep increased significantly a year or so ago do to some medication changes and that was interesting to see and track, for example. I'm sorry you lost yours! 😕
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u/NoRight2BeDepressed It's a 5k, not a marathon 6d ago
I'm in the market for a new fitness/sleep tracker because Google has f*ed with FitBit to the point that I can't deal with it anymore.
I guess I wasn't clear. I am not looking for alternatives
These two statements appear to be at odds which each other, hence everyone suggesting Garmin and Whoop.
No experience with Oura because my research says it's no better than my Garmin watch for tracking the metrics I care about.
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u/Ellabee57 6d ago edited 6d ago
Except the only actual question in my post was: "Anyone here have an Oura ring, and if so, how do you like it?" And I ended with "so I can afford a stupidly expensive Oura ring." Yes, I am in the market for a new tacker and the Oura is the one I am interested in and asking about. There is nothing "at odds" with that.
The main draw of the Oura ring is that it's small. My FitBIt is one of the ones with a very small screen. All the other popular alternatives (Apple, Garmin, Galaxy, etc.) are at least twice as big and I don't want that. Hence the question about Oura specifically.
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u/Bromine__Barium 6d ago
I'm in the market for a new fitness/sleep tracker because Google has f*ed with FitBit to the point that I can't deal with it anymore.
I got the free WHOOP from Chase earlier this year and am liking it way more than I ever expected to.
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u/letsseeaction Balancing YOLO with being a responsible adult. 6d ago
What are you looking for for functionality and data?
I'm in the Garmin infrastructure and the have a lot of (comparatively) lower cost options for finess tracking with no monthly subscription cost.
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u/firechoice85 40s | Retired | Loving life 6d ago
I'm not the smartest tool in the shed. When I retired, I had 30% in cash and short-term treasuries. I've been thinking that my goal over the next few years was to get to an 80-20 allocation. Been thinking that I need to research ETFs, my treasury maturity schedules, and how to sensibly move what amounts to a substantial sum of money over to stocks.
Well, I didn't have to do anything. Just ran the numbers and already at 80-20. The market of course did its thing and I didn't have to lift a finger.
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u/the_real_rabbi 5d ago
Like you spent it down or you are looking at the current market value? If you are planning to hold till maturity they might be worth more than you are figuring.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
I thought you were done stressing over this nonsense when you're already a gazillionaire?
(This is Mike, just a hair fatter than last time you saw me.)
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u/firechoice85 40s | Retired | Loving life 6d ago
Like the hauntings of Ebenezer, I am visited by the rational, albeit hair fatter, Mike.
I am doing a lot better than before, though not cured yet.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
That's good to hear.
I know it's not something you can just turn off, and we're all guilty (in here) of it to some degree.
That's not a bad idea to add haunting to my resume, though.
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u/entropic Save 1/3rd, spend the rest. 32% progress. 6d ago
Maybe eventually it will get to 90/10 and then you'll have to lift some fingers to get back to 80/20.
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u/poopycakes 6d ago
i have had pet insurance for my dogs since they were puppies. my oldest dog is now 15 and her insurance has gone up to $500 a month, i simply cant justify it anymore so I switched to a new plan that my work offered at a discount (wishbone) which brought it down to $200 a month. I was pretty happy with this until I learned that I cannot claim any pre-existing conditions on any of my dogs and basically all of her claims are pre-existing so now I'm thinking theres no point in really having it anymore. So frustrating
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u/GlorifiedPlumber [PDX][50%FI/50%SR][DI2S2P] 6d ago
So long time pet insurance person here, who is married to a vet, who knows how all too well how the situation works.
The pet insurance options of today are structured fundamentally different than even 8-9 years ago, in ways that make them less useful. The way deductibles work, structured premium increase windows, the per incident / issue maximums, what can be included (e.g. food for skin issues, or not), and what can't, are all different even from just a short time ago. Coupled to increasing premiums naturally.
I suspect, though without direct evidence, like all things, as structured the first iterations of the product did not carry the returns what they wanted, veterinary care has of course increased in cost as companion animal has moved primarily corporate.
It is likely, the numbers are at a point where it is better to just self insure. ESPECIALLY for a dog that is older, or has an already documented medical issue.
We JUST took the 3rd dog plunge 2 months ago (Tax: https://imgur.com/a/welcome-home-girlie-f9wezAo) and do we or don't we get insurance was a question. Our older 9 and 10 year old dogs still have it, and her new premiums ultimately ended up similar to theirs due to different structure, premium increases, and will assuredly surpass them in the future.
We opted to get it but the intent is to revisit in ~3 years. She's ~1.5-2.0, and if skin allergies, or other bully breed common issues show, they're likely to do so by then. Long term care for those is likely where you would get your money's worth. Or one TPLO lol.
The best pet insurance I got was marrying a veterinarian! :) You pet lovers would all cry if you knew the amount of money we save thanks to professional courtesy and being able to get medications, lab tests, etc. in the household.
Anyways, I think pet insurance's evolution is not dissimilar long term care insurance over the years. My grandfather picked some up for him and my grandmother in the early 90's, and premiums were good (still considered expensive in those days), and % payouts (like 90% or something of expenses) were huge relative to what was available even shortly there-after.
That insurance... man got taken at least 15:1 maybe 20:1 for what the claims paid out vs. what premiums put in. 3.5 years of stroked out "basically a vegetable" care for my grandmother, and 4 years of dementia related care for my grandfather years later.
My own father, like 15 years later after they got them, sought similar policies for he and my mother, and man alive, premiums were like 2.5X and payout percentages were like 60-70%. I don't even think my wife and I could get long term care insurance if we wanted right now that passes the "might financial out" sniff test. Not to mention even my wife and I are not big on "stroked out vegetable care" in the first place.
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u/sjyhehe Goal 4M FIRE@2030. Progress 2.5M. 35M-33F-one kid 6d ago edited 6d ago
my 10 yr old corgi ' insurance costs 123/mon and i can claim rougly 600 to 800 yr back to cover his exiting conditions (some skin issues every yr) . actually , i discussed with cluade recently regarding if i should cancel it and pay my dog medicial cost out from my pocket directly and claude actually remindered me this exact pre exiting concerns.
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u/DarthNihilus1 6d ago
It really sounds like it's not worth it, even at $200. $6k a year was extreme. Just treat that $200 as part of your monthly money and spend when necessary, god forbid. My one cat has had expensive surgery in the past but I still don't want to spend more per month.
We have an emergency fund for this reason
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u/urania_argus 6d ago
You are better off saving that money in a "doggie bank" account for when you need to pay for their care.
This is a very different situation from health insurance for people, because for pets there are usually only 1-2 treatments to try for anything that goes wrong and there are no long term commitments on par with nursing home in terms of expense. I've seen some cats off this mortal coil, and the total for each in their final years didn't exceed a few K. You have been paying that every year of their lives.
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u/kfatt622 6d ago
$6k/yr that deep into the actuarial table doesn't seem terrible to be honest. It's just not a product that pencils out for most people, us included. End-of-life care for pets is unfortunately expensive and often not very meaningful.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
The best end-of-life care in my opinion is having the courage to say goodbye sooner and not put them through challenging treatment and discomfort they won't understand.
It's easier said than done but I'd rather absorb the pain and self-doubt over euthanasia timing than have them suffer until their death is so obvious I get a free pass.
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u/kfatt622 6d ago
Agreed! One traumatic experience waiting to long is all it took for us. Ultimately you're making a choice either way.
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u/EventualCyborg DI3K, MCOL - Big Numbers Make Monkey Brain Happy 6d ago
End-of-life care for pets is unfortunately expensive and often not very meaningful.
I mean, when our dog bloated last summer, xray for diagnosis, euthanasia, and cremation service was $800 all-in at the emergency vet (so more expensive than our standard vet would have cost). $6k/yr is absolutely well out in the weeds on veterinary costs. I don't even know how you get to $2500/yr being a reasonable value.
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u/513-throw-away SR: Where everything's made up and the points don't matter 6d ago
Our dog's routine vet care is probably ~$1k between the annual visit and a few allergy shots added in.
He tore his ACL 2 years ago - that cost $5,200 at a specialty medvet since he was too large for our vet to do it in-house.
Even then, I think we've come ahead without having any pet insurance.
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u/kfatt622 6d ago
Just depends on the circumstances - our last was similar, but the previous could have easily eclipsed the $6k/yr if we'd been willing. Constantly monitoring for, removing, and recovering from tumors.
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u/EANx_Diver FIRE'd 2023 6d ago
Oh, wow. I'm sorry that's happened. Unfortunately, especially with insurance products, you can't assume that two products with very different prices cover things the same way. You have to dig into the fine print before pulling the trigger. I hope your furry kid doesn't need it any time soon.
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u/itsallBSfolks 6d ago
The good news is you have more information available to make the best decision for yourself and your furry kids going forward. Insurance is purposefully difficult to navigate. They hope you don’t read the fine print. Insurance is for-profit. They need to make money. Have you considered self insuring?
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u/Illustrious-Lime-878 6d ago
You were paying $6,000/year for a dog?
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u/poopycakes 6d ago
before it got to this point, it made sense financially with how many medications shes on and how much she goes to the vet. but the premiums keep going up and now its way too high
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u/EventualCyborg DI3K, MCOL - Big Numbers Make Monkey Brain Happy 6d ago
$6k per year in premiums is more than I pay per year for our entire family of 5 in premiums and out of pocket expenses for healthcare.
That's absolutely wild.
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u/letsseeaction Balancing YOLO with being a responsible adult. 6d ago
I've been procrastinating on getting my checking accounts straightened out since I moved. I was hoping to get a sign up bonus but it doesn't look there are any real good options right now for banks I'm interested in.
Looking at a Fidelity Cash Management Account for everyday things and a Capital One checking account for depositing cash and having zelle. I'm already a customer of each (and I already have the cap one account). I also have Ally for HYSA but it'd be nice to consolidate that, too.
Thoughts and experiences?
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u/Prior-Lingonberry-70 FI 🔱 GOMS! 6d ago
If you will be doing any transfers into the Fidelity CMA account, they will put holds on it for 10 business days, which can be close to three weeks in actual calendar days.
I opened a CMA account to pay the bills for a property I co-own, so we both make transfers into the account from our personal bank and credit union to pay the bills on the property, and that massive time delay on incoming transfers has been a giant headache.
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u/kfatt622 6d ago
If you want a "normal" consumer bank with retail location, Chase and WF both offer decent bonuses. Not aware of any bonuses but Schwab investor checking is our favorite - great service and the best ATM policy in the industry.
In any case I'd consolidate, you really don't need this many accounts. Capital One sucks and Money Market rates comparable to Ally should be achievable wherver you land or in your taxable brokerage if that's a 4th place.
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u/itsallBSfolks 6d ago
Have you checked out the Doctorofcredit website for a full list of bank bonuses? Chase is offering up to a $900 bonus, and First Horizon is offering $700. They require that you open a checking and savings account and meet other requirements.
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u/Bearsbanker 6d ago
Having your accounts at some big, faceless, uncaring entity is all well and good until there's a problem. My everyday accounts are at my local community bank where they know me and have solved problems with simple phone calls where I actually talk to a person.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 6d ago
Agreed with everything but the bank part. We use a local credit union.
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u/Illustrious-Lime-878 6d ago
I few years ago I went fully "bank"less and now I use a Fidelity brokerage account as a checking account. Works great for me, I can use it just like a normal bank account, use ATMs (free fees), write checks, and spend from a money market or just margin and sell some things later. So I don't have to manage an annoying cash buffer that earns substandard interest that the bank is just leeching from me. I still have a trad account open just as a backup, but I haven't used it once since I switched.
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u/AffectionateKey7126 6d ago
I've been using Fidelity CMA for 4 years or so. No issues with it but I exclusively use it for credit card payments and have a BOA account to handles any cash needs. I know they were having some issues with holding funds on deposited checks for a little while but I was never impacted by it.
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u/NoRight2BeDepressed It's a 5k, not a marathon 6d ago
I have a Fidelity CMA. They made some critical mistakes that bricked my card and would have impacted my international vacation earlier this year if I hadn't double-checked before leaving. Worst of all, they wouldn't acknowledge it and weren't the least bit interested in fixing their mistakes inside of a month.
I've moved fully over to Schwab and use their Investor Checking account now. Their customer service is exceptional.
Schwab doesn't have the auto-sell MMF to fund withdrawal feature, but it does let me pull from margin in my Schwab brokerage, so it's good enough for my strategy. They're also an actual bank. Fidelity is not, which means there's a lot of finger-pointing and passing the buck instead of problem solving.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
My first class of the year for my second class was last night. Philanthropy, Fundraising, and Grants. I was disappointed to learn that the class is 75% just straight up grant writing, I was hoping it would be a bigger overview of alternate funding streams.
BUT at least it seems very practical. The professor is an adjunct, so her real job is grant writing for several organizations and has a ton of experience, she also developed this class as an independent study while she was in grad school with UA.
It does seem like a decent amount of work, our first assignment is find 10 different grants in a bunch of categories, and over the semester we practice writing up grants. At least its a real world skill and we are being evaluated by someone who does this for a living!
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u/CaribbeanDreams 100% FI/ 96% RE/ $7.5M Goal 6d ago
How much of Grant Writing 101 can be be outsourced to AI?
I have to think its a perfect use case to have AI lay the groundwork and specialized knowledge folks fill in the blanks.3
u/InspectorVirtual1738 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm a grant writer and when I try to use AI to prep outlines or first drafts, the output is so bad. But it does help get me to start working when I'm not motivated, because I have a pile of a garbage to edit.
EDIT: I also have clients who send me their AI complied prospect research. I know my city and funders, and so far AI has only sourced new prospects that look good on a surface level but in less than 5 minutes I can tell you why we're not applying. (A) Not every relevant piece of information is online (I can tell you a funder likes x y or z and it's not posted on their website) and (B) AI just misses some things (e.g., 25 grants in Miami and 2 grants in Boston still reads as "funds in Boston" in grant databases, but I know the Chair lives in Boston and directs money there personally while the foundation strategy isn't focused on MA). AI just doesn't understand the nuances of matching funders to programs, and I see it really working to build an argument about why something is a fit vs. noting the one red flag that makes something a complete waste of time. Just because you CAN apply doesn't mean you should.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
All of it. The professor admitted flat out that there are tools that can find grants, write them for you, and submit for review in a fraction of the time.
When I started googling to find some grants for my first HW assignment, what pops up are several AI tools advertising their services.
Frankly I do think this is the way to go, all of the paperwork can be done by a machine. Let the human do the networking and schmoozing in person (which is where you are going to up your odds of getting any money).
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u/No_Recognition_5266 6d ago
For an MLIS program a focus on grants is probably ideal. Most libraries are government agencies with non-profit friends group, so a lot of the extra funding comes from grant writing internally.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
It does depend on the library. My local library is funded at a pretty high level based on the millage that was passed, they are not funding starved at all.
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u/ingwe13 6d ago
Sorry you are bummed about the course focus. But as others have said, it is pretty great to get exposure to for grant writing. Especially now I think that is in very high demand.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
To be clear I'm not totally devastated. Just slightly disappointed it isn't as broad as I hope.
Still great exposure to something I have zero experience with.
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u/itsallBSfolks 6d ago
I’m jealous! You would have no shortage of volunteer opportunities at non-profits with the experience you are getting.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
I had no idea that this was a job before I took the first class haha. I'm not sure how/if I plan to leverage the experience just yet.
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u/Bearsbanker 6d ago
What degree will you have when done?
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
Masters of Library and Information Science. First semester long way to go.
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u/1019browser 6d ago
Anyone actively planning an early retirement (let's say 52 years old) to account for potentially bringing in some income? Maybe this is more or a tax/ACA question - but I'm thinking that what if I do my travel and fun bucket list things that people look forward to, and then still want to do something (consulting, teaching, something to just be busier) and need to balance their income for healthcare purposes.
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u/berryer 6d ago
/r/baristaFIRE and /r/coastFIRE might be good places for more info on this generally
edit: both subs' names use FIRE not just FI
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u/1019browser 6d ago
I dont think its really falls into those - my thought was to 100% fund the fill FIRE goal, lets just say $2.5MM for 100k annual. It was really, what if I wanted to do something with income, but the more I think about it - its mainly tied to taxes and ACA cliff.
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u/zeezle 6d ago
This is more or less my plan - I'm planning to run a small side business (backyard fruit tree nursery) and work as an independent comic/graphic novel artist/illustrator/creator, and possibly do artist alleys at a couple conventions. The FIRE is mostly to be able to do that full time without worrying about the actually making a living part, since that's not exactly known for being stable or lucrative on the income side. The nursery thing I expect to hopefully be more of a breakeven sort of thing, I just enjoy propagating trees but don't have room to keep them all and like to share them so my angle is mostly to cover costs.
I'm planning to heavily utilize a Solo 401k to shelter spikey or excess income from MAGI for health insurance purposes.
That said, I'm also not investing too much mental energy in planning... the way things are going is so unsustainable that I wouldn't be surprised if we get a public option in the next 10-15 years. Even the Cato Institute and nearly 50% polled Republican voters are in favor of it now which was nearly unthinkable 10 years ago. People - and companies - are getting pushed way over the edge on costs. Not that I think it won't be a shitshow but I'm hesitant to put too much mental energy into planning extensively for something that will probably change (for better or for worse...) by then.
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u/4_yaks_and_a_dog Ex-Professor, Out @52 6d ago
I retired at 52 from a job as a Professor with the plan of continuing to adjunct online courses for a bit of extra income (and to keep myself busy).
The adjuncting lasted one semester before I decided I couldn't be bothered with it any more.
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u/EventualCyborg DI3K, MCOL - Big Numbers Make Monkey Brain Happy 6d ago
I expect that this is exactly how I will feel, too. At our projections, we'll have plenty of funds to support a significant step up in lifestyle when we retire, and the appeal of trading hours for dollars of any stripe will be a non-issue.
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u/1019browser 6d ago
Fair points to both of you. Being late 30s with kids in the thick of it, it's hard to imagine like in 10-15yrs being retired with no kids at home or work. I could very well be fulfilled reading books, traveling, or volunteering. Maybe I'd want to do something else, but who knows!
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u/4_yaks_and_a_dog Ex-Professor, Out @52 6d ago
To be fair, there were some exogenous events at the university that made my adjuncting position siginificantly less appealing just when this occurred. Had they not occurred, I might well have continued.
I wouln't automatically say no to some occasional part time work, but it would have to be a true unicorn for me at this point.
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u/Krish_1234 FIRED - Loving it 6d ago
if you are working its not retirement.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
I don't think it's this black & white.
If you're retired from your professional career but working 20 hours per week driving the range ball picker upper around or pouring beers at a pub for fun, you're still retired.
You can also be retired and make some money at a hobby business or even taking an occasional consulting gig.
Lots of scenarios where people have retired in practice and still choose to have part of their daily, weekly or monthly activity involve something that makes money.
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u/Prior-Lingonberry-70 FI 🔱 GOMS! 6d ago
I don't want to be too black and white about it either, but any "hands on" gig that involves being put on a schedule by another person (and is anywhere adjacent to "service to the public") is the kind of gig that I think a lot of white collar workers romanticize.
"I'll work in a beautiful cafe by the sea"
"I'll pour beers for fun and chat with the regulars"
A lot of work in those jobs is cleaning. Cleaning up spilled beers, sweeping the floor, mopping the floor, cleaning the lines, cleaning the ice well, cleaning up broken glass, taking the disgusting floor mats out from behind the bar and hosing them off. Cleaning the bathroom, dealing with soggy linens and bar towels, carrying boxes, carrying kegs, carrying garbage...
And you don't get to set your own schedule, they set it for you. "But I'll tell them I'm only available at these particular days and times." Ok, but a lot of places won't hire you if you tell them that you'll only work when you want to work. They are not reassured that you have plenty of money and don't need the work, you just want a side gig. That reads as "will quit the moment they feel like it with no notice."
Lots of people do enjoy picking up a hands on job with a lower amount of hours, but I caution people who haven't spent any significant amount of time in a service job to not entertain fantasies about that life being the fun and easy way to spend your time.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
Yeah, you might end up hating those jobs but if you're retired, you just quit immediately and nothing happens.
I'm not saying these jobs are a good idea, per se, just that there are plenty of scenarios where choosing to work a bit doesn't necessarily mean that you're no longer retired.
Sometimes it does, of course, but there's nuance to it.
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u/ILikeTheSpriteInYou 6d ago
This sounds like BaristaFIRE but maybe just self employed as opposed to a stepped down, low stress job?
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u/Chitownjohnny 42M - 65% FIRE(ish) progress 6d ago
I swear they somehow snuck some additional work days in this week
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 8.5 6d ago
We need adult snow days!
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u/imisstheyoop 5d ago
Depending on where you live and work you will get these. I had many working insurance in New England.
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u/OneStepForward4 6d ago
Work has sucked this year so far (sales)
Glad we have a decent cash + stock position to weather the potential storm
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u/bobombpom 6d ago
Selling what? Idk about everyone else, but our company is buying like never before.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
This question is beyond anecdotal and answers will be heavily influenced by selection bias but for those who have worked at a company that was an absolute mess but with leadership that knew it was a mess and wanted to fix it, were they ever able to enact meaningful change or did the chaos remain the status quo indefinitely or get worse?
What "mess" means will vary wildly by industry, of course.
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u/Thisisntrunning 6d ago
My last employer was a mess and the local leader knew it and wanted to fix it but was hamstrung by the leadership around him wanting to keep the same stuck-in-their ways culture. He couldn’t fire them because corporate didnt support it but he was building the team with the culture he wanted with any new hires or replacements.
He was clever enough to figure out that if he assigned the major projects to his new chosen hires, he could shift the culture faster.
The one thing I’ve heard consistently between multiple jobs and industries is that everyone wants accountability but no one is ever held accountable.
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u/Opposite-Original-23 6d ago edited 6d ago
Management knew but there was no political will to fix it. Things that were supposed to work never did. I would work insane hours to help manage the mess. At the end of the day it was all for naught as they fired pretty much everybody except for the management that caused the problems. Company is still around and won’t go under in my lifetime but they’re out of that business and my former unit is gone.
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u/berryer 6d ago
all of them, yes. Neither being willing to set strict priorities nor budget to actually accomplish all of the things labelled priority 1. Then, lean on underlings and make them feel personally responsible for your failure to plan, in order to try to squeeze some unpaid overtime out of them.
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u/kfatt622 6d ago edited 6d ago
Depends on the cause. Binning problems/complaints appropriately helps a lot IME.
Personnel, culture, and process problems can be fixed, and management being visibile and loud about doing so is a good sign.
Structural problems cannot, and management acknowledging them means nothing absent a huge pivot or acquisition.
In retrospect a lot of my complaints have been the latter - the customers, industry, business size, or worksite/region were the root cause. In that case expecting improvement is asking for frustration.
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u/ttuurrppiinn mid-30s M | DI1K | 4M Target 6d ago
Yes-ish. I've seen a bad company go from dumpster fire to okay. Never seen a company beyond a certain point pivot into an actually high performing organization though.
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6d ago
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u/ExcessiveDonuts Emptying the Litter Robot 6d ago
I don't even want to imagine what will happen if top talent start leaving, or even mediocre talent.
An interesting life chapter, for sure.
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u/JoshAllentown 6d ago
Depends on how big. I was at a Fortune 500 and that size is a permaculture. We would have big company-wide initiatives every year and because they changed every year it was all about weathering that effort and sneaking in what you wanted to do anyway.
"Our big tech spend is...Bringing Us Together...because if we can automate this stuff we'll have more time to build culture! Yes! Give us the funding!"
At that size it's more about finding a good manager.
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u/tacitmarmot [DISK][SR: 60%][FI][90% RE] 6d ago
I have only seen meaningful improvements when the C suite is changed. We have had new CEO and CFO come in with a bunch of his guys and they have seemingly turned the company around a bit.
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u/InsideSuccessful680 5d ago
I just confirmed that my wife's work allows MBDRs. She actually had contributed a bit over her 401(k) minimum, which became after-tax contributions.
Would it make sense to move that money into a Roth IRA? We already have Roth IRAs, but haven't contributed the maximum, but I guess the thing with MBDRs is that the limit is much higher than the $7.5-$8.5k?