Happy Holidays 2025! – Retire at 40
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Delightful Dongzhi, and A Festivus to all of us! Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!
2025 is cooked, done, Finito! Good life. It’s been a crazy year for the RB40 family. There were many changes, and not all of them were good. However, I am an optimist, and I would like to focus on happy thoughts. Here are some impactful events that happened this year.
Mrs RB40 retired early!
Mrs. RB40 wanted to work until our son graduates from high school in 2029. Alas, the plan was derailed when the possibility of early retirement arose this year. He worked for the federal government. The current management wanted to reduce the workforce and encouraged many workers to leave. Mrs RB40 loved her job and did not want to retire. However, the opportunity was too good to pass up. He retired on a small pension and maintained the same health plan. He would not have received them if he retired in 2029 as planned. The transition to retirement was difficult at first. He likes to be productive and contribute to society. But he’s getting used to it. All in all, it worked very well for us.
RB40Jr started high school and passed
Our son started high school and became a full-fledged teenager. He joined the debate club and the racquetball team. He takes Algebra, Robotics, Computer Science, and Physics. High school seems to be going very well for him. He has a lot of friends and is always on the phone with them. I don’t know what they are talking about for hours. Youth stuff, I guess. He is no longer a little child. It’s a little sad, but I’m happy too. I have a lot of personal time these days. However, I still drive him all over town.
The Retire by 40 blog is ending
This year, I had a hard time writing a new blog post each week. I’ve been at this for 15 years, and I’m tired. Blog traffic continues to decline, and we haven’t made enough money to keep the site running. Next year, I plan to post more slowly as I head toward full retirement. AI is taking over, and they will only get better. Blogging is definitely dead. I ran well. Thank you for your support over the years! Thank you all so much.
The Decline of Life
Growing up is not fun. Mrs. RB40 is in the process of transporting her father to a nursing home. He fell several times this year, and now he can’t walk. It wasn’t a bad fall, but I think it’s a progression from losing his mobility. He’s in rehab now, but I’m not hopeful. Mrs. RB40 is in California to take her house, car, and all her belongings. He has many things to do.
I also received bad news from my father. Recently, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. You are getting more tests, and we will see a treatment plan soon. I am going to Thailand for 6 weeks next summer to see what I can do to help. I plan to spend more time in Thailand after I graduate RB40Jr from high school. This is a great opportunity to start that process. This summer, I’ll see a dentist, optometrist, and probably get my annual checkup while I’m in Chiang Mai. Health care is much cheaper there than in the US. I have a condo in Chiang Mai and a small house in Bang Saen, near the beach.
Me and Mrs. RB40 we also face life’s challenges. My triglyceride level is very high, and my blood pressure is not good. And dry eyes, elbow, and knees. Finally, the rainy weather is heavier than usual this year. It’s sad. I am ready for good weather. I can’t stand the Pacific Northwest winters anymore.
Personal Finances
We have done very well financially in 2025. The stock market is up, and our net worth is higher than ever. As I told my brothers, Billionaires eat it. Millions work well, and working seals don’t just keep their heads above water. Such is life in the USA these days. I’m glad we invested when we were young. Life is more difficult than before when you have to rely on your income. Next year, we will transition to full retirement and reduce our savings. We spent less than 4% of our total this year, so I’m hoping everything will be fine.
Okay, that’s a wrap for 2025. I hope you have a great winter break. RB40Jr and I will fly to California for Christmas. Mrs RB40 is already there. Hopefully, the flight won’t be too busy. I will be back in 2026. I wish everyone the best!
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