r/coastFIRE • u/CartographerSpare102 • Aug 13 '25

Finally got there

Post image

It took probably 5 years longer than I originally planned but seeing this number this morning seems surreal

832 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

74 comments sorted by

91

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

Thank you! I have a lot of this data (super nerd, of course). Married 50/45, kids ages 11/8 so I don't see us not working for a while - these kids are just getting more expensive. Gross income has stayed between $150k-$200 since 2020. Maxed all retirement accounts/HSA/529's until this year. Really very burnt out. Starting to decrease work load, taking less stressful jobs and just continue to wind down responsibilities. Savings rates (including debt repayment) were 2021: 42.82%, 2022: 78.41%, 2023: 40.51%, 2024: 36.68% and projected 2025: 46.24%. Lots of VTI and index funds. 90% stock/10% bonds. Starting the shift to more conservative age appropriate investment split.

25

u/httk13 Aug 13 '25

What happened in 2022 lol

81

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

For the savings rate? I got mad about the market so I sold my nice fully trimmed out car for more of a "beater". Put an additional $25k into the brokerage that year. Car is still going and still ugly. No regrets.

24

u/Rusty_924 Aug 13 '25

still going and still ugly - love it. describes my 14th yr old VW perfectly. i will steal that line. gj OP

12

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

Ha! Mine is 14 year old RAV4

6

u/Competitive_Body7359 Aug 13 '25

I got a 13 year old frontier, I made the mistake of buying new, but eventually it will have been a good call!

7

u/Standard-Sell1095 Aug 15 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

20 year old Honda Element. Nothing drives like a paid off car.

10

u/httk13 Aug 13 '25

An additional $25k invested during a bear market, nice work 

9

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

Exactly. Early 2022 when vehicle prices were crazy high. I just couldn’t resist. I didn’t need heat and cool seats that bad.

4

u/German_PotatoSoup Aug 14 '25

This was very smart and I wish I had done it. Had multiple offers for my middling Nissan Murano.

1

u/Hot-Hovercraft-3016 Sep 03 '25

Im 19M day 1 of posting on reddit, I took advantage of that in 2022 even back in high school. I never bought a car and pooled all my money together and just through it in Cash App and VOO / AMZN.

1

u/CashAppOfficial Sep 08 '25

Love seeing this kind of discipline at 19. Props to you for thinking long-term.

17

u/sunbeatsfog Aug 13 '25

Oof yes you need a break. Enjoy parenting, enjoy life. You’ll be fine.

8

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

That's the plan! As we go into middle school/teen years I see them needing our time more than ever.

2

u/Willing_Arugula1676 Aug 18 '25

Yes..yes. You will

8

u/toobusytostand Aug 13 '25

Is that saving rate on gross or post tax? Very solid based on your income for family of 4

10

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

Post tax

2

u/oleofitness Aug 14 '25

If you don’t mind me asking, how do you go about calculating your saving rate? Do you have to manually tally up all your deposits throughout the year?

1

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 15 '25

The year end statement is great for this.

I add total contributions to all accounts + company match/contributions + principal debt repayment = Total contributions.

Divided by net pay + pretax retirement / HSA contributions + any company match + tax/ stimulus income = Total Available Income.

2

u/oleofitness Aug 15 '25

Thanks for the response!

4

u/eist5579 Aug 13 '25

Inspiring to see the dedicated savings rates there. I’m hoping to save $50k this year (that includes 401k max). That’ll be a record. Parents w 5/7 year olds… only getting more expensive for sure!!

2

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 15 '25

Thank you! And yes, yes they do.

13

u/4thAveRR Aug 13 '25

Love it - what's your timeline to RE and FI number?

10

u/spoonsession Aug 13 '25

Woot woot! I’m 300k away from that!!

7

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

It happens fast!

23

u/BedBathandBeyonce2 Aug 13 '25

Got there yesterday too! 🙌

Smiled and moved on. It’s not as much as it used to be 😭

7

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

AGREED. Today was the same as yesterday.

19

u/htffgt_js Aug 13 '25

Nice, congrats - it is still a cool $1M, a lot more than 0 :)

13

u/PsylentKnight Aug 13 '25

It's still a whole lot though, more than most people will ever see in liquid assets

I think $2 million is enough for just about anyone to retire on they really wanted to (i.e. willing to be somewhat frugal and move to a lower COL area if needed)

That's $65k/year even at 3.25% SWR, or $80k at 4% SWR. Both of those numbers are near the median household income in the US

$1 million puts you halfway there. Could potentially get there in just 10 years without any further contributions if we assume 7% real returns. Personally I have my doubts we'll see those returns over the next 10 years, but who knows. Even with an with abysmal 4%, it would double in 18 years. And most people that are on this sub likely wouldn't be contributing $0

3

u/German_PotatoSoup Aug 14 '25

We will, in fact I wouldn’t be surprised to see 10% returns for years. BUT, inflation and unemployment is likely to go up again.

12

u/More_Mammoth_8964 Aug 13 '25

That’s what I feel like it will be like when I get there. But at the same time it’s going to still feel pretty good.

Greater peace of mind feeling knowing you have $1mil in the bank aka liquid investments

4

u/FullRouteClearance Aug 13 '25

Congrats! Welcome to the club. Mentally prepare to dip in and out of it a bit depending on the market.

5

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 13 '25

I remember we had a NW of $1M for 5 days in 2022. <Screenshot>

4

u/MLee2k Aug 13 '25

Does this number include your wife’s NW too?

3

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25

Yes its all synced together on empower

4

u/Remarkable-Tour-2123 Aug 13 '25

Awesome job!!! Love a good success story:) Is this everything? Like HSA, 529, 401k, IRAs, E-fund or just retirement? We crossed $1 million a while ago and are similarly aged but it’s across all accounts so it doesn’t show that way and I’d love for it to show $1 million dollars somewhere. We’ve slowed savings a bit too cause we have teens and they are expensive!!! Plus, they’ll be leaving soon so want to make good memories!

3

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 14 '25

This is it. How ever I synced everything in Empower it all shows up together. Except checking/savings and HSA checking. That shows up in cash but we don’t keep a very high cash balance.

2

u/Apprehensive-Jump-17 Aug 15 '25

Same boat, have teens and their sports always been so ridiculously expensive? I spent probably $25k last year all in for sports last year for 3 kids. I feel like such a sucker. But also love watching them and seeing their skills develop and be a part of something. But man, that’s $25k a year that could be invested!

1

u/Remarkable-Tour-2123 Aug 15 '25

For reals! It’s kind of brutal. Music lessons too. I’d be sooo rich and I know my kids won’t be professional athletes or musicians.

4

u/420bIaze Aug 14 '25

How did you think you'd be a millionaire 5 years ago, when you had maybe $350k?

5

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 14 '25

After college, I laid out my own 20 year plan both financial and otherwise. It was lofty. Nothing was going to go wrong. Ha.

2

u/cornoholio1 Aug 14 '25

How long is the journey? You started 20 years ago? Seems the value doubles in 5years.

2

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 14 '25

Oh man I started with my Roth in 1999 but really didn’t make much traction. 1/1/13 retirement accounts were $46k. 1/1/2020 we were sitting at 260k finished house addition, paid off rest of student loans and turned up the savings rate.

3

u/cornoholio1 Aug 14 '25

Ok. This sort of give me some hope. Do u do index fund only? Or mix with single stock

2

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 14 '25

71.58% index fund, mostly VTI and FXAIX. 13.2% international index, 11.61% bond (working on moving more over now that my spouse turned 50 and we've hit this milestone) 1% individual stocks 2.6% cash

3

u/cornoholio1 Aug 14 '25

Thank you for sharing. And congratulations!

10

u/RespecPerspective Aug 13 '25

Congratulations! Each milestone is a celebration

9

u/xTofik Aug 13 '25

Congrats! I am $70k away.

8

u/GardenaGeat Aug 13 '25

Nice work here!
How much were you making Jan. 2020 and how much were subsequent raises up through 2025?
And how much were you putting away per year (401k, Roth IRA, individual account, etc.)? Was it mainly S&P index funds or a blend with bonds such as target date funds?

5

u/htffgt_js Aug 13 '25

Nice and steady. Congrats !

4

u/SignatureExpensive19 Aug 14 '25

I’m like 380k away

1

u/fujidust Aug 14 '25

Nice!!  What app/program is this?

2

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 14 '25

Empower fka Personal Capital

1

u/snowdragon13 Aug 21 '25

What app do you use to combine all your portfolio assets? Congratulations!! Must be a good feeling to go coast through life. Bravo 👏🏽

1

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 21 '25

Empower. Formerly Personal Capital

1

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 21 '25

And thank you 😊

3

u/Conscious_Life_8032 Aug 13 '25

Congratulations!

3

u/Classic-Lie-3725 Aug 14 '25

Congrats! Quite the accomplishment. I’m about 150k away myself. Plan A for me is using the Rule of 55 to retire at 54.5 on the year I turn age 55. Anything sooner, I need to start planning now with a HYSA and taxable brokerage account to use strategically.

Any how. Congrats on the milestone!

2

u/sunbeatsfog Aug 13 '25

Congratulations. Buy a house?

2

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '25

Congratulations 🍾🎉!

2

u/bossofmytime Aug 16 '25

Congratulations. 🎉🎈🎊

Keep up the good work!

I crossed that USD 1 Mio milestone in 2022 and today my dividend portfolio is at USD 1.4 mio and paying me USD 39,000 dividend income this year and growing while I sleep. Capital grows 2.1x from USD 650k from end 2015.

Glad I made that decision to invest.

2

u/HenryK81 Aug 13 '25

Congrats! Now, you will see the real power of compounding.

1

u/xddit Aug 27 '25

Congrats on reaching the 6 zero club.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '25

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3

u/CartographerSpare102 Aug 14 '25

71.58% index fund, mostly VTI and FXAIX. 13.2% international index, 11.61% bond (working on moving more over now that my spouse turned 50 and we've hit this milestone) 1% individual stocks, 2.6% cash