“Richard Simmons” Testimonial

Hey GM,

Thank you again so much for your thoughtfulness and wonderful advice, it is really inspiring to “meet” people like yourself who take the time to sincerely help others they barely know. Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you. I’ve never been to any of the Camp FI get together things but I’m hoping that some day I can and it would be pretty cool to meet you in person. I hope to cross paths at some point!

We will be following your advice and continually looking for others ways to become free of financial stress/burdens. I will most likely email you a follow up in a few years if that’s okay with you to update our progress. If all goes well I’m hoping that we can be financially independent in 13 years when my wife finishes her service obligation.

I’m more than happy to let you use our conversation for an article, to use it to help someone else in a similar situation or in general. I’d also say that if you haven’t already, writing about the benefits of going to school on scholarship/HPSP is a pretty hard deal to pass up. Get to serve and come out of school debt free. Thank you for being a part of our financial planning and education GM, you’re seriously awesome!

Ilyana Testimonial

Hello!

I heard you on ChooseFI podcast and wanted to reach out to you.  My husband and I are both AD military (he’s a LDO LTJG).  We are literally sitting where you were at [when you described] your crossroads. Husband will reach 16 years in Feb, as I will in June. We began our journey to FI two years ago when he  commissioned and had to do a stint geo-bach to Diego Garcia, leaving me in Naples with a little girl to raise.

We both realized that we were sacrificing too much and needed to make a change, but like you, we were in ‘too deep’ and could not turn our back on the pension … Since I am new to your blog I may not have gotten to the post discussing your golden savings number to allow you to not have to work a job after retirement.

We both will be receiving pensions (if we can make it the next 4) and have been aggressive the last two years and have paid off a home in San Diego while renting out another one. Curious to see what you believe our ultimate savings goal should be so we can set our goal appropriately to include perspective pensions. I plan on retiring as a Senior Chief and my husband worse case would be a O3E.

Sorry for being long winded. Enjoy your blog!

Ilyana

Lady J Testimonial

Dear Grumpus Maximus,

I am so pleased! That was so much faster than I expected. I called this morning to double check on the death benefit and she told me as long as there is money left  in the annuity it would pass on, even after the annuity started.

I bought the annuity because my mom died about 10 months after my husband. My Dad never did or cared anything about finances so I started paying his bills for him. It was really tight for him on just his social security, and then he remembered he had this annuity. I saw how much easier it was for him. So when my accountant friend had another guy in the business propose this annuity that’s what I had in my mind and not all the warnings I had heard from Clark Howard years before. When I was reminded of that I felt pretty stupid for being talked into an annuity.

I got married when I was 18 and the job I got when I was 53 was my first real job. I make $13.25 an hour! Not your normal Fi income! But because I don’t owe  anything on my truck or have a mortgage, my boss pays for my health insurance and even changes the oil in my truck, I can live just fine on what I make.  What you did for me gave me the assurance that even though buying the annuity was a mistake, that doesn’t mean it’s a mistake to keep it. So I don’t have to keep feeling bad for not doing something about it. That’s huge! Thank you so much! And being called Lady J was icing on the cake! I swelled up to twice my size.

So grateful,
Lady J

Professor X Testimonial

GM,

24 hours after the class, and my students have come by and told me how much they enjoyed what you said. Perhaps more interesting (and gratifying for me… and hopefully you as well) is that other grad course students have seen me in the halls today and said stuff along the lines of, “I heard I am a fool for not taking your elective.” I’m not sure there’s a higher complement than that, but I will try:

Thank you very much for your words yesterday. By explaining the basics with some very important nuances interwoven in a story that resonates with anyone who is a fan of the human condition, it was the perfect start to my elective. I have often found that the perception that we in the military are somehow tougher than the general public belies our concern and ability to deeply empathize for others, and especially our fellow service members.

Anyone who has deployed and been scared shitless (and I definitely am one of those people who had a couple of really close calls that still bother me sometimes – though I recognize that so many others have had it way worse than me) [would identify with your story].

In sum, obviously, I am a fan of your blog, but I think the spoken version of what you’ve written was – if possible – more compelling. Thank you again for what you offered me and especially our students.

If I can ever return the favor, please holler.

V/R,
Professor X