L5 at Google, what next?
First job after PhD, now L5 with TC around $360k. I'm pretty frugal so NW is ~$1.1M now, growing quickly. Yearly expenses are around $36k in HCOL which I don't mind leaving. So I'm pretty much ready to retire after less than 5 years of work (I'm 35). Not bad. I don't mind the work that much, it's easy and comfortable (low hours) but there are others things I'd rather be doing. I'm starting to stagnate a bit. My trajectory is supposedly going up slowly but I'm still at EE. I'm hesitating between chasing higher TC, or better wlb by coasting or getting a remote/PT job from a smaller company. I'd also like doing more research which I think I'm better at. Or just take a few years off and pursue hobbies like fitness, travel, etc. What do you think? Of course it's my choice but I can't seem to settle on just one.
Might need a bit more to safely fund a startup...
Oh, I meant found
That’s awesome 👏, I wish I had that NW, I will be traveling the world
Don't go to FB from Google. Not worth for the marginal extra money for life depressing wlb. Invest in your own ideas or take 1 year off or just stay put at Google.
Why not going back to a university and be a researcher?
I could but it seems I could do very similar work and get paid 3X at a big company research lab instead.
But you won't have the freedom to go for the research direction that you want
“just take a few years off and pursue hobbies like fitness, travel, etc.” These hobbies don’t make sense. You need to quit work to goto the gym? These should be part of normal life while having a job. E.g. hit the gym every day or every other day for 30-60min. Travel every few months for 1-2 weeks. You can do all of this while keeping your cushy google job. If you don’t have a hobby to keep you occupied 8 hours a day then don’t retire early. You will be bored out of your mind and lose your purpose in life. Source: I tried it.
I already go to the gym multiple times a week and am in great shape. I also travel often. But I'm talking next level fitness and extended travel. There's a difference between squeezing something in your schedule while worrying about some problem, vs dedicating all your time to a single pursuit. I'm more of the extreme focus kind of person.
Well, I am sure you can take a temporary sabbatical for a couple of years. I am sure that should be enough for this next level fitness and Tavel, no? Still get to keep the job.
How did u calculate net worth ? With $360K how did u manage to save 1.1M ?
I have 1.1M at vanguard in index funds. That includes around $200k in 401k though. I bank anywhere between $150-200k after taxes and expenses every year. That plus index funds returns in the last few years did it.
I have $300k cash n $350k in stocks (90% apple). What do you suggest for diversification? What are some index funds that doing good for you ?
Congrats on your savings :) Im curious to hear how you reached $1M+ NW at 35. Did you invest or just saved cashed under the mattress? Also, married or single? Managing to live on $36k in Bay Area is not easy. My mortgage alone costs me that much. As for what you should do, I’d say if you’re single and don’t have a lot of responsibilities, take sometime off and enjoy/appreciate life. Burning through $1M isn’t that difficult, so doing an off ramp/on ramp (I.e. one year unpaid leave) kind of thing will be a safe bet. For context, I’m a family man with a toddler at home. I’m also financially stable and am considering taking an extended leave from work to get away from the busy lifestyle. Don’t have anything solid yet, but it’s on the back of my mind. One worry I have is, after the vacation, I won’t be able to enjoy work as much as I do now and becoming depressed. Good luck with your decision though.
Thanks. I'm single and very frugal. I invest everything at vanguard in index funds, 100% stocks. Stash there up to $200k/year after tax. That's it. Not too worried about burning through savings thanks to the 3-4% rule. Will be interesting to see how you feel back at work after time off. You might be surprised and energized for more work.
What tricks do you use to live on 36k in HCOL, especially on rent side? Do you own a paid property or share room?
Rent a small studio or living with roommates @ ~$2k/month, and keep the rest relatively low.
You are nowhere near retirement with 1M net worth. It will need to last you 50 years.
Are you aware of the 3-4% rule? I'm spending 36k in hcol and would move to lcol.
I followed a similar path. Lived in HCOL area, moved to LCOL some time back. Banked a lot and had a 1.8M NW by 35. The problem is that with 50 years ahead of you, a lot can change between now and then. The 4% rule is typically modeled against a 30 year term AFAIK. It relies on some major future assumptions. So don’t get me wrong - you’ve done really well! But while you are on a roll and have years ahead of you for additional compounding, I’d continue the contributions for at least another 5 more years. Then you’ll be sitting pretty.
How old are you?
35
I’d definitely consider taking a break for few months. You still have youth and $ to be able to do that. It’s something I’m hoping to do when I’m 35 as well. I’m 32 now inching towards $700K NW.