Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
poeticwalking
visitor
- Joined
- May 13, 2018
- Messages
- 51
- Reaction score
- 15
In 2020 I started out with very good income prospects for the year.
COVID happened, lost a lot of work, much uncertainty.
I held onto my main gig in healthcare (acupuncture) and eventually it came back a bit. Got unemployment for a while.
Later I took a risk and applied/got 2 more jobs in acupuncture. Grateful for the opportunity (esp bc my partner is still out of work- he quit right before shutdowns started, whoops). Also had some regular housecalls which paid generously in cash, these have both just ended.
Now I've been contacted to start a 4th job in acupuncture (yes! I am lucky, tho also I am putting myself at risk- a lot of colleagues are only treating minimally or opting out, and staying on unemployment. They don't want to risk it). They want 2 days a week, which would mean I only have 1 day off. This fall I had odd weeks with one day off, and even weeks with 4 days off (not all in a row tho). I've learned that I really value my flexibility and freedom, but that's been curtailed anyway with COVID.
I also have a new possibility to make progress with a long term goal of seeing my own patients in a side business. I am hoping in maybe 5 years when I hit a financial goal to quit most of my jobs and be able to do as much music as I want (have to turn down some gigs now-tho w/COVID most were cancelled), and also travel for weeks even months at a time. I need to get in network with this insurance, it's impossible to get in without help, been trying 2.5 years already by myself. I was told that this service could help me, even though I explained I don't have a physical address right now, nor address in the state (I live in another state and commute). They said no problem, we can get it started without it, just need at the end. I paid them and now they said, no you need an address right away in the state. So I will have to rent a space even though I cannot see patients there for months- usually it takes 6 months to get approved. In the long term I would want this own practice so I could see patients whenever I'm not off on my travels, and grow into some related things (meditation events, retreats, tea ceremony, astrology readings, life coaching, energy work)
So 4 options for me: 1. do nothing 2. accept job 4 3. focus on developing the long term biz 4. do both 2 and 3
I asked yi:
"What should I focus on in my jobs next year in order to reach long term freedom of schedule and enough money for FIRE?" (FIRE means financial independence, you can retire if you want)
Got: 18.5->57
That feels like yikes. Ruin? OMG. Line 5 deals with the karma/troubles from my father. Hmmm...I feel like one thing is that my parents, especially my dad, knew a lot about finances/investing/retirement, but never shared anything with me. Even I had to teach myself to do my own taxes starting in high school (my dad was a finance manager for a big hospital, and accounting teacher, and later worked for the state and with education very high up doing finances). If I knew about saving for retirement, I would have started years ago. As it is, I learned a year and a half ago (at age 38- now age 39), saved about 50% of income last year and 70% this year. So I have made good progress. I don't know if this means to remedy my financial situation by secure work, ie new job?
It also could mean to work on the credentialing thing with the insurance tho- it's been in limbo for 2.5 years now? Otherwise I'm not sure if it means to initiate anything new or not.
In general tho it seems like I need to hustle still...fair enough. 57 is a great outcome. Offerings to the investment gods, lol!
Any thoughts y'all or good followup questions?
COVID happened, lost a lot of work, much uncertainty.
I held onto my main gig in healthcare (acupuncture) and eventually it came back a bit. Got unemployment for a while.
Later I took a risk and applied/got 2 more jobs in acupuncture. Grateful for the opportunity (esp bc my partner is still out of work- he quit right before shutdowns started, whoops). Also had some regular housecalls which paid generously in cash, these have both just ended.
Now I've been contacted to start a 4th job in acupuncture (yes! I am lucky, tho also I am putting myself at risk- a lot of colleagues are only treating minimally or opting out, and staying on unemployment. They don't want to risk it). They want 2 days a week, which would mean I only have 1 day off. This fall I had odd weeks with one day off, and even weeks with 4 days off (not all in a row tho). I've learned that I really value my flexibility and freedom, but that's been curtailed anyway with COVID.
I also have a new possibility to make progress with a long term goal of seeing my own patients in a side business. I am hoping in maybe 5 years when I hit a financial goal to quit most of my jobs and be able to do as much music as I want (have to turn down some gigs now-tho w/COVID most were cancelled), and also travel for weeks even months at a time. I need to get in network with this insurance, it's impossible to get in without help, been trying 2.5 years already by myself. I was told that this service could help me, even though I explained I don't have a physical address right now, nor address in the state (I live in another state and commute). They said no problem, we can get it started without it, just need at the end. I paid them and now they said, no you need an address right away in the state. So I will have to rent a space even though I cannot see patients there for months- usually it takes 6 months to get approved. In the long term I would want this own practice so I could see patients whenever I'm not off on my travels, and grow into some related things (meditation events, retreats, tea ceremony, astrology readings, life coaching, energy work)
So 4 options for me: 1. do nothing 2. accept job 4 3. focus on developing the long term biz 4. do both 2 and 3
I asked yi:
"What should I focus on in my jobs next year in order to reach long term freedom of schedule and enough money for FIRE?" (FIRE means financial independence, you can retire if you want)
Got: 18.5->57
That feels like yikes. Ruin? OMG. Line 5 deals with the karma/troubles from my father. Hmmm...I feel like one thing is that my parents, especially my dad, knew a lot about finances/investing/retirement, but never shared anything with me. Even I had to teach myself to do my own taxes starting in high school (my dad was a finance manager for a big hospital, and accounting teacher, and later worked for the state and with education very high up doing finances). If I knew about saving for retirement, I would have started years ago. As it is, I learned a year and a half ago (at age 38- now age 39), saved about 50% of income last year and 70% this year. So I have made good progress. I don't know if this means to remedy my financial situation by secure work, ie new job?
It also could mean to work on the credentialing thing with the insurance tho- it's been in limbo for 2.5 years now? Otherwise I'm not sure if it means to initiate anything new or not.
In general tho it seems like I need to hustle still...fair enough. 57 is a great outcome. Offerings to the investment gods, lol!
Any thoughts y'all or good followup questions?
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