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Showing posts from June, 2025

Time Value of Money (Inflation? Or the "T" word?)

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 I went to IKEA last weekend. I had a coupon that was going to expire and because I knew I wasn't going to get the chance to go on Sunday, I stopped by after going to the Japanese Festival . I almost went to Greekfest after but most of us decided to go home. I  decided I'd like to use the coupon now than have it wasted since IKEA was less than a couple miles away and on the way home. I spent $0.75 with tax for a set of dishes and a serving bowl . The dishes were $0.79. I got 11 of them and one serving bowl because I had already purchased one to try out. I wanted to try it out because it is white and I wanted to see if it will stain. It doesn't. So I went back to complete the set. I added the serving bowl because the coupon was $10 off a $10 or more purchase. The serving bowl was $1.99. I got the small bowl-like instead of the small plates because I thought that would be of more use to me. They look like the small plates but with the curve so I felt they would still work f...
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An Interesting Thing I've done since FI/RE'd

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 I've had another nurse ask what I do with my time. She simply knows that I quit my job but I have not mentioned FIRE to her. She has asked that question more than once. Interestingly, I've been busy. I find it so interesting because I went to work full-time sometime post-pandemic and I read about 15 books in the second year of working full-time. I went part-time the year before I FIRE'd and read less books. I think I only read a handful of less last year. This year? I think I've only read 2 and it's June! One would think that I should have read more after going part-time and if "One" didn't think so, I  thought so. No, I'm not sitting at home watching TV, I'm also not on social media scrolling. So what do I do with my time? Living. I recall a colleague asking me back in 2023 when I went part-time: what do you do with all your time? I said I'm in the business of living. Actually, I wanted the days available so I could schedule therapy becau...
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Perks and Discounts for Healthcare Professonals

 Yesterday, I stopped at a Burger King. I don't think I've been to one since the Pandemic started. I wanted a milkshake and was looking for another outfit but saw this gave it a try. I don't think I've had their shakes before; it was really good and the price was good considering I got a small shake in my MCOL are for 6.99 pretax, this was 4.39 for a medium size in a LCOL area. Anyway, as I was making my way in, I saw signs for free iced coffee for healthcare professionals. This is 2025 not 2020. There were two of such signs at the same establishment. I was a bit surprised.  Why? I feel like prior to the pandemic, it was Military, Police and Firefighters who got such "perks" and discounts. Sometimes, Teachers were included in some but healthcare professionals weren't one of such groups. Then came the pandemic and  suddenly healthcare professionals got noticed. I took advantage of one such perks back when the pandemic started. Hilton was giving away free ro...
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What do you say when people ask about work after FI/RE?

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 I was at a wedding reception last December, so less than a month ago, when someone asked me where I worked. Usually, I get asked what I do for a living. It's easy to say "I have a degree in Nursing". But this woman asked where I worked. I simply said I don't work. She didn't believe me. She asked if I was being truthful.  Considering I don't know her very well and primarily know her from the church, I don't know why she would think that I'm lying. But I quickly turned things around to ask her where she worked. And was asking more questions when the couple came in and so I stopped.  The question about what to say when people ask what you do for a living is something I've seen asked on the FIRE subreddits. So here  is my take on it.  First of all, I try not to talk about work. I think some people ask this question just to make conversation and in some cases, it's easy to say "I have a degree in Nursing". That tends to move the conversa...
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Happy New Year to the FI/RE'd life.

 The last month of 2024 was busy. I wanted to finish up work around the house. I wanted to get other things done. And I had events to attend. I was at a wedding last month when someone asked where I worked. I simply said I didn't. They thought I was lying. I simply turned it around to ask them where they worked and tried to ask more questions about what they did but the couple came in.  That said, I thought I would've possibly FIRE'd this year or next year. Instead, I felt the call to leave in the Fall of 2023. I am grateful to God for getting me through the year. To be honest, leaving seems scary. Even if the numbers look like they would work, it's not easy to leave. For me, I was afraid I wouldn't have income coming in. I was wrong. I needed to trust God because he more than sustained me throughout the year. It took me about 6 months to leave because I wanted to be sure in the beginning and then I got greedy and wanted to use up benefits. I wouldn't advice tha...
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You Don't Have to Start in Med-Surg as a new Grad nurse

In reflecting on my career, I'm reminded of something I heard a lot of as a student: start in Med-Surg. I got lots of reasons. In hindsight, It would've been better to do the thinking myself regarding what I wanted instead of listening to those telling me how it is supposed to go.  Do You Have to start in Med-Surg as a new graduate nurse? No. That is my opinion after working in different specialties of nursing. It is not a bad idea to start in medical-surgical nursing but it is not a requirement or an absolute necessity. If you get the opportunity to work in a specialty you would like to end up in, please go ahead and take that opportunity. Your body will thank you later.  When I was graduating from college, a professor I admired told me to start in med-surg. And back then, it wasn't uncommon to here people say "start in med/surg". One of the reasons I sort of recall was so you can learn the basics of nursing and what not. Another rationale was that because you ar...
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