Life changing financial events

[bjl584]

What was your largest financial life changing event?

Could be marriage, a big break at a career or business, or anything else

[Fishindude77]

Self employment.

[riverwed070707]

This feels tricky as everything has nuance, but I'd say getting divorced... short term decrease in NW, but long term more control over my money which we were never on the same page about. Honorable mention to quitting my job of 15 years in 2021, which eventually led to a 34% increase in salary which has had a tremendous ripple effect on getting things in place to retire early.

[Drake3287]

Luckily I've never had one, fingers crossed.

[Petunia 100]

I would say divorce. It drastically reduced my income and assets, but it also freed me from constantly struggling with someone who views finances very differently than I do.

[ua_guy]

My spouse and I have been together 23 years. We view finances very differently but have the same end game. I have the micro view, where minuscule changes add up and support the larger goal. He has the macro view where the little things don't matter as much, so long as we're generally tracking to the bigger goal. We've both been proven right, and I've learned to put smaller spend in perspective, and he's learned to scrutinize the smaller things because they do add up. Life changing for us both.

The other big one is being of the age where losing older family members to health and age is more frequent, and friends of the same age start to hit some early and unexpected health issues. Including my own husband being diagnosed with cancer (now 2 years cancer free). We know nothing is forever, but when the rawness of loss and potential loss gets too close, it does change one's perspective. Statistically speaking, I have fewer than 40 beautiful summers left to enjoy, fewer than 40 Thanksgivings with friends and families, and I may be counting my luck and might not be very mobile for the last 10 of those. And that's if I'm lucky. So, better get to gettin', make things happen that we want, make a plan to retire early and spend it down, enjoy every last minute of it.