Letter #35 – ✍️ Writing in Philly 🔔

This week’s newsletter:

• 6 years, started from the bottom now we’re here 🎤🎶

• We might have hit our Freedom number 🫢

• Why we said “might”

Hi friends and fam, ♥️

It’s Angie here. 🙆🏻‍♀️

I’m taking over the newsletter as Tyler has embarked on a new passion project.

Don’t worry though, Tyler remains our honorary editor-in-chief and top critic.

It’s been a minute since the last update, and for good reason!

Both sets of parents came to visit, and we’ve been swept up in a flurry of social events (thanks to the gorgeous Spring & Summer weather here in the PNW 🌞🌲).

Tyler’s family also welcomed a new addition: 🍼 a handsome baby boy!

And now that our travel season is kicking back into gear, we’re basically booked and busy through the end of the year. ✈️🚞🧳

6 years, started from the bottom now we’re here 🎤🎶

Right now, my parents are visiting for a month.

The last time they came was in 2019 for my Master’s graduation—six years ago!

Back then, I was a fresh grad waiting for an EAD card, the work permit that so many international students hinge their hopes on. The future felt incredibly uncertain, sometimes even hopeless. 😖

My total net worth in 2019? A few leftover grants in my bank account from the last time my parents sent me money. 🥲

No 401k. No IRA. No investments. Heck, not even a job. 🫠

Fast forward six years—and somehow, WE MADE IT. 🥳

We’re financially freeeeee, 💃🕺 and, since 2023, we’ve traveled to 10 new countries (with 4 more coming up this year!)

Well, it became obvious that we don’t have the karma for lottery-ticket lucky or overnight-rich. 🍀 😅

But we are extremely committed—disciplined savers and long-game investors.

We’ve dodged lifestyle creep and stayed intentional, steadily building the life we used to dream about. And now we’re living it! ❤️‍🔥

That freedom has been everything. 🙏 

• 😌 It’s the feeling of security that puts our minds at ease, especially in an increasingly chaotic world.

• 🌲 Living in a city and neighborhood we’re so proud of, and endlessly grateful to call home.

• 💝 The joy of supporting my parents and giving back each month.

• 🛬 And of course, the thrill of touching down in new places that make our not-so-homebody hearts sing. 💓🎶

We might have hit our Freedom number 🫢

In one newsletter, we shared that we’re using the 3% rule for our Freedom number.

Now we’re reconsidering it after we learned about Bengen’s later revisions & updates.

Bill Bengen is the financial advisor who originally introduced the 4% rule in 1994.

🧮 Original 4% Rule (1994) 

Bengen analyzed historical U.S. market data and concluded:

• Retirees could safely withdraw 4% of their retirement portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjust that amount annually for inflation.

• This strategy would give a high probability (historically near 100%) of the portfolio lasting at least 30 years.

This became widely known as the "4% rule of thumb" for safe retirement withdrawals.

🧮 Recent updates 

• Since introducing the 4% Rule in 1993, Bill has adjusted his recommendation to 4.5% in 2006 and 4.7% in 2021.

• He now believes a 5% withdrawal rate is feasible.

• During his time researching 400 retirees, it turns out their average safe withdrawal rate was closer to 7%. Only 1 out of the 400 retirees he studied ran out of money before death. 😳

🔥 Well, the key word here is FLEXIBLE.

• Bengen also warns that future inflation and market volatility (especially global instability) could change the math again.

• Morningstar estimated 3.7% for 2025. Source

Why we said “might”  

It’s important to note that our Freedom number are based only on our LIQUID net worth—we left out real estate and other non-equity investments.

That actually makes our number more reliable and realistic. 💪

So even using a 3.7% withdrawal rate, we’ve technically hit the number. 🎯

But we said “might” because:

• Our asset allocation is more aggressive than the usual recommendation. (Any fellow crypto believers out there? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏼‍♂️)

• We’re planning for a 50+ year horizon so we prefer to stay conservative but flexible enough to adapt as we go.

Honestly, this new milestone hasn’t changed how we live day to day. 😅 

We’ve fine-tuned our life to the point that Tyler often says, “I wouldn’t change anything about our life.” 🥹

But what it has done is spark ⚡️ a HUGE mindset shift.

Especially NOW, in a world where uncertainty is constant and layoffs happen left and right, 😥 the peace of mind and security that financial freedom brings means SO much more! 😭 

Now we can savor the freedom we’ve worked so hard to build. 🙏

☑️ Take aways

• Use the X% rule (where X depends on your risk tolerance) as a helpful baseline—but do your homework and stay FLEXIBLE!

• Stay disciplined with your saving and investing habits. Even after 6 years, we still believe that our selective frugality has been 100% worth it. ✨

• Watch out for lifestyle creep!Just because your income goes up doesn’t mean your spending should too. Keep your eye on what truly matters. 👁️🫦👁️

Hope it's helpful for your journey to Freedom 🙏 

Love you to freedom and back, 🫰

Angie & Tyler

Things We My Sister & Her Boyfriend are Loving Right Now ❤️‍🔥

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