You Need a F@ck It Bucket

Seriously, what are you waiting for?

Working until 65 or 70 is criminal.

If you like what you do, that’s a different story, but 99% of people are living a life they want to escape from.

Work is their prison.

I retired this year.

At 49. Old by some standards; young by others.

I COULD have retired at 48, but I was offered a role at a company whose work I deeply admired.

We were in the process of moving from the UAE to Mexico, but I grossly underestimated the stress of emigrating from one country and immigrating to another. There was a third move to Canada in the summer which was also rough.

I was already burnt out, cynical, and jaded before we left the UAE.

I never stopped. I never properly rested.

Adding a new role to the pile was a mistake.

Looking back, I am shocked at how disconnected I was.

I kept pushing on.

I felt like shit.

On top of the unfathomable stress of moving to three countries in six months, I was wrestling with perimenopause.

The symptom shit-wich was unbearable. I thought I was losing my mind. In a different era, I might have checked myself into a psych ward. Or like many women, I might have been institutionalized against my will — another ‘hysterical’ woman in need of a lobotomy, perhaps.

Day in and day out, my battery was running on about 10%. It took 100% of that 10% to feign daily pleasantries.

HRT helped.

Retiring and moving back to Mexico was even better. There was profound relief.

Why you need a f@ck it bucket

Depending on what news you read, somewhere between 50% and 70% of workers want to quit their jobs.

You’re likely one of them.

In the last few years, we’ve witnessed an upheaval in work.

There was quiet quitting, the Great Resignation, and the exodus of women from work and tech.

In 2023, the back-to-work mandates, tech layoffs, and the threat of AI dominated headlines.

The shitstorm is not relenting.

Some people have the energy to fight.

Or care.

Not me. That ship has sailed.

I’ve followed the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement for seven years. Working in the Middle East, investing in real estate (when the prices and rates were better), and robo-investing with ETFs, we hit our Financial Independence number in 2022.

It was not difficult. There were some sacrifices, yes. Understanding our spending and prioritizing long-term freedom over short-term impulsivity were the cornerstones.

I don’t need to earn money to survive. I can draw down my portfolio, and if money gets tight, I can always work part-time.

A f@ck it bucket buys you freedom.

Planning a f@ck it bucket means you can take a gap year or reduce your hours. It also means you could switch to something lower pay but with less stress.

In your case, what’s driving you to consider leaving work or taking a break?

What’s the difference between F@ck You Money and F@ck It Money?

In the FI community, you hear people talk about FU money.

FU (F@ck you) money is a pot of cash you can use to walk away from a toxic boss or manager. FU money also applies when your boss or company refuses to support your needs. These needs could be for more flexibility, time off, remote work, a new role, or more pay. If your employer is pissing you off, and you have a stash of cash, you can say: f@ck you and walk away.

A F-It bucket (F@ck it bucket) is not driven by rage and fury. F-It money is for when you need to step back or walk away. There are lots of reasons for this: A mid-life crisis, needing to care for family, being burnt out, or needing an extended leave of absence.

Whether you plan to say f@ck you or f@ck it, either (or both) can fuel your first steps to financial freedom.

How much money do you need to save?

While saving for retirement can sometimes feel out of reach, FU or F-It money is a smaller quantity. This makes it more attainable. Plus, it’s a great first step towards a longer savings strategy.

The amount you need depends on two variables: How long you need off and what your monthly spending is.

1. Duration: Planning for a six-month or one-year hiatus is a great place to start. If you plan to work again later, you need to factor in how long you’ll need to find another job. A one-year sabbatical allows enough time to take a break and plan your next chapter.
2. Amount: The amount of money you need is driven by your current spending. If you earn $100,000 (after tax) and spend all of that, then your monthly budget is $8,333. If you cut your expenses by 50%, you’d have enough for a 6-month F-It bucket in one year.

For some, this might sound ridiculous. It depends on how badly you want a break. Here are a couple of salient life lessons I’ve picked up over the years.

1. At death’s door, the only things you’ll care about are memories of people and experiences. You won’t give a shit about your colleagues or work.
2. 90% of the crap you use and buy is just capitalism and marketing manipulation. Our planet is a trash heap. Stop buying stuff and sell anything you haven’t used in a year.
3. Your biggest budget items are housing, cars, and food. Find ways to reduce these. Sell a car. Cohabitate. Rent out a room in your house. Move to a cheaper town. Bulk buy and start cooking at home.

If Helen can do it, so can you

I want to share a story about my friend Helen. Helen is an American who worked in healthcare. When I met her a year ago, she was beyond burnt out. She resigned from her role in 2023 and moved from Colorado to Mexico.

At 55, she draws down $1,500 from her savings. She pet sits for extra cash. Eventually, she’ll also receive Social Security.

She COULD find a side gig to earn more, but she likes pet sitting. She doesn’t want to do anything that feels like work. She wants to live her life on her terms, so she makes her budget work for her.

That’s the kind of mindset that will help you see what matters vs. what doesn’t matter.

How can you save for my f@ck it bucket?

The trade-off for higher interest rates is better rates on high-interest savings accounts (HISA). Many banks offer 4- 5%. This is a no-risk way to park your money.

Since you’ll need to tap into your funds within a year or so, a savings account is the way to go. If you end up not needing it, you can always use it to start funding a longer-term plan of ETFs or other investments.

Adopt a middle ground by cutting non-essentials, but don’t become a stingy asshat.

For example, I am amazed at how much women spend on beauty products and services. In this article, I show that many women are spending $1,500+/month on memberships, dining out, beauty treatments, and products. That’s $18K per year OR a 3–6-month sabbatical — you pick.

Start tracking your money.

Track every single penny. No exceptions.

Here’s another post where I outline step-by-step how to track your spending. I use Excel but there are lots of budgeting apps you can use. You’ll be amazed at the money you’re blowing. Paid apps, tipping, and charity donation check-out add-ons are three big ones I’ve noticed in the last while.

Whenever I see that I am wasting money, I imagine myself lighting a match to my money and watching it burn. If you don’t feel like setting your money on fire, then track your spending.

Wrap Up

Whether you want to say f@ck you or f@ck it, building wealth for a short-term goal is a no-brainer way to start building a life you love.

Start today.

1. Track your spending.
2. Cut non-essentials.
3. Move every extra dollar into a high-interest savings account.
4. Create a new liveable baseline budget.
5. Plan your exit date.
6. Quit on your exit date.
7. Start living.

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