John Q Developer's Blog

2025 Personal Vision Statement

2025 Personal Vision Statement

My personal vision for my life is to retire somewhere between 55 and 60 based on market conditions and personal finances either in the US or somewhere I like better. I want to do this while maintaining a middle class quality of life in combination with lots of time for my hobbies and health.

This pseudonym (John Q Developer) is intended as a way to document that publicly while leaving just enough anonymity that people leave me alone in my personal / professional lives. I will be touching on my politics, my finances, my health issues, and so forth so there are many things we do not talk about in polite company outside of our families/inner circle.

This pseudonym largely exists because of people finding my openness about my mental/physical health under my gaming tag as a useful reminder they are not alone in the struggle. I have a number of friends who are in a similar situation to me or even fully disabled and on benefits from these conversations so much of this is for similar demographics.

It is not my only pseudonym as I have a gamer tag, but it is the one I intend to use for my hobbies and life documentation for the time being.

How do I define a lower middle class quality of life?

Basically, it is spending roughly 10% above the MIT Living Wage project. Below that you are really struggling in my opinion.

https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/42

MAR/2025: $47,657 for 1 Adult
MAR/2025: $67,114 for 2 Adults
MAR/2025: $74,000 for 2 Adults <- It should be noted this is where I fit in as my goal is DINK due to my age and health issues at this point.
MAR/2025: $124,197 for the Family of 4 (2 Working Adults, 2 Children)

https://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/methodology

Their methodology is focused on basic needs and only a minimum of entertainment. For instance, it uses the Low Cost USDA plan which, for instance, limits an average adult male to about 3 pounds of meat. This is roughly 5 oz of meat per meal. How many Americans only eat 5 oz of meat that do not consider themselves struggling financially?

No vacations are budgeted for. No retirement savings. And so forth.

Why use Pennsylvania as a basis?

https://meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series

It is 24th out of 50 states for cost of living and I don't think Wyoming is a good example basically.

Frankly, because it is pretty average by US standards.

What is a personal vision statement?

It is a short statement about what your personal and professional goals are.

These should not be updated more than once a year in DECEMBER during the annual rebalance if needed.