The Nagging "What if"

VaughanJB

VaughanJB

Scrappy VIP
So, here's the reality. I'm effectively retired. I am fortunate to have a home, the belongings that are important to me, and I can coast through my days.

But then I also know, for a fact, that I could 5X my monthly income by continuing to work. And that 5X just bugs the heck out of me. Why? Greed? Boredom? Just repeating actions that I've done for 50 years (ie. go to work, get paid, go to work). At what point do the, "yeah, but I could be making good money today" thought go away?

Sorry if this is comes across as a silly question. I was offered work today, and I turned it down on principle. Meaning, I'm retired. And if I don't hold on to retirement now, I probably never will.

What say you?
 
You have to know your own mind! Do what you want...! For me once I had enough money for us to live as we want until we die, I retired!

I loved my job and I had worked a lifetime to get that perfect job! But, my home and my family are much more rewarding than any of my jobs...

Retired I am to stay...
 
What says me is decide what makes you happy. If you have "enough" and don't need excess, enjoy your retirement. If you're bored, lonely, wanting to buy a luxury or two that you'd need extra income for, then try going back. I wouldn't sign any contracts, though... is your work such that you could work as a contractor or freelancer so you wouldn't be tied to it if you change your mind about working?
 
Timewise 60+ said:
You have to know your own mind! Do what you want...! For me once I had enough money for us to live as we want until we die, I retired!

I loved my job and I had worked a lifetime to get that perfect job! But, my home and my family are much more rewarding than any of my jobs...

Retired I am to stay...
Click to expand...

I hear you. So now I have to ask myself, "do I really want to be retired". Am I having fun? Am I just missing what was? Yikes.
 
CallMeKate said:
What says me is decide what makes you happy. If you have "enough" and don't need excess, enjoy your retirement. If you're bored, lonely, wanting to buy a luxury or two that you'd need extra income for, then try going back. I wouldn't sign any contracts, though... is your work such that you could work as a contractor or freelancer so you wouldn't be tied to it if you change your mind about working?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't take a full-time gig at this point. I'd be in the area of a 6 month contract.

But I don't want to think I'm resorting to type top avoid the hard decisions/situations I've found myself in, you know?

Money? I'm a man. I'd find something to spend it on. Probably something electrical. :D
 
VaughanJB said:
So, here's the reality. I'm effectively retired. I am fortunate to have a home, the belongings that are important to me, and I can coast through my days.

But then I also know, for a fact, that I could 5X my monthly income by continuing to work. And that 5X just bugs the heck out of me. Why? Greed? Boredom? Just repeating actions that I've done for 50 years (ie. go to work, get paid, go to work). At what point do the, "yeah, but I could be making good money today" thought go away?

Sorry if this is comes across as a silly question. I was offered work today, and I turned it down on principle. Meaning, I'm retired. And if I don't hold on to retirement now, I probably never will.

What say you?
Click to expand...
I say if you are able , take the work offered and stay out there in the world.
Earning the money is a bonus. Greed doesn't come into it. You can find good ways to use it.
While it has many plus sides , retirement can eventually become long and boring especially if you live to 'a ripe old age'
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Would you really be netting 5 x as much? You know Uncle Sam has to get his cut. You probably made the right decision to decline taking that job.
Click to expand...

I hear you. I'd also have to commit six months of dedicated time to a project. I've done that forever, but often without due care and attention to the personal. So it's a bit of a trap. I guess the math of it all never changes. I wish I could erase it. Perhaps I'm thinking of hiding behind work.......

CallMeKate said:
:giggle: I was thinking more along the lines of a Lamborghini 🤭 but something electrical would work. Electric powered submarine?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not that guy. Don't care about cars/motorcycles. A nice suit. A nice stereo system. I don't want for anything, to be honest. Perhaps I'm just constantly haunted by the "more"? If I worked right now, I'd be sending most of the money to my wife in the US. What the heck do I need personally?!?!?!?

Other than an entirely new personality. :D
 
I had always look forward to retirement. I enjoy doing a lot of things and when I was working, I was limited in what I could do, just not enough free time. Now that I am retired, I can fully enjoy those things I had always enjoyed but did not have enough time to REALLY work at these things. I love oil painting and watercolor painting that I have just started relearning. I also build models both plastic and wood planes that I can fly by remote control. Most of these I do in the winter months.

This time of year, I like to make kites, although this year I have yet to get started on one. I love to play golf with my wife, and we also love to travel. We do that a lot now. I also enjoy playing my guitar and banjo although I am a beginner at both. I have been able to read music since I was a kid as I played in a band/orchestra for 7 years. etc. etc. I do keep busy, not to mention the time I spend on my PC...
 
I've resumed looking at short contract work. Pretty competitive, but I can get a few by bidding low. I'm not after 5x-ing my income, just avoiding turning into a vegetable.

Speaking of which... back at it for a while!
 
My Carrer really began just after I turned 15. Went to live for a family with a Dairy herd. The owner had a bad back. After a year I worked for another Farmer even while still continuing in H.S. At 63 1/2 I said nuffs nuff. My continuing dream is going to work, can't punch in, get nothing finished and can't sign for or accept any pay or I will screw up my retirement. U see, Nuffs enuff ! Or I will screw up my retirement.
 
I take your question as wondering why no longer earning potential income bothers you, even when you don't need it.

As a working person trying to survive and get ahead we strive and sacrifice for success, many times we equate that success with dollars earned. Once we get past our "acquiring things" part of life the money we earn starts piling up faster than we spend it. For me it became kind of an obsession to hit financial milestones, good gosh I liked watching my net worth climb!

So I get it, another year of work results in X dollars, fives years is XXXXX more in the bank. I'm rich and getting richer, look how much money I'm stocking away! Yahoo! lol

Then what? What's all that extra money going to do for me? Or you? For me that was the key question, and I couldn't come up with enough valid reasons to keep wanting to earn more money. All that extra money just becomes numbers in a portfolio.

If you want to work then work, if making money brings you true joy then do it. Just evaluate if money earned is more valuable than time left. Only you can answer that. For me I won't trade dollars for days.
 
Last edited:
Like others have said, you need to do what makes you happy. If you have no hobbies to keep you busy you might consider a part time job. Something that gives you the best of both worlds.

Before my husband retired we opened up an Etsy store to sell things we made. He still makes things to sell which not only gives us extra cash but allows us to write off a bunch of stuff so we get a much better tax refund.

You have to be happy with your retirement. If not you need to make some changes. Maybe working is it but maybe it’s not. Only you know the answer to that.
 
I don't want to work so bad that the money doesn't matter. I don't need much. Although I will need another car in the future. Mine is doing well, relative low mileage (<90 thousand) but it's getting up in age.

I'll live on what I have. I need to take care of the cats, feed myself. The only big thing I'd like to buy is another china cabinet. I have one of those tall curio type, but with the cats, I could use another. A little thrift store money, I'd be OK.

I just want to feel safe where I live and be left alone. I was making good money when I owned that house and I didn't feel safe and wasn't left alone.
 
VaughanJB said:
So, here's the reality. I'm effectively retired. I am fortunate to have a home, the belongings that are important to me, and I can coast through my days.

But then I also know, for a fact, that I could 5X my monthly income by continuing to work. And that 5X just bugs the heck out of me. Why? Greed? Boredom? Just repeating actions that I've done for 50 years (ie. go to work, get paid, go to work). At what point do the, "yeah, but I could be making good money today" thought go away?

Sorry if this is comes across as a silly question. I was offered work today, and I turned it down on principle. Meaning, I'm retired. And if I don't hold on to retirement now, I probably never will.

What say you?
Click to expand...
I would say that the operative consideration is meaningfulness and purpose. Is that 5X the monthly income actually meaningful enough to be worth your time earning it? And would you derive more gratification continuing to work than you would coasting through the time you have left? And the very term "coasting"........I'd say that sounds lacking in purpose.
I urge you to find what is meaningful to you.
 
In the 12 years of retirement I’ve either consulted in my field or taught one college class for all but 3 of those years. I set my own schedule and don’t work a lot. There’s no way I would work full time or regular hours. I like my freedom.
 
I think old habits die hard and you are in the "shall I, shan't I?" stage where you will remain until you decide whether you want to retire or not. If you decide to retire, you must fully commit to it and invest in lots of comfortable leisurewear and a sensible pair of slippers. ;)
 
CallMeKate said:
What says me is decide what makes you happy. If you have "enough" and don't need excess, enjoy your retirement. If you're bored, lonely, wanting to buy a luxury or two that you'd need extra income for, then try going back. I wouldn't sign any contracts, though... is your work such that you could work as a contractor or freelancer so you wouldn't be tied to it if you change your mind about working?
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. A consulting fee here or there might ease the pain. Or a totally different part time job for fun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top