At The First Thought of Retirement....

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Gramainalaska

New Member
How did you feel deep down inside? Were you nervous or scared? Was it hard to give up that paycheck? Were you going to be alone with out a mate? Or maybe too much of your mate on a daily basis? Was it easy to step out of your comfort zone? Did you realize all of sudden you were getting "old". Was this a positive or a negative? I am going through some times that I feel emotional, not really sure why exactly. Maybe some sincere responses would be helpful. gia
 

My story is not your typical 'I'm going to retire' story. It's actually that I simply 'stopped working' and was not eligible for a pension for 5 more years. I stopped working at 55 to go to Uganda for two years where my husband (who was already retired but worked a part-time job unrelated to his career) volunteered to train teachers. So proper 'retirement' was not what I was thinking about. I was thinking 'what the hell have I agreed to??!'.

I was only 57 when we came home and when my DH asked if I was going to get a job I said nope.
 
I retired at 62 after more than 30 years in the bread business. I thought the last couple years would never pass. I was more than ready to stop working and enjoy a different life style. That was 15 years ago.
 

Gramainalaska said:
How did you feel deep down inside? Were you nervous or scared? Was it hard to give up that paycheck? Were you going to be alone with out a mate? Or maybe too much of your mate on a daily basis? Was it easy to step out of your comfort zone? Did you realize all of sudden you were getting "old". Was this a positive or a negative? I am going through some times that I feel emotional, not really sure why exactly. Maybe some sincere responses would be helpful. gia
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My retirement decision has actually been "forced" on me. I wasn't planning to retire until the end of this year, middle of next; however, the company I work for had other ideas as I received a letter last week notifying me that my last day of employment would be April 17th.

Will it be hard to give up the paycheck? Yes as I hadn't planned to tap into my retirement accounts until middle of next year; however, between three weeks severance pay, Widow's survivor benefits and unemployment (and yes, I will give them the impression I'm looking for another job), I can make it through the end of the year without touching my 401K. And it actually amounts to $300 more a month than I'm taking home now, but that has already been spent on Medicare. At that time I will start the 401K and then claim my SS benefits at age 70.

I am on my own, married at 22, a widow at 23 and never remarried, but I am caring for a parent with Alzheimers and that's difficult.

Do I realize I'm getting old? I suppose I'm thinking more about getting older and what I will be facing as I continue to age and while it never bothered me before, it is starting to bother me a little bit. All I can do is take one day at a time and go from there.
 
my retirement story ...I was kind of ready, the check coming once a month is different..anyway worked construction work was slow in 2009, we had to have so many hours to get a credit year...just made it that summer....boss laid me off and I collected unemployment, than was able to take my pension smaller than want I had been making but we were ok...two years later I was now eligible for a second pension, twenty years in the army guard and age 60 than two years later SS, at the same time I took a part time job at the local hardware and now making more than when I was working...but I don't feel retired....I am long term unemployed for I was laid off and never went back been five years....and loving it...the hardware job that is only 14 hours a week and I even like it most days...one thing is we have always lived below our means and so this has been a lateral move more than anything.....
 
I retired 8 years ago. When I retired I felt like a kid getting out of school going on summer vacation. Shortly after I retired, the financial downturn hit so I felt a little nervous. But that passed. Retirement is great. The freedom to do whatever you want when you wake up in the morning is hard to beat. In a few minutes I'm headed to a hiking trail with my mutt. The cost......just a buck or two for gas. ;)
 
I want to quit my job as an RN this year. Nervous and scared. I sure am. I take home decent money. I'll be 55 soon. I'm thinking of trying to find something else to do. Not sure how this is going to play out. I just know I can't keep doing this until I draw social security. Physically I can still do the job. It's the stress and worry the job causes that is wearing on me.
 
Kitties said:
I want to quit my job as an RN this year. Nervous and scared. I sure am. I take home decent money. I'll be 55 soon. I'm thinking of trying to find something else to do. Not sure how this is going to play out. I just know I can't keep doing this until I draw social security. Physically I can still do the job. It's the stress and worry the job causes that is wearing on me.
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My sis-in-law is a nurse and she was able to cut her schedule way back. She works just enough to fund her travels. Is a reduced schedule a possibility?
 
Gramainalaska said:
How did you feel deep down inside? Were you nervous or scared? Was it hard to give up that paycheck? Were you going to be alone with out a mate? Or maybe too much of your mate on a daily basis? Was it easy to step out of your comfort zone? Did you realize all of sudden you were getting "old". Was this a positive or a negative? I am going through some times that I feel emotional, not really sure why exactly. Maybe some sincere responses would be helpful. gia
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I did not "step out of my comfort zone". Quite the opposite. The stress level at my job was overwhelming. (I was a legal assistant at a major law firm.) It was really taking a toll on me emotionally and physically. My world went from frenzied black and white to brilliant soothing technicolor overnight the day I retired. But it was not just a matter of leaving the job stress behind. Fortunately, in my area there are so many opportunities, classes, and events available to me (many of them are free or very low cost), it's mind boggling. I am never bored and so much happier! I wish the same for you and everyone on this forum! :)
 
Bullie76, thanks for your reply. I have considered this but I'm not so sure I even want to do that. With the corporate profit environment and the liability anymore, I think for my health, the best thing would be to just stop. I think I'd rather try and go a little longer full time if I have to.
 
Retirement was O.K. at first, I was sure ready for a break, and also take care of a medical problem. But as the euphoria subsided, I started feeling very uncomfortable with being without a job. I did not have much of a nest-egg(thank you, Wall Street) so travel and pleasure cruises weren't on the schedule. Also, I missed doing what made me...me.

I might try retirement again in about 10 years, right now I've got things to do.
 
Gramainalaska said:
How did you feel deep down inside? Were you nervous or scared? Was it hard to give up that paycheck? Were you going to be alone with out a mate? Or maybe too much of your mate on a daily basis? Was it easy to step out of your comfort zone? Did you realize all of sudden you were getting "old". Was this a positive or a negative? I am going through some times that I feel emotional, not really sure why exactly. Maybe some sincere responses would be helpful. gia
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It was very easy for me and my husband, we both had worked hard all our lives, full time and overtime to be able to afford to take an early retirement. I retired 6 years ago, and have loved not having to set the alarm for 4 or 5 AM, and drive to work in the dark or in snow blizzards, etc.

For the last six months or so at work, I daydreamed a lot, knowing soon my time would be up, no more punching the clock and can enjoy the rest of my life before I'm too old or sickly to do so. Way too many people I know worked until the last minute, only to become disabled for one reason or another, or actually die soon after retiring...never getting to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and take it easy in their golden years.

I wasn't nervous or scared. I took a long vacation and never went back, the only people I informed of my leaving was the management. It was definitely a positive for me and my husband. I didn't think retiring was getting old. I knew for a long time I was getting older, and I never had issue with it, better than the alternative.

I'm in my comfort zone now really, was never nervous or scared to make the move. I just knew that in order for our savings to last until we die, we'd have to watch our spending. But that isn't hard for us at all, we always lived a simple lifestyle and preferred the nature outdoors over the fancy baubles, houses, clothes and cars that mean so much to some.

We are together every day, but we enjoy each other's company. After our morning walk in the park with the dog, we do our own thing many days....never an issue at all. I've heard of some people getting part time work to get away from their spouse, that would never ever happen with me, that's for sure. My workin' days are over, and that's how it should be at our age IMO. :cool:
 
I have a friend and former co-worker (in TN) who is retiring today. I am sooooooooooo happy for her! She just turned 62 and had said she'd work until at least 65 or 66 to get bigger pensions, but the stress from the boss was getting too much for her. She worked for him for 21 years and I don't know how she did it. The 5 years I worked for him were stressful but having great co-workers kept me there.

I sent her a gift at her office of chocolates and teas and others have sent her flowers. And I've posted 3 happy retirement cliparts on her Facebook.
 
I probably would have worked until 65, but I met my boyfriend who was already retired and ready to start traveling around the country several months a year. So, I jumped into retirement head-first and have never regretted it. I have Social Security (first I drew on my late husband's account and then changed over to mine when mine became a larger benefit) and a pension, so I could afford to retire at that time.
 
My husband got the opportunity for early retirement when we were both still in our 50's. We jumped at the chance. I was bored with my job (computer programmer), and was glad to escape. We moved clear across the country to the west coast, where we lived happily retired for 18 years, until his health issues made it necessary to move back to be near one of our children. I love all the activities and freedom that retirement brings. I've never missed working, not for a minute.
 
I cut my working hours back twice before I completely retired, but I was ready to get out of there when I finally left, there have been a few times in the winter when I thought about going back to work, but I wasn't too serious about it.
 
Being self employed and a bit on the lazy side, I have sort of been partly retired most of my life, so apart from doing odd jobs for local charities, I enjoy travelling and doing nothing much nowadays. I admit the internet has become an essential part of my life in many ways, where would a lot of us be without it? :confused:
 

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