Now all I have to do is pick the date.

Q

QuickSilver

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Location
Midwest
After two years of research and attending seminars and pretty close to agonizing over the entire process, Yesterday I finalized my retirement healthcare decisions.

I have enrolled in Medicare part B to begin January 1st... My Part A has been in place since I was 65.

I have selected Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan G MedSelect as my supplement, which covers everything Plan F does minus the $166 annual Part B deductible. The lower premium makes up for this.

I have selected the BC/BS basic Medicare Part D plan $26.10 a month.


So anytime after January 1st, I am free to retire. I have not yet decided when.. But it's kind of nice knowing that after 40 years of working full time, I am no longer tied to an employer because of the need for Health Insurance. What a great feeling!!! Now the decision to quit, or remain working is solely based on ME... and how I feel. It's been a long time coming.
 
Ameriscot said:
Go for it! Freedom!! :happy:
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Or boredom. I'm completely ambivalent about it. When I am driving to work at 5:30 am or having to deal with a "pain in the ass" boss.. I want to retire.. When I am engrossed in my job and enjoying the process, I DON'T want to retire... When I look at my bank account and see the $$$$$$$$ I REALLY don't want to retire. I have always thought that when the time came, I would know it and be happy about it.. yet the ambivalence remains.
 
Been retired 19 years, boredom hasn't happened yet. There are some times when there isn't enough time for it all.
 
QuickSilver said:
Or boredom. I'm completely ambivalent about it. When I am driving to work at 5:30 am or having to deal with a "pain in the ass" boss.. I want to retire.. When I am engrossed in my job and enjoying the process, I DON'T want to retire... When I look at my bank account and see the $$$$$$$$ I REALLY don't want to retire. I have always thought that when the time came, I would know it and be happy about it.. yet the ambivalence remains.
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Follow your heart QS, if it feels good do it! If not, wait until it does. I haven't been bored in retirement yet, don't miss working at all and haven't even caught up on my need to do list yet....it's all good for me. We're all different though, so take your time in picking a date, only do it when you're sure you won't change your mind. I wanted to retire so bad I could taste it. :p
 
QS--SeaBreeze gives you good advice. I know two women (one my older sister) going on 70 and still working. They both like their jobs and are healthy enough to continue working. I, on the other hand, retired at 55 and was more than ready. It's nice to be able to have these options today. I have not been bored, in fact, I am almost always busy. It is nice to be able to do things at a slower pace and to have time to do things you couldn't find time for in the past. But you have to do what's best for you.
 
Dang, ya'll did great with retirement planning. I will be medication-less and eating cat food for sustenance...and even that I will have to steal...from a part time job.
 
I've known many people who were afraid they'd be bored and were surprised that they weren't, and now love being retired.

If you love your job I can seeing being torn about deciding. I've been retired 9 years and never been bored.
 
QuickSilver said:
Or boredom. I'm completely ambivalent about it. When I am driving to work at 5:30 am or having to deal with a "pain in the ass" boss.. I want to retire.. When I am engrossed in my job and enjoying the process, I DON'T want to retire... When I look at my bank account and see the $$$$$$$$ I REALLY don't want to retire. I have always thought that when the time came, I would know it and be happy about it.. yet the ambivalence remains.
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I know that feeling. It was very strange waking up each day and knowing I didn't have to be anywhere and that the day was mine. My recent decision to return to work part-time (been averaging 24 hours per week thus far) has been mostly positive, but it has also brought back some of the frustrations that came along with my job. It's been nice seeing more money going into the account than coming out.

You'll know when the time is right, and just as you did with getting your health insurance squared away, you'll figure out what to do with all the free time. In my case it helped to have a financial planner reassuring me that I had plenty saved for this next phase of my life. If you're not already familiar with it, check out Kathy's Retirement Blog. Some good advice.
 
Bobw235 said:
I know that feeling. It was very strange waking up each day and knowing I didn't have to be anywhere and that the day was mine. My recent decision to return to work part-time (been averaging 24 hours per week thus far) has been mostly positive, but it has also brought back some of the frustrations that came along with my job. It's been nice seeing more money going into the account than coming out.

You'll know when the time is right, and just as you did with getting your health insurance squared away, you'll figure out what to do with all the free time. In my case it helped to have a financial planner reassuring me that I had plenty saved for this next phase of my life. If you're not already familiar with it, check out Kathy's Retirement Blog. Some good advice.
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I am fearful about money.. my financial planner has assured me over and over that I have "met my number" and will have enough to be comfortable.. and that I do not have to be fearful, yet I remain so. Maybe because I grew up without much, and watched my parents fight about money all the time.
 
QuickSilver said:
I am fearful about money.. my financial planner has assured me over and over that I have "met my number" and will have enough to be comfortable.. and that I do not have to be fearful, yet I remain so. Maybe because I grew up without much, and watched my parents fight about money all the time.
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You will be saving money just by not working, at least I did. Less on gas, lunches, clothing, and whatever other expenses work-related you may have. You have more time to shop for bargains at the grocery store! Depending how far you traveled each day to work, you may even see a reduction on car insurance.

Assuming most of us are invested, we never know how well the stock market will behave. I was out already in 2008 when our 401Ks took the biggest hit. We did regain some, but those accounts were not managed, we did that ourselves. The problem with that was we didn't see it coming, we didn't know what was really going on in the banks. Of course, those in congress damn well knew, that is like having a perk for them! If your planner has crunched the figures, you should be OK. I don't know if we could ever be 100% sure of anything unless we could foresee the future. If you would be more comfortable, maybe something part time would help offset groceries or monthly bills.

We didn't have much growing up either, a lot of people during the 50's and 60's did not! We didn't buy very much on credit, we saved for it first. We didn't think we were bad off--we lived in a middle-class neighborhood where everyone was pretty much the same, so that thought never really entered our minds. Our generation has done better but the future ones may be very much affected with the loss of pensions.
 
Congratulations and I say go for it! You'll figure out what to do with your time as you go. Yes, you may have a day when you are bored, but that can happen when you're working too. Stay open to new experiences and things will happen.
 
Carla is right! You will be surprised how little you will be spending on gas, lunches, clothing, etc.! Where I was having to fill my gas tank once a week while working, I only have to fill it about every 5 weeks now. That is a huge savings. And I have enough clothes, I do not see anything I REALLY need when I go shopping. When I was working, I seemed to just buy things on a "whim" because I had the money. Your life style changes. And not having to get up in the dark to go to work and come home in the dark and try to get everything done before bedtime has caused me to be more relaxed. I actually have the time to do what "I" want to do. But everyone is different, you will know when it is time to "hang it up"!
 
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