The Nagging "What if"

Retired at 60 (9 years ago) because my job was changing and introducing extra work which I was not comfortable in doing.....I wanted to enjoy my life after working since I was 17........we could afford for me to do so albeit I had to wait 6 years for my state pension. No regrets and certainly haven't and won't be looking for any form of employment. I'm happy with my lot.
 
jujube said:
I started looking forward to retirement...oh...the second day of my first job at 17. YOU MEAN I HAVE TO DO THIS FIVE DAYS A WEEK???

I dove head first into retirement at 62 and never looked back.
Click to expand...
Same here except I was 20 and I remember sitting there in that office on the first day so depressed screaming inside “Nooo it wasn’t supposed to be like this! I don’t wanna work in an office the rest of my life!” But I had to anyway so I also retired as soon as I could.
 
I may be in a different situation than most; as I have no spouse (or significant other) or offspring. I live very simply and don’t need much money.

I’ve been at my current job almost 40 years and have no immediate plans to retire. Given my single status and simple lifestyle, why on earth would I keep working?

As pathetic as it sounds, I have nothing else in my life. Work gives me a sense of purpose...
 
When I was 51 my job was eliminated as part of a corporate merger.

At first I panicked and then I took stock of my situation. I realized that I had enough to live quietly and could be content with a drastically lower standard of living.

That was almost 20 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made.

Do what you feel is right for you and your situation.

For some folks the money is an important part of ‘keeping score’ or their identity is tied to their professional position, and for a lucky few their job is an enjoyable and rewarding part of life.

Good luck with your decision!
 
Retirement, at least to me, simply means a freedom from deadlines. It doesn’t have to mean a dead stop of activities you enjoyed while working. If you have talents that can carry over into volunteer work you might consider that. Others discover that wonderful platform of YouTube and teach others. Learning another way to measure success rather than earning is a new mindset. But change is the basic definition of retirement.
 
After 65 Time>Money, provided you have enough money to live a reasonable lifestyle. Each person has to define what ’reasonable’ means to them.

I should add that most of my friends and relatives from my youth are now passed. I am not that old, so it should not be so, but it is. Among those close to me in the past only my ex-wife is still alive and doing well. Given that women in her family routinely live into the 90’s, that is not a surprise. But so many classmates, cousins, and friends are gone.
 
Last edited:
Aunt Bea said:
When I was 51 my job was eliminated as part of a corporate merger.

At first I panicked and then I took stock of my situation. I realized that I had enough to live quietly and could be content with a drastically lower standard of living.

That was almost 20 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made.

Do what you feel is right for you and your situation.

For some folks the money is an important part of ‘keeping score’ or their identity is tied to their professional position, and for a lucky few their job is an enjoyable and rewarding part of life.

Good luck with your decision!
Click to expand...

I most agree with this. If the work itself was intrinsically motivating I’d consider it. But if it is just a question of having ever more than enough money, I wouldn’t do it.
 
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.



What say you?
Click to expand...
How do you enjoy life?
Is the interaction you have with others while working what you miss?

You say you don't need the money so what do you miss?
I'm retired 29 years now & never had the what if thought.
 
Being semi retired is the best of all worlds for DH & me. Most of my work is computer-related, can pretty much be done on my own schedule, and doesn't interfere with DH & my ability to travel or spend time with family and friends. Yes, the extra money is nice, but more important is our continued engagement with the working world.

Friends who've retired are elbow deep in activities that hold no interest for either of us: pickleball tournaments, regularly scheduled mah jongg, card and trivia games, scrapbooking, shopping, hours of YouTube videos, and so forth. Not casting aspersions on those choices, just saying that people need ways to fill their time. Filling some of that time with paid employment post fulltime work isn't necessarily a bad thing.
 
officerripley said:
Same here except I was 20 and I remember sitting there in that office on the first day so depressed screaming inside “Nooo it wasn’t supposed to be like this! I don’t wanna work in an office the rest of my life!” But I had to anyway so I also retired as soon as I could.
Click to expand...
I have felt the same. I know there are people who genuinely enjoy their work - or at least claim to - but I am not one of them.

I don't really feel any sense of job satisfaction at all. Nor do I feel fulfillment or anything similar.
 
When I decided to retire fully, we sat down and discussed the effects on the lost of my income.
With some changes, decided we could still enjoy some things like travel, sporting events, concerts, etc.

For a time after retiring, I helped a friend I had trained in HVAC to get his new business off the ground.
When he needed to solve a problem or when he needed an extra hand, I did this at no charge.
This went on for a time, then I decided it wasn't really helping him grow his business if I didn't charge
him for my time.
Kind of a false situation on his part, as he was going to have to add another helper someday.

We talked about it and he agreed. Kind of a 'tough love' situation.

He added another HVAC helper and now he will call only when really stuck on a problem.

We meet up every once in a while for drinks and food; He picks up the Tab and I'm ok with the arrangement.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top