To Those Retired or Planning to Retire This Year

I think retirement is a shock to the system anyway. I happen to love my job and I am healthy, but I'm just tired of the grind. I want to start looking into other things to do. I'll be 68 in January when I do retire so it's time.. I've worked over 40 years. I have decided to go from full time to a "casual" status at work... meaning they can call me if they need me... and I can accept or decline.. so that's nice. I think I will be working 1 or 2 days a week until they find my replacement.. so it helps them.. and also helps me ease into retirement psychologically. For me that's the main thing.. the psychological aspect. Until I can figure out how I want to spend my days.. I will still have some work to fall back on if I want... and the extra money will help ease the way until I can figure out how to budget on my new income level.
 

QuickSilver said:
I think retirement is a shock to the system anyway. I happen to love my job and I am healthy, but I'm just tired of the grind. I want to start looking into other things to do. I'll be 68 in January when I do retire so it's time.. I've worked over 40 years. I have decided to go from full time to a "casual" status at work... meaning they can call me if they need me... and I can accept or decline.. so that's nice. I think I will be working 1 or 2 days a week until they find my replacement.. so it helps them.. and also helps me ease into retirement psychologically. For me that's the main thing.. the psychological aspect. Until I can figure out how I want to spend my days.. I will still have some work to fall back on if I want... and the extra money will help ease the way until I can figure out how to budget on my new income level.
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If we're not traveling in the Fall this year, I might consider doing some part-time work just to earn a few extra bucks and stretch the savings a bit more. Might see about approaching my old employer and working a few hours, but I can only work a set number of hours due to pension rules.
 
Phoenix said:
Bobby B, very few people have that kind of money. It's kind of like when I went to college, and it was supposed to cost me an outlandish amount for housing. I'm from a poor family, and I learned to be frugal. It did not cost nearly what they said. See my answer in the introductions section. I referred you to my investment person and provided an email address. If you want to know my real name so you can give it to him and say that I referred you to him, send me a private message.
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Thanks everyone! Phoenix ,I will message you,,,,,


Thanks for all your input, Bobby
 

BOBBY B said:
Thanks everyone! Phoenix ,I will message you,,,,,


Thanks for all your input, Bobby
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Please do. We had one set of investments he put us in that gained money even during this last down turn. He's an honest guy. He left his position with a larger investment firm because they stopped caring about their investors. He is now a VP and still does investments.
 
Sunny said:
It seems to me that there are two kinds of worries. One is financial; the other is about "what will I do with all that time."

Financially, we all have to make our own decision based on our circumstances. If retirement will impose a real hardship, then obviously it's not a good idea, unless one really hates one's job, or has health issues.

But to the second part of it, my answer would be, you'll be as busy and involved with the world as you want to be! Most retirees wonder how they ever found time to go to work, as they're so busy now. The difference, of course, is that now you can spend your time doing what you choose to do, not what you have to do.

The answer is different for everyone, based on your circumstances and your interests. I have personally loved retirement, and have filled my days with activities that I enjoy doing; I've never had one moment of regret over having retired.
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A THIRD thing to consider is HEALTH both present and future possibilities.
 
Yes, health is a biggy. The further a person goes on the path of aging, the more one realizes that in an instant one can be disabled or gone. At this point when I plan things, I keep that in mind. As for what to do with myself, I'm still doing what I've been doing, writing and painting.
 
LogicsHere: I think I pretty much answered your question with my reply in these two threads, giving the details to why and how I managed to take such an early retirement.
Is Retirement What You Thought It Would Be? and What Age is Best To Retire?
 
Simone1 said:
But I recently decided to look into becoming a Peace Corp. I know it sounds like a big commitment, but I think it is the right thing for me. Right now I am still in the application process but let's see how it goes.
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Let us know if you get accepted and where you will be assigned. This sounds like an excellent adventure!
 
Simone1, it sounds like you still want to make a difference. I understand that. The world is a mess. All kinds of folks have so very little. If we each do what we can, it can make someone's life a little better. To me nothing else means much. I do mine through writing stories with truths tucked around hoping that others will find what they need that way.
 
I'll be attending my first training session for working as a volunteer at a local hospice organization. Training starts Sunday. Not sure what to expect, but eager to give it a go. Separately I've started back to work this week on a temporary basis, joining my former employer for the last quarter madness. Never thought I'd want to go back, but here I am working about 3 days per week. It's been gratifying to get all the "welcome back" greetings in my inbox. Feels good. The work will give a boost to the bank account as a hedge against what I'm sure will be the typically hefty rise in insurance premiums next year. Every little bit helps.
 
Seabreeze - I had to respond to your reply as I also have had nightmares that I am still working with deadlines to meet! It was difficult leaving the big pay but not the stress. My DH had been retired for 10 years before I retired at 62 once we reached our financial goal of being debt free. We also do not worry about running out of money as we live a simple and quiet life and love every minute of it! We love our small bungalow and enjoy our little oasis in the backyard. Cheers, Suzanne
 
I too was planning to retire at 70 but am retiring this month at age 67. The main reason is that my dad died and my inheritance almost doubled my 401K plan. My sister and I hired a lawyer that specialized in elder law. He set up a trust to protect my parents money from being seized by the State should they need to enter a State nursing home. He also got my Mother on Medicaid so her nursing home stay is about $80 a month.

Usually the first consultation is free and even though it costs us a few thousand, it saved us so much more. As some of my cousins said, sometimes you need to go against your parents' wishes for their own good. My Cousin Ron says that his mother still hates him for having her committed to a nursing home after she started the third fire in her apartment. My sister took care of my dad for 15 years. He got to a point where he was soiling himself, did not bathe and had festering sores on his legs. He refused to go to a nursing home and my sister could not bring herself to do so. Finally he got sudden onset dementia and thought my sister was his wife and did not know where he was. So she had him hospitalized and Social Services were called in and told my sister that they would have to report her for allowing my dad to live on his own in the condition he was in. She said that was his wish but they did not care. My dad died the night before he was to be transferred to a nursing home and his last words to my sister was that he hated her for making him go to a home. I feel so bad for my sister who put her own life on hold to care for him only to hear his last words like that.
 

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