Will Your Retirement Be A Working Retirement?

I'm sure that many folks won't share my thoughts but I've always seen my world as divided into 3 - 8 hour segments making up my day. Roughly, we work 8 hours, come home and do what we choose for another 8, and finally sleep for the last 8. I never found the day that I would prefer 8 hours at my job to be preferable to 8 hours with my wife, and/or family. Simple choice for me and I did have a job that I "enjoyed", but let's be honest, if I wasn't paid you wouldn't have found me hanging around my office because that's where I chose to be.

At 58, the opportunity came to take an early retirement and my wife (who didn't work) and I took about 20 minutes to make our choice. We'd never be wealthy, but I had a lifetime pension along with health care for both of us and , no matter how important I imagined myself to be, at work, I'm sure that my seat was filled almost before I went out the door. My job never defined me and the thought of it being preferable to spending my days with my wife and kids was (and is) laughable, at least in my case.
 
MercyL I was blessed to be able to retire a month before my 51st birthday. I didn't have nearly the amount saved that I wanted to and my co-workers thought I couldn't pull it off. Most of them made more than me and had been in the pension system just as long as or longer than I was. But I knew due to my particular set up circumstances, I'd be okay even though I lost 12% of my pension by retiring 4 years before what (back then) was the full retirement age for state workers. We had extremely low mortgage payments on a co-op apartment I owned since age 23, I was going to be fully covered by health insurance which until Medicare was free. I also retired debt free. Of course I had to wait 11 years to start collecting Social Security, which part of is taxed but I am blessed to be able to save/invest. Unlike you, my investments, which I hand picked myself until I found just the right mix, held up well during the crash.

Every time I think about finding a part time job...I think it for about 5 seconds then go "Naaaah". During some of the time since retirement, I was blessed, along with my sister to do marketing research dental studies for a large global company on an intermittent but fairly regular basis for about 4 or 5 years. The studies could be anywhere from one day (or take home samples) to one week. One year we made over $4,000. Bottom line is it was also taxed so I figured if I worked Uncle Sam would get a chunk of it anyway and since my income more than covers my expenses, I don't see the point. I feel bad for those who must continue to work and don't want to but don't have a choice. Best of success on your new business endeavor!
 
I'm with you, I am retired but not ready to stop contributing (to society and to our income). I'm currently supplementing my income building websites and creating affiliate blog sites. I'm learning all this online in a great training platform and community. I have several blog sites I write blogs for (diabetes, my giant schnauzer dog, earning money in retirement, fasting and artist trading cards). I stay busy learning and creating. I love that it keeps my mind working and learning all the time. But I've always enjoyed learning.

I retired at age 53 - two years early. I did take a cut on my federal pension, but the "buyout" paid off our home. We have since moved to another city and purchased another home, downsizing during the process. We now live in somewhat of a retirement area and love it - there is lots to do here. - Shirley
 
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