Oct 14 is my day of freedom!!

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Hello everyone - it's been quite a while since I have posted here, but I have some big news, and I think you folks might understand my situation better than most:

I'm retiring from my company on Oct 14!!!!

It's a few years earlier than I originally planned (I'm 61), but my financial advisor says I can do it, so screw it - I'm going to do it!! My job, which I used to love, has been an absolute hell for the last year. I've had enough and I don't want to put up with this nonsense anymore. I've actually been planning this for nearly a year, so it is not a snap decision. It has just taken this long for me to realize that my job is only going to get worse, and that I have worked too darn hard, for too darn long, to be this miserable. And, of course, I had to convince my wife that this is the right thing to do. She is still a little skeptical about whether I will enjoy not working AND not drive her crazy, but we have both been building bucket lists of things we want to do. I've been working from home for most of the last 2 years, and we're still married, so I think we'll be fine.

I'm excited, but also scared. I've been working for a wage since I was 14 (longer if you include getting 2 cents/egg for collecting the eggs and feeding the chickens every morning before school). I'm walking away from the most money I have ever made in my entire life. That's really, really hard. On the other hand, that kind of thinking is how you end-up being found dead at your desk someday. I sure as heck don't want to be one of those guys!

I know many of you are retired - tell me the things you love about NOT working!

[just bob]

You'll never look back and if you get bored very easy to get a part time job.

[XX Case XX]

Sell all your watches, you won't need them anymore.

__________
Mike

[Dinadan]

Well, TwoFlowersLuggage, I retired about five years ago now. I was 63: I worked outside for a land surveying company, and decided that the summer heat was just too hot for me to keep working outside. I had some qualms, but there has not been a day that I felt regret for retiring. I miss the camaraderie of the men with whom I spent so much time over so many years, yes. And there were plenty of days where I felt guilty for getting paid for work that was so much fun. But there were also plenty of days where there really was not enough money in the world to make me want to do the work.

I thought that I might be bored, but that never happened. I live a very simple life style and and find it very satisfying. Just waking up in the morning and knowing that the day is mine and there is no need to rush my coffee and breakfast, no need to fight the morning traffic, no need to figure out how to meet the job's requirements even with guys calling out sick or equipment breaking down: I love that. Retirement has been a bit of a test of who I really am, too. There were things I thought would change when I had a choice, but did not really change. Like when I get up in the morning - still about the same. It turns out that I really do not want to sleep late. Now that the day is mine to spend as I choose, why would I want to waste part of it by sleeping late?

[steve99f]

Congratulations!

[CluelessNick]

Good for you ! I retired at 57 , 11 years ago, and have not regretted it for a moment. It was too early and we were not really financially prepared for it but we found that the freedom to do as we pleased each day made it all worth while. Congratulations !

[jerryd6818]

Congratulations Suitcase. I've been retired for 17 years & I can just about guarantee it's the best job you'll ever have. Come back in a year & tell me I'm wrong. Ain't gonna happen.

[zzyzzogeton]

There are many positives of being retired. Some are -
- you can plan what you want to do when you want to do and never need to worry about scheduling time off from work.
- you can sleep until you're done sleeping.
- you only have 1 person to make happy. Since you're married, that's your wife.
- you never absolutely HAVE to be anywhere.

The biggest negative is unless you are independently wealthy, you have to plan your budgets a little tighter.

[herbva]

I couldn't agree more with everything ZZ said above. I retired 9 years ago at 61 and it was quite an adjustment, but a great decision. I had a very demanding, but rewarding job, but it was time and I have no regrets. It was a big adjustment for a few years, but once I finally realized that i could do whatever i wanted, it was a great decision. Congrats, and enjoy!

[RobesonsRme.com]

In my humble opinion and, No, I haven’t done the math on this, but all the hype from Social Security trying to convince us to work until we are seventy or seventy-five years of age is a scam.

They say you will draw more, which is true, but you’ll draw it for a shorter period of time, because you are going to die eventually.

If you start drawing Social Security at your earliest possible age, more than likely, the amount you will draw from that point to age 70 or 75, will exceed the “extra” amount you would draw from that later age to death.

Retire when you can afford to live on what you can draw monthly.

Get a hobby. I suggest knife collecting.

[stagman]

GOOD CHOICE !!! There is nothing like retirement...wait till you get
a good taste of it !!!
I retired 15 years , 3 months, 13 days ago...loved every minute of it !!!

Stag

[philco]

I've been retired for almost 4 1/2 years now. I went out on disability and to be honest it was not easy for me to stop working. Financially it was not that difficult, but after working since I was a teenager, it was not an easy thing for me to just stop. But I did, and after a while I managed to get adjusted to my new life. As some others have mentioned, I don't have the income I once did, but I have more freedom than I've ever had. My wife and I are able to take off for a week or more whenever the notion hits us. I get up when I want and go to bed when it suits me.
If I were to offer any advice, it would be to find something that makes you feel useful, and that allows you to make a contribution to the world. I volunteer at the local animal shelter to transport dogs and cats to rescue organizations. I'm sure there's a cause that's meaningful to you. Whatever it is, now you've got the time, roll up your sleeves and help.
Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you love every single day.

[Samb]

Congratulations Suitcase. I've been retired for 17 years & I can just about guarantee it's the best job you'll ever have. Come back in a year & tell me I'm wrong. Ain't gonna happen.

Gotta agree with that! I retired 6 years ago and it beats any job I ever had.

[royal0014]

Congratulations Suitcase !!
Hope you get to spend more time perusing AAPK, we've missed you.
How's the surf-fishing been ??

[jerryd6818]

Just one more thing. Stay active.

[Jeffinn]

Congrats!
I retired at 62. It’s been 6 years for me and I’ve been loving every minute of it.
Jeff

[Case V42]

Congratulations. Don't worry, you're doing the right thing. My wife and I held onto our business until we were both 70, and it was a huge mistake. We should have retired much sooner. Go out and enjoy every day.

[treefarmer]

TFL, Congratulations, enjoy your well earned retirement!
I retired at 62 in 2009. It’s been a great ride. Only problem, this ageing body is slowing down, I can’t do the things I used to do as quickly or easily as I did when I was 62. Asking for help was hard when I’ve always done most things by myself. I’m thankful for a younger than I retired gentleman who helps me on the farm and in the woods one day per week. I needed the help, he needed the money, we are both happy!
Every retirement is different.
Treefarmer

[1967redrider]

Congrats!!!

I just started my 31st year with the City but I'm only 55. I would love to leave here and go work for the railroad, but my current salary and mortgage keep me from doing so. However, my mortgage will be paid in 3 years and then I can do as I please.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Thank you everyone!

I think it helps that my wife has been retired for over 10 years, so she already has a routine that keeps her busy.

Volunteering is one of the activities I have been researching. We have an organization here, the Surfrider Foundation, that is focused on clean-up and protection of the beaches. Considering I live steps from the beach, that seems like a practical & useful way to spend my time. They have beach clean-up days where volunteers walk the beach picking up any trash that people have left or that has washed up from the ocean. They also hold fundraising events to raise money for scientific research on beach erosion, ocean habitat health, beach safety, etc. I have also been researching other volunteering opportunities, like the local Food Bank and the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Whether it is picking up trash, unloading donations or doing computer work, I think it will be fun to help.

I am definitely planning to spend more time on my hobbies & interests, including my pocket knives, Lionel trains, headphones & electronics. I want to completely nerd-out cataloging, photographing and researching everything, and I will probably also thin the herd significantly - I have A LOT of low end duplicates. I also have a 1974 Honda Trail 70 mini bike that is complete, but has been sitting for ~15 years. I want to clean it up, get everything working & running well (not a full restoration), then sell it. I also definitely want to do more surf fishing! I have not been fishing in nearly 2 years. Work has been so crazy that on the weekends (if I am not still working) I just don't feel like doing anything.

We also want to travel. We both enjoy great food & great wine (a lot!), and traveling (money permitting) to food destinations both in the US and internationally is one of our goals.

I have considered doing some part-time consulting, but I do not want to get sucked back into the corporate BS. I would only do it for the right company - like a smaller start-up that needed help on the plans to become a real company with a real IT infrastructure. But, I am under no delusions of my worth in this area. Tech moves very fast, and ages very poorly. If you don't know the latest technology, you are next to useless. What I could offer is experience in how to look for & evaluate expertise and what areas of technology provide small, growing companies the biggest value for their money. BUT - I am in NO HURRY to feel stressed about delivering impossible results to asshole executives, and if I don't like the company, the people or the job, I'm not going to do it.

[1967redrider]

You'll have to post some of your Lionel stable on the train forum.

[fergusontd]

Hello everyone - it's been quite a while since I have posted here, but I have some big news, and I think you folks might understand my situation better than most:

I'm retiring from my company on Oct 14!!!!

It's a few years earlier than I originally planned (I'm 61), but my financial advisor says I can do it, so screw it - I'm going to do it!! My job, which I used to love, has been an absolute hell for the last year. I've had enough and I don't want to put up with this nonsense anymore. I've actually been planning this for nearly a year, so it is not a snap decision. It has just taken this long for me to realize that my job is only going to get worse, and that I have worked too darn hard, for too darn long, to be this miserable. And, of course, I had to convince my wife that this is the right thing to do. She is still a little skeptical about whether I will enjoy not working AND not drive her crazy, but we have both been building bucket lists of things we want to do. I've been working from home for most of the last 2 years, and we're still married, so I think we'll be fine.

I'm excited, but also scared. I've been working for a wage since I was 14 (longer if you include getting 2 cents/egg for collecting the eggs and feeding the chickens every morning before school). I'm walking away from the most money I have ever made in my entire life. That's really, really hard. On the other hand, that kind of thinking is how you end-up being found dead at your desk someday. I sure as heck don't want to be one of those guys!

I know many of you are retired - tell me the things you love about NOT working!

You'll be busier after you retire. I retired in '04 from Goodyear and '17 from driving schoolbus. Still drive for the Chrysler dealer. ftd

[tallguy606]

On the day I retired from my high-stress, long-commute job, I thought I would be giddy with happiness and freedom. I told myself I would go have a big steak. But surprisingly, I didn't feel that way. I just got in the car and went home as usual. Retirement has been good, though.

[Mumbleypeg]

I’ve always had the ranch to keep me busy, but fortunately much if what needs to be done is exactly that - “needs” to be done as opposed to “has” to be done. There are exceptions of course but much of it can be done tomorrow, or next week.

When I retired from my real job, I found consulting to be a rewarding endeavor. You can help others by advising them what you know and learned from experience, and helping them execute it. The funny thing is you find that when they’re paying you for what you know they are likely to do what you recommend. Seems implicit that management hired you to do a specific job, so debate about whether or not it should be done, the process changed, etc is a non-issue. Keep management apprised of your progress and any problems or resistance, and let them clear the obstacles. Set your price and terms (all expenses paid, overtime rates, time off, etc). If they agree to pay you, fine. If not, don’t take the job - don’t make it hard on yourself, and worth your while.

I did that for five years, for several different companies. When I got tired of consulting and ready to be retired full time I started raising my rate until no one wanted to pay it.

Ken

[doglegg]

TFL, I am happy for you. Retirement has been good for me and hope it will be for you.