Well... Tomorrow's the big day.. "R" Day!

[Oz_Kioti]

Words of wisdom? I asked a mate of mine (work colleague) to help me decide about retirement. We had both loved the work, but with many large outfits, times change. He said draw a graph in your head of two variables over time. On one side plot your job enjoyment and satisfaction, and on the other, the bulldust quota. When the two lines cross, that's retirement day! (Unless financial issues cloud the situation of course)

To sum it up, when the increasing bureaucratic bulldust overcomes your level of satisfaction, give it up. And that pretty well summed it up for me.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mom worked 50 years as a RN but retired at 62 as charge nurse.

She was not retired long and was asked to come back…

She said if you really need me for a couple hours on busy days let’s see how it goes…

She 100% loved it and said the best of her career… working with those she had trained and had no problem working under those she trained saying I trained them and they learned well…

It really was her ideal retirement until she was tragically attacked by a dog while out training for the Death Valley marathon which left her with a fractured shoulder… it was career ending.

 

[Yander]

Congrats on making it to the big R. I wish you many years in the big R. It sounds like you have plenty to do.

I remember when my dad retired at 58. He would call me and tell me, "I'm starting another week of vacation this week," as I was driving to work. He had a good 26-year life in retirement, and he did everything he wanted.

He used his time the way he wanted, fishing or hunting about three days a week when he was younger. I will be retiring in a few years, Lord willing. I'll spend it with my grandkids, wife, and on my tractor helping others. I plan to work until I can no longer, but not behind a desk.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I'll say this. I found work got in the way of the life I wanted to live. I had a lot of interests and activities that I just could not enjoy due to lack of time. My career, though I had an incredible passion for, overtook my life such that it was what everything else was built around. After a couple decades that really started to eat at me. But really only in the last year. My discontent was not with being a pilot, it was with working as a pilot.

I think people that cultivate well rounded lives that consist of a lot of interests and a desire to keep learning, will thrive in retirement. Those without that desire or drive, could be better off working until they die.

 

[Duds13]

Are you going to change your name to Full-Time-Farmer-NC?

 

[hayden]

Good advice. My "problem" is I have way too many interests. My brother got me a book subscription thing. Its where you write whatever you want then they help edit it etc. I started on that a few months ago. I'm about to get into the pranks chapter. I've played an awful lot of pranks over the years. Then publish it and give it to the family.

Then I think you will do just fine. I think people have trouble with retirement when work was their whole life and they suddenly find themselves struggling to find something to do. I've been retired for nearly 20 years and haven't been bored once. Up every morning early, and "working" 7 days a week. The difference is that I'm "working" on what I want, not what someone else wants.

Enjoy!!

 

[JJT]

Lots of good advice here. #1 - keep moving, #2 - don't go crazy with spending. I know retirees that had to go back to work after a couple of years, they'd spent down their retirement.

My wife and I were fortunate to retire at 55, (9 years ago). We'd been debt free for 5+ years, that allowed us to retire early. We've done a little travelling, worked on a bunch of projects around the house and do a fair amount of volunteer work. My blood pressure dropped significantly in retirement. We both have decent pensions, investments and healthy 401k's that have not been touched. We consider the 401k's our pre-funded long term care, chances are at least one of us will need LTC.

We don't know how we got everything done when we had to work full time. We have absolutely no regrets in retiring early. Every day is Saturday.....

 

[Duds13]

Lots of good advice here. #1 - keep moving, #2 - don't go crazy with spending. I know retirees that had to go back to work after a couple of years, they'd spent down their retirement.

My wife and I were fortunate to retire at 55, (9 years ago). We'd been debt free for 5+ years, that allowed us to retire early. We've done a little travelling, worked on a bunch of projects around the house and do a fair amount of volunteer work. My blood pressure dropped significantly in retirement. We both have decent pensions, investments and healthy 401k's that have not been touched. We consider the 401k's our pre-funded long term care, chances are at least one of us will need LTC.

We don't know how we got everything done when we had to work full time. We have absolutely no regrets in retiring early. Every day is Saturday.....

Spent down their retirement in just a couple of years? ouch!

Excellent job retiring at 55!

 

[bdhsfz6]

Congratulations! Today will be your first full day in retirement.

I've been retired for 22 years now and have enjoyed every minute. The rat race I was in just kept getting worse, and I jumped at a company buyout offer that came along at just the right time!

The trick is to keep busy doing things you enjoy. I know too many whose idea of retirement was sitting on the couch doing nothing. They quickly learned it wasn't what they thought it would be.

Good luck for the future!

 

[Hughman]

Are you going to change your name to Full-Time-Farmer-NC?

When I retired I changed my login name from wannabeRetired.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Our expenses run about $2500/mo. That buys a lot of fun actually. It buys all the fun I have time for.

 

[Runner]

Few more thoughts on retirement:

You can now take naps anytime you wish. Ask me how I know....

If you are inclined to consume alcoholic beverages, you can commence to drinkin' earlier in the day.

You can arrange your travel schedule to AVOID rush-hour traffic.

In inclement weather, you can elect to just stay home.

You switch from 5,000 mile oil changes (or whatever your car requires) to annual.

You no longer need to ever wear a necktie or watch.

If you live in an area with criminals (and who doesn't?), you can be there to keep an eye on stuff.

You can get to know your UPS guy/gal by name.

You can mow one portion of your grass each day of the week. My Grandfather used to mow his 5 acres that way.

You can visit those stores and shops you always wanted to go into, but never had time before.

You can now spend more time on your workouts.

It will now be easier for you to brush/floss after every meal.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'll say this. I found work got in the way of the life I wanted to live. I had a lot of interests and activities that I just could not enjoy due to lack of time. My career, though I had an incredible passion for, overtook my life such that it was what everything else was built around. After a couple decades that really started to eat at me. But really only in the last year. My discontent was not with being a pilot, it was with working as a pilot.

I think people that cultivate well rounded lives that consist of a lot of interests and a desire to keep learning, will thrive in retirement. Those without that desire or drive, could be better off working until they die.

Life built around the job really hit home with 35 years in so far…

I admire those that can retire with a smile and have decades after of enjoyment…

Nothin as satisfying as when a well executed plan comes together…

I ask retired men what they like most and throwing away the alarm clock, life without deadlines and pressure combined with no longer having to leave the house no matter the weather are 3 common responses.

Well Done…

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Life built around the job really hit home with 35 years in so far…

I admire those that can retire with a smile and have decades after of enjoyment…

Nothin as satisfying as when a well executed plan comes together…

I ask retired men what they like most and throwing away the alarm clock, life without deadlines and pressure combined with no longer having to leave the house no matter the weather are 3 common responses.

Well Done…

After 21 years of 3am wakeup calls to work 12-13 hour days away from home Friday-Monday... i think working into ones 60s is absolutely insane.

My alarm goes off once per week, for an early morning Bible Doctrine class at church on Saturday morning. And even that hits me hard.

 

[ultrarunner]

After 21 years of 3am wakeup calls to work 12-13 hour days away from home Friday-Monday... i think working into ones 60s is absolutely insane.

My alarm goes off once per week, for an early morning Bible Doctrine class at church on Saturday morning. And even that hits me hard.

I won’t miss the 3 am alarm either when the day comes…

Last year the official word was the hospital was facing closure… I was ok with that and the timing was good for me… about a year ago corp reversed and decided to commit to another 15 years… my admin came to my office and said it’s official… we have 15 more years here… she is 71 and a powerhouse in all the good ways…

With the new 15 year commitment it’s been pedal to the metal playing catch up… new HVAC, new EPIC rollout, truck loads of new GE equipment, Boilers, Parking Lot Paving, New Roof, etc…

Since Sunday 67 hours on the clock… OT now no issues with all that is going on… now if only we had a pension based on highest remaining years instead of 403b

 

[WinterDeere]

If you are inclined to consume alcoholic beverages, you can commence to drinkin' earlier in the day.

You can now take naps anytime you wish. Ask me how I know....

I put these in the correct order for you. Related?

I will say, I used to have two cocktails, and just keep trucking. Now, one is enough to make me want to nap, and two is some guaranteed down-time.

 

[deserteagle71]

After 21 years of 3am wakeup calls to work 12-13 hour days away from home Friday-Monday... i think working into ones 60s is absolutely insane.

My alarm goes off once per week, for an early morning Bible Doctrine class at church on Saturday morning. And even that hits me hard.

When I was working the employee bus (remote minesite, no personal vehicles allowed) left the parking lot at 0430 hours. I was usually logged in on the computer in my office and working by 0545. Depending on what was happening that day the bus might have me back in town by 1800 hours - or 1930 hours. So yes, a long day. But usually had to work only 4 days a week.

But after having to get up at 0330 every morning for so many years it got to be such a habit that even now, 9 years into retirement, I still wake up around 0330 and start my day. No alarm clock needed!

 

[lman]

Our expenses run about $2500/mo. That buys a lot of fun actually. It buys all the fun I have time for.

What percentage of that is health insurance? My wife's health insurance is the biggest expense we have for a couple more years.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

What percentage of that is health insurance? My wife's health insurance is the biggest expense we have for a couple more years.

0%
My wife is a surgical tech. She has 12 more years of work

 

[lman]

0%
My wife is a surgical tech. She has 12 more years of work

That'll cost you in other ways.