Retirement ?????

[TBRich]

Thanks for bumping this thread, Fyrzowt. Ah, retirement. Frankly I will probably work at some level until I croak, but I am lucky to have been self-employed for the last 25 years. Plus, I like what I do — which is of utmost importance to me. I'm also lucky that I can work from the road when I need to, so that's even better, and allows me to play and work at the same time. I like to tell people I'm pretending to be semi-retired, and they seem to get that. It's not a bad way to do things, if you can manage. If I worked in a sitaution where I was offered an early retirement package and I thought I could survive, I'd do it. Live life while you can.

[sempi2]

Our retirement date is set for December 31st. We have been counting down the days since the first of this year and are amazed at how fast these past months have gone. We look forward to traveling, seeing our beautiful country and doing what we choose to do. our jobs for the most part were enjoyable, but there were always some problems along the way. Now the problems we will face will be of our own making. So our countdown continues. Hope to meet some of you as we begin our new "work". Susan

[Lily&Me]

We retired just over three years ago, took early retirement from our state employer. It was one of the single best decisions we ever made.

Go for it, if you are able. Life is short and needs to be lived.

Maggie

[Aage]

Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) — Guy Lombardo

You work and work for years and years, you're always on the go;
You never take a minute off, too busy makin' dough.
Someday, you say, you'll have your fun when you're a millionaire -
Imagine all the fun you'll have in your old rockin' chair.

(Refrain
Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think;
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink.
The years go by as quickly as a wink -
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.

You're gonna take that ocean trip, no matter, come what may;
You've got your reservations but you just can't get away.
Next year, for sure, you'll see the world, you'll really get around -
But how far can you travel when you're six-feet under ground?

Your heart of hearts, your dream of dreams, your ravishing brunette;
She's left you and she's now become somebody else's pet.
Lay down that gun, don't try, my friend, to reach the great beyond;
You'll have more fun by reachin' for a redhead or a blonde.

(Repeat Refrain)

You never go to nightclubs and you just don't care to dance;
You don't have time for silly things like moonlight and romance.
You only think of dollar bills tied neatly in a stack;
But when you kiss a dollar bill, it doesn't kiss you back.

(Repeat Refrain)

[azflycaster]

Retirement - 10 months + 18 days to go...
Who's counting?

[Fyrzowt]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Retirement - 10 months + 18 days to go...
Who's counting?

Good for you! Enjoy.

[Bill M.]

I retired 2 years ago at age 66. I had a bunch of stuff to do before I could retire, so I worked many hours a week until the time. Then, the next day, we left on our first long trailer trip (4 months) totally unprepared. We did an lot of fixing and buying at Walmart for a while.

I have not yet found a drawback to not working, except for not getting a paycheck.

I thought I liked where I worked, but I sure can do without it too. Ice on the streets and roads here. Glad not to have to get up and sit in traffic or the ditch for the morning. Pretty days its coffee on the deck. I got way too much to do retired. You might want to go back to work for a week or so to rest up every once in a while.

You must not be alone. I have talked to many airstreamers with a 30 year old trailer they bought new when they retired. And they seemed happy, And still traveling.

[Steve & Susan]

A couple of words of advice ... I was the supervisor of the pension department for a major steel company for more years than I care to remember. We found that a significant number of guys who retired were dead a year or two after retirement because they had no plan for their retirement time. This was true for the hourly factory workers as well as the salaried office workers. You can only watch Oprah for so long before all that free time actually becomes boring.

So if you are going to take the early retirement option, please keep yourself busy - 'Streaming, take adult education classes, visit the grandkids, become a community volunteer, etc.

[tkasten]

I retired 1.5 years ago after 35 years of teaching HS Band. We love every minute of our free time. First thing we did was find, restore/upgrade a 65 Safari. Made several short trips this past season and are now looking to head out for some month long tours. The only problem is tearing my wife away from the grandkids that long. I'm working on it.

[Smartstream]

There is a saying that "work is for those who don't know how to fish."

I started working at a city job when I was 17, just out of high school. I retired 33 years later at 50. That was 12 years ago. There was a 3 year interruption courtesy of my Uncle Sam.

It took me maybe 2 or 3 minutes to get used to retirement. The thing was I found it very difficult to find 8 hours in my day to go to work. In other words I enjoyed life. Sure I had good days and bad days at work but it was not my life, just a portion of it.

Since retiring I have taken a few jobs because I wanted to. Some things I would have liked to try but just didn't pay enough to pay the bills. Now with a pension I can do what I want and pay is not an issue. Also when it is no longer fun I can leave.

Working hard is good and necessary but playing hard is also very important.

My choices may not be right for everyone but of all my retired friends I can't think of any that aren't enjoying their retirement.

Cheers, Dan

[StingrayL82]

This coming March I will be dropping my retirement paperwork with Uncle Sam, with a retirement date of 1APR2012 (very appropriate). However, Brooke isn't letting me retire, so I'll be going back to teaching as a government contractor, making about what I make now. Our house should be paid off in about three years, at which time we are going to buy our new RV, a 40'-45' diesel pusher with dual rear axles. We'll start taking time off to visit parts of the U.S., until the RV is paid off, at which point I will talk Brooke into retiring full-time.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Retirement - 10 months + 18 days to go...
Who's counting?

Only 10 months + 14 days now.

Doesn't time just fly?

[sempi2]

Originally Posted by Jim Foster

Only 10 months + 14 days now.

Doesn't time just fly?

You will not believe how fast the time goes, especially if you start planning your "retirement - streaming" trips. We are at 15 days total, with
6 for him and 1 for me total working days. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Susan

[kennyp315]

Great Thread, I too was faced with retirement. Although I had to have two partial knee replacements and went out on Social Security Disability, at 61. I still wasn't planning on it. I worked in motion picture industry and was very sucessfull. 32 yrs and 60,000 hours and still wanted more. Pretty pathetic. I had spent 2 yrs redoing my '62 Globetrotter and couldn't get it out the the driveway, because of work. Well, retiring early was the best thing to happen. I go on trips with As all the time. I have plenty of things to do (almost as much as I had working) and they are my projects that I couldn't seem to get finished before. I an now looking for a 50's Silver Cloud to sink my teeth into. More panels and rivets. What can I say. LOL All the best, Kenny

[TG Twinkie]

I retired 13 years ago at age 52 and have no regrets. I agree with those who say "I don't have time for a job". Go for it!

[Scott553]

We are planning to retire in late 2011 and full time for a couple of years while we can and have the desire to be on the road. We purchased a share in the Airstream park in Minnesota for the summers and plan the south the balance of the year. This will be a two year break for us and than back to work doing something.

"The days are long and the years are short".
Kate & Spence (Amy & Scott)

[Wayne&Sam]

I fully retired 1/1/10 - I was half retired for a year and a half before that. It has been the best year of my life. And I say that having loved both of my jobs.

[nvestysly]

Hmmmm.... retirement..... right now I'm still dreaming but it's going to happen at some point. Just need to plan it on my terms rather than being subjected to a forced situation.

Don't forget, Andy R (owner of Airforums) has another Social Knowledge Community for retirement (specifically early retirement). Look at the bottom of the Airforums page

Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community

Lucius