Thinking about retirement?

[respice finem]

Many nice things come free. I'm rather the opposite, born in the austerity of Poland behind the iron curtain.
But I have no problem to buy something expensive, if I can be sure enough it will a) last and b) fit its purpose.
If too much is left when I die, there are enough relatives to take care of it.

So, I'm kind of rich, not because I got so much, but because I want so little.

 

[monkeyboy]

i retired a few years ago. i spend most of my time hiking, biking and climbing. Also put in about 2hrs a day on going through a text on Kane's Method for Multibody Dynamics, I'm doing every problem in the book with sympy...i'm on set 13, about 180 problems through....

 

[Mr. Widget]

I’m 61, and it’s on my mind. This was a depressing read.

https://medium.com/spend-your-retirement-money/the-big-retirement-problem-no-one-wants-to-admit-having-why-cant-we-spend-our-damn-money-cf7e40cee36c

I hope to spend more time playing an instrument (I hear it’s good for brain function) and maybe learning a language. But there are only so many hours you can do those things. Apparently I’ll just be fighting for the remote and going to the doctor.

In 2020 during the COVID shut down, my wife and I spent the most time together we had ever been able to outside of a vacation and it was fantastic... I immediately starting thinking retirement. Unfortunately I am still THINKING about it, but then again, I like my work, so other than not having unlimited time to spend with those I care about, I can't complain.

 

[Brian Hall]

If you are able to retire then do it.

I retired at 62 two years ago this month after always having full time jobs starting at 15. I was more than ready and it has been great. The best part is not having to set an alarm to get up at 7:30 every morning to fit someone else's schedule. I go to sleep when I get too sleepy to stay awake and get up whenever I naturally wake up. The freedom is worth more to me than any amount of money. I wish there was a way to never need sleep.

I can't remember ever having been bored. Going back to my earliest memories, there has always been more I want to do every day than there are available hours. I am very fortunate to have no physical limitations (don't feel any different than I did at 25). Had my hearing tested a few months back and was happy to learn I still hear clearly up to 16khz. I love playing instruments and listening to music.

No debt and I live in a very low cost and beautiful area with very low taxes, friendly people and close to zero crime. It is great living in a very safe area where almost everyone is well armed.

I mostly enjoyed my work as a software designer / developer and worked with great people, but it would have been crazy to keep giving up my time to a job when it wasn't necessary.

Unless you enjoy your job/work more than anything else, retire when you are able.

 

[Berwhale]

Here is the article - https://archive.is/mEvSV

You just have to click on the link above the dogs ear to read it for free on Medium...

 

[Anton S]

Same here. I could spend more, but why should I?
For travel, maybe, but I've been almost everywhere already (at least where I wanted to be), and in most places it was nicer and safer decades ago...
In contrast to Poland, which is much nicer now than decades ago.

My situation, as well. I was deployed overseas for about half of my military service. After that, I spent much of my career living out of a suitcase. Now, the only travel I want to see on my calendar is our annual trip to Catalina Island for the jazz festival. We spend a week on the island, and that satisfies any wanderlust that may arise during the year.

 

[ahofer]

Much to chew on. I’m making really good money right now, because something I spent a long time building is paying off. I don’t need it to maintain the two homes and lifestyle I have, I think of what I’m earning now as padding and “travel money”. There’s a bit of a health insurance bridge we have to think about here before 65. My wife had cancer (Mantle Cell Lymphoma) some years ago and will relapse at some point, so that’s a wrinkle.

 

[Philbo King]

Like mhardy, no regrets, When the the Lottery goes to $500 mill I buy a ticket knowing that I can't buy more time with it if I won. I have trouble spending money as the article suggests but not on things that I like, but mostly that's going to different restaurants, my woodworking stuff, lots of charity. Parents and grand parents had a rough time in the great depression so those thrifty habits were inculcated in my blue collar upbringing. Made enough to buy a vacation home, did that, and found I just wanted to work on it which drove my wife crazy. Plus our relatives used it as much or more than we did and when we realized that schedule conflicts were too much we sold it, banking more money. COVID killed some travel plans, our president has made us the the uglier Americans and coming from San Francisco that makes us a public enemy in many other states. My wife and I will have to start drawing down our IRAs soon and somehow I dread that, but why, we saved for that day. I guess it is symbol that a lot more sand is in the bottom of the hourglass and I just don't like it. Plenty of things to keep me active and money has not been a issue, so far. Not bragging, just lucky (and thrifty) I guess.

As a friend used to tell me, "Like sand in the Vasoline, so are the days of our lives."

 

[ryanosaur]

Ozzy retired.

But then so did my Dad; been about 20 yrs. He's still going... like an octogenarian version of energizer bunny now, but he's still going. So there's that.

Follow your heart. That is the path that matters.

 

[mlsstl]

Not everyone wants to retire early. I'm just a month or two shy of 73 and still working part time at a job I love. I get to see interesting and mentally stimulating situations and my 50 years of experience in the industry are valued by the company. I plan to keep doing this for at least a few more years -- why give up something I enjoy? Of course, not everyone is blessed with this type of job. Some jobs require physical work that an old body can no longer tolerate. Other jobs are full time or nothing, or are so unenjoyable that a person can't wait to get away. There are lots of people that don't have a situation like mine. I count myself pretty lucky.

 

[Berwhale]

I'm sitting here at 2:23am on a Saturday morning, trying to reverse out of an IT change we started at 9pm on Friday night. I'd like to retire please.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

Took a nice payout offer at 65, over 5 years ago. Haven’t had a boring day since. Hardest part is spending money, after being a saver for so many years.

 

[Valvetubehead]

Given 31 years to an industry … that’s enough. I’m happy to reassign my skills to domestic chores and hobbies that make me happy. Corporations are bs my friends. It’s like a casino and you are the cafeteria staff. Bail as early as you can.

 

[Valvetubehead]

My situation, as well. I was deployed overseas for about half of my military service. After that, I spent much of my career living out of a suitcase. Now, the only travel I want to see on my calendar is our annual trip to Catalina Island for the jazz festival. We spend a week on the island, and that satisfies any wanderlust that may arise during the year.

Tough to argue with that! Catalina is special if you know what to expect and how to do it.

 

[respice finem]

Not everyone wants to retire early. I'm just a month or two shy of 73 and still working part time at a job I love. I get to see interesting and mentally stimulating situations and my 50 years of experience in the industry are valued by the company. I plan to keep doing this for at least a few more years -- why give up something I enjoy? Of course, not everyone is blessed with this type of job. Some jobs require physical work that an old body can no longer tolerate. Other jobs are full time or nothing, or are so unenjoyable that a person can't wait to get away. There are lots of people that don't have a situation like mine. I count myself pretty lucky.

IMHO retirement should always be at least thought about as "plan B". Before COVID, I thought I will work up to my legal retirement age and maybe beyond, but my health made it impossible. Can happen to anyone, any day.

 

[Palladium]

Every guy I know who retired complained about being utterly bored.

 

[respice finem]

Given 31 years to an industry … that’s enough. I’m happy to reassign my skills to domestic chores and hobbies that make me happy. Corporations are bs my friends. It’s like a casino and you are the cafeteria staff. Bail as early as you can.

Understandable... Anecdotally: Warsaw has a district with many corporations - people call it Mordor

 

[Todd k]

Sold my business at 60 and retired. Easily the greatest day of my life when I walked out of door that day. Will hit 67 this month and retirement is the best job I have ever had. I can spend all day doing nothing and enjoy it. I live in great place and can go fishing at sunrise, hit the beach in the afternoon and watch the sunset over the water. Luckily I was able to acquire some very nice commercial property and my mailbox money (rental income) affords me a nice life. I highly recommend retirement if u can.

 

[JeffS7444]

I didn't voluntarily retire, I got unceremoniously kicked to the curb at at the end of 2019 as part of a company merger. Original plan was that I'd goof off for half of a year, then start sending out resumes mid-2020, but that didn't happen! During pandemic-induced boredom, I finally took proper control of my various savings and investments, ridding myself of actively-managed investment accounts and 0.1% APR money-market rates. Sometime later it dawned on me that my net worth was growing, even as I was sleeping in late and spending my days photographing clouds. In fact, it grows faster now than it ever did during my years of 6 AM - 6 PM hustle: I'm still amazed that it's not a fluke.

As for spending more money, I'm well aware that prices of luxury goods can be arbitrary, and their scarcity, contrived. And as far as impressing other people, there's always someone willing to spend more $, and people's attention spans are short. I'm not opposed to luxury per se, but I feel it should make my life more pleasant somehow.

 

[Leporello]

Every guy I know who retired complained about being utterly bored.

That's what making me nervous when I think about retirement. No, not passionate about my job, but without it I'll have to face my boring self.