About to retire but need some advice

[Preacher_Herman]

Looking to retire within next 2 years.

Traveling with a one ton dually and 5th wheel but also contemplating going to Class A.

I work with the DOD as a Parts Manager. Would rate my computer skills above average due to nature of my work.

So the advice I am looking for is what are realistic possibilities of finding some type of telecommute work, once I retire that will provide some additional income, while we enjoy the retirement years on the road.

We are thinking of doing some Workamping after our first year of retirement, but would also like to supplement that with some telecommuting work.

Any realistic possibilities or advice.

[John_I_Haggerty]

My advise is that there is so much out there that most common work folk don't know about.

I worked a great high paying job that i really enjoyed. I didn't mind gong to work and had a good time. But is that all there is? I choose a life style change. Left my job at 53, moved and took a year off. After a year off I took a pat time job at a tenth of what I use to make and have no regrets.

What I gained is what we can't control, time. I get out of bed when I want. Enjoy coffee with the wife. Play my hobbies daily, lawn bowling, pickle ball and salt water fishing.

[Preacher_Herman]

I appreciate the comments and advice.

We are still looking at options, and think we would enjoy the full time RV lifestyle.

We probably won't do it for at least another year, but if one option of early out is presented, we will take it.

Thanks again. And keep the comments coming. Good discussion.

[captmike]

Newbie here and not full timer, yet. But I have a job I love, and will do it till we have taken care of parent (dad is 97 in nursing home and MIL is 86 and living in senior living center) but both health or declining. I have buried too many friend and acquaintances the last couple of year and we are planning (already had a TT and now a motor home) to work and camp for year to come. I am a bay fishing guide and outfitter so we get to meet people daily, but love seeing people get to do things and learn things, so we will do some sort of work camper work. Do what works for you, you got to where you are with out guidance from the green screen, if it feels right do it. We only live once and tommorrow is not guaranteed.

[RoadXYZ]

We will "retire" for the 4th time this May ... now will explain, first hubby took a golden parachute offered by the company, then he drove charter busses for about 12 years, finally we sold our home and officially retired in May 2004, and now come May 2017 will be 13 years full-timing/volunteering/touring and time to be going "off the road" and settle down in an apartment .. we have enjoyed all 13 years, just that "age" crept up on us and it is time to 'settle' down and spend more time with family/friends in the area we first moved to in 1960.

We have kept our residency in Washington State, and for the last 5 years have volunteered in Oregon and have always have had a UPS mailbox for mail delivery where-ever we are .. has worked from here to Vermont, Arkansas, Idaho, or where the road led us. And may keep it after we settle down into an apartment, simply for convenience of picking up pkgs there instead of at the apartment building. When we traveled or were out of state, we simply emailed them to use credit card on file, and gave/give them the address where we will be for the next 10 days to receive our mail. Safe & secure.

Sure we have had some "bumps" along the way, but this life has worked out fine for us. So we retired to "something" and did take a couple of years off to combination traveling/touring/volunteering across these United States, plus Canada, so have had a varied life for sure.

This site RV.NET was the place came to when first considering Full-timing in an RV. We researched and went to RV Shows for about 16 months before we made the purchase of a TT and acquired the things like hoses, etc. to travel. Whenever have had a question came back here for excellent helps, plus YouTube to show us whether we could do the repair work ourselves or needed to call a repairman ... Thank you all for the helps over the years .. Shalom. Peace.

[fulltimedaniel]

I am a retired full-timer and I work when and where I choose. Not because I need the money but because I enjoy working and I get a bit bored just traveling around all the time.

I first retired at 54 and went overseas. I opened my own hotel/rest and bar in a resort area. By 2014 I had 4 businesses (I had sold the hotel in 2010) so my "Retirement" kind of got away from me.

Now I find there are plenty of jobs available out here for all kinds of seasonal work and in fact paid camp host positions. Some BLM positions for camp hosts pay as much as $40+/day.

As far as telecommuting work you will find yourself hampered by the dismal state of wifi at most RV Parks who seem to think it is still 1980. You might find yourself working out of the local McDonalds.

Of course this depends on how data heavy your typical work is.

Alaska has thousands of seasonal jobs to fill every year. Most parks including our National Parks need hundreds of folks to volunteer. There is the Beet Harvest (The Unbeetable Experience)Utility Locating, which in the northern states is a summertime job, and driving railroad crews (All over the country)These can all be done more or less on your terms seasonally and some pay very well.

I did the Beet Harvest last fall as a foreman in charge of a beet piling site and made more than $10k from Aug 23 to early October.

So take heart there is plenty to do out here even if you are "Retired".

Sadly this sites Work Camping forum is perhaps not the best of the similar forums I have found on the web. Go to the others. Google workcamping or Seasonal Jobs.

Good Luck

[wannavolunteerF]

Let's don't beat Bob up for bringing up a dissenting opinion. It started a great discussion and got different viewpoints across. He was not rude (although originally I thought his comment a bit "high and mighty") and he considered other peoples viewpoint. So great sharing of ideas....

This is what I go to this forum for. New ideas and discussion.

[jarata1]

bob213 wrote:

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I figure volunteering for 2-3 months at a time up to 6 months a year will allow me to travel the rest of the time. I also know I am much more productive on days that I HAVE to get up and get going. I tend to vegetate if I don't have a reason to get out and go/do. I have spent the last 20+ years volunteering with youth organizations while working full time, so volunteering is not a stretch for me and I love state parks.

It sounds to me that in your situation and for you that would work out great. Any way you decide to do it I wish you a happy and fun filled retirement. We have worked long enough, it time to work less and enjoy more. Best of luck to you!

P.S. after reading 2gypsies post about volunteering I have a different outlook on that. That even sounds like it could be a full filling adventure for us.
Thank you for a different perspective.

Bob bet you regret saying anything.All people are different and have different situations,marriage,nest egg.Dont think you should make general statements

[tinner12002]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:

bob213 wrote:
Not being smart a$$ or mean spirited but IMO if you need to work for extra income it's not time to retire. Wife and I both retired at 56 and everyone said we would be back out in workforce in a year or going nuts at home. Haven't looked back once and can hardly remember working now. Don't quit that good paying job until you are ready to quit working! JMO Enjoy your retirement, whenever it starts.

So, doing it your way I shouldn't retire from my construction job of 25 years to work with my wife in the BBQ vending trailer we own?

I retired from the sheet metal industry after 35yrs but continued to work a couple of little part time jobs...laughed at the fact I quit a good paying job to work a minimum wage paying job but I had only 1.5yrs to full retirement so I didn't lose much by retiring early. With only 25yrs in if you started drawing your retirement you'd be losing quite a bit of money so my thoughts would be to keep working at least enough hrs to keep getting retirement credits and work with your wife part time.

[lightning_drive]

Seems as though this thread got way away from the OP's original question.
I don't believe he wqas asking IF he should retire but opinions on telecommuting options for someone with above average computer skills.
Well Preacher if you are still listening here is my 2 cents.
In Jan I retired from the Aerospace Industry after 31 years in supply chain as they were offering a severance Pkg. I'm 62 and didn't want to start collecting SS yet.
I went to work with a Consulting Co. as a 1099 worker Doing basicly what I was doing during my working life but for more money and VERY flexible hours. I can also take engagements anywhere in the country.
I created an LLC and I am the only employee and pay myself a salary. Use ADP to handle payroll and taxes.
This allows me to work when I want and travel when I choose. As I will live in My 40 ft toyhauler during engagements away from home toy hauler is a business expense as is maintiance and repairs. Many tax advantages to being self employed.
As I'm sure you are aware many large corporations deal with contract employee services to keep their head count down and make it easier to eliminate and get experinced people as contracts come an go.
This may be something for you to research.
Well there is my 2 cents and sorry for being a bit wordy.

[bob213]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I figure volunteering for 2-3 months at a time up to 6 months a year will allow me to travel the rest of the time. I also know I am much more productive on days that I HAVE to get up and get going. I tend to vegetate if I don't have a reason to get out and go/do. I have spent the last 20+ years volunteering with youth organizations while working full time, so volunteering is not a stretch for me and I love state parks.

It sounds to me that in your situation and for you that would work out great. Any way you decide to do it I wish you a happy and fun filled retirement. We have worked long enough, it time to work less and enjoy more. Best of luck to you!

P.S. after reading 2gypsies post about volunteering I have a different outlook on that. That even sounds like it could be a full filling adventure for us.
Thank you for a different perspective.

[2gypsies1]

bob213 wrote:
I just know that when I retired I did not want to be tied to any part time low income job.

Volunteering is quite different from a job. You are truly appreciated and there are no pressures put upon you. It gives you purpose and a great feeling knowing that you've helped in some way at places you enjoy going. You meet awesome people. You get to see how the 'behind the scenes' operates. You get to explore the surrounding area in depth. If you volunteer in national parks you are quite often rewarded in seeing places that visitors don't.

Folks that don't do anything after retirement are ones that have more health issues than those that are active.

[wannavolunteerF]

I figure volunteering for 2-3 months at a time up to 6 months a year will allow me to travel the rest of the time. I also know I am much more productive on days that I HAVE to get up and get going. I tend to vegetate if I don't have a reason to get out and go/do. I have spent the last 20+ years volunteering with youth organizations while working full time, so volunteering is not a stretch for me and I love state parks.

[bob213]

I can only speak for myself. If I've given the impression that I know it all, I'm sorry that's not how I meant to come across. I just know that when I retired I did not want to be tied to any part time low income job. If I got the chance to go somewhere tomorrow I wanted to be able to go. If I was going to be the responsible worker I always was and show up when expected, I just felt I might as well stay where I was making good money, keeping my seniority and benefits. If you think you would enjoy volunteering then try it. If you like it and it gets you to that age to draw extra then that would be great.
I worked with too many people that said"just one more year" and then die or have health issues right after retirement. There's no longevity in my family, so my choice was to get out and enjoy it while I can.

[wannavolunteerF]

bob213 wrote:
Not being smart a$$ or mean spirited but IMO if you need to work for extra income it's not time to retire. Wife and I both retired at 56 and everyone said we would be back out in workforce in a year or going nuts at home. Haven't looked back once and can hardly remember working now. Don't quit that good paying job until you are ready to quit working! JMO Enjoy your retirement, whenever it starts.

So Bob, because I expect to volunteer for site at least 6 mos a year for the first 2-3 years at least to make fulltiming more comfortable until I draw an additional pension, does that mean I shouldn't retire?

I plan to retire at 60 and have no spouse to draw additional income, so the first couple of years would be tight without that cost saving measure. Am I being unrealistic?