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Was retirement for you a good or not so good choice?

winnietrey
Explorer
Explorer
I understand, and do not question, the reason folks retire. Job stress, health, want to do something different.

For some I think, it was the best thing they ever did, for others not so much.

I think, I fall in the latter category. I like my job, I have no real hobbies, I enjoy all that much. I take a lot of time off, and travel, we are healthy. I think for me, retirement could be one of the worst things I could do. Just wondering if anyone else feels the same. With my personality I think I would be bored stiff
156 REPLIES 156

Range_Maggot_Bo
Explorer
Explorer
Atlee wrote:
Retirement is my best job ever. My advice is to retire at the earliest possible time. Obviously, this varies according to one's financial situation. For me, my house was paid off the same month I retired at 66. If I had still had house payments, I could not have retired.


That's all we're waiting for- pay off the house and hit 66.

Range_Maggot_Bo
Explorer
Explorer
Old-Biscuit wrote:
After 25+ yrs of 12hr rotating shifts I LOVE Retirement.

Now I really really enjoyed my job. I operated a power plant. Boilers, turbines, generators of various sizes and styles. As Control Operator ALL trades had to get approvals for work thru me. I had a great crew, experienced -----good at their job. We functioned as 'one' ---each knew what others needed and when needed.

But due to deregulation the plants were sold, new owners were investors (idiots) and dealing with their 'management' became a real chore.
SAFETY was ignored and tried/true methods were circumvented.
I quit over a major safety issue one fine Friday morning and then come Monday afternoon I officially went from 'unemployed' to RETIRED.

2 months shy of turning 50 years old.That was 13 years ago.

YES..retirement is great.
Lots of OTHER adventures to become involved with.......and time to do so.

What is strange is that when working money was a big concern.
Now.......it is the least of issues and I get less monthly then I ever did when employed.

Life is good......one only needs to stay involved with ANYTHING.


I'm doing this right now. Stationary engineer in a hospital. 12 hour graveyard shift for 18 years. 4 days a week, including weekends. Haven't had a weekend with my wife in the same amount of time. I'm getting old, and this shift is killing me. Six months ago they gave me an afternoon shift- 8 hr. days. Five days a week. Weekends off. Same hours as my wife at the same hospital. We can actually ride to work together. Except the guy they hired for my shift got into an accident, so here I am again, probably til August. The very minute I can do it, I am out of here. The most boring day during retirement has got to be better than the best day at work. For me anyway. 2 more years to go, if I can make it.

Trackrig
Explorer II
Explorer II
I went out the door 5-1/2 years ago at age 59-1/2. It's been great and I have way more than enough to do and keep me busy.

Bill
Nodwell RN110 out moose hunting. 4-53 Detroit, Clark 5 spd, 40" wide tracks, 10:00x20 tires, 16,000# capacity, 22,000# weight. You know the mud is getting deep when it's coming in the doors.

pacificnw
Explorer
Explorer
I loved to work, have always loved my jobs no matter where they were. I had a great career. But it was consuming me. As I grew older the work was sucking up more time, more energy. I was living to work. Not a good formula.

I wanted to retire at 62 but my wife wanted to work another year. After an in depth discussion, my employer was nice enough to modify my position, allowed me to work part time in a new role and I have been doing that this past year. Works great, allows a "one foot out the door" trial period and I think my wife and I will be ready to cut the strings this fall.

New MH in driveway ready to take us where we want to go.

DallasSteve
Nomad
Nomad
I'm going to retire in 3 months and try living in an RV. I'm 61, I enjoy my work, it's not physically demanding (computer programmer), it pays well, but...I want to see more of the country and decide if I want to live somewhere else (I've been in Dallas all of my life). I will probably do some part-time work for a few years. And here's the thing: If I don't like being retired I can go back to full time work. They will still need C# programmers next year. Meanwhile, I've got enough savings that I will probably die with money in the bank so I'm going to try something different for a while.
2022 JAYCO JAY FLIGHT SLX 8 324BDS
2022 FORD F-250 XL CREW CAB 4X4
All my exes live in Texas, that's why I live in an RV

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
Atlee wrote:
Retirement is my best job ever. My advice is to retire at the earliest possible time. Obviously, this varies according to one's financial situation. For me, my house was paid off the same month I retired at 66. If I had still had house payments, I could not have retired.


I retired at 62. 42 years with the same company. Nearly 8 years retired now.

I agree , best job ever.

2gypsies1
Explorer II
Explorer II
John&Joey wrote:
D.E.Bishop wrote:
...If your not busy and active, retirement is not the best thing. Some folks like working I did but I love what I doing now even more.


X2

Like I tell the kids, never run away from something, always run to something. If you don't have stuff to do in retirement (or a purpose) all you're doing is running away from a job.

I retired 10 years ago. The week I retired I loaded up the MH and headed to Florida for the winter, been snow birding ever since. RV'ing is now coming to an end for us. I just have to figure out what we want to "run to" at this second stage of retirement.


You can definitely be busy/active during retirement.
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

doc_brown
Explorer
Explorer
Retired at 62 as planned. Started a one person business that has been very profitable. I call my hours and work days. I have many hobbies, several of which the rving lifestyle compliments. Iโ€™m now 67 and find retirement very relaxing and exciting,
Steve,Kathy and Josh
Morpheus(Basenji)at Rainbow Bridge
2004 40' TSDP Country Coach Inspire DaVinci
350 Cummins, 3000 Allison
2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S, Air Force One Braking, Blue Ox

John_Joey
Explorer
Explorer
D.E.Bishop wrote:
...If your not busy and active, retirement is not the best thing. Some folks like working I did but I love what I doing now even more.


X2

Like I tell the kids, never run away from something, always run to something. If you don't have stuff to do in retirement (or a purpose) all you're doing is running away from a job.

I retired 10 years ago. The week I retired I loaded up the MH and headed to Florida for the winter, been snow birding ever since. RV'ing is now coming to an end for us. I just have to figure out what we want to "run to" at this second stage of retirement.
Thereโ€™s no fool, like an old fool.

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
John Denver said it best for me;

"I know I'm working still, just to get another chance to play".

When I reached that level where my retirement income would allow us to do all year long what we did once or twice a year, I retired. We both have great retirements including health benefits and the only thing we didn't plan on was the Federal Government rules on health care changing when we reached 65. Our cost went up a lot.

We bought real estate for fun, second homes. It was all in recreation and vacation areas. We sold it a little at a time when there were really big expenses in our recreation. A two and a half month trip to AK with ten days of flying around the state and taking a tour from Fairbanks to Prudeho Bay and back isn't cheap. Long week ends to visit friends in Hawaii, stuff like that.

It's been 22 years, eleven months and 346 days since I pulled the plug. About eight years ago I had some really bad health issues, three joint replacements and cancer. I kind of gave up on everything I liked doing, except travel and I went downhill fast.

Then I thought, ****, I'm wasting away and becoming a couch potato.

Now I am so busy doing all those things and learning new things, I kick myself for those years when I was inactive.

I'm doing cabinetry, siversmithing, home improvements, rockhounding and active in a variety of old hobbies that I used to love.

Due to the joint replacements the cancer and now stenosis, I don't enjoy flying for long periods, so foreign travel is over but short hops are okay. I cruised for most of my time in the Navy and it isn't fun for me or the DW, we do love the land yacht though.

If your not busy and active, retirement is not the best thing. Some folks like working I did but I love what I doing now even more.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

Harvey51
Explorer
Explorer
If you retire earlier, you can always go back to work, hopefully in a more enjoyable job, after enjoying a few years of retirement.

If you retire later, more likely health issues will spoil your retirement years and you wonโ€™t be able to go back to work.

In retirement you likely can get along fine with less income but too much less makes life awkward.

Themโ€™s your choices.
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed

Allworth
Explorer II
Explorer II
Age 40: Started putting every possible penny in conservative retirement accounts (Spouse also)

Age 55: House paid for.

Age 58: Kids educated and out!

Age 61: Bought the 2500 Diesel Ram while still working to get best finance rate

Age 62.3: Retired (with Florida state pension)

Age 63: Bought first fifth wheel (27' Cameo)(cash)

Age 76: Now a 3500 Chevy Duramax/Allison CC-LB and a 35' Titanium and enjoying every minute of it.
Formerly posting as "littleblackdog"
Martha, Allen, & Blackjack
2006 Chevy 3500 D/A LB SRW, RVND 7710
Previously: 2008 Titanium 30E35SA. Currently no trailer due to age & mobility problems. Very sad!
"Real Jeeps have round headlights"

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
Retirement is my best job ever. My advice is to retire at the earliest possible time. Obviously, this varies according to one's financial situation. For me, my house was paid off the same month I retired at 66. If I had still had house payments, I could not have retired.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Since this thread has been brought back from the dead, I thought I would add a few additional comments..

Last year, I ALMOST retired.

2016, my company was bought out by our competition and THE COMPETITION WON the battle, meaning they started shutting down all of our competing production lines.

Feb 2017, the new company decided to do a "labor reduction" company wide.

Yep, I got the long walk to the carpet office at age 53 (everyone age 50 and up was on the cut list).

They offered me a real nice severance package, but I would not lose my job until May 2017.

May 2017 come and they offer an extension to Oct 2017.

Oct 2017 comes and they offered to give my job back with no change in position, seniority, pay or vacation. I could take to severance and leave, or take my job back.

They accidentally discovered that they didn't have anyone with the technical ability and knowledge they needed to perform my job.. Oh, they tried, had me attempt to train a couple of others but it was over those folks pay grade.

I decided to take my job back, for multiple reasons.

My DD is graduating HS this year, will be going into a 2yr community college program, then perhaps transfer to another college to get a 4yr degree..

So, I decided that keeping a job would be very helpful at this time..

The layoff notice also gave me time to take a good look at where my retirement is.. Our financial advisor gave us the great news that even if I could not find a job (discovered during my layoff notice that age discrimination IS alive and well in spite of Gov rules concerning age related discrimination!) we could pay for college for DD, pay health insurance and not have to take a major cut to our lifestyle!

Taking my job back also buys a bit more time to erase my early yrs of employment for SS. SS is based on a 35 yr average, as you get more yrs of qualified yearly earnings accrued over 35yrs your first (and lowest yrs) drop off.. Basically will increase my SS payments when I do become eligible to draw.

I do have my days that I wished I had taken the severance and walked (co is not much fun to work at anymore) but in the end it will make my retirement a bit stronger..

Looking forward to retiring at about 57-58 or about 4-5 yrs from now.

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
harley4275 ... retired at 47 ... wow! Good for you and best of luck going forward.

That's almost the equivalent of the ultimate - being born independently wealthy.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C