Just had enough

[kevinbti]

There was a post a few days ago about a guy who just had enough after raising kids and turned his papers in for retirement I would like to do the same, but I am 12 years removed from retirement. I would like to follow his post but can t seem to find it. Sure do relate to brutal bosses etc I would appreciate any help in locating the post

[Big_Love]

There are a some people whose passion is their work and they love their jobs...good for them. I think there are more people who only work to help provide for other things in their lives. They look forward to retirement so that they have more control over their daily activities.

Both can be good choices. It's not one size fits all.

[kyle86]

Gdetrailer wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:
Seems like everyone wishes their life away. I retired at 55 and regretted it. I changed my profession the 3rd time and went back to work and retired 2 years ago at 75. I was bored after I retired at 55.

Hmm..

Not sure where you went wrong that you could be bored when retired.

I have a garage full of projects, a back yard waiting for a bunch of projects to be completed, a basement full of projects for fixing and even a upstairs bedroom with a bunch of "round to its"..

Not to mention about 6 rooms that need wood work trim to be made (500 board foot of VT pine to plane, sand and fit)..

I am trying to finish up some of these projects before I retire so I won't spend 24/7 working on them when I do retire..

As far as I am concerned, once I retire I have no care to ever go back into the work force.. I have put in too many hard years of work for not much wage and only in the last 10 yrs have been able to start really gaining a decent wage..

My Dad retired at 58, after 38 yrs of service in a refinery., worked many hard long hrs and his last 10 yrs on rotating shifts.. Those took a toll on him..

He is now 88 and still going (albeit a lot slower now days), he and my Mom snow birded to FL for nearly 15 yrs after he retired while he was able to drive with that huge 5th wheel behind him. He enjoyed those years and he earned them..

No one ever said, if only I worked a few more years..

If only I could spend more time at the office..

If only I could enjoy working for more bosses..

Life is short, no way of knowing exactly when your time is up..

Make the most of it.

If you have the means to retire early, do it, you won't regret not having to punch a time clock.. Just don't sleep your life away when you do retire.. There are many great things to do once you are no longer punching the time clock of work..

I tell folks at work, only 11 more years.. and I am out of here.

Great post. What do you suggest for someone not established in the work force yet? I'm 29 and since I graduated from college I have been bouncing from not so good job to not so good job. Long hours and hard work with a questionable future for my generation. You seem like a person with a good outlook on life. Just curious if you could start over, would you stay with the same employer and work towards traditional retirement or something else?

[dvitale300]

Retired 7 years ago after 30 years in the business world (at 50 years old). Spent a couple of years as a landscape photographer - was very good but bored to death (lonely - no people contact). Went back and finished my degree, got my certification, passed my tests and am now teaching High School. Worst damned mistake of my life. Gonna teach for a year or two more and then get back on the road in the TT - perhaps do the photography thing again.

My wife says to figure out what you love and then figure out a way to get paid for it. Only problem - not to many roles for an old guy in the erotic film industry.

I'll figure it out soon, I hope? Dammit!

[D_E_Bishop]

I retired over 20 years ago at 55. I have never missed the work at all, I missed many of the folks I worked with and after 32.912 years at the same place I had worked with a lot of folks. The main reason I retired at 55 was that all my benefits continued after 55 and 30 years or more. The other reason was without saying so the mission statement was thrown out and the new management did not try and set standards that I had worked hard to meet for 30+ years and no one seemed to care about working to achieve goals, just to meet the budget.

So I set my own work standards in and around the house and on the road. We still take vacations but they tend to be longer now and a lot more fun when the only work you have to do when you get home is help the DW dust and clean and of course the dreaded job of pulling weed in the flower beds.

You just have to set up a rhythm of work and RV, RV and work and RV.

[rbpru]

Retirement is not escaping something, it is heading towards something.

The DW and I decided to buy a TT and tour places at our own pace, rather than a couple of weeks at a time. The process took a couple of years of planning and savings.

Finally the DW reminded me I was not getting any younger and it was time to pull the plug on work.

It has been fun but it does not happen automatically.

[Huntindog]

nohurry wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
Think it thru carefully and be honest with yourself. I retired 7 years ago at 62 and have never regretted it. Very good friend retired 6 months ago at 69 and is bored crazy. He went thru his complete long to-do list in the first 3 months.

Also consider that health insurance will be outrageous until you hit 65 and get on Medicare. And that is a long time to live off your savings unless you are very well positioned.

We are blessed in that our excellent health ins from my employer will stay with us after retirement until we are Medicare eligible.

Maybe. My company discontinued it for retirees when Obamacare started.
Much howling and gnashing of teeth had no effect on the decision. Every year, more do the same..

I don't think it is right to pull the rug out from people that have based a life decision on this benefit being available to them... But that is they way the wind is blowing.

[ken56]

I retired at 52 and I have not missed "work" one bit. My hard work paid off for me and my wife and I no longer feel the need to be productive. I now own my time. My identity does not depend on what I do for a living or if I contribute to society. Life is good.

[Ray552]

Can't help you find the thread. Just take the breaks when you can . I found it helps to keep a list of what I want to do like take a trip and do the research to get ready to take it. I also found that in my case retiring to a farm I did a lot of reading on topics as well as getting tools together. Made more than one unbearable assignment go by pretty quick.

Finally got 21 years in the Army and was able to retire from it at 42. Then spent 10 years working at a local public health department . Retiring for good at 52.

Not much for having a lot of things rather experiences, friends and family.

[nohurry]

BB_TX wrote:
Think it thru carefully and be honest with yourself. I retired 7 years ago at 62 and have never regretted it. Very good friend retired 6 months ago at 69 and is bored crazy. He went thru his complete long to-do list in the first 3 months.

Also consider that health insurance will be outrageous until you hit 65 and get on Medicare. And that is a long time to live off your savings unless you are very well positioned.

We are blessed in that our excellent health ins from my employer will stay with us after retirement until we are Medicare eligible.

[BB_TX]

Think it thru carefully and be honest with yourself. I retired 7 years ago at 62 and have never regretted it. Very good friend retired 6 months ago at 69 and is bored crazy. He went thru his complete long to-do list in the first 3 months.

Also consider that health insurance will be outrageous until you hit 65 and get on Medicare. And that is a long time to live off your savings unless you are very well positioned.

[nohurry]

5 years, 9 months, and 3 days to go, but who's counting! Can't wait. Don't get me wrong, we are enjoying the journey as well, but have worked, planned, and saved to be able to sail into the sunset comfortably. Busy today, or not busy. It'll be our choice!!

[Gdetrailer]

WyoTraveler wrote:
Seems like everyone wishes their life away. I retired at 55 and regretted it. I changed my profession the 3rd time and went back to work and retired 2 years ago at 75. I was bored after I retired at 55.

Hmm..

Not sure where you went wrong that you could be bored when retired.

I have a garage full of projects, a back yard waiting for a bunch of projects to be completed, a basement full of projects for fixing and even a upstairs bedroom with a bunch of "round to its"..

Not to mention about 6 rooms that need wood work trim to be made (500 board foot of VT pine to plane, sand and fit)..

I am trying to finish up some of these projects before I retire so I won't spend 24/7 working on them when I do retire..

As far as I am concerned, once I retire I have no care to ever go back into the work force.. I have put in too many hard years of work for not much wage and only in the last 10 yrs have been able to start really gaining a decent wage..

My Dad retired at 58, after 38 yrs of service in a refinery., worked many hard long hrs and his last 10 yrs on rotating shifts.. Those took a toll on him..

He is now 88 and still going (albeit a lot slower now days), he and my Mom snow birded to FL for nearly 15 yrs after he retired while he was able to drive with that huge 5th wheel behind him. He enjoyed those years and he earned them..

No one ever said, if only I worked a few more years..

If only I could spend more time at the office..

If only I could enjoy working for more bosses..

Life is short, no way of knowing exactly when your time is up..

Make the most of it.

If you have the means to retire early, do it, you won't regret not having to punch a time clock.. Just don't sleep your life away when you do retire.. There are many great things to do once you are no longer punching the time clock of work..

I tell folks at work, only 11 more years.. and I am out of here.

[gmw_photos]

WyoTraveler wrote:
Seems like everyone wishes their life away. I retired at 55 and regretted it. I changed my profession the 3rd time and went back to work and retired 2 years ago at 75. I was bored after I retired at 55.

....and, I retired at 57, and have not regretted it for one single day. I travel when and where I want, mess with the horses when I'm at home, ride my motorcycles on nice days, and pursue photography strictly for "fun". Sitting in the camper right now in AZ for the winter.

So we all view life differently !

[WyoTraveler]

Seems like everyone wishes their life away. I retired at 55 and regretted it. I changed my profession the 3rd time and went back to work and retired 2 years ago at 75. I was bored after I retired at 55.