Retirement

Congratulations on your retirement Roy. Just be careful about those "part time" job offers. They can sneak up on you and the next thing you know you're right back where you started. Enjoy!

Kev

We are counting down the days until retirement.  Only about a  1 1/2 years to go.  Looking to go full-time for 2 years beginning early 2017.  In the meantime, we work and travel a little.  This year going to Aspen in August, Philadelphia in October, NY in February and Scotland in April.  With so many trips planned, the last little bit until retirement should go by quickly.

Congratulations and Welcome to the retired club. Wife and I did it a year ago. We enjoyed traveling (Sea, Air and Land) since retired without having to worry about going back to work. It's great feeling.

Last night my working partner and I were welding up 6in chill water line in the ceiling of a high rise office building in downtown Orlando.......all in my dreams. I had to retire 4 years ago but still dream about the work when I close my eyes.......The good thing is we are on schedule....oh, and I'm never late for work

I have been off work for four months and don't miss it at all. I have enough to do at home if only the weather would cooperate, it's too damn hot to work outside after 11 but getting caught up on siestas. Mind you, after grocery shopping with dw this morning, man now that is an ordeal, I might change my mind.

I've been retired 8 years now, and loving it!!! DW will be pulling the pin next month, then Katie bar the door!!! We're really looking forward to spending more time on the road, hauling the trailer thither and yon.
Retire when you can and enjoy the fruits of your working life. You really can work too long....

I'm not quite ready for retirement yet, but I'm getting ready for it. We were gonna fulltime,  but DW's health isn't cooperating.  We will probably snowbird now. I'm just finishing up 13 day stretch of vacation and have really enjoyed it.  The longest vacation I've had other than a month off between jobs a few years ago. I can't wait.  The younger of my two brothers always worked long hours and multiple jobs. I was close to doing the same thing,  just not quite as intense as him. At one point quite a few years ago, I was working 80 to 90 hours a week, thinking I was doing the right thing to provide more income for my family.  My youngest son couldn't sleep and was having nightmares because Dad wasn't home at night. I found out about this at a later date.  The real kicker came when my wife told me something had to change. She said she would much rather have a husband than a paycheck. I've really been blessed with a good woman.  One of the last things my brother told me before dieing at 56 years old was quit working so hard trying to get ahead,  live within your means, and enjoy your life while you can.  One never knows how long one has on this earth.  As has been said before,  nobody ever has "I wished I worked more" inscribed on their tombstone.

I quit working at age 55 in 2009, I will formerly retire as a Business Consultant on my birthday in June 2016, God willing. My wife is anxious to retire but has a few more years. She first has to find her replacement in the family business. Since she is the accountant that is not an easy task.

I have enjoyed my time away from work. I sometimes think of getting back into the daily grind, but I wake up from the nightmare. I am ready to travel more but my wife cannot so we relegate ourselves to two-three trips a year right now in our motor home. I however do not have any time restrictions so I purchased a camp trailer of sorts in order to go boon docking, http://www.rugertrailers.com/

I enjoy being my own boss, and not having to answer to clients, subcontractors, and such.

Oscar Mike said:

I sometimes think of getting back into the daily grind, but I wake up from the nightmare.

Click to expand...

;D That is good, I like it.

Wife and I both retired May 1 this year.  She is 62, I am 61.  We were burned out and ready to quit.

If I add up the days since then I think we have been out camping/traveling more often than at home.

One of the things I like best is money keeps showing up in my bank account each month and I don't have to go to work to earn it. That is a strange feeling I am still getting used to.  I am being paid NOT to go to work.

Hi Dave54 and all,

I'm about ready to join you and Roy. Considering the time we put in, I don't feel it will be free money at all but hard earned cash. The corporate world just keeps declining more and more. I pity the people who take over.

Worst of all, I never would have hired in if I knew they expected results.  ;D

Reading all your stories about retirement brings up a lot of feelings. I'm ready to retire (I'm 65) and know it will be a blast, next year is my turn. We just picked a date and made a count down paper it now says 20 PPL This means 20 Pay Periods Left so figure out that when you get paid twice a month it will be July next year. (Just want to have the last salary increase, bonus and extra vacation days for next year)

My wife's brother was 55 when he (mandatory) retired as a state worker in 2009, in 2014 the doctor discovered cancer. He died at age 61 last March 2015. Life can be short so don't wait to long to retire! He was the one who told me about the PPL and started with 300PPL that made his co-workers crazy.

My manager told me he is adding on some responsibilities in case they decide to fire people close to the end of the year because our industry is declining. In that way it will be harder to have me excused. I don't know if I have to be happy with that or not? I paid into unemployment so might as well receive some? Oh well there are better things to think about, at least he values me.

I'm exited as well to know we set a date to retire. I now research every day about every aspect of the RV life style, the kind of RV to buy and the whole technical aspect of it. One of the hardest parts is to decide on what will work the best for us. At the moment we are leaning towards a Travel Trailer of Fifth Wheeler. To keep track of all of this information I started to gather that on my website (See signature below.)

Preparation is part of the fun. Also knowing my wife is on board too is a great feeling, she looked over floor-plans for 5 hours yesterday, how about that for some dedication?

Retirement is going to be fun.

;D I just need to stick my nose in this as I am starting to get use to this retirement thing! I was forced into it from a Severe heart attack the end of March 2012. I then had to stop working mid-July of 2012 just after my 61st B-day. I am stationary living in a fifth wheel; have found some good medical care and a good community to live in. Did I say; mostly friendly people and  food and supplies stores!

    I was really POed when I first had to stop working; but have found over the past three years that I can do what I want; When I want and How I want! At first it was trying to recover from the shock; regain my strength and get used to a different diet. Also finding out out what my abilities are compared to the disability has eased my mind emotionally and spiritually. I did a lot of traveling around this country from my late 40's up until the HA; so know feel kind of comfortable. Hoping to save for a good used Teardrop TT I can pull with my old Ranger and possibly do some fishing and exploring and maybe a bit of panning for Gold flakes in N. Georgia. Not a joke i read an article and also Southern N. Carolina and a couple other SE states.  8)

It's sounding like my husband may hang it up in March of next year, we will see if he
sticks to it.  I think he is getting tired finally, of being away from home. They have
let a lot of people go on his project but not him.  He told me before that if someone
younger needed and wanted to continue working he didn't have a problem leaving.
Oil prices have gone down a lot so effected projects, he is just wanting to get as
close to possible to full SS at age 70.  He will be within 8 months of it if he signs
up in December.

I?m retired military and my wife is retired government worker but we were both little young and we didn?t have the income we wanted in retirement.  We started a small business and work lot more than did in our previous jobs getting it off the ground but it was a labor of love.  We wanted to retire so we turn the day to day operation over to our son.  Now if want to work we can but we only have to work few hours each month doing the books and paying bills.  The way I look at it I spent a lot years taking care of him now he can take care of me plus he makes a really good living.  8)