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How early is "early" on this forum?
Old 08-12-2010, 08:50 PM   #1
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How early is "early" on this forum?

I am new here as of today (Aug. 12, 2010). Early retirement can mean different things to different people. To my parents' generation, normal retirement age usually meant their full Social Security retirement age (65), and anything before that was "early". However, I retired with a pension at age 61 and a half after 34 years with the same employer. Not sure if I belong here - it's O.K. if not; I will not be offended.
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Old 08-12-2010, 08:55 PM   #2
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Early is whatever you think it is. Welcome to the forum!

(For what it's worth I only beat you to "early" retirement by three years...)
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Old 08-12-2010, 08:59 PM   #3
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Welcome and congratulations!
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:03 PM   #4
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Welcome! I don't think there is a definition of "early." We have the whole spectrum here. Congrats on being able to retire before full SS age.
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:04 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Escort Rider View Post
Not sure if I belong here - it's O.K. if not; I will not be offended.
Welcome to the forum! About retiring early, if one gets to retirement at all, it is good. I myself have seen so many coworkers dropping dead while working, some even AT WORK.
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:06 PM   #6
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I think we have some 70ish year olds here. You are still a young'n.

Welcome!

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Old 08-12-2010, 09:28 PM   #7
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As early as is financially feasible to do so.
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:41 PM   #8
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Welcome Escort Rider.

I would vote to change the name to the "Earlier" Retirement Forum.

It more accurately captures the common thread among all the members - a goal to leave w*rk earlier than we would if we just coasted to 65 or some other arbitrary age.
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:53 PM   #9
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In my case my husband and I both still work, he has a regular job and we both work on a small family owned business.

I post here because I am interested in financial independence, which for me means working if I want to but not because I have to work.
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Old 08-12-2010, 09:54 PM   #10
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It's a state of mind. I ESRd at age 61 and am 5-10 years ahead of most of my colleagues, many of whom will work til they can't.
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Old 08-12-2010, 10:18 PM   #11
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Last year I retired at age 61 and a half with a pension, just like you. To me that is early. It's earlier than 65, anyway.
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Old 08-12-2010, 10:20 PM   #12
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If I can retire before I die....
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Old 08-12-2010, 10:37 PM   #13
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I would vote to change the name to the "Earlier" Retirement Forum.
Maybe the "Early-As-We-Can Retirement Forum".
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Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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Old 08-12-2010, 11:05 PM   #14
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Even for a non-napper, early retirement would be, um, six p.m.

I failed miserably to convert a recent houseguest; worked on it for two weeks, but she still believes anything before age 80 would be outrageously early.

Escort Rider, you left the w*rkforce a couple of months earlier than I did and I'm still not old enough to get some of the better senior discounts. Welcome to the forum.
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Old 08-13-2010, 12:30 AM   #15
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My dad retired at 63. My mom retired at 55 (on disability; she died 4 years later ). I retired in 2008 at age 45. It's all relative.

If I absolutely HAD to define ER, I would define it before age 62 when someone needs an income stream other than SS. ER due to disability (my mom's terminal condition) is not something anyone should strive for.
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Old 08-13-2010, 05:23 AM   #16
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Early Retirement, along with your perception of "youth", is independent of the number of times this old earth has rotated around Sol.

I retired at age 59. Was that ER? In my case, yes; I compared myself to those around me.

I'm currently 62. Is that old? In my case, yes ...

"GET OFF THE GRASS" (darn kids...)
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Old 08-13-2010, 06:50 AM   #17
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As others have said, it is a mind set. not an chronological age.

Stick around, I think you'll find the conversation here is relevant to your life. If not, then you have your answer.
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Old 08-13-2010, 08:01 AM   #18
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To me, early is before I get too feeble decrepit to enjoy life without w*rk interfering with when I want to play.

Or as I said to a Dr. during an exam five years ago, I want to retire healthy. He said, avoid doctors.

Retired at exactly 59.5 It has been slightly over 4 years.
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Old 08-13-2010, 08:44 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NW-Bound View Post
Welcome to the forum! About retiring early, if one gets to retirement at all, it is good. I myself have seen so many coworkers dropping dead while working, some even AT WORK.
Ugh, how sad.....
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Old 08-13-2010, 09:04 AM   #20
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Welcome to the forum! About retiring early, if one gets to retirement at all, it is good. I myself have seen so many coworkers dropping dead while working, some even AT WORK.

That is sad but true. That is why its called making a dying!
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